Looking for game designers and illustrators on BGDF - Can you help?

Hi SEO

As I am a science based teacher I am currently looking for science themed games.

Example: A game about Energy

Can you turn the different types of energies into exciting characters that have powers associated with their underlying properties e.g kinetic energy has the gift of speed, gravitational energy can transform into a large beast and pull others close to it the larger it becomes, magnetic energy is made from specific material that all its powers to come to effect, and so on...the children can remember the characters and hence remember the different types of energies. Although it's not a memory game - the winner maybe the first one who collects all types of energy...loosely.

My reference would be this site:

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_science/?view=get

Choose any topic from the list and turn it into a fun game.

Games can be as simple or complex as you like. The final work will be adapted to the market we end up targetting.

Our current market are children between 7/8 to 14.

Components preference to card games but will consider tokens and other common gaming pieces.

I have created a couple of loop card games but they are very basic and am looking to source and publish more exciting with commercial appeal hence the emphasis on characters.

I will have a newsletter this week to the cause of 'Celebrating Innovation in Education' using card games as the innovative tool used to promote learning in a camaflouged way.

I hope I have helped to explain a little more. But do feel free to ask anything further.

All I am looking for is an innovative exciting way to bring learning to life without telling the pupils that they are learning - I want them to enjoy it naturally that they forget about the learning part and remember the fun.

Hi Redcap

Although the games have an underlying education theme - I am moving into more commercial type games so the games themselves do not emphasise the learning but the characters themselves.

If you can think of a concept that creates new heroes and/ or villains that capture the kids imagination first then the actual science part can be more discreet.

I DO want to emphasise commercial
I DON'T want to emphasise the education side so much

I can't think of an example right now but will post something later when I do think of something to compare it with.

Actually - you know like Dora the Explorer - that is an example of emphasis on the character but with underlying education but kids don't realise they are learning they just enjoy the cartoon for what it is.

When I am thinking of a game - I am thinking of a commercial type game. Branding is the first area I look at.

That is why I want people to try to de-emphasise the actual education side and focus on the characters, the story line and the games mechanics.

If you can build it around an education objective WITHOUT emphasising that this is the objective then that is the sort of thing I am looking for.

I appreciate it sounds a little abstract but it needs to work more so commercially where there are other areas of growth e.g. spin off products.

I'm currently doing this with a fantastic illustrator and designer now so it's a very exciting experience to be part of.

It's nice to see more people coming forward. There is so much talent in the hobby games industry..it's a great opportunity to translate that into more commercially based products with discrete educational themes.

The process suggested is the following:

- Create a game you enjoy with all the mechanics of the game ready - try to create it with a science theme. If you have draft rule document then please send this across.
- Contact me with an outline proposal initially
- I will look at several factors - specifically the market gap it fits, the potential scaleability, branding opportunity and game play.

I don't sign NDAs - I am after talented designers and need to build up relationship with people like yourselves as a priority so I have no interest in 'taking' a game from someone else. Also due to the possibility of more than one designer submitting a similar game I cannot gaurantee that your game will be unique.

My email is emunro@loopgames.co.uk for all submissions.

I will keep everyone posted on developments. Feel free to ask any questions.