Tips for Teaching with 3d-style "First Person" Bible software games

 
Kids love 3-d style "first person" games where they navigate a player through a landscape. 
This style of gameplay leads them to be quickly become engrossed and engaged, --which is a state of mind most teachers only dream of in their Sunday School kids.

"3d" refers to the "point of view" of the player in the game. In some gaming circles this point of view is also called "first person"  In the example here on the right, your kids navigate Robin the main character in Joseph's Story CD. They see her back most of the game. Lots of kids video games also feature this point of view. Think Wii Bowling for example.
Some teachers are initially confused by this type of software because they didn't grow up with it and don't play these types of games. They are more comfortable with up/down, left/right moving games (think: Atari 2600!). 

Sunday Software has produced a number of "3d - First Person" style games, including:

• Joseph's Story CD
• Galilee Flyer
• Exodus Adventures
• Attack of the Sunday School Zombies
• Faith through the Roof

One reason we like this type of gameplay is that as the player moves through a landscape, we can present elments of the Bible story in sequence. This is particularly nice for BIG stories like Joseph's story. At various points in the game they must "solve" something or find something in order to move along. This allows us to slow the player down to deal with content. Narration by 'actors' in the landscape also impart Bible content and directions.

     

Neil's teacher-to-teacher tips about teaching with our 3d games:

Read the full article at http://www.sundaysoftware.com/articles/3dtips.htm

1. Preview the game with our outline in hand. Take notes. "Read the cheats!"

Our free guides are at www.sundaysoftware.com/tips

2. Understand how things work. The teaching guide will tell you, but basically, all 3d games work by your character moving around and "triggering" events. They first find this, then walk into that, and a door will open, etc etc. And if you try to do things out of order, the game won't let you advance.

For example, in Exodus Adventures, you can't leave the Burning Bush level until you've found all the places where God wants to talk to you (there are three of them, and they must be triggered in correct order). If you're all thumbs with these games, read the guides and get a teen to help you.

3.  Decided what to key on, where and when to pause, what to skip, -and what you may want them to come back to after they've finished. Games are great to "play again". Schedule the time.

4. PUSH your kids along as needed.  Note the "secrets" about certain parts of the game and dole them out to the kids to save time. . For example, in Exodus Adventures' game inside Miriam's Library: read the guide about bypassing Mirriam's Song Game if you're short on time. Or in the Land of Goshen, TELL them where to find Dabney's video recording (inside the Hebrew home) rather than having the kids wander around looking for it after they meet Dabney down in the digsite.

5.  Play along with them. If you're not going WITH your students, you're not using the software the way it was designed. Sit with them the computers. I have specifically put in questions, comments, and misc content that I KNOW the kids will bypass. Kids will be kids. But they are there for YOU the teacher to grab hold of and comment about during or after the lesson.

6.  If you can't be right there, give them a worksheet which has questions about the content they are going to be playing through. This will slow them down and get them to READ. In some cases, we have printable worksheets with game guides for the kids. Check our teaching tips for each game.

7. Have them SAVE their locations as they play. Many of our 3d games have a "Save/Load" feature. These "saved spots" can be a way for you and the kids to GET BACK TO certain locations for further discussion. Some games do not because the expectation is that you can finish the game in under 35 minutes.

8. When you are teaching with a game for the first time, it is easier to FIRST BREAK IT IN with the OLDER KIDS. Their level of gaming proficiency will help YOU become better acquainted with the software. Then use it with the younger children.

9. YES, you CAN use 3D game software with NON-readers. They will love it, but need a lot of help. So make sure you invite some of those older kids to help you -who've already learned the software with you in a previous class.

10. With more complicated games, have High Schoolers help you, and make sure you leave PLENTY of TIME to play the software during class time. The more hands and eyeballs, the better the teaching & gaming experience.

Need help? That's what I do. Email neil@sundaysoftware.com

Read the full article at http://www.sundaysoftware.com/articles/3dtips.htm