Welcome back to the Game-based Learning Review! This week we kicked things by taking on a tough round of our game night word connection puzzle. We sorted through board games and puzzle titles until Hopscotch, hiding in a category of programming languages, got the better of us. Next came a quick sports management game design prompt, and then we headed back into the madcap mechanical world of RoboCo.

Dan put his engineering skills to work and finally cleared the treacherous goo gap factory level with a color-coordinated robot. To close out the episode, we took on RoboCo’s grand finale, a dance floor level partially inspired by a dance number from the Yakuza series, where we built a fierce, cat-eared dancing machine with extending elbows to hit each timed pose. 

Episode Outline:

• [0:00 - 1:13] We kick off the stream comparing our garments and talking about the unseasonably warm fall weather.
• [1:14 - 14:04] We take on a difficult game night word connection puzzle and get stumped by a sneaky category of block-based programming languages.
• [14:05 - 16:35] In a quick game design exercise, we brainstorm a bilingual go-kart management sim that teaches third graders the difference between weather and climate.
• [16:36 - 27:27] Back in RoboCo, Dan guides his custom robot, extending arm and all, across the goo gap to shut off a series of toxic valves.
• [27:28 - 40:15] We enter RoboCo’s grand finale dance level and start building a dancer on wheels before a webcam gives out mid-build.
• [40:16 - 54:20] After replacing the camera through a treacherous journey under the desk, we expand on our disco-dancing cat robot, complete with a fierce face and extending elbow joints for maximum dance moves.
• [54:21 - 56:37] We wrap up the stream, accidentally trigger hard mode, and share news about upcoming interview episodes on the channel.

Links:

• Catch up on past episodes of the Game-based Learning Review using our handy playlist!
• Watch our interview with James Paul Gee and get psyched for more luminary interviews!

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