I’ve been spending my weekends tinkering with a new passion project alongside my 8 year old daughter since December, and we’re at a point where we’d love to share it with our friends and hear your thoughts.
We are calling it Mythic Makers. She’s been the creative lead, and I’m providing the technical know-how. We started this because my daughter wanted to learn how to build video games. She began with Scratch, and then we tried a few Javascript games, but she really wanted to make 3D games. That’s when we moved over to Unity and started working on this project over Winter Break.
The main concept is an app-based game where the player acts as an apprentice Mythical Creature veterinarian (the main character is currently code-named Sunny). But the twist is, it’s not just a digital game. The digital quests connect to real-life physical STEAM (Science, Technology. Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) kits that you build at home to ‘heal’ the creatures.
The first creature Sunny meets is Gloria, a green mail carrier dragon who hurt her wing and dropped her mail. In the app, you go on a simple fetch quest to gather her letters, and then you head into the shop to help build a brace for her wing. We are still figuring out what the physical STEM kit for Gloria will be.
What kind of mechanics or engineering concepts do you think would make the most sense for our first kit?
We are further along with our second creature: a Phoenix whose heart flame has gone out. The physical kit for this one teaches thermoelectric energy conversion. It uses a thermoelectric tile, a tea light, and ice to generate power, which lights up an LED tucked inside the hollow belly of the wooden bird.
Once the kit is built, the maker can take a photo of the completed project to open up a new area inside the game.
The phoenix opens up a Desert Oasis where the maker can learn more about thermoelectric energy. The first mini-game reinforces the concept with a simple sliding tile puzzle game.
Once the ice and fire are on the correct sides, the gates open and the energy beetles are able to move through, powering a water wheel in the oasis.
Each kit and area in the game will have it’s own mini games that reinforce the STEAM concepts taught by the kit.
We are designing these kits with the 7–13 age range in mind. I’m thinking that younger kids might gravitate toward the creative side, so we could include paint pens and different colored felt so they can completely customize their creature’s design. Older kids can take the lead on the electronics and more advanced STEAM concepts. Each kit comes with all of the pieces needed to build it (lasercut wood, felt, electronics, paint pens, etc.).
Since this is a work in progress, I’d really value your honest feedback:
- Does the combination of a digital storyline and a hands-on building project feel like something the kids in your life would enjoy?
- Do you feel the ‘Mythical Creature Veterinarian’ theme is engaging for the 9-13 year age group?
I LOVE this idea! Creative technology partnered with kinesthetic learning. This makes for active hands-in learning, rather than simple passive participation. Love to mystical veterinarian idea! Just imagine where you could go from here. The options are limitless.
Thank you, you’re the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the game you are very smart. You should look in to marketing it. Love all your ideas. Think children would really like this game