Build A Game
The Play for Impact project introduces you to the building blocks of game design and the world of socially responsible gaming. You'll work in teams to identify a personally relevant topic to create a game with a social utility or purpose.
You'll then research, design, and code a game prototype in Scratch using “Scrum” — a method used by real engineers to make innovative ideas come to life!
13 Learning Sections
Develop a Product in 12-18 Hours
No Experience Necessary
How Can Games Build Empathy?
Consider these examples:
- Republica Times: a game that lets the player be the editor of a newspaper in a fictional, totalitarian country, during wartime
- Ayiti, The Cost of Life: a simulation game with a family to make ends meet and get ahead in their poverty-stricken homeland of Haiti, while making decisions on issues such as work, education, and healthcare
- Re-Mission 2: a collection of six games designed to be played by teens with cancer, with each game based on real medical treatments and biology
- The Migrant Trail: a simulation that lets the player experience the challenging journey of migrations crossing the U.S.-Mexico border
Project Resources
Play for Impact Project Overview
- Section 1
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BUILDING BLOCKS OF A GAME
How do you build a game that is fun and engaging? In this section you will learn about game design by first creating an offline game made up of objects from around the room, and then creating an instruction guide so others can learn the rules and play. - Section 2
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EXPLORE SERIOUS GAMES
How can a game make a positive social impact? In this section, you will play several games to learn how the concepts of gameplay and game design can apply when creating experiences on serious topics!. - Section 3
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CREATE A TEST PROJECT: DEV ENVIRONMENT
What is a development environment and how do you set one up? This section will teach you to set up the tools needed to create a test game. - Section 4
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CREATE A TEST PROJECT: GAME FEATURES
How can you use game design concepts by remixing a game? In this section, you will turn an existing game into a brand new game by editing the code and graphics using Scratch.
- Section 5
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WHAT'S A SPRINT
What is an Agile sprint and how do you use one to build a chatbot? This section will help you understand this engineering framework and prepare you to start building!
- Section 6
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SPRINT TEAM
What are the different roles on your EFTW Sprint Team? In this section, you'll be introduced to the Engineering Team, the Product Leader, and the Scrum Leader. - Section 7
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DEVELOP AN IDEA
How do you go about developing the idea for your game? In this section, we'll help you and your Engineering Team get the ball rolling on brainstorming your project topic! - Section 8
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DEVELOP A BACKLOG
What is a backlog and how does it help keep a sprint's tight timeline on schedule? In this section, we'll walk you through how to build and maintain a backlog. - Section 9
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BUILD A GAME
Work with your team to continue developing your project to the finish line! - Section 10
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TEST & GET FEEDBACK
How do you test the effectiveness of your game and receive feedback to make changes? In this section, we'll walk you through the importance of testing a product and completing peer reviews. - Section 11
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SPRINT REVIEW & RETROSPECTIVE
What is a Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective, and why are they so important for strengthening your engineering skills? In this section, we'll show you how to conduct these reflection activities. - Section 12
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SUBMIT PROJECT
How do you submit your project for review? In this section, we'll provide the necessary instructions to do so. - Section 13
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NEXT STEPS
What comes next after Engineer for the Week? In this section, we'll share the resources and opportunities that are available if you're itching for more.