Kodu (previously Boku) is a tool used to create game using visual programming by Microsoft's FUSE Labs. It helps in teaching kids programming concepts.
12. • Share your game with your friends and online
at: www.planetkodu.com or on Xbox Live
• Right click on the game > Export
• Now you can find your game in:
My DocumentsSavedGamesBokuPlayer1Exports
• E-mail or upload this single file
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Download for PC for FREE at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=57a23884-9ecd-4c8a-9561-64bfd4fa2d3d&displaylang=enOr you can find it as an Indie Game on Xbox360
Objective: How to make a simple game, kodu as a toolKey Message: game design is an easy task with kodu. Get an idea and start.
Visual programming language made specifically for creating interactive games for Xbox 360 or PCAccessible for children and enjoyable for anyoneEasy to use by all ages and different backgroundsRich tool for narrative creation and storytellingCreate multiplayer, multi-level gamesYou can create the game using your mouse and keyboard or using Xbox controller (gamepad). In this tutorial we will mainly go with the mouse and keyboard.Allows you to create different worlds and customize it by giving it different colors and shapes. Also, you will be able to create different characters and objects from a large library by simple clicks. Those objects can be programed to follow your game rules. You will be defining the rules of the game and the story through an easy to use visual interface.
So, you want to make a game! There are few things to keep in mind. Every game needs a story. The beauty about kodu is that it has a very easy interface that allows you to focus on the story and spend more time on it as it takes care of the programming side.Set an Objective:What are you trying to say in this game.2. Target Audience:Who will paly the game?3. Set goal of the game:To start with, you need to set the goal of your game. For example, to remove trash from the street or to avoid obstacles or to collect the apples, … Also, you need to set your winning condition (player motivation): get more points, time limit, get to the next level, …4. Storyline:Then you need to start on your storyline. Before starting on your storyline, let’s think why people get addicted to games. Well because they are fun!! but again define fun? People enjoy games because of many reasons: competition, challenge, achievement, strategic thinking, good graphics, fantasy, prize, interactivity, sensation (music, pics,..), surprises, …One of the “Pederson Principles”: KISS: keep it simple, stupid. It should be obvious and easy to understand. It should define multiple paths to win. Also, you may have multiple goals (highest score and reach the end).5. Mechanics (actions): Also, player should connect actions to reality. For example, jump over a hall, run from fire, …Moreover, player should not memorize many buttons. Every action should be accessible in 2 clicks. Alt + Ctrl + Shift + R -> to swim is not practical and hard to use.6. Networking:Try to explore other games and critique what you like and dislike about it. Network with players and discuss your idea.
Objective:select a character(s) and make it behave and react in certain ways, build an environment in which the characters operatefill that environment with objects that the characters may or may not interact withcreate rules and reactions that allow the characters to function in the environmentWhen you start Kodu, Home menu will appear where you can resume the previous game or load a different world.Kodu provides multiple lessons and samples that can help to start. You can access those games through load world. Click on the game you want and you will have the option to play it or delete it. To edit a game, select play and then Esc. Also, you an export a game to enable sharing it. It will be placed in: My DocumentsSavedGamesBokuPlayer1Exports
You can have instructions and title displayed at startup. If you press Esc it will allow you to edit your game (world).At the bottom of the window, you will see the main toolbar. If you roll over any of the icons, it will give you instructions about it. Most instructions are provided for you to easily use kodu. You don’t need to memorize any key or action.if you go to the Home Menu, you can start a new world.
As you can see, you will get an empty world where you can add land and objects to program. All instructions will be displayed. To begin with, you need to have land where you will add your objects. To add land (terrain), you can pick a pattern or shape. Use the mouse wheel to choose or the arrows. Then click on the world to add your land you can add as much land as you want as long as the resources meter is not full.After that, start adding objects. Select the kodu icon.
SquareCircleLineOr you can use the magic tool which will select land of the same pattern you can use it to edit previous land or raise and lower a particular pattern.
Click on the place where the object initial position will be. then, you will get multiple objects to choose from. Color can be changed by selecting the object and then choose a color using arrows.In this game we will have red and green apples and player should eat only red apples. Player will be represented by a motorcycle. To add another object, just click again.Now, you can program this object to make it interactive. Right-click on the object and then choose program. You can change the size or settings of the object. Also, you can copy or cut it. Programing those objects will be through an “if … then …” model, where you specify behaviors that will trigger actions. Click on the plus sign to add tiles. Right-click to delete, or press “delete”.In this game, playe will use arrows to move cycle. If see no more red apples, win.Priority of rules (lines) is based on the number. First lines will have higher priorities. To force an action on all cases, leave when part empty. For example, in some games move + wonder if nothing
Also, you an program apples as well. If cycle bumped an apple, it will vanish. And player will have 5 points extra. You can specify the color of the score.As you can see, the same condition will have two actions: add score and vanish. To do that: select the line and then move it to the right.If the apple didn’t vanish player will keep on bumping with it and it will be an infinite game.To apply this to all apples: delete previous apples. Select the eraser icon then select place where all objects in that selections will be deleted, highlighted in red.Then, copy this apple with the code, and paste new ones by right-clicking on the destination position and paste. It will have the object to be pasted in parentheses.Also, we will program green apples to subtract 5 from score if bumped by player. Click on the add tile to edit it. You can copy red apples code by coping program lines.
To run your game: Press play icon.To save the game: Home menu > Save my world > you can edit name, description, .. > click SaveTo add figures in the Description:PC: [rightarrow] [leftarrow][uparrow][downarrow][space]… Letters: [a][b]…Gamepad: <ls> left controller (stick) <rs> Letters: <a><b> …
Conclude: Try to explore the many actions and objects of koduKey Message: Game design is an easy task with kodu. Get an idea and start.Resourceshttp://fuse.microsoft.com/projects-kodu.htmlhttp://cid-f67d13309a1690e2.office.live.com/browse.aspx/.PublicKodu Classroom Kit The Art of Game Design: a book of lenses By Jesse SchellGame Design Foundations By Roger E. Pedersen: http://books.google.com.sa/books?id=zFkoEVSM2NkCCasual Game Design: Designing Play for the Gamer in All of Us By Gregory Trefry:http://books.google.com/books?id=Gtv62NnHrOcC