http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/popular/month/educational/indie/?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss ]]> This Month's Most Popular Games Tagged 'educational, indie' on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/popular/month/educational/indie/?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss ]]> en-us

]]> 05 Sep 2007 03:05:36 Go back in time to 1980, and see if you can make your mark in the up-and-coming "video game" business. Try and keep pace with the rapid changes in platforms (Atari 2600 or Colecovision? Apple II or Commodore 64? Mac or PC?) over the years, visit trade shows, hire and manage employees, build corporate headquarters, make deals with publishers, and build yourself into the future game development powerhouse!

Game Biz 2 is freeware.

]]> 09 Dec 2006 09:04:12 ' Your brain doesn't work right '

Did you know that your brain is not perfect? Test it now in a funny way! Absolutely for free!

When you see the word 'Red' printed in Blue, something strange happens. Your brain gets two contradictory informations from two valid sources. On the one hand, the label says 'Red'. On the other hand, the color of the label says 'Blue'. This way, your brain gets confused.

Your goal in Brain Crash: click on the labels which TEXT matches its COLOR. Simple, uh? Not so...

Time is limited, so go quickly! The faster you are, the higher your score! But be careful, because if you click on an incorrect label you will go back 2 levels.

A game for all the family. Non-violent and fun for all ages.

Now it's your time. Are you a master of Brain Crash?

Come on! Try it now! Absolutely for free!

]]> 14 Feb 2007 06:06:13 Scripture Solitaire combines the words you reverence with the game you love. There are seven different solitaire games to choose from including the classic Klondike and Freecell. The game contains hundreds of verses from the King James Version of the Bible, and you can create your own verse or quote files to use in the game as well. There are six beautiful background themes. Each card has a short phrase in place of the rank. For example: King, Queen, Jack, Ten are replaced with "John 3:16", "For God", "so loved", "the world". When the phrases on all 13 cards are put together in order, they form a Bible verse. With the hint system and the variety of game selections, it can be as easy or as challenging as you like. Scripture Solitaire is a fun way to incorporate God's word into your life!

]]> 14 Feb 2007 11:06:36 Johnny's Piggy Bank is a Financial Education game aimed at children. Using fun jobs to earn pocket money, you learn about important aspects of Financial education, whilst saving up to purchase items such as go-carts, bikes, pet animals, clothing etc. You must budget and decide best when and how to spend your money. Featuring a fully functional banking system with calculated interest, and a living stock market there are many different ways to boost your coffers!

]]> 22 Feb 2007 01:33:05 Lettuce-Season its the new mini production of Grogged Studios, A simulator game of lettuce cultive

You will a farmer, Can you harvests a good orchard of lettuces that survive to frosts, droughts, plagues and diseases?

]]> 27 Feb 2007 12:00:23 The Restaurant Game is a research project at the MIT Media Lab that will algorithmically combine the gameplay experiences of thousands of players to create a new game. In a few months, we will apply machine learning algorithms to data collected through the multiplayer Restaurant Game, and produce a new single-player game that we will enter into the 2008 Independent Games Festival. Everyone who plays The Restaurant Game will be credited as a Game Designer. It's never been easier to earn Game Designer credentials!

This game was created with Torque v1.5.

]]> 07 Mar 2007 01:33:16 In this educational mini game, you can teach yourself how to identify Japanese katakana and hiragana symbols. Each symbol represents a sound, and with practice you can eventually memorize the symbols and their associated sounds. At the same time, you will be improving your typing skills!

The gameplay is very easy to adapt to. Clouds containing Japanese symbols scroll across the screen, and you must type the sound you believe is associated with any symbol on the screen. You gain points by correctly identifying the symbols.

]]> 10 Mar 2007 05:55:07 An example of what final projects in the Game Development 3 class that I teach at Brown College should be like. A single level of dodging jumping red bots, collecting power pickups and health packs, creating jump pads to grab floating orbs, and creating flowers. Somehow it actually is fun. Planter was created in three weeks.

]]> 21 Mar 2007 01:04:45 Setting itself apart with its key mechanic of pitch detection, Opera Slinger combines the singing fun of karaoke with elements of classic action platforming.

]]> 23 Mar 2007 03:29:41 A rogue-like RPG with proper graphics, that puts the player in the shoes of a man in Finland during the iron age. There are several beginning scenarios, ranging from being simply lost in wilderness, to a failed hunting trip where your father was killed by a bear, to fleeing from eastern Njerpez-slavers.

The game is non-linear, and doesn't have a plot, but relies mostly on player-driven freeform exploration and everyday survival. The player can manufacture virtually all items required for survival: Clothing from fur gained from hunting, food from fishing, hunting or agriculture, and shelter by the means of a temporary spruce twig cover, or an entire timber cabin if the player chooses to build it. If the player wishes, you can even go to villages and start courting the girls, and get married.

There are four courses in the game, where one is free roaming, and the other three offer advice, and required items for pursuing anything from hunting, to long term survival and exploration and advanced adventuring.

The game is surprisingly easy to play, once you get used to the controls. The only downfall is the graphics, but considering that it's a roguelike, they are pretty impressive. One of the game's definite merits is the atmosphere, and how enjoyable the daily survival can be. All the features included are difficult to pursue with a single character, so making more after finishing with one is almost a must, if you wish to explore all the gaming options.

The game is shareware, and the instructions for ordering the full version are available on the author's website:
http://www.jmp.fi/~smaarane/urw.html

The trial has a time limit of 10 game days, and some restrictions, but plays almost like the full version.

One version registeration is 11 USD, but since the game is in constant development, 42 USD gets the registration to all future versions of the game.

]]> 25 Mar 2007 11:04:13 What is the game?
The game is a persistent online world that will connect kids from around the country to participate in an educational experience.

Why create this game?
The purpose of creating the game is to infuse the younger generation with a passion for science and technology and to help give them knowledge of cutting edge science in a format that they are readily accustomed to and less resistant to like a text book.

Who is the game designed for, what is the target audience?
The target audience for Moon Base One is students from middle school to early high school. The game, however will appeal to people of all ages who are interested in space exploration and scientific discovery, which will attract players from both younger and older age groups.

Where does the game take place?
The game takes place on the first commercial moon base created on the moon in the near future. There will be planned expansions to the game taking players to different planets/moons such as Mars.

What do I control?
Players will control a newly arrived worker to the base who will assist in many tasks in order to facilitate in the smooth operation of the base.

How many characters do I control?
Players will initially control one character per account to save on storage space and allow for easier verification of accomplishments and medal awards.

What is the main focus?
The players’ goals will vary as the game matures and new content is added. Initially players will be able to solve missions gaining their avatar many customizations such as the ability to use various vehicles, and add cosmetic changes to their avatar such as external lights, different player skins, and additional equipment.

What is Different?
There are very few examples of persistent worlds that are used as an educational tool, in fact I cannot honestly think of any. There is a huge gap when it comes to educational software entertainment software. Its educational games are pretty much limited to games such as math blaster, which not only just appeals to a very young audience, but ceases to be marketed past its small target audience. Moon Base One will be revolutionary in that it will merge both real life and the virtual in that in game accomplishments can reward the player with certificates and medals. Players will also learn about cutting edge real world technology so that adults can feel comfortable with their kids playing the game and view it as educational software.

]]> 09 Apr 2007 06:41:15 The organisation Switched on Learning provides resources for handicapped or disabled children in Australia. They have had some simple games produced to entertain and educate the children that attend workshops and play groups. These games are bright, two-dimensional games that test the many skills that the children can develop. However, there are little or no games designed for the older primary school students and some secondary students.

Objectives
gui-custom.jpg To fulfil the client’s desire, there are several approaches. A main game with smaller games branching out from it would make a suitable objective that could be accomplished. To create this, a game engine has been suggested as the basis to design and produce the final product. Each game will comply with the specifications of the client with some modifications that the client authorises. A story driven game following the level system provided by the client will encompass the main game. Research of the target audience increases the chance of a successful game. The combination of the research and the game creates a winning formula to finish the project and complete a successful game.

Game objectives for Level 1 and Level 2 of the Shopping Centre
Ground level is a simple exploration level where the player can explore the entire shopping centre with no objectives or missions. The shopping centre is mainly under construction at that point of the game. Some shops will be completely inaccessible to the player at the current time. The supermarket will be sealed off until level 3 where the player must follow the shopping list and buy all the items.

Level 1:
Objectives: Buy a stamp

Switched on Learning Switching Demo This level is to ease the player into completing objectives in an order. Of the stores open at the time there are two at which the stamp can be purchased a post office and a newsagency. In total, six shops should be open by level 1 with the player able to enter each store and have a conversation with the shop attendant. A security guard can help them if they get lost. Once the player enters the store, they must decide what was required to be purchased. Once they choose the correct item, the level ends and the player moves up to level 2.
Level 2:
Objectives: Buy a can of soup, a box of cereal and a packet of chips from the supermarket

Items: Shopping list, cash

Switched on Learning Switching Demo This is the final level of the game. Based in the supermarket that was initially sealed off, the player can now approach it and enter. They now must find and collect each item off the shopping list and head for the checkout. They must pay for the items, but they do have a choice to leave the store without paying. Several cues will be spoken to help jog their memory of what they should have done, each getting more obvious the longer the player stalls. The game ends when they leave the supermarket with paid goods.

]]> 13 Apr 2007 01:28:23 Dark Skies, is currently in development, and is a major departure from other planetarium programs. This simulation is to be used for beginning to advanced astronomers by immersing the player in an accurate simulation of a night sky. Here, they can learn where the constellations are and how to star hop to planets, galaxies, and nebulae.

Ever since I joined my first Astronomy Club and went out under a dark desert sky, I was overwhelmed by how difficult it was to locate constellations since there were so many stars. In the city it is a lot easier to locate constellations since light pollution blocks out the fainter stars, but is also difficult because the lights block out objects I would be trying to find. The hardest thing about astronomy is that it takes practice to truly learn the sky and to take into account for weather conditions, light pollution, and general driving distances.

We decided to create Dark Skies so that astronomers could explore the stars and other objects that they have been wanting to locate before they leave home and make the 60 mile journey to observe.

This is an online multi-player 3D simulator designed with TGE + AFX and is planned for release on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The simulation will create a simulated star party where up to 16 players can join and select one of 3 models of telescopes such as refractors, newtonians, or cassegrains. Players are able to use the telescopes to locate objects and can step away from the instrument without losing the location so that other players can look through the scope and learn where these astronomical gems are located.

Dark Skies is intended for instructing, and for learning experiences at your comfort. Bob, your friendly ranger, will work along side of you to assure your progress and understanding of the mysterious dark sky above.

]]> 10 May 2007 09:45:44 Game Details:
Match your favorite animals, fruits, and different things to their names. Can you do it in just 30 seconds?

Development Details:
I didn't have the time to make some pics so I just grab the photos from the net. And I learned how to make its engine from some tutorial on the net. I just did some minor adjustments and upgrade. Hey! it's my first game.

]]> 10 May 2007 08:52:25 An Fps with Orcs. You are an orc and must battle against the enemy Orc. The goal is to capture the most prized flag and return it to your base. With 3 weapons: the crossbow, the sword, and mines you battle to the death, and then some. When you become powerful and energized you gain access to your special, either Invisibility, Suicide Bomber, Flamethrower, and Agility.

]]> 16 May 2007 03:00:46 Let me get this out of the way: I consider myself at times a pretty "hard-core" video gamer. I mean, I'm not adverse to hacking and slashing Orcs in fantasy role-playing games, such as World of Warcraft. I can shoot down enemy aliens in Halo 2 and drop nukes on unsuspecting enemies in Supreme Commander. I'm tough, and I'm proud of it. So when my trusty Gamezebo editor asked me to review a "bird watching" game, you can imagine my initial reaction...

OK, so call me what you will, but after playing Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island, I'm not only sold on the concept, but completely hooked.

At the start of the game you find out your grandfather -- a famous bird photographer and naturalist who went missing six months ago -- left you a shoebox with your name on it. Inside you find a map of the U.S., his beloved camera and a half-empty field journal that alludes to a mystery (and uses your real name in the cryptic passage, since you typed it in when you started playing!). And so you decide to visit his old friends and colleagues, beginning in Pennsylvania, to find clues leading to his disappearance as well as learn the craft of nature photography in the process.

In fact, you're asked to snap photos of birds for magazine covers and your field journal, and receive advice along the way. For example, you'll get more points for your photos if they're close-up, unobstructed and centered shots, and if the bird is orientated well, such as looking at the camera or caught in the act of singing, eating, flying or preening.

Game-play works as follows. After you get your mission, such as take five photos of a Blue Jay in-flight or three photos with quality of at least 3 stars, you're presented with a landscape such as a forest, parks or shoreline (while you're on a moving boat). You can move the mouse side-to-side to see even more of the environment. Your mouse cursor is now a magnifier, so as you move it around to see subjects to photograph, you will see a larger view of the bird when your mouse is placed over top of it. Take the photo by pressing the left-mouse button. If you've earned the zoom lens you can use your mouse's middle-scroll wheel to zoom in closer; other tools you can unlock for completing missions include an infrared scope, bird seed (to get them to eat), bird identifier (which tells you what kind of bird it is), a "Flight Stimulator" plane (to make birds fly), camera auto-winder, and more.

Bonus points are awarded at the end of the level for finding other species (such as a Baltimore Oriole or red-winged blackbird) within a predetermined amount of time (and only if you have film left).

Developed in collaboration with experts at Cornell University, this game features authentic-looking birds and animations, and realistic birdsongs. You can unlock additional birdsongs as a reward for taking good photos.

The big payoff is seeing your photos at the end of each level. You must choose between two side-by-side photos and once you do, the points are revealed for both so it's almost like a mini-game to choose the best one (and see if the game agrees!). You can see your best work as a cover of a magazine and in your field journal (which you can view at any time from the main menu) or with the click of a mouse you can email a photo to a friend right from within the game.

As you travel throughout the U.S. to photograph new birds, you will receive clues and other information that will eventually unravel this grand mystery.

A wonderful addition to Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island is an unlockable Bird Creator mode. With this clever in-game tool, you can create any bird you like. You begin with a basic shape -- such as an owl, gull, loon or hummingbird - then begin to tweak the wingspan, body size, beak length, eye style, field marks and color, and so on. Then you can name your bird (mine was called the Toronto Tailfeather), add other info if you like, and then upload to the Net for other gamers to download and photograph. I also downloaded close to 200 other custom-made birds to photograph in various locations.

As fun and unique this game is, there are a few faults. For one, it's far too easy to unlock the Bird Creator mode, which only took about 30 minutes or so. It would be a better dangling carrot if it took longer to achieve this bonus. Secondly, the feedback doesn't always match your performance; in one instance, a magazine editor told me "An excellent collection of new photographs!" yet I failed the mission and had to start it over again.

Even with these minor shortcomings, Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island may be the most refreshingly fun casual game of 2007. Seriously, yes, a bird photography game. But before you turn your beak up in disbelief, download this iWin game and give it a spin.

Written by: Marc Saltzman/Gamezebo

]]> 24 May 2007 05:48:53 Memory is a simple remake of the classic game of Memory. You are given a series of cards face down and must turn them over to create matches. Once a pair is matched it is removed from the board revealing part of the picture in the background.
Home Page: http://kids.eonclash.com/ViewGame.php?ID=1
Age Group: 3 to 4+
Features

Difficulty Settings - Game has settings for 4x4, 6x4, and 6x8 board size to let you set your child's difficulty level appropriately.

48 Card Types - Animals, Letters, Numbers, Cars, Trains, and more... The different cards types are sure to keep your little one amused.

Random Backgrounds - Each game played gets a random background selected from those available.

* Customizeable Backgrounds - Any PNG, BMP, or JPG file that is placed into the application's Graphics/Backgrounds folder will be automatically loaded and used within the game.

]]> 30 May 2007 10:27:44 The Interactive Parables is a fun, 3-D game combining lessons from the Parables of Jesus. There are twenty four lessons from Jesus' Parables grouped together by theme. Complete each lesson to win a crown. A great Bible-based product for your family, church or home school. Students 10 and older will enjoy it. Younger students would enjoy it as well with parent partners.

Within the game, you will fly, slide, jump, bounce, dodge, search, and solve puzzles in 20 game levels. Meanwhile, you are learning about the lesson based on Jesus' Parables. The Interactive Parables is a great tool to have fun and learn at the same time. With twenty four lessons, it fully covers every Parable told by Jesus Christ. It promotes understanding and retention while providing positive experiences for students. It requires Windows 98, ME, XP, or XP Pro and 3D graphics capability. It's packaged in either a full or slim-line jewel case.

The Interactive Parables Offers 24 Lessons and 20 Game Levels
The Debtors & the Great Pearl
The Friend at Midnight & 10 Virgins
The Good Samaritan
The Good Shepherd
The Growing Seed
The Lost Coin & Lost Sheep
The Prodigal Son
The Merciless Servant
The Mustard Seed & Yeast In Dough
The Rich Man & Lazarus
The Rich Young Fool
The Sheep & Goats
The Shrewd Manager
Two Sons & Barren Fig Tree
The Sower - Details
The Sower - Explained
The Talents and Minas
The Vineyard Workers
The Wedding & Great Banquets
The Weeds & Fishing Net
The Wicked Tenants
The Widow, Pharisees, & Tax Collectors
The Wineskin
The Wise Men

Game Levels
Simple
Floaters
One Floor
The Pyramid
Three Pyramids
Square Room
Pyramid Maze
The Wandering Path
Bizarre World
The Great Hall
Mole Hills
Standing Tall
The Mines
Chimneys
The Dark Castle
TriRoom
One Way
Barrel Factory
Leap Of Faith
Drum Room

]]> 12 Jun 2007 06:02:37 Las Parábolas Interactivas es un divertido juego en 3D que combina lecciones de las Parábolas de Jesús. Hay 24 lecciones de las Parábolas de Jesus agrupadas por por tema. Acompleta cada lección para ganar una corona. Un gran producto basado en La Biblia para tu familia, iglesia o escuela en casa. Estudiants mayores de 10 años lo disfrutarán. Los estudianes más jóvenes pueden distrutarlo también en compañía de sus padres.

En el juego, volarás, te deslizarás, brincarás, rebotarás, esquivarás, buscarás, y resolverás acertijos en 20 niveles. Mientras tanto, aprenderás acerca de la lección basada en las Parábolas de Jesús. Las Parábolas Interactivas es una gran herramienta para divertirse y aprender al mismo tiempo. Con 24 lecciones, cubre cada parábola dicha por Jesucristo. Promueve el entendimiento y retención mientras provee experiencias positivas para estudiantes. Requiere Windows 98, ME, XP o XP Pro y tarjeta de gráficos 3D. Viene empacado en caja dura completa o en caja dura delgada.

Las Parábolas Interactivas ofrece 24 lecciones y 20 niveles.

Los Deudores & la Gran Perla
El Amigo en la Medianoche & 10 Vírgenes
El Buen Samaritano
El Buen Pastor
La Semilla que Crece
La Moneda Perdida & La Oveja Perdida
El Hijo Pródigo
El Sirviente Inmisericorde
La Semilla de Mostaza & La Levadura en la Harina
El Hombre Rico & Lazaro
El Jóven Rico y Necio
Los Borregos & las Cabras
El Administrador Astuto
Los Dos Hijos & La Higuera Seca
El Sembrador - Detalles
El Sembrador - Explicado
Los Talentos y las Minas
Los Trabajadores del Viñedo
La Boda & Los Grandes Banquetes
La Hierba & La Red Para Pescar
Los Inquilinos Malvados
La Viuda, Fariseos, & Recolectores de Impuestos
La Odre
Los Hombres Sabios
Niveles de Juego

Simple
Flotadores
Un Pisor
La Pirámide
Tres Pirámides
Habitación Cuadrada
Laberinto de Pirámide
El Camino Vagante
Mundo Bizarro
El Gran Salón
Colinas de Topo
Parado en lo Alto
Las Minas
Las Chimeneas
El Castillo Obscuro
Habitación Triple
Un Solo Sentido
Fábria de Barriles
Salto de Fe
Habitación de Tambores


Imágenes de la Caja Dura Delgada están disponibles (Esta versión se ofrece en línea como una alternativa pues es más fácil de envíar y de almacenar - el juego es idéntico).

]]> 18 Jun 2007 02:57:25 This is an online FPS game based on pure humor. But the name doesn't mean we are gay, the game is just for gay gags and stuff.
The story is: One day some students set up two forces, the Gay force and the Victim force. Then they battle.
We cannot let out any form of information for it will spoil a lot of things.
The game is basically a giant interactive humor shooting gag.

Created by the EEP students of Bodin 3, Thailand.

The game is still in concept phase and is far from finished.

Please stop voting the anticipation so low. As an explanation. The concepts are just 1 minute jobs! Don't judge the game for this stuff. Thanks.

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