Interactive Activities Assignment 2015

Assignment: Activity Game

Lecturers: Valerie Renehan & Gary Couse

The Brief:
Interactive games are used frequently as a learning tool. This assignment involves the implementation of an
interactive activity game.

You must first propose a design and secondly create an educational interactive activity game for a specific
audience and the
same game
must be
implemented twice:
One version in HTML/JavaScript/CSS.
And
One version in Flash/ActionScript
.

Topic:
The educational activity game can cover any one of the following topics:

Vocabulary

Grammar

Spelling

Numbers (counting etc)

Colours

Time (Clock)

Geography

Theme:
The game play inspiration & graphical/visual approach should take the consideration one of the following
themes:

Day out at the Circus/Carnival

Playground Visit

Pirate/Sea Voyage

Picnic Time

Scoring:
And the scoring for your game will be based on either
one
of the following:
1.

Lowest/Highest score
a.

2.

player(s) generate a score through playing the game. The highest (or lowest) wins.

Longest/Shortest time.
a.

player(s) complete an activity. which is timed.

Players:
You will create either
one
of the following:
1.

Single player game: you compete against yourself (e.g. to beat your previous score or time)

2.

Multi-player: you compete against other players

This gameplay of the educational activity will be proposed by you and should not be based on one
that already exists. The implementation of the game should be approached using the concepts
covered in class.

You must document the logic and functionality of this activity for Monday of week 7 and implement the final
solution for Monday of week 13.
It is important to consider that both parts of this assignment are dependent on each other, you will be asked to
reflect on this also as part of the assignment. The planning phase directly influences and affects the
implementation phase.

Part 1 - Interactive Activity Design & Specification Documentation (30%)

The objective of this documentation is is to clearly plan and explain your activity and how it works (i.e. the
logic).
Your documentation should use the following structure:

1.

Introduction
(for point 1, use the template reference provided at the end of this brief)
a. Game title
b. Topic
c. Theme
d. Number of Players
e. Scoring - explaining how it is being used to measure their progress. E.g. lowest/highest
score, or longest/shortest time, etc.

2.

Description of the rules of the game (this should help your audience understand exactly what the
game involves) and should be thought of as Instructional text.

3.

Storyboard designs of the screens demonstrating and explaining gameplay. The storyboard should
help to fully explain the sequence in the game play. All actions/steps should be included i.e. follow
through from start to end, indicating how the game might be implemented. For the storyboard, the
method of presenting the functionality is up to you - you may consider powerpoint animation, frame by
frame in flash, photoshop/illustrator, balsamiq.com or other wireframing tools, etc.

4.

Data Description (a list of variables & datatypes that you propose will be required, including a
description of their proposed use). This is an important component as it contributes greatly to how you
approach the implementation of your logic. It must include the most important data. Avoid just including
interface elements (buttons, textfields, etc), ensure to include the data you need in order to implement
the activity e.g. how do you keep track of progress in the game (which question you are on? what is
your score? etc.) and how do you remember the correct answers/solutions? What information must you
collect so you will know when you are finished? Randomise so that that order changes etc. etc.

5.

Flow charts
of the main game logic

NOTE: All of the above are required.

We will provide a sample document to aid you with what is expected. If you have any doubts over what we
require, make sure you contact us.

Part 1 Deadline & Assessment:

Week 7, Midnight Friday 20th March
You

must

upload your documentation for assessment

to blackboard. Blackboard is accessed via

http://www.mycit.ie. Your login and password are the same as you use for "Web for Student" (to get exam
results).

Game Description: metric, Storyboard

Data Dictionary

Flow charts

40%

20%

20%

Level of detail and

rules, feedback and

presentation.

20%
Excellent 70-100

Clear and concise

Critical evaluation and

Critical evaluation and

Comprehensive 60-69

presentation & summation of comprehension of game

analysis with respect to

analysis with respect

Competent 50-59

the planning process

design and its wider

scripting considerations in

to scripting

Adequate 40-49

undertaken. The information

significance in planning

planning an interactive

considerations in

Incomplete 0-39

indicating the functionality of for an interactive solution. solution.

planning an interactive

the solution & the

Consideration of the

solution.

representation of the

theme.

required information..

Consideration of the theme

as a leverage to aid the
uniqueness of the game.

Part 2 - Implementation (70%)

In the second part of this assignment, you must implement your proposed solution.

Expectations in Functionality for the Interactive Activity:

Ensure to consider the dimensions before commencing.

The activity should begin with an instructional text introduction and a start button.

Feedback should be given to the user on their progress during and at the end of the game.

At the end of the activity the user(s) should be given an option to start again/reset.

Front end aesthetics and usability should be a consideration in anything that you are developing.

Where the activity involves a series of tasks which the user has to complete - this should involve a
minimum of 3 tasks (for example, 3 questions).

Students doing a one player game must remember to provide a mechanism to allow the player compete
against themselves. E.g. keep a high score, quickest time, etc.

You must randomise so that users are not presented with the same game each time think arrays,
loops, array access notation targeting, events, functions.

Collecting a user name &/or password is not a requirement for this assignment. The game play should
be your focus.

The computer should enforce the rules and return feedback on the progress of the user.

In Flash/ActionScript & HTML/JavaScript:

You must demonstrate understanding and correct use of the following:

Arrays and Objects (where applicable)

Correct use of targeting objects (e.g. Movie Clips/DOM elements)

Dynamically targeting objects (array notation and concatenation)

loops (where applicable)

Variables (declaration, retrieval, incrementing)

Conditionals

Custom Functions

NB: In Flash, the timeline can only be used to separate the introductory screen, gameplay screen and result
screen for example i.e. where the objects significantly change. And also to place images, movie clips/buttons
and DTFs.
All steps in the progression of the activity itself should be on one Frame and developed using
ActionScript 3.0.

Part 2 - Deliverables:
Individual Reflection Report:
You must write a short report (min 500 words). The purpose of this report is for you to reflect on the learning
experience with respect to proposing a solution (first part of the assignment) and in how you finally
implemented your solution.
You should ask yourself the following:

Does the final solution represent what you proposed?

Did the data proposed reflect what was used in the final version?

What problems did you encounter? How did you solve them?

Did you have to deviate in any way from the logic you proposed, put forward what and why.

What did you learn from the assignment?

Code Documentation:
You must create a single PDF file containing all your HTML/JavaScript code
and a single PDF of your ActionScript
code. For the HTML/JavaScript, each file should start on a new page in the document and its file name should
be highlighted. You can cut and paste your code into word/textpad, etc to create this. This should also be
included in your submission folder. You must
include your name
at the start of each document.

Your scripts should have comments describing the function of the major parts of the code:

In
HTML
:
<!-- comments go here
-->

In
JavaScript
&
ActionScript
/*

comments go here

*/

or
//
Comments go here (but must fit on one line)

Example: (In ActionScript)

functionsetans(event:MouseEvent){
optionselected=1

//setthetarget/buttonselectedto.5alpha
event.target.alpha=.5

/*
checkifthetargetselectedisequaltothevalueofthevariablerightanswermov1etc.Ifit
isright,changethevalueofoptionselectedto2i.e.resettheoptionselectedvariable.
*/
if(MovieClip(event.target)==this["rightanswermov"+questionno]){
optionselected=2
trace("rightansselected")
}
}

Final Activity:
Each activity (Flash and HTML) is worth equal marks.

Plagiarism will not be accepted the main focus is for you to learn to develop a solution based on the
problem presented. You may be asked to explain the function of your code. It is acceptable to discuss
the assignment with your classmates but the code must be written by you. It is not acceptable to reuse
sections of code written by others.

Your program should be fully functional and tested. It should contain no errors.

Your assignment must be submitted via Blackboard.

All HTML, Images, Javascript, CSS, Flash movies and .fla files should be saved in a folder named with your full
name, zipped and submitted via Blackboard

Part 2 Deadline & Assessment:

Week 13, Midnight Monday 11th May
Blackboard is accessed via http://www.mycit.ie. Your login and password are the same as you use for "Web for
Student" (to get exam results).
The main files should be titled with your full name, zipped and submitted via blackboard.
Assignment Rules:

Refer to - MI Assignment Rules

Documentation
5%

Excellent 70-100
Comprehensive 60-69
Competent 50-59
Adequate 40-49
Incomplete 0-39

Standard of
documentation and
engagement in reflective
practice in answering
the key questions asked.

Sequence

Data Management

35%

35%

Understanding shown in
the implementation of
sequence, selection and
iteration.

Critical evaluation and

understanding with
respect to storage,
management and
retrieval of data.

Front-end: Aesthetic
& Usability
25%
Independent thought
and response in the
consideration of
usability & aesthetic
approach for an
interactive solution.
Consideration for the
requirements as outlined
in the given brief.

Notes:

This is a problem solving assignment. For that reason you cannot suggest games similar to those used
as case studies in your classes. Those include a 21-like card game and Multiple Choice text based
questions and order/memory game. if you are concerned that your game is too similar you should
discuss it with one of us as soon as possible.

We only require the final web optimised files. (Please note original image files such as .psd's are not
required - only the actual 72dpi files used in the solution i.e. the files that would be uploaded to the
web).

Do not forget to submit the FLA/original flash files.

Ensure to check your emails regularly following submission, any contact with regard to your submission
(missing files, incorrect format, queries regarding your approach/implementation) will be via email.

Interactive Activities Assignment 2014

Student Name:

Game Title:

Topic:

Theme:

Number of Players:

Scoring: