Game Design

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Game Title: Georgia Back in Time

Game Genre: Learning Game, Content System
Target Audience: Second Grade
Subject Area(s): Social Studies, Historical Figures, Geography,

Map Reading Skills, Change over time, Contributions to Society

5. Topics Covered: Georgia history, famous people from Georgia,
Change over time
6. Learning Objectives/Standards Addressed: Students will
experience how famous Georgians lived in their time. Students will
observe the influences famous Georgians had. Students will observe
how places and ideas change over time. Students will practice their
map skills. Students will identify geometric figures. SS2.S2.O1;
SS2.S5.O5; SS2.S10.O9; MP.G1.O1 (Archdiocesan Standards)
7. Goals: Players must use the time machine to visit important
Georgians in history. Each famous Georgian is in a scenario with a
hidden piece. The player must talk to the famous Georgian and help
them complete the mission in order to look for a piece in that time
stop. The player must find all of the pieces to win.
8. Rules: The player must complete the objective given by the famous
Georgian to get the piece. If the player cannot complete the
mission, they must either go back to the time machine and start the
mission over or keep trying. The player cannot go to the next time
period unless they have completed the task in the time they have
already visited. Players may revisit times they have already
mastered to explore the setting and learn more background
information on the person and the time period.
9. Storyline: An evil villain has escaped from Time Travelers Jail in
Atlanta. He has stolen parts of the Time Polices time machine and
taken the only other time machine for himself. He travels
throughout Georgias history, leaving the pieces from the Time
Polices time machine in his wake, to make sure they wont be able
to find him. The player is a scientist who has been working on

building their own time machine with the ability to follow others
they have the only means of tracking down the villain! The player
must travel through time, visit important people and places, and
find these pieces so that the Time Police will have their time
machine back to catch the villain.
10. Characters/Roles: There is the villain, the player, the Time
Police, and famous Georgians (Jackie Robinson, Jimmy Carter,
Juliette Gordon Low, Ray Charles, James Oglethorpe, and Chief
Tomochichi).
11. Problems/Tasks/Missions: The main mission is to find all of the
pieces of the time machine. In order to do this, the player must visit
the six places in history that the villain has visited. During each time
stop, the player will interact with a famous person from Georgias
history.
1. Jimmy Carter In the Governors Mansion you run into
Jimmy Carter, who has returned to the Mansion from his trip to
Washington D.C. He needs his lucky tie, shoes, pen, and watch
if hes going to run for President of the United States. He will
describe the geometrical shapes that he hid them under. Help
him find his tie in the Mansion and look for the Time Machine
piece at the same time.
2. Jackie Robinson You run into Jackie Robinson at the Ponce
de Leon Ballpark. Hes playing for the Dodgers, but something
got in his eye! He needs you to help him play. The player must
help him hit the pitch and go around the bases, looking for the
time machine piece at the same time.
3. Juliette Gordon Low In Savannah you find Juliette Gordon
Low in the post office getting ready for a Girl Scouts event.
She is inviting girls from clubs in thirty different countries!
However, she is old and cant see the names of the countries
on the map to mark them. You must mark the countries on the

map before you can search the post office for the time
machine piece.
4. Ray Charles Ray Charles is in the streets of Macon,
Georgia. Hes getting ready to be inducted to the Georgia
Music Hall of Fame, but hes lost! You must read the map and
guide him to the Music Hall, where you can look for the time
machine piece.
5. James Oglethorpe On board the Anne you strike up
conversation with Oglethorpe about the journey. Hes looking
for the perfect place to make a new settlement. It must be
protected and a good place for trade. You must help him find
the right place (Oglethorpe will help guide the player to the
location for Savannah by trial and error. If the player chooses
an incorrect location, Oglethorpe will tell the player why it
wont work and will reiterate what they need in a settlement
location). At the shore of Savannahs location you can look for
the time machine piece.
6. Tomochichi In the bluffs outside Savannah you find Chief
Tomochichi, who is preparing for a trip to London with James
Oglethorpe. He wanted to negotiate fair trade and education
for his people, but needs to pack. You must go with him to his
village and his home to help him pack. There he will explain
what things are when you click on them and will decide if he
needs to pack it or not. After you help him pack you can tour
12.

the village and search for the time machine piece.

Descriptions of 3D Environments
Overall description

All environments should be bright and

(visual)

colorful for appeal and to keep the

players interest. The settings should be
two dimensional upon arrival in a new
time but should change to three
dimensional when the player begins the

mission. The 3D platform will make it

easier for the player to navigate and
fully immerse themselves in the task at
hand. The 2-D setting the rest of the
time will simplify the choices that the
player has. It should be 180 degree
spectrum in the 2-D settings and 360
degrees when in the mission settings
(if applicable). The time machine will
also be 2-D, with many silly lights and
buttons to give the air of important
machinery. The time machine will have
options, such as going to the next time,
going to previous times already visited,
background information on the time,
and a closet to create outfits for each
era. Each famous Georgian has their
own setting to be explored by the
player. There is an Indian village, the
ship Anne, the Post Office in Savannah,
the baseball park, the city of Macon,
Characters or NPC

and the Governors mansion in Atlanta.

The player is a scientist with a time
machine. The player will always be
directly in front of them in the lower
center of the screen. Characters should
be realistic, but not photorealistic. Other
characters include the Time villain, Time
police, Jimmy Carter, Juliette Gordon
Low, Jackie Robinson, Ray Charles,
James Oglethorpe, and Chief

Tomochichi. Characters will provide

information and directions to the player
upon contact and will only give
additional information if the player
Game mechanics

prompts them by clicking on them.

The player will guide their character (or

(actions)

the famous person) by using the arrow

keys on the keyboard. Thus, the main
movements are walking and running in
various directions. When they have
found something of interest, the player
must click it. This can make the
character notice, read, or grab various

In-world

items.
The characters in the game are the

tools/resources

most valuable resource. They will

explain the players mission and how to
accomplish it. They will guide the player
to the goal by explaining why their
choice was incorrect. The time machine
will provide basic information upon
arrival in a new location and additional
background information for the player
should they request it (e.g. date,

Challenges or

location, people, important events).

Each time period or visit made by the

obstacles

time machine will present a new

obstacle that will keep the player from
searching for the time machine piece.

Interaction/communic

The player must find all six pieces.

When the mouse hovers over something

ation

that will produce an action, it will gain a

yellow outline so that they player is

aware they can click it.
Characters will speak when the player
clicks on them. All narration will also be
written at the bottom for the player to
read.
Sounds will change based on the

Sounds

setting. Sometimes it will be faded

background noise (when the famous
Georgian is speaking) and while the
player is working on their mission,
music from that era will be playing.
13.

Levels and Progression: The player must make six stops in

time, so there are six levels. The player will start with the most
recent date and work their way back through time to the earliest
date.
14. Number of Players: This is a single player game.
15. Estimated Length of Gameplay: Assuming this is a game to
be used in the classroom, there will be a limited amount of time for
play. If played in 30 minute increments, the player could complete
the game in 4-5 days. Longer if they take the time to explore each
setting and get their character into corresponding outfits.
16. Cognitive Processes Required for Gameplay
Rememberin

Yes

At the end of the game, each piece of

the time machine is linked to a memory
of the person who it was found near. The
player must determine who the person is
based on the description given by the
time machine pieces in order to put it

Understandi
ng

Yes

together correctly.
Player must understand the needs of a
new settlement to choose Savannahs

location and the purpose of Tomochichis

items to determine whether to pack
Applying

Yes

them.
Player must apply map-reading skills to
help Ray Charles get through Macon, to
help Juliette Gordon Low find countries
with other Girl Scouts, and to help

Analyzing

Yes

Oglethorpe find a new settlement.

The player will need to analyze each
scenario to determine any course of
action. Jimmy Carter what kinds of
objects have those geometric shapes
and where are they in this room? Jackie
Robinson which ball do I swing at?
Juliette Where are those countries
located? Ray Charles Which is the best
path to get to my destination?
Oglethorpe Where is the best location
for a new settlement?
Tomochichi Which items are most
important for a diplomatic mission to
London?
Attire which clothing items are

Evaluating

Yes

appropriate for each time period?

The player must evaluate each possible
action or solution to determine if it is the
best one. If they choose incorrectly, the
must reevaluate and determine the

Creating

Yes

reasoning behind it.

The player must create an appropriate
outfit for the time period they are
entering. Choices are limited, but the

player has room to experiment with

different combinations and the time
machine will react to each outfit, giving
the player the rejection or affirmation
needed for the appropriate outfit.
17.

Skills Required for Gameplay

Critical thinking

Yes

The player is forced to think of

the situations at hand and then
logically decide the best action.
Sometimes the missions are
straight forward (find these
countries on the map, find these
geometric figures in the house,
and swing at the baseball) and
other missions require critical
thinking (What is the best path
to take, where should Savannah
be, what should I bring to

Problem solving

Yes

London)
The critical thinking missions
require the player to solve a
problem in order to make the
best choice (what is the safest
path, what is the safest spot,
what tools are useful on a

Decision making

Yes

diplomatic mission)
The critical thinking missions
allow the player to make
decisions that may lead the
player to fail. The computer will
explain to the player why their

decision will not work to help

guide the player to the make
Creativity
Communication

No
No

the correct decision.

N/A
The player will only
communicate with the computer

Collaboration

Yes

characters.
The player can work with the
computer character to solve the
problem. The computer can
offer tips, advice, and hints
during the task to make it easier

Psychomotor skills

Yes

if the player works with them.

The player will only be using
their hand to control the actions
of their character, with clicking
and arrow keys to move, so it is
less psychomotor and more fine
motor skills, though still
important for the age group. In
the Jackie Robinson mission the
player must have the correct
timing to match the ball pitch
and control to keep their player
in bounds while running the
bases.

Other
18.

Content Integration
This game requires

Yes. Players should already be familiar

prior knowledge.

with the state of Georgia, basic map

skills, and famous people born in
Georgia (though the last is not

This game teaches

necessary)
Some it will build on information

academic content.

already there so that the player has a

stronger grasp on the content.

Content integration strategies and rationale: This game
integrates general Georgia history with math, geography, and
map reading skills. The idea is that the teacher will have already
introduced the Georgia unit and begun introducing some of the
concepts in the game such as the names of famous Georgians
and why they are famous. After a mini lesson on famous
Georgians, the player will get to see their lessons in action when
they go back in time and run into someone they learned about
in Social Studies class. The game will use each scenario to teach
the player more information about each famous Georgian, while
also working on a skill, such as map reading, identifying shapes,
or critical thinking.

19.

Engagement Strategies: The main engagement strategy is

interactions with other characters on the game. Whether it is the

Time Machine providing them with background information or the
famous Georgian telling the player about what they are doing, it is
necessary for the player to engage in conversation with those
characters to complete the missions. Should the players want to
learn more about any topic, there are items in each setting that the
player can click on for more information or background knowledge
on that time period or that person.
20. Scaffolding Strategies: The game will slowly distribute
information to the player as they come to each scenario. The Time
Machine will provide an intro and background information on each
era and person, thus enabling the player to choose the appropriate

clothing. That information will be reinforced in the actual setting

when communicating with the characters. The characters will give
information as they converse and ask for help on their mission. The
information is therefore given just in time for the player to use it.
The information will be reviewed again at the end of the game when
it is time to recall facts about each person.
21. Assessment Strategies: The game will provide in-world
assessments, both formative and summative. The tasks that players
must complete include 3 skills (map reading skills, fine motor
control, and identifying geometric figures) as well as 3 tasks that
require critical thinking (what is the safest and most direct route to
the Music Hall of Fame, Where should the settlement be built, what
items should Chief Tomochichi bring to London). The game will
provide teachers with records of how long it took students to
complete a task and how many attempts were made. The teacher
can use that information to determine if a skill needs to be revisited
in the classroom.
When a player has completed all six levels of the game they will
move on to the summative assessment. In order to get the time
machine to the Time Police, the player will have to put the time
machine together. Each piece has the memories of the time period
where it was found, but they cant recall the person. The player
must match the person with the correct historical information to
solve the puzzle. If they make a mistake then the whole puzzle falls
apart and they must start over. Depending on the students level,
the facts may stay the same, or they might change to different facts
from that time. The player always has the option of traveling back
to the time periods to do research and find the answers. The game
will inform the teacher of how many attempts the student makes
and when they finally succeed. The teacher can use this information
to calculate a grade for the student.

22.

Major Purpose of the Game Integration: This game will be

mainly used as a
Motivation tool

Yes, it is still a computer game and has

novelty among students in the second
grade. There is a specific goal at hand and
students will be excited at the opportunity

Practice

to work their way through history.

Yes, the player must practice using skills
and knowledge already learned in class in

Instructional tool

order to complete each mission.

Yes, the game will introduce more
knowledge on important people in
Georgias history and will immerse the
player in that time period so that they can

Formative

see what it was like.

Yes, the game will record attempts and

assessment

time spent on each task so that the

teacher can determine her students
understanding of basic skills such as

Summative

geometric shapes and reading a map.

Yes, at the end of the game the player is

assessment

required to match up each description of a

historical person with the person. One
mistake will cause the entire puzzle to fall
apart and the player is forced to start over.
The game will keep track of how many
times the player needs to attempt the
task.

Other
23.

Implementation Plan: The game will begin after the teacher

has introduced the Georgia unit and character names. Students

should have some background knowledge before playing, though it

is not necessary. Students will go to the computer lab to play the
game whole group, individually, with headphones. For this reason
the game must be played in 30 minute time periods. It also needs to
be downloaded to the computers (PC) so that games may be saved
to a specific player.
24. Perceived Barriers & Support Needs: An expected barrier will
be effective marketing. This game is very specific to Georgias
history and will only reach a certain audience. For this reason I
believe that different versions of the same game should be made
reflecting history from each state. The games should have similar
actions and layouts (skills to demonstrate) to the original game so
as to save on the cost of creating the game which could be
another barrier. There should be a tutorial included for any teacher
who would like to try the game for their class so that they know how
it works from the players perspective and how the game will
provide resources for the teacher. To save on cost for both the
producer and consumer, it should be downloaded online for each
class and connected to the teachers login.
25. Reflection on the Assignment: I learned that there are a lot
more things to consider when creating digital games. As an
educator I find it much easier to relate to the educational side of
games, and I found it a challenge to instead put myself in a
creators shoes. It was interesting to think about how todays
society thrives on 3D game environments, but they do not
necessarily need them to be photorealistic in order to enjoy them. I
can better appreciate the thought that goes into designing the
layout of a 3D environment for a game, and reflect on how realistic
the animators decided to make it. I would love to go further into
that thought process and see how children would react to the same
game with different animations 3D versus 2D or cartoon versus

photo realistic. I think that would provide vital information for

educational game creators.