Gamestar Mechanic-Check It Out

Here is an educational game and community you may have heard about called Gamestar Mechanic.

Gamestar Mechanic is a game and community designed to teach kids the principles of game design and systems thinking in a highly engaging environment.

Gamestar Mechanic description.

It includes three levels:
Play. Gamestar Mechanic features a rich single-player Quest where players learn the principles of game design through an exciting adventure game. Set in a ‘steampunk’ world created and run by game designers, the narrative provides critical scaffolding for the player. As the player progresses through the Quest they learn the principles of game design and earn ‘sprites’ that enable them to design and publish their own games.

Design. Once players have shown a certain level of mastery they earn a game design workshop where they can use their ‘sprites’ to design their own original games. The workshop features a drag and drop game building tool that enables players to design a wide variety of games, which they can publish for others to play and review.

Share. The game also features a vibrant community called Game Alley where players can publish, review and collaborate on games designed by other players. Game Alley creates a community of practice allowing designers to get feedback from their peers as well as professional game designers and offers regular challenges and contests.