What happens when you combine video games and wildlife?
We spent the morning exploring Essex Wildlife Trust Fingringhoe Wick and then took our ideas back to the studio to make wildlife inspired video games using Scratch!
As part of our The Year project, over the next 12 months we’re running a variety of projects for young people (11-25yrs) at Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve, exploring some of the stories from Essex Wildlife’s oldest nature reserve through photography, filmmaking, animation, video games and more. Thanks to funding from Heritage Lottery Fund its all FREE!
Wildlife Game Jam
On our walk around the reserve we took note books, to jot down ideas for characters, game environments and challenges. Ideas varied from a water boatman pond skating/racing game, to an acorn escaping the deathly grip of a squirrel!
We also took note of all the different sounds we could hear, from the chugging of the distant fishing boats in Brightlingsea to the chirps of the crickets. All became food for thought in our game ideas!
From the fields to the studio
Once we were back in the studio we compiled all our notes and used the ‘BAFTA Young Game Designer Idea Generator’ cards to spark some game ideas. The pack of cards are designed to help generate quick game ideas that might inspire you to come up with a brand new game. The cards are split into 5 categories;
- Goals – e.g capture, find, use, get to, destroy etc.
- Rules – e.g must not be seen, timer,
- Environment – e.g city, alternate reality, jungle
- Genre – e.g Arcade, action, racing
- Wildcard – e.g Magic Spells, something spooky, music
Play the games made at our Wildlife Game Jam
Click the image above to play the games made at this work
