Money falling from heaven?
There's a voice inside my head that keeps saying "Just do it!" (You can see him below, as a simple Flash animation sequence) He's right, it's time to answer the question...
My interest is in the intersection of games, business and education. Specifically, learning about accounting and finance, in particular cash flow. The big idea: design a game that demonstrates cash flow as a system, in particular a plumbing system. Yes, it's Joe the Plumber meets the cash flow of a company. Quick Joe, fix it! Before we run out of water! Sorry, a bit of a digression.
To gather my thoughts I created the slide presentation below to talk about my design process, how I came up with this idea, and why.
As I doing this, I realized a fundamental flaw in process. I started with the technology instead of the learning objectives. I jumped to the conclusion that I needed to create a game, and therefore I need to learn Flash to create this game. And therefore I need to learn Actionscript, right? As I was explaining this I realized I am making this very complicated.
This learning Flash soup-to-nuts...well, I'll never get my Masters done if I go down that rabbit hole. This is the constant struggle with this work, there's always another paper I feel I need to read, another technology that I need to learn. Yes, I want to do it all, but do I have to do it all right now? Is there an easier way to achieve the learning objectives that I want, create a game, but not necessarily one that is so dependent on learning Flash Actionscript 3. Time to take a step back and examine this from another perspective.
About the Flash files: Money Falling from Heaven: is modified version of the Animated Object exercise that I got from Gary Rosenzweig's Game Programming University. The 3 flash files in this post are respectively 2k ($ falling, actionscript only), 9k (animated flash), and 118k (slide show in flash - not the best use of the medium).
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5 comments:
Unsolicited advice from the backwoods--do you need to show a product or evidence that you've worked through a productive process? Could you animate only a key sequence in Flash? Could you instead know only enough Flash to be able to 1) create a script 2) create a storyboard 3) indicate the Flash capabilities that would be used for each sequence?
It's rather like scoping a project, isn't it? We're trying to limit the scope creep. I wonder if showing the script and a storyboard would show that the *next* step (ie, after you've received the degree) would be to build out the whole thing.
Intrigued by the slide that said you dealt with money a lot but lost sight of the bigger picture, ie, what goals of the company is the money funding? How is this money supporting the mission? Would your game address that larger issue or just the hydromechanics of finance?
Just finished serving a pancake brunch to new friends from school. If we can't have brunch with you guys anymore, then doggoneit, we'll have to do it ourselves.
Mike - good questions. I have to be able to show a product that uses technology. Storyboard and script would not suffice. I have to produce a product.
Do I have to produce a full-fledged game, no. I need to create an alpha. Keep in mind this is about instructional design and technology.
Does it need to be a game? no. It needs to incorporate technology.
At this point the game would not address how the money supports the mission. But I am reframing the concept. An intriguing question, it broadens the pic even more. But to be honest, if people asked themselves that question, really asked themselves that question, would they want to work there anymore?
Ah brunch...one day we'll have brunch together again.
Of course, I knew it *couldn't* be that simple :)
I've been falling back lately on the motto "do the simplest thing that could possibly work." Not perhaps the easiest or most enjoyable or cheapest, but the simplest thing. And then start adding on the complexity as needed. Hard for me to do, as I love to dive into the detail.
Keep us posted on your progress!
Above all, Rani, don't berate yourself for finding the do-everything-you-can-think-of-before-the-writing trap a beguiling one. I work out of my home, and I fight that battle every day. Some days even vacuuming looks tempting! You're right; it IS a rabbit hole from which some never return. This blog is a super idea.
Rani, you seem to be interested in some really interesting stuff ("the intersection of games, business and education").
Your anecdote is reflective of a trap many of us fall into -- the "tools before objectives" problem.
I think that you're right on with your analysis. Worry about getting better and better at ID, which I'm sure you will. The toolbox will grow in time :-)
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