Here is the TL; DR;
It’s been a while since I wrote about blocks because I’ve been too busy creating games with the blocks and creating new blocks. 7 Gen Blocks is a platform built specifically for learning game development, making it possible to easily create games that include instruction and assessment.
What’s done
- Code library – will be done this month. Our first goal was to create a code library that made it easy for junior developers to create a quality educational game. With 15 assessment options, 16 game options, 4 components (like a splash screen) and 7 instructional options, millions of different game designs are possible. So, we figured that’s enough blocks. That product should be out of beta by March 1st. We are diligently working away at documenting all those new blocks.
- Built with Blocks games – To test the blocks, we have been building new games and updating some old ones. You can see some of these on our Built with Blocks page on the 7 Gen Blocks site.
- Implementing AI – We are not using AI to code any more than we use Google or Stack Overflow to code, that is, in occasionally looking something up. However, we have found some uses for AI in both creating and modifying artwork and writing Google apps scripts to catalog our thousands of individual pieces of artwork for eventual easy access in the game builder. Occasionally, I use it to write possible word problems.
What’s next
In March, we start a three-pronged focus – building out our no-code game builder, greatly expanding our documentation for the developer version and increasing/ improving our Built with Blocks catalog. We’ll be creating a site that is nothing but games built with blocks so that teachers or students who are not interested in building with blocks, but rather, just want to play educational games, can go directly to that site.
Major increase in number of blocks
15 Assessment blocks, including blocks that are both game and assessment. How can a block be both? A popular example is the “Get an Animal” block. Players answer a math problem and for each correct answer they get another sheep for their flock or another item for their dog.
16 Game blocks, including blocks that are both game and assessment. A game block may be purely game, like running and jumping over objects in the path, or it can be a combination, like caves and trees, where, if a player falls on a square with a campfire, they need to answer a math problem to advance.
4 Game component blocks – these are the splash screen, end screen, level up screen and menu page.
7 instructional blocks – These range from video and visual novel blocks for longer instruction as well as single page and a search game where a dialog box gives a few sentences of information about an item or activity.
Ten Games Built or Rebuilt with Blocks
Eight of the games built or re-built with blocks are shown on the Built with Blocks page on the 7 Gen Blocks site. Most of these games were done three to six months ago. Two (the Bake-A-Palooza games) were created with the Game Builder, which uses 7 Gen Blocks as the backend. As we have added to the blocks library, the speed at which we can make games and the variety of possible games has increased dramatically.
Why We Built it This Way
We’ve had a lot of people asking when our game builder would be done and why we didn’t build that first. That’s sort of like asking why build the basement before the living room and kitchen of a house. I mean, the basement is ugly and not nearly as useful on a daily basis, but a good foundation does keep your house from sinking into the mud.
We can use the developer version to quickly test out blocks, identify gaps in the types of blocks available and determine what additional features are needed. Once we have shaken out as many bugs as we can, then it’s time to move on to finalizing the game builder.
If you are interested in building with blocks, you can sign up on the bottom of the 7 Gen Blocks page , or email admin@7generationgames.com and we’ll be very happy to give you access to the blocks and walk you through making your first games.