Community reviews for Gamestar Mechanic

Students are creating something. They're not just playing a game to learn, their creating a game to learn and teach others. They're having to think critically, and because their games are published, they have to learn to take and give constructive criticism. I have found that some students get frustrated, but in the end they take great pride in their accomplishments.

An inexpensive (or free) program which allow students to gain an understanding of game design and problem solving. Students, once signed up for premium, will always have full access. It is easy to contact company and they offer service.

Teaching students to become critical thinkers and looking at how the little parts can create differences in a whole project, while also letting their creativity bloom is just one of the many skills students learn through GameStar Mechanic. Gamestar makes this learning exciting and enjoyable through the construction of video games and video game design. Students can gain game components by enjoying playing the challenge lessons at their own pace. This adds to their arsenal of tools and gives them greater variety in creating better video games. Students also learn the importance of communication through the ability to comment on others games internally and with others across the globe. Teachers have the ability to create project assignments and comment directly to the students which is valuable as well. This is one 21st century learning adventure that I have not found any flaws! Every school should attempt to implement this in some way with students!

This product takes students into a whole new understanding of the gaming industry. Most students have been the player but have never put any thought into what goes into making a good game, not to mention all the different aspects other than the programming.

Gamestar Mechanic’s potential as a teaching tool is impressive. Geared toward students in grades 4-9, it is engaging, challenging and easy to get started. Much of the experience is available for free with a computer, internet access and Adobe Flash (free download). Registering for more services is fairly economical: professional educators can register for a 30-day free trial (no credit card needed) and may register 3 students. Students are $2 each after 30 days. By eliminating the need to use programming language, teachers and students free to focus on 21st Century Learning Skills in a user-friendly format. Throughout the three components of Play, Design and Share, students develop valuable and deep interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). One of its greatest strengths is in the third component, where students are encouraged to share their creations in the Gamestar Mechanic community, and to learn from the review and criticism of their work. Teachers can begin their exploration by clicking the “For Teachers” button and view the 2-minute video, which does a great job of summarizing what Gamestar Mechanic offers. From there, finding more information about lesson plans and accounts are only a click or two away. The supports offered are exceptional. There is an active blog, social media connections and comprehensive lesson-planning information. These fantastic supports will help teachers to effectively organize and deliver curriculum, while providing tools necessary to obtain any necessary funding, administrative or parental approval.

I simply can’t say enough about this website. At it’s most basic level this site allows kids to create video games, real working video games! Many sites and programs make this claim but fall short in the execution. With Gamestar Mechanic students will be creating games within a few lessons, but that is just the beginning. Students gain an in-depth knowledge of what makes a good game, the 5 elements of game design, and systems thinking. They are introduced to a new concept by playing a game, and then they are allowed to apply that knowledge to the game in a free form environment. The level of engagement from students is very high from the beginning. While this all sounds great for getting kids involved, they are learning important concepts along the way. Each step in the game design process (and chapter in the game) comes with a fully developed lesson plan and handouts, each one aligned with current learning standards. They even provide different length curriculum for teachers to make it even easier to integrate. They’ve thought of everything possible to make it easy for teachers to jump in with both feet! It’s not a magic bullet and the teachers need to be on their feet to keep up enthusiasm as the students get past the initial wow factor, but if the teacher is engaged and willing, this is a great program with real world lessons, oh, and it’s fun too! The only downside is that there is shooting involved in many of the games. Though as the platform develops, the developers have included other options like freezing and non-humanoid avatars to help with this.

I found that 6th and 7th grade students enjoyed the game playing. The process of collecting "Sprite Points" to build a game can take 2 or more hours. Therefore, not good for a classroom situation.