Assignment 4: Game Design

(80 points, Due 10/18)

In this assignment, you will design a 3D digital game-based
learning environment for your current or future students using the
following Game Design Document Template.
Suppose that your school hired professional game developers. They
will develop a customized 3D game for you and your student. So you
dont have to worry about the technical aspect of game design.
However, you are the content expert, and they need your help to
develop a pedagogically sound game. Please describe your ideal gamebased learning environment in as much detail as possible.
Remove the red text before submitting your game design.

Game Design Document Template

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Game Title: Una Aventura en Granada (An adventure in Granada)

Game Genre: Simulation
Target Audience: 7th and 8th Grade Spanish Students
Subject Area(s): Spanish
Topics Covered: Spanish Speaking Countries, Basic Conversation,

Geography, Parts of the city vocabulary. Directions.

6. Learning Objectives/Standards Addressed
7. Goals: You are on a study abroad trip in Granada, Spain. Your
roommate has gone missing and you must find him! He leaves the
first clue at your host familys house and you must follow it and the
rest of the clues in order to find him.
8. Rules: You must follow the directions on the clue cards to find the
next clues. At each clue destination you will have to interact with
the locals and they will lead you to the next clue. After you have
successfully followed the directions and interacted with the citizen
you will be granted the next clue.
9. Storyline: The students are from the United States and are on a
study abroad trip in Granada, Spain, Each student has been paired
with a student from Portugal at a host familys house. Your

roommate, Afonso has gone missing and you must find him. He has
left you a clue at your host familys house and you must follow the
instructions to find the next clues. Your only common language is
Spanish so all of the clues will be in Spanish. You must interact with
the locals at different local establishments such as the grocery
store, bank, restaurant, etc. in Spanish in order to find the next
clues and find your roommate.
10. Characters/Roles:
a. Main Character: Students will able to choose their own
avatar and give themselves a name.
b. Afonso: The missing roommate
c. Pepe and Encarna: The host family. They will help with
the first clue.
d. Beatriz: The cashier at the local supermarket. She will
help with the second clue.
e. Carlos: The banker who will help you with the third clue.
f. Amelia: The waitress who will help you with the fourth
clue.
g. Esteban: The hairdresser who will help you with the fifth
clue.
h. Maria: The baker who will help you with the sixth clue.
i. Juan: The pharmacist who will help you with the seventh
clue.
j. Sofia: The teacher who will help you with the eighth clue.
k. Marcos: The police officer who will help you with the ninth

11.

clue.
l. Carmen: The nurse who will help you with the tenth clue.
Problems/Tasks/Missions
The students must navigate the streets of Granada, Spain to find

the next clues.

The must have conversations in Spanish with locals at each clue

location in order to receive the next clue.

The main mission is to find their roommate, Afonso, who has

gone missing.
Descriptions of 3D Environments

Overall description

The appearance of the game will mirror

(visual)
Characters or NPC

the city of Granada, Spain.

The main characters appearance will be
up to the student. They can choose their
own avatar. The other characters will
look like Spaniards and will have on
outfits based on their profession. For
example, Marcos the police officer will

Game mechanics

have on a police uniform.

The game will be from the perspective

(actions)

of the main character. They will be able

to walk throughout the city, using the
arrows to move straight ahead, to the
left, or to the right. To open a door, you
must click on the door. To pick up
something, you must click on it, and to
talk to someone you must walk close to

In-world

the person and click on them.

The students will have access to a

tools/resources

glossary that has terms that they need

throughout their journey. When students
use the wrong words a guide will help

Challenges or

them to use the correct words.

The main challenges will be following

obstacles

the direction and navigating through the

city of Granada. Another challenge will
be interacting with some of Granadas
citizens in order to find the correct

Interaction/communic

information.
The player will interact with different

ation

people at each location. There will also

be citizens throughout the streets that
can help the player with directions if

they are lost.

There will be real life sound throughout

Sounds

the game; sounds of the street, cars

passing by, doors opening, sounds of a
busy restaurant or store, etc. There will
also be a chimes sound when a new
clue is discovered.

Levels and Progression: There are 10 clues so there will be 10

levels.
Number of Players: Single Player
Estimated Length of Gameplay: 1-1.5 hours
Cognitive Processes Required for Gameplay

Rememberin

Yes

Player must remember the directions

given to them to make it to the next

Understandi

Yes

destination.
Player must understand the citizens of

ng
Applying

Yes

Granada to get to the next clue.

Player will apply knowledge of Spanish
vocabulary in order to make it through
Granada to find their missing roommate.

Analyzing
Evaluating
Creating

No
No
No

Skills Required for Gameplay

Critical thinking

Yes

Player has to use the

information given to them to

Problem solving

Yes

find clues throughout the game.

Player has to use the
information and clues given to
them to find the location of their

Decision making

Yes

roommate.
The player must decide where
to go and who to talk to.

Creativity
Communication

No
Yes

Communication is a significant
part of this game. The player is
required to communicate with
different citizens in the city in

Collaboration
Psychomotor skills

No
No

order to obtain information.

If yes, please provide details.
If yes, please provide details.

Other

Yes/No

If yes, please provide details.

Content Integration

This game requires prior knowledge.

Yes
This game teaches academic content.
Yes
Content integration strategies and rationale: This game requires
prior knowledge of the parts of the city and professions and
basic conversation in Spanish. The game will teach directions by
placing the vocabulary words next to signs and arrows. The
vocabulary used is an accumulation of the vocabulary taught in
seventh and eight grade Spanish. This game allows them to
complete a mission by using everything that they have learned.

Engagement Strategies: The mission itself is very engaging. It

keeps students wandering, What is going to happen next? Also,
when done in the classroom the students will feel competitive
with one another and want to be the first one finished. Also, the
visuals of the game are very engaging, as most students have

never seen what an authentic Spanish city looks like.

Scaffolding Strategies: The parts of the city will be labeled on
the screen. If a student needs help with which phrases to use the

guide/glossary will scaffold the information to the student.

Assessment Strategies: Students must follow the directions
correctly and use the correct phrases and questions when talking

to the Spanish people in different locations. Teachers will be able

to see all of the errors that were made by the student as well as
how long it took them to get through each clue.

Major Purpose of the Game Integration: This game will be

mainly used as a

Motivation tool
Practice

Yes, the game can be used as a tool to

practice conversational vocabulary as well

Instructional tool

as parts of the city vocabulary.

Yes, the game will teach the students
directions in Spanish.

Formative
assessment
Summative

Yes, the game includes the majority of the

assessment

vocabulary taught in 7th and 8th grade

Spanish. The students ability to navigate
through the city and find all of the clues is
an assessment of what they learned in 7th
and 8th grade Spanish.

Other

Implementation Plan: I would use this game at the end of the

8th grade year, split it up between two class periods and use it as

an end of year assessment.

Perceived Barriers & Support Needs: Each child would need
a laptop. If the game is online it would be necessary for the
internet to be working well. If the game is on software it would be
necessary for the technology department to install the game

onto the laptops.

Reflection on the Assignment: I really enjoyed this assignment.
It was a little challenging to think of a game for a Spanish class but
after some brainstorming I discovered it is possible and could be

quite beneficial for my students. Especially middle schoolers who

play video games frequently in their personal time and get excited
about any kind of digital game in the classroom.
Submit the URL of your Assignment 4 page in the Assignment 4:
Game Design Dropbox by October 18, 2016.

Evaluation Criteria
1. Game Title
2. Game Genre
3. Target Audience
4. Subject Area(s)
5. Topics covered
6. Learning objectives/standards addressed
7. Goals
8. Rules
9. Storyline
10. Characters/roles
11. Problems/tasks/missions
12. Descriptions of Overall description
3D environments
Characters/NPC
Game mechanics
In-world tools/resources
Challenges/obstacles
Interaction/communicati
on
Sounds
13. Levels and progression
14. Number of players
15. Estimated length of gameplay
16. Cognitive processes required for
gameplay
17. Skills required for gameplay
18. Content integration
19. Engagement strategies
20. Scaffolding strategies

1
1
1
1
1
3
3
5
5
3
4
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
2
3
3
4
4
4

21. Assessment strategies

4
22. Major purpose of the game integration
3
23. Implementation plan
5
24. Perceived barriers and support needs
3
25: Reflection on the assignment
3
Total 80 points