Amazing Machine
Dr. Wrinkle's Amazing Machine
Amazing machine is designed to be a creative game where players are trying to make bizarre machines while at the same time improving the players math skills. The game is designed to:
- allow players to fell creative
- teach/train players math while having fun
- give players a more creative view of math, where solving the problem is about creating the right function (or string of functions)
Core Gameplay
The point of amazing machine is for the player to construct one machine out of 2 core components:
- small machines that each have a specific purpose and unique input/output (i.e. mathematically, a machine that will take a 5 as input and return an 8 as output, or, int game terms, a machine that takes logs and turns them into hats)
- gears that will connect the small machines and turn the output of one into the input of another (i.e. if one machine outputs 8 adn the next takes a 3 as input, then the two should be connected with a "-5" gear)
Every unique combination and ordering of the small machines will produce an entirely new product, like a machine that turns logs into 1 dozen chickens, or a machine that turns tires into giant stone statues. This is the thing that will make kids want to play the game: to see what kind of crazy machines they can make.
The Play Area
The on screen area is made up of 2 main sections:
- the work bench, where the player puts all the small machine and connecting gears
- the tool box, there all the small machines and gears are laid out.
There are 2 buttons on the screen:
- "Build" which attempts to build the current machine. If there are less than 2 machines, there is no ending machine, or the machines are improperly connected by their gears (i.e. the math between two machines doesn't work) then the build will fail and the player will be told/shown why.
- "Run" will light up if the machine builds successfully. When pressed, the machine will begin to run through to the end and once the end result is made the player will be praised and asked if they want to continue working, start a new project, or quit.
The player can choose to lay out all their small machines first and then connect them later, or go one step at a time from small machine to small machine. Both the work bench and tool box should be scrollable areas so the player should always have room enough for their machines.
Game Flow
At the start of a game the input/output values of the small machines and the functions associated with the gears are randomly generated, so that the math is different every time while some of the gameplay may not. The player must first lay down their starting machine and then decide which next small machine to use. every 2 successive machines must be connected by at least one gear, and so the order in which the player lays down machines doesn't matter so long as they are connectible by gears. The player continues this until they lay down their final machine and hit the "Build" button, their machine builds fine, and they run their machine. The player may then chose to start a new machine, continue working on the current, or quit the game.
The Math
The math in Amazing machine is simple integer + - x / math. it would be interesting to have a hard mode that dealt with rational numbers, but for the time being, the simple version will do. All the player will have to do is figure out which operations to use to turn the output of one machine into the input of another using the provided operations. This should provide little to no challenge to students experienced with math, moderate challenge to students currently learning this math, and great challenge to students inexperienced or just starting this kind of math.
The Win/Lose state
The player wins by creating a functioning machine. This is not an end-game by any means. The player may continue working on their current machine or start a new one at any point. As far as losing, if the player cannot figure out the math necessary, then they will be shown how to do it (time permitting). If the case comes up where it is impossible to complete with the gears remaining, then the player will be notified. If the situation comes up where it is impossible to complete because of the randomization, then the randomization will be dropped. In fact, the first prototype of the game will probably use static attributes for the gears/machines. As stated previously, the major goal of the game is for players to have fun and be rewarded for doing math.
Community Feedback
Please leave your constructive feedback here, I greatly appreciate it.