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GOURANGA! Forums > General > Off Topic > A request for ideas

Post 1 \| New	Posted August 2nd, 2008
Azz the barbarian. grrr Joined: Feb '03 Posts: 1,824 Type: Administrator	Howdy, as I've mentioned I work for an educational software company, and one of our products is a revision tool for school kids. It works using small games to drive engagement and try and make revision a bit more fun. So I'm about to start a new game which will be based on the age old top trumps style games. So you have an object with a variety of stats. When you answer a question correctly, you pick the stat and see if it beats the (semi-intelligent) computer player. Get it wrong, they pick one. Simple enough. And now I need to come up with some ideas for the different packs. There needs to be 40 images in each. At the moment I'd settle for one solid idea, with a view to adding more. We're a commercial company and this is a commercial product (sold to schools), so the images need to be copyright cleared. So Classic Ferraris is right out unless someone wants to give me a big pile of money to pay for their use. Part of the problem is I'm old. It's true. And I'm not down with the kids any more. Other than knife crime, drinking and raising five kids, what do teenagers like these days? I'd love to commission an artist to do a load of artwork for us, say random concept cars or something, but money is tight. Of course if someone here wants to do some art work we could perhaps come to an arrangement, but I'm afraid we won't be making anyone rich just yet. I'm going to approach Rockstar see if they're interested in a Cars of GTAIV style thing, but I would expect them to be incredibly defensive of their IPR so who knows. Any suggestions? Preferably useful ones ;) Cheers, Si ------------------ azz.gouranga.com est. 1998 (I am oldskoolier than joo)

Post 1 | New

Posted August 2nd, 2008

Azz
the barbarian. grrr

Joined: Feb '03
Posts: 1,824
Type: Administrator

Howdy,

as I've mentioned I work for an educational software company, and one of our products is a revision tool for school kids. It works using small games to drive engagement and try and make revision a bit more fun.

So I'm about to start a new game which will be based on the age old top trumps style games. So you have an object with a variety of stats. When you answer a question correctly, you pick the stat and see if it beats the (semi-intelligent) computer player. Get it wrong, they pick one. Simple enough.

And now I need to come up with some ideas for the different packs. There needs to be 40 images in each. At the moment I'd settle for one solid idea, with a view to adding more.

We're a commercial company and this is a commercial product (sold to schools), so the images need to be copyright cleared. So Classic Ferraris is right out unless someone wants to give me a big pile of money to pay for their use.

Part of the problem is I'm old. It's true. And I'm not down with the kids any more. Other than knife crime, drinking and raising five kids, what do teenagers like these days?

I'd love to commission an artist to do a load of artwork for us, say random concept cars or something, but money is tight. Of course if someone here wants to do some art work we could perhaps come to an arrangement, but I'm afraid we won't be making anyone rich just yet.

I'm going to approach Rockstar see if they're interested in a Cars of GTAIV style thing, but I would expect them to be incredibly defensive of their IPR so who knows.

Any suggestions? Preferably useful ones ;)

Cheers,
Si

------------------
azz.gouranga.com
est. 1998
(I am oldskoolier than joo)

Post 2 \| New	Posted August 2nd, 2008
Lobster Martin hi Joined: Feb '03	I'm confused. what would the education benefit aspect be of a top trumps style game using concept cars, or GTA4 cars, or such? Like, what would the kids be learning? Wouldn't it be more useful to have something like... top trumps of different metals or something? Metal: titanium Strength PLUS FIFTY Malleability RUBBISH Cost to manufacture per kg MEEEEDIUM Motherfuckers would learn some chemistry or physics or whatever. Or top trumps of different forms of energy (although there clearly wouldn't be enough different sources of energy fossil fuels nuclear fusion fission biomass biofuels vegatable oil geothermal hydroelectric solar power tidal power wind power course there arent enough. OK how about... and this I think could work fairly well compared to my initial ideas...top trumps of countries. You could have all kinds of stats Country name Population Crime/ murders per 100,000 (or something) GDP Unemployment Military Strength Climate Imports/Exports Number of large cities over such and such a population

Post 2 | New

Posted August 2nd, 2008

Lobster Martin
hi

Joined: Feb '03

I'm confused. what would the education benefit aspect be of a top trumps style game using concept cars, or GTA4 cars, or such?

Like, what would the kids be learning?

Wouldn't it be more useful to have something like... top trumps of different metals or something?

Metal: titanium
Strength PLUS FIFTY
Malleability RUBBISH
Cost to manufacture per kg MEEEEDIUM

Motherfuckers would learn some chemistry or physics or whatever.

Or top trumps of different forms of energy (although there clearly wouldn't be enough different sources of energy

fossil fuels
nuclear fusion
fission
biomass
biofuels
vegatable oil
geothermal
hydroelectric
solar power
tidal power
wind power

course there arent enough.

OK how about... and this I think could work fairly well compared to my initial ideas...top trumps of countries.

You could have all kinds of stats

Country name
Population
Crime/ murders per 100,000 (or something)
GDP
Unemployment
Military Strength
Climate
Imports/Exports
Number of large cities over such and such a population

Post 3 \| New	Posted August 2nd, 2008
Azz the barbarian. grrr Joined: Feb '03 Posts: 1,824 Type: Administrator	Sorry, did explain but I was waffling so deleted it. Basically we wrap the prewritten educational content in a more engaging setting, be it a game, interactive animations or whatever. All our content is written by advanced skills teachers, so all we need to do is try and make the overall experience more fun. The idea being you've already proved you've learned something so you get a snapshot of something fun. Sounds like quite a simplistic idea I know, but compare it with the alternative (reading a book) and there's little surprise in the fantastic stats we get showing kids revision time. But equally top trumps weren't always frivilious random stuff. Some of it was genuinely educational. Least it was when I was a kid, these days it seems to be "bestest tv show of the week" type themes. Meh.. what can you do? ------------------ azz.gouranga.com est. 1998 (I am oldskoolier than joo)

Post 3 | New

Posted August 2nd, 2008

Azz
the barbarian. grrr

Joined: Feb '03
Posts: 1,824
Type: Administrator

Sorry, did explain but I was waffling so deleted it.

Basically we wrap the prewritten educational content in a more engaging setting, be it a game, interactive animations or whatever. All our content is written by advanced skills teachers, so all we need to do is try and make the overall experience more fun. The idea being you've already proved you've learned something so you get a snapshot of something fun.

Sounds like quite a simplistic idea I know, but compare it with the alternative (reading a book) and there's little surprise in the fantastic stats we get showing kids revision time.

But equally top trumps weren't always frivilious random stuff. Some of it was genuinely educational. Least it was when I was a kid, these days it seems to be "bestest tv show of the week" type themes. Meh.. what can you do?

------------------
azz.gouranga.com
est. 1998
(I am oldskoolier than joo)

Post 4 \| New	Posted August 2nd, 2008
Lobster Martin hi Joined: Feb '03	Oh right, I see. Still, my countries top trumpts idea wouuld be good at teaching some geography and world knowledge! It could have a little map at the top, showing where in the world the country is, with the stats on the rest of the card. Doesn't really help you though.

Post 5 \| New	Posted August 2nd, 2008
DiscoFreak j0hnz0r Joined: Jun '03 Posts: 1,232 Status: Online	i've got a few ideas you can use from my days of game writing in programming class. i'll have to check on the copyrights of the sprites, though, but i think they're open. i'll put it together here soon. ------------------ "Disco is music for dancing, and I know that the people will always want to dance." - Giorgio Moroder - OH NOOOOES SUM1 HAKED MY SIG NAD I GOTTED BANZORED 4 IT!!!!

Post 6 \| New	Posted August 3rd, 2008
Azz the barbarian. grrr Joined: Feb '03 Posts: 1,824 Type: Administrator	Sounds good, look forward to it. cheers. ------------------ azz.gouranga.com est. 1998 (I am oldskoolier than joo)

Post 7 \| New	Posted August 4th, 2008
DiscoFreak j0hnz0r Joined: Jun '03 Posts: 1,232 Status: Online	all of the sprites are still under copyright, sorry. at any rate, i dunno what to tell you that hasn't already been done - you did the make your car faster bit. space ships, maybe? like, if you get an answer wrong you add to the payload, and have to spend more money on fuel and less money on doing cool shit in space? ------------------ "Disco is music for dancing, and I know that the people will always want to dance." - Giorgio Moroder - OH NOOOOES SUM1 HAKED MY SIG NAD I GOTTED BANZORED 4 IT!!!!

Post 7 | New

Posted August 4th, 2008

DiscoFreak
j0hnz0r

Joined: Jun '03
Posts: 1,232
Status: Online

all of the sprites are still under copyright, sorry.

at any rate, i dunno what to tell you that hasn't already been done - you did the make your car faster bit.

space ships, maybe? like, if you get an answer wrong you add to the payload, and have to spend more money on fuel and less money on doing cool shit in space?

------------------

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/fanofdisco2/disco-3.jpg

"Disco is music for dancing, and I know that the people will always want to dance."
- Giorgio Moroder -

OH NOOOOES SUM1 HAKED MY SIG NAD I GOTTED BANZORED 4 IT!!!!

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