TEACHER’S RESOURCE TOOLKIT

Resource Student Questions Activities Associated Victorian

Curriculum
Australia STEM Video Game Challenge - If you were to create Students over the Plan, produce and
The Australian STEM Video Game Challenge is a competition created a game for the course of the unit distribute media
by the Australian Council for Education Research with a mission to Australian STEM Video will produce in artworks for a range of
help engage Australian students in STEM (science, technology, Game Challenge, what groups a video community, institutional
engineering and mathematic) disciplines. The purpose is the help kind of game would game, that could contexts and different
engage students in these disciplines by using a area they are already you make? potentially be audiences, and consider
interested in and which support the development of higher order submitted for the social, ethical and
skills. Australian STEM regulatory issues.
The website has a lot a of useful resources for first time game makers. Video Game (VCAMAP044)
Challenge using
the knowledge Plan, structure and
and skills they design media artworks
have acquired for a range of purposes
over the unit. that challenge the
expectations of specific
audiences by particular
use of media elements,
technologies and
production processes.
(VCAMAM043)
Australian Video Games
The Hobbit - What limitations did Students are to 1. Analyse and evaluate
The Hobbit is an illustrated text game from 1982 based on the book programmers face watch, and how technical and
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien adapted by Beam Software for the ZX during that time when possibly play, symbolic elements are
Specturm. Gameplay is controlled by inputting commands in the forms it came to creating each game by manipulated in media
of verbs and nouns. video games? Australian artworks to challenge
Play the game here: - How have video developers and representations framed
https://archive.org/details/The_Hobbit_v1.0_1982_Melbourne_House games changed in the look at the by social beliefs and
Further context of the game. last thirty to fourty different values in different
years? elements and community and
Paperbark - How does this genres each game institutional contexts.
Paperbark by Paper House is a 2019 point-and-click, exploration video watercolour look contains. (VCAMAR045)
game where you play as a wombat as he explores the Australian bush. change the feel of the This section can
The game’s design is done in a watercolour style, a rendering game? also be paired Analyse and evaluate a
technique created especially by the developers. - How does this game with an excursion range of media artworks
respond to Australia to the Australian from contemporary and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyR-Ez6-wCw works of media and Centre for past time, including
art? Moving Image media artworks of
Crossy Road - What other and their Screen Aboriginal and Torres
Crossy Road is a 2014 arcade video game developed by Hipster Whale inspiration does Crossy Worlds exhibition Strait Islander Peoples,
in which the objective is to cross a series a of roads and other Road draw from? to explore the to explore differing
obstacles as far as possible, in a style similar to Frogger. - Why is such a place of video viewpoints and enrich
compelling game to games in media their media arts making.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siHkMYNMBkM keep playing? studies. (VCAMAR046)

Fruit Ninja - Why do you think the 1. Experiment with ideas

Fruit Ninja is a 2010 video game by Halfbrick Studios initially released game is so suited to a and stories that
for mobile devices in which the player slices fruits with a blade that is touch screen manipulate media
controlled via the touch screen. environment? elements, and genre
- What elements make conventions to construct
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRh_Y2o42u4 it a fun game? new and alternative
viewpoints in images,
TY the Tasmanian Tiger - How does the sounds and text.
TY the Tasmanian Tiger is a 2002 platform game by Krome Studios in Australia setting affect 2. (VCAMAE040)
which the player controls the titular Ty, as he explores each level to gameplay as compared 3.
gather mythical artifacts known as "Thunder Eggs". to other platform 4. Manipulate media
games you know? representations to
ACMI's Screen Worlds features Krome Studios and TY the Tasmanian - Like Paperbark should identify and examine
Tiger in their Spotlights section. we include more social and cultural
Australian settings in values and beliefs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o7zELRtWpw our games? (VCAMAE041)

Party Golf - What challenges do

Party Golf by Giant Margarita is a 2016 real-time, local multiplayer developers face
game which is a twist on the popular golf game genre by creating making their game a
randomly generated levels. Party Golf can support up to 8-person multiplayer
multiplayer. experience?
- Do games need
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io1NLd79mpw realistic graphics to be
fun and good?

Video Essays
Crash Course Games - How have video These videos are1. Develop and refine
Crash Course Games is a Youtube series which looks at the history and games evolved from to be media production skills
mechanics of games, including video games. when they first implemented to to integrate and shape
Recommended Videos from the Playlist: created? enhance the technical and
The Dawn of Video Games - What are some student’s symbolic elements in
A brief history of video games up until the first coin-operated game in strategies in making a knowledge images, sounds and text
1972. compelling game? around the to represent a story,
Psychology of Gaming technical and purpose, meaning and
A look at the reasons why we play games. symbolic style.
Game Design elements within 2. (VCAMAM042)
This video looks at the fundamental basics of why and how games are video games. 3.
made to be fun and engaging. 2. Analyse and evaluate
how technical and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVTNtlq3-44 symbolic elements are
manipulated in media
Secrets of Game Feel and Juice - What elements make artworks to challenge
Game Maker's Toolkit by Mark Brown looks at how creators make for a fun and engaging representations framed
video games. This particular video focuses on how abstract and game? by social beliefs and
invisible factors in a game can make a video game feel fun and - How can we see values in different
satisfying. these elements in the community and
previously watched institutional contexts.
Other recommended videos from Game Maker's Toolkit are: game trailers? 3. (VCAMAR045)
What Makes a Good Puzzle? - Does this always work
Point and Click Puzzle Design for different game
And the excellent multi-part series about Designing for Disability: genres?
Making Games Better for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Making Games Better for Gamers with Colourblindness & Low Vision
Making Games Better for Players with Motor Disabilities
Making Games Better for Players with Cognitive Disabilities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=216_5nu4aVQ
Ludonarrative Dissonance - What other games
Dan Olson from Folding Ideas explores the idea of Ludonarrative can you think of that
Dissonance, how gameplay and story interact with each other and have ludonarrative
oppose each other within a game and the importance of this dissonance?
connection. - What can game
makers do to combat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04zaTjuV60A this?

The Stanley Parable, Dark Souls, and Intended Play - What other kinds of
A follow up video to Ludonarrative Dissonance, in which Dan Olson intended play can you
speaks about how video games use intended play, gameplay that has think of in other video
been intentionally programmed into their respective video games. games?
 - How could you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHmivGmkjJw implement intended
play into your own
game?
Game Making Tools
GODOT Game Engine - Explore GODOT for Have students Plan, structure and
GODOT is a 2D and 3D game engine that can be used to create a game yourselves. What are explore the design media artworks
from scratch needing no other tools beyond those used for content some of the pros and programs for for a range of purposes
creation (ie. art assets, music etc.). what are some of the themselves and that challenge the
cons of it? what features expectations of specific
https://godotengine.org they offer in audiences by particular
Scratch - Explore Scratch for order for them to use of media elements,
Scratch is a block-based visual programming language which is yourselves. What are begin to decide technologies and
targeted towards children in order to learn basic coding. It uses a some of the pros and what they will use production processes.
block-based interface in order to create scripts. what are some of the in creating their (VCAMAM043)
cons of it? own game.
https://scratch.mit.edu
Unity3D - Explore Unity for
Unity gives users the ability to create games and other interactive yourselves. What are
experiences in both 2D and 3D. The primary editing is using C# but it some of the pros and
also has a drag and drop functionality. what are some of the
cons of it?
Unreal Engine - Explore the Unreal
The Unreal Engine is a game engine developed by Epic Games, first Engine for yourselves.
used in their 1998 first person shooter Unreal. Though it was initially What are some of the
developed for first-person shooter it has been used in a variety of pros and what are
video game genres including, stealth, fighting games, MMORPGs and some of the cons of it?
other RPGs.