Pixel Press Floors: Draw Your Own Video Game

Pixel Press Floors teaches users basic design, architecture, and engineering skills through an app in which users design their own video games. To start, users can either scan a level they designed off a piece of custom paper, choose to draw a level within the app, or build a level off an existing template. To that design, users can then add floors, walls, and other obstacles, or they can use the preset dividers and obstacles with the app’s select and place system. Coins, keys, objects, traps, falling blocks, and teleportation pieces can all be added to insert challenge and intrigue into the levels. Once complete, users can play and share their video game with other Pixel Press Floors designers.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can introduce basic design principles by having students create their own video game level within the app. After designing them, teachers can have students pinpoint and explain unique features to their game and how those features add value to their game. Students can compose their explanations via an Office app or present their video game and explanations to the class.
2. Teachers can have students plot out problem-solving designs on paper and then scan and test their levels in this app. Students can then compose a short piece of writing explaining if their video games worked properly or not using an Office app.
3. As a fun brainteaser exercise, the teacher can challenge students to create the most difficult level in the class. As students complete their video game level, teachers can allow other students to test them and rate their difficulty.

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