Game development and design with Kodu
At this level, kids have the opportunity to develop their logical, algorithmic and spatial thinking in a new and interactive way. Using the Kodu programming environment developed by Microsoft specialists, we are going to study the main programming concepts through the prism of 3D game design and 3D programming. The various projects we are going to create help the kids learn to apply in practice their logical thinking and the knowledge they have acquired by creating their 3D worlds and fill them with adventures. Using the familiar code blocks, learning 3D game design is easy, fun and exciting! We have a variety of tools and built-in elements that make the programme suitable for both advanced learners and beginners.
Certificate
The student will receive а certificate for each completed level.
Bonus points
500 points
Each completed module brings you 100 points and the full level brings you another 500 points.
Tools
Some of the instruments and programming environments used by the students at this level.
100 POINTS
Module 1 - Basic concepts in KODU environment
In this module, kids are going to take their first steps in 3D gaming design by learning how to work with the KODU platform and going through many of its specifics. They need this knowledge for the next modules where they are going to build on what they’ve learnt and let their imagination run wild with KODU. Throughout their work, they are going to be able to learn new programming concepts through the prism of the KODU 3D game design platform. We are going to expand our knowledge by laying the foundations of event-based programming, and we are going to find out how variables are used in KODU.
Topics
- What is KODU? Particularities of working with the platform
- How fast can we go? Event-driven programming
- Adding targets and lauching rockets
- Player 1 vs Player 2. Adding players and collecting points. How to use variables?
100 POINTS
Module 2 - Modern game design
In this module, we are going to fine-tune our games in order to create an accomplished and well thought-out virtual space where our characters will act. We are going to learn what real game designers do and how they do it. To do this, we are going to take a look at different programming features and how they are applied. We are going to learn how to make characters talk in our games using events.
Topics
- Fairytale world. How do the gaming designers do it?
- Can you walk through the labyrinth? Functions in programming
- Cameras in action: How to create solo and multiplayer games?
- Our characters can talk?
100 POINTS
Module 3 - 3D game development
In this module, we are going to understand how designers plan their games and what is the most essential aspect of planning. We are going to learn to think like designers by creating and programming complex 3D spaces. We are going to learn how to use operators in KODU. We are going to learn how to create Path-follow games and construct complex algorithms together with the kids. We are going to learn how to use different types of programming loops.
Topics
- Real games. Programming operators
- Difficult targets: Increasing the game difficulty and Path Follow. Algorithms in programming
- Special effects. Loops in programming
- Music and sound effects
100 POINTS
Module 4 - Code Blocks
In the introduction of this module, we present visual (block) programming to the children. They develop an undrestanding of what is a "programming environment", and learn how to use it while creating their first computer program. Each topic in the module build-up the knowledge and skills of young programmers, so they know how to use "event", "condition", and "variable" and can start to write code for programming hardware components.
Topics
- Program and algorithm. Who manages the computer?
- Every code block has a starting point. Events
- Attention! Paths and turns into the code. If-statements
- The guardians of hidden treasures. Variables