I can not be certain since I'm not going to take the time for signing up and evaluating it, but, based on a couple of frames that I paused at, Gamestar Mechanic appears to have a similar "sentence" structure to Kodu game lab. Its obvious hook is that they have a course associated with it (I have no idea what quality the course it though)
There is a decent community with Game Maker and plenty of tutorials out on the internet (although I know it is not the same thing) and it is fairly cheap at around $50 http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/studio/standard Also, depending on what your daughter is after, a colleague of mine suggested RPG Maker (although it is heavily geared to RPG creation) http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/ and it is reasonable as well at $70 On Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 1:43 PM, Paul Griswold < [email protected]> wrote: > Wow! Thanks guys for all the options! Several of these seem like they'd > be perfect for her. > > One that I came across was Gamestar Mechanic. Does anyone have an opinion > on it? The thing that attracted me to it is, they are doing an online > training series for kids ages 9-14. It's not cheap - $199. But I like the > idea of holding her accountable to someone other than her mother and > myself. They claim they have "game experts" who work with the kids over > the course of 4 Units to help them develop their own game. > > I'm going to have to make a list of all these and sit down to review them > all & narrow it down to a couple of choices and let her pick. > > Thanks! > > Paul > > > > > On Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 11:55 AM, Eric Turman <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Hi Paul, >> >> I too have a daughter (Giselle) just about your daughter's age --as well >> as son almost three years older (Jean-Luc)-- who are interested in creating >> games. I'm including the age that Giselle started using the programs to >> give you a frame of reference on how accessible the various programs are. >> >> *Game Maker:* >> While it does have some substantial limitations dealing with surfaces, >> I'd have to strongly recommend Game Maker; my daughter was making up her >> own games with it when she was 7. It is a complete all-in-one tool. There >> are also published books (specifically addressing Game Maker) available >> with CD content of each stage of development of many games. Game maker >> abstracts programming concepts nicely for the young programmer through >> parameter-populated iconic program blocks. Once she has mastered the logic, >> there are scripting icons that will allow her to do pure scripting. >> Spelunky was made using Game maker and the source project is available to >> learn from: http://spelunkyworld.com/original.html I have been helping >> my son work through these books an independent study course. On a side >> note, Jean-Luc has been using Game Maker's editor to design some clever >> puzzles as well as contributing to core game mechanics for an upcoming >> indie puzzle-platformer that a game designer/programmer friend, Steven >> Kiesewetter, and I are working on. (although we are looking to port it over >> to Unity due to the aforementioned performance limitations of Game Maker on >> lower end hardware.) >> >> *Kodu Game Lab:* >> Another great "engine/frameworks" that my daughter loved using around 5-6 >> years old was http://fuse.microsoft.com/projects/kodu This takes an even >> simpler approach to game creation by "coding" the behaviors and controls in >> picture "sentences" that live under each game object. Kodu does this >> through a rotary-branching menu system; Giselle would fly through the >> menus, faster than I could keep up with, creating behaviors for in game >> agents and player input. It enabled her to code all sorts of games and >> stories using just the Xbox controller. Its obvious hook is that is makes >> creating 3D games very easy. >> >> *Scratch:* >> MIT has created a fantastic way to introduce programming to children >> through a simple drag & drop interface http://scratch.mit.edu/ Giselle >> was into this pretty heavily when she was 8 although it never captured >> Jean-Luc's imagination. >> >> *Spore Galactic Adventures:* >> This is a straight up game with an editor, but it deserves a mention from >> the standpoint that it is very easy to create a variety of creature looks >> as well as create stories that can be shared. This has had a hold on >> Giselle for few week bursts over the last year. Depending on what your >> daughter wants to do with game creation this may be of interest to her. >> >> I hope sharing some of my family's personal experience was helpful for >> you. >> >> Cheers, >> >> -=Eric >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 8:14 AM, Doeke Wartena <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> hammer for halflife 1 is quite easy. It would require the dad to set up >>> to make sure compiling works and textures are loaded. >>> After that you could create a block she can copy and paste and so on >>> learn here more and more. >>> >>> >>> 2013/8/26 Andres Stephens <[email protected]> >>> >>>> I wouldn't be into 3d if my dad didn't help me get off games and onto >>>> doing something "productive" when I was younger! I owe him one. >>>> >>>> My friend on another forum I use compiled a list of free game engines >>>> and classified them roughly on their ease of use. Very extensive, but a >>>> good way to start. >>>> >>>> www.united3dartists.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3687&start=0 >>>> >>>> Hope you find the right program, or game..... Like little big planet. >>>> You can make mini games or custom levels in that. >>>> >>>> Keep being awesome. >>>> >>>> -Draise >>>> >>>> --- Original Message --- >>>> >>>> From: "Ognjen Vukovic" <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: August 26, 2013 8:01 AM >>>> To: "robw" <[email protected]>, "softimage" < >>>> [email protected]> >>>> Subject: Re: OT: my 10 year old wants to "make games" >>>> >>>> Rob that seems quite cool for young children to get into programing. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 2:57 PM, Rob Wuijster <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Paul, >>>> >>>> I recently came across this: >>>> http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/ >>>> http://fuse.microsoft.com/projects/kodu >>>> >>>> Apparently from 8 and up.... >>>> >>>> Rob >>>> >>>> \/-------------\/----------------\/ >>>> >>>> On 26-8-2013 14:47, Paul Griswold wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> My 10 year old daughter has expressed an interest in making her own >>>> games. As a typical 10 year old she doesn't have the patience to sit and >>>> type code out of a book to make a tic-tac-toe game. I think she's still at >>>> the age where she needs to see more immediate (and cool) results. >>>> >>>> So, does anyone know of any online, kid-friendly, game building apps >>>> that might at least teach her some basic concepts? >>>> >>>> The one I'm leaning towards is Scratch, but there are just hundreds >>>> of other options out there and I have no idea what's good and what sucks. >>>> >>>> Anyone have a favorite they'd recommend? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> >>>> Paul >>>> >>>> P.S. if it makes any difference, her favorite game is Minecraft. >>>> >>>> No virus found in this message. >>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>>> Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6607 - Release Date: >>>> 08/25/13 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> >> >> -=T=- >> > > -- -=T=-
