Designing games for chidren: developmental, usability, and design considerations for making games for kids

277 Pages·2015·9.953 MB·English

by  Fisher, Carla

DESIGNING GAMES
FOR CHILDREN
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DESIGNING GAMES
FOR CHILDREN
Developmental, Usability,
and Design Considerations
for Making Games for Kids
Carla Fisher, Ed.D.
First published 2015
by Focal Press
70 Blanchard Road, Suite 402, Burlington, MA 01803
and by Focal Press
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Focal Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

© 2015 Taylor & Francis
Th e right of Carla Fisher to be identifi ed as the author of this work has been
asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereaft er invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this fi eld are constantly changing. As new
research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research
methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and
knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds,
or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they
should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including
parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and
are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
CIP data has been applied for
ISBN: 978-0-415-72917-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-85125-9 (ebk)

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Contents
viii CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
About the Author xiii
Introduction xv
Part One: Game Design in a Nutshell 1
1 What Is a Game? 3
2 What Is Game Design? 11
3 Game Design Documents 17
4 Production 31
5 Finding a Developer 39
6 Game Business Models 45
7 Competitive Analysis and Identifying Market Opportunities 57
Part Two: Understanding Kids 61
8 Child Development Overview 63
9 Babies and Toddlers (Ages 0–2) 71
10 Preschoolers (3–5 Years) 79
11 Early Elementary Kids (Ages 6–8) 93
12 Tweens (Ages 9–12) 105
13 Teens (Ages 13+) 109
14 Public Perceptions of Games for Kids 113
15 User Testing with Kids 119
Part Th ree: Game Design Guidelines 139
16 Best Practices 141
CONTENTS ix
17 Considerations for Interactions by Platform or Device 155
18 Making Educational and Commercial Games 171
19 Instructions, Tutorials, Scaff olding, and In-Game Help 179
20 E-books and Interactive Stories 195
21 Multiplayer and Cooperative Games 207
22 Player Data in Games and Progress Tracking 215
23 Marketing for Kids and Families 225
Conclusion: Making a Game 241
Appendix: Resources for Developers 245
Index 249