So you want to teach

Digital Technologies?

DT Teachers Guide
How to teach game design in the
Digital Technologies Curriculum

Dan Milward and Gerard MacManus

 This resource weaves together Game
Design & Development, Coding, your Local
Curriculum and Tikanga Maori.

Digital Technologies (DT) covers

two technological areas from
the New Zealand Curriculum:

1) Computational Thinking (CT)

2) Designing and Developing for

Digital Outcomes (DDDO)

Te Hiko Tākaro weaves

the two areas together while
simultaneously embedding the
key competencies from the
New Zealand curriculum.

The New Zealand Curriculum

Version 1.0
Copyright Gamefroot 2019
 It all starts here. The ‘DT Teacher Guide’.
Follow the steps in this booklet. Learn some
code, design a game, then run through the
same process with your students.

Step 1
Work through the ‘How to code
a 2D Video Game’ booklet which
covers CT Progress Outcomes 4

Step 2
Work through the ‘So you
want to be a game designer?’
booklet the accompanying
Student Workbook. Together
they cover the DDDO Progress
Outcomes 4.

Step 3
Complete the ‘DHTM
Curriculum alignment’ template.
This template will help you weave
your local curriculum into your
game development learning.

Get them all > https://takaro.gamefroot.com

 What you are doing is learning,
creating and sharing
Your students learn.
With your support they create.
And finally, your students share.

But it needn’t be in that order. “Creation

to inform learning” and “sharing to
inspire creation” show just how easy
it is to adjust the order and process.

Reflecting on your own practice, what order does

your delivery and teaching tend to follow? Why is that?

Think of a successful experience you facilitated

for your students. What relationship did learning
have to creating and sharing? How fluid was the
movement between them?

Learn Create Share

You and your students Combine your Share your completed
CT booklet - knowledge from Aotearoa-themed game
learn programming DDDO with your with students, friends
concepts. CT skills to develop and whānau. Do this
DDDO booklet - a unique piece of online, via Gamefroot.
design your game. digital content. Arcade.gamefroot.com
Now it’s time to try
your hand at game dev
and write some code!

Working through the “How

to code a 2D platformer game”
booklet will give you the
hands-on skills you need
to make a video game!

You will learn

Inputs and Outputs Loops (iteration)

Variables Data Types

Conditionals Comparative Operators

You will use the cloud-based platform, Gamefroot,

to gain first-hand experience with “Computational
Thinking Progress Outcome 4” from the new and revised
Technology Curriculum - Digital Technologies Content.

To get started, open your “How to code a 2D platformer

game” booklet and work through the introduction section.

The introduction section shows you how to set up

a Gamefroot user account and familiarise yourself
with the Gamefroot basics.
“A program is a spell cast over a computer,
turning input into error messages.”
- Dave Barry

Inputs and Outputs

Inputs are ways to control computer
programs. Outputs are ways to get
information out of them.

When you type on your keyboard,

you’re creating an input. What you
see on your screen is called an output.

In the CT booklet (Chapter 1), you will

program inputs that will allow a player
to control the Player Character (PC)
via keyboard arrow keys.

When you see the PC move in

the game, that’s the output!
“I learned to appreciate repetition. That's
why I can dance. It's how I learned to act.
I have a high tolerance for repetition.”
- Channing Tatum

Unlike us teachers, computers never

get tired of repeating themselves.

Video games are full of repeated

actions. To make sure the
computer manages all those
repetitions (and not us) it’s important
that we use Loops.

When you want to repeat actions

in a game, rather than laboriously
copying and pasting code, you can
put the code you want to repeat
inside a loop. This will make your
code run multiple times.

For instance, in the CT booklet

(Chapter 1), you will use a
Constantly loop to follow the PC
(player) with the in-game camera.
This will ensure the player is always
visible in the centre of the game.

To delve deeper into

Loops, you could explore
the Loops and Iteration
tutorial in Gamefroot’s:
“Learn to code with
Crossy Road” resource.
“The secret of happiness is variety, but
the secret of variety, like the secret of
all spices, is knowing when to use it.”
- Daniel Gilbert

Variables are ways that

computers can store information.
Variables have a name and Variables can also have a
value that you can modify. constant value assigned to them.

Name (Where did I park Name (Where does the

the car today?) principal park her car?)
= Value (Space 36) = Value (Space 01)

This value will never change because it has

“Principal” painted on it in big, bold letters.

In the CT booklet (Chapter 4), “Keeping

Score with Variables”, you’ll use a variable
that can change to track your player’s score.

Consider how many variables you need

to store in your mind on any given day.
Variables include everything from the
results of the latest assessment
through to where you parked the car.
The more variables
Now think about the many pieces of your game has,
information that need to be stored in the more varied
even a relatively simple video game. the gameplay will be.
Just like finding a
Eg. High score. Personal scores. Items in an parking space at
inventory. Level. Speed of attacking aliens. school on a rainy day.
“If you had an off switch, Doctor,
would you not keep it secret?”
- DATA, Star Trek

Data Types are the different sorts of values you can have in
your variables. There are three data types a programmer should
be familiar with at this level of game development. These are:

String type
String data is a set of characters that i.e. “What is the
may contain spaces and numbers. meaning of life?”

In the CT booklet (Chapter 8) you will A) 42

use Strings for text. You will code a B) Pavlova
string of data to display text in a C) A good question
multiple choice quiz.

Numeric type
Numeric data is anything mathematical. Name (Taniwha’s
Health Points)
In the CT booklet (Chapter 7) you will = Value (99)
set speed and velocity using Numeric
data (numbers).

Boolean type
Boolean data is a True or False value. Is the taniwha still alive?
True or False?
In the CT booklet (Chapter 6) you
will use Boolean data to establish
whether or not a thrown pātū is
affected by gravity.
“Success is a science; if you have
the conditions, you get the result.”
- Oscar Wilde

Conditionals are a way to tell the

code to do one thing based on
one condition, and another thing
based on another condition.

You can have an If statement If “parking space available” = true

on its own… Then “park your car”

… or you can pair it with If “parking space available” = true

an Else statement. Then “park your car”
Else “park in the Principal’s space
and hope you get away with it”

In the in the CT booklet

(Chapter 3) you will be using
If, Then and Else statements
to determine whether or not the
player has reached the Trophy
(treasure chest)
and won the game.

If “you’ve got the gist of Conditionals” Then “move

onto the next page” Else “time for coffee!”
No need to ask
He’s a smooth operator
- Sade

Comparative Operators are Examples of

used to compare one piece of Comparative Operators
data with another. and / or
not
To put this in context, in the CT
<>=
booklet (Chapter 5) you will use a
comparative operator to manage
the movements of a patrolling guard.

Let’s say Tupaia (above) is The comparative operators

starting at Position 1 (far would be something like…
left) and we want him to
A) If Ghost Cook Position
move until he hits Position < 5 Then Move Right.
5 (far right). When he gets
to Position 5, we want him B) If Ghost Cook Position
to turn around and move = 5 Then Move Left until
back to Position 1. Ghost Cook Position = 1

C) Go to A
 Once you and your students have
completed the ‘How to code a 2D Video Game’
booklet you are ready to design your own game!

The ‘So you want to be a

game designer’ booklet
contains a number of
activities that help you
think like a game designer.

The activities in the

“Student Workbook”
will help you and your
students come up with your own
Game Design Documents!

This is what real life game

designers use to develop
and pitch their game ideas.

Once your students finish the workbook,

they can apply their ‘Computational Thinking’
skills and turn their game idea into a reality!
“By playing games you can artificially
speed up your learning curve to develop
the right kind of thought processes.”
- Nate Silver

Never Alone Analysis

The Never Alone analysis activity
asks you to describe the game’s
Setting, Components, Goals, Core
Mechanics, Challenges and Rules.

You can purchase and play Never Trailer [https://bit.ly/2ZvsTaV]

Alone from the Appstore or Google
Gameplay [https://bit.ly/2yM6SZv]
Play, or you could watch these
YouTube videos with your students.

Mashup Activity
This is a good entry point to
designing a game. It works by
mashing existing things together
to make something ‘new’.

Wall O’ Games Activity

This is an effective group
exercise for generating the
games and concepts needed
for the Mashup Activity.
“Design is a funny word. Some people
think design means how it looks. But
of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really
how it works”. - Steve Jobs

Students need to complete

the activities in the
Game Design Workbook.

A Game Design Document

(GDD) is used in the video
games industry to help
individuals or teams
describe their game
to others.

A GDD literally keeps

everyone on the same page.
The GDD is also used to test
whether the game is going to be
viable to make, taking into account
the skills and resources of the
game development team.

Potential problems are identified

and solved in the GDD before
the game goes into the often
expensive and time consuming
production process.
Why should students write a GDD before making
their Aotearoa-themed 2D platformer?
By writing a Game Design Document, students practise design
thinking that can help them overcome the challenges of practical
game development.

Games can be complicated. Even video game professionals can

get a bit lost in the development process. That’s when having a
‘blueprint’ in the form of a GDD comes in very handy.

The Game Design Document Template

https://takaro.gamefroot.com

To become familiar with the fundamentals of game design, we

recommend that you work through the Game Design Workbook.
This will give you a strong foundation from which you can guide
your students through the game design process.

In the Game Design Document Template you will produce a

starting game concept with the Mashup exercise and will
then be shown how to produce concepts for…

Goal and Story Components (Items & Objects)

Game Space Challenges
Components (Characters) Rules and Mechanics

Once the GDD Template is complete, you will then see how students
can share their game design and reflect on their learning through...

The Elevator Pitch Considering Research

Collating Feedback
How can Game Development work in
with your local curriculum?

Think about how other curriculum areas and school contexts

could be incorporated into your own game ideas.

Using the coding skills learned in the Computational Thinking

booklet, your students could design and develop all sorts of
games based on all sorts of meaningful subjects.

Check out these examples made by our own rangatahi

and tomorrow's game developers.

https://takaro.gamefroot.com

Here are some ideas that

students could base their games on:

Mauī’s legendary adventures An indigenous local story

A local historical figure or event Human rights in NZ
The challenges of life in Tiriti o Waitangi
your part of Aotearoa Rāhui climate change
A celebration of the unique and being a guardian
character of your local area

How would you integrate learning

areas into your game? Could your
students make a language-learning
game? Could they make a game
that incorporates concepts of
maths or science? Could they
have a strong storytelling Play game:
https://bit.ly/nz-squirm-germ
component to their game?
 http://make.gamefroot.com
This section is all about using the Gamefroot
platform and becoming a master in your
classroom for your students.

Looking for additional

online support?
Browse to make.gamefroot.com,
login and click on the help button.

Looking for
additional Tutorials
Browse to make.gamefroot.com,
click on the tutorials button to
find extra tutorials.

Looking for the

teacher dashboard?
Browse to make.gamefroot.com,
log in and click on the clubs link.
Why do assets get pushed away when I run
up to them or jump on them?
All objects have physics by default. If you collide with them, you
will impart force to them. You can either disable their physics or
make them immovable with a simple script: "When created, set
immovable true" or "When created, set physics enabled to false"
(blocks from Events and Physics).

Why can I can fall off the outer edges of my game?

Even though it looks like your level has limits, the game world is
infinitely large. The visible level size is only a guide. To prevent
the player from falling outside your level, block them off with
tiles or solid objects.

You could also code a barrier into the player script:

How can I stop seeing white space at the edges

of my level when I center the camera?
Use the “Camera boundaries” blocks from Looks: “set camera
x minimum to 0” and “set camera y minimum to 0”.
Try different maximums depending on how large your level is.

How do I select multiple assets at once

and drag them to reposition them?
Use the selection tool (mouse cursor icon) and drag over
the objects to select them. Then click and drag one of
them to move them all together.
Can I use one script on multiple objects?
Yes, open the Scripts sidebar ( ) and select the correct
script, then click on the objects in your level to attach the
script to them. They will all behave in the same way.

Is there a way to copy script blocks from

one script to a new script?
In the Script Editor, click on the menu button ( ) in the top left
and select Export. Right-click on the code, click Select All, then
right-click and select Copy. Close that script, make a new script,
then open the menu from the top-left and select Import.
Right-click in the text area and select Paste.

If I put in a temporary asset to stand in for the

“real” asset, and script the mechanics I want, how
do I then transfer the script to the correct asset?
Delete the asset and place the new asset. Open the Scripts
sidebar, select your script, then click on the new asset
to attach the script.

Can I draw my own assets and use them in

Gamefroot so I can add scripts to them?
There’s nothing stopping you drawing your own art
and importing it into your game! You can take
photographs of the landscapes around your area
and use these as game backgrounds.

You could use any photo editing or drawing software

(e.g. Photoshop). Photopea is a free online alternative
https://www.photopea.com/

When drawing new game art, you can grab a screenshot of

your current game, and then draw your new art over the top.
Make a new document 960 x 540 pixels, then import your
screengrab and draw over it (or import existing images). A tile
is 48 x 48 pixels, and a character is roughly 100 pixels tall.

Make sure to use layers and paint onto a transparent layer

so that you aren't painting straight onto your background.
That way you can hide your background layer when
you go to export your assets as PNGs.
My asset is in the wrong layer and it has
a script. How do I move that asset to
another layer without losing my script?
You won’t lose the script. You need to delete the asset, then
select the correct layer and place the asset in your level.
Then open the Scripts sidebar, select the correct script,
and click on the object to reattach the script.

Can I duplicate/copy and paste objects in the level?

Not yet, but this is coming soon.

Can assets be grouped together?

No, not in the current version of Gamefroot.

How do I use Clubs in my classroom?

You can create a Club to keep track of your students’ work.
Click on “Clubs” and then click “Create Club”. Fill in the
fields, and then share the club link with your students.
They need to be logged in, then they can browse to your
club link to be added to your club. From inside your club
you can see members, change their passwords, and
play or remix their published and unpublished games.

Is there a teacher dashboard?

Yes, you can access this from within your Club page
(see above). From here you can see members, change
their passwords, and play or remix their published
and unpublished games.

How do I share my game?

Click the Share button in the top-right ( )
to get a remix link that you can share. To Publish
your game online, click File, Publish Online.
 English Te Reo

play / start timata

pause tupaku nei
level up hekepanuku
epic tauke
boss battle whawhai e
game over te mutunga
help awhina
exit / quit putunga
leaderboard papa whakataetae
campaign whakatakanga
badge pine
you win kua toa
you lose kua hinga
about e pa ana
player kai tākaro
instructions tohutohu

With special thanks to...

Edwin McRae - Game writer Josh Walker - Graphic designer

Tim Harford - Digital teach teacher AKHB - Mystery support person

Laura Jones - Project manager William Young - Gamefroot advisor

Professor Tim Bell - The CT Wizard

A games industry partnership between