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This week’s Articulate challenge is to create a learning game for kids. What’s not to like about this one?
Grandma’s Got Some Money
The Idea
The only problem was coming up with an idea. I messed around with math and word games, then starting building a camping game, but wasn’t happy with any of it.
I finally realized that unless the game emulated a situation where a kid really needed to apply some knowledge, I wasn’t going to like it and neither would the kid. This scenario reminds me of my wonderful brother Bryan who was always finding treasures and wondering if he had enough money to buy them, but it applies to any kid – large or small.
Flat, Mobile-Friendly, Kid-Friendly Design
The Interaction
The Intro: I wanted to ease you into the situation rather than unceremoniously drop you at a cupcake shop. Grandma supplies the money and the mission. The rest is up to you.
The Design: I kept the design pretty flat. I also wanted it to be playable on a tablet, so kept it simple and clean. Using a drag-and-drop, avoiding hover states, and keeping images large enough to easily tap and move with fingers were also part of my mobile-friendly plan.
The Challenge: I didn’t want there to be an on-screen calculator that showed how much money would be left after each cupcake was chosen. Those don’t exist in real cupcake shops, so why supply one here?
My Wish List: What I would love to do is supply feedback that goes over the math of what they just spent and ask them how much change they have left. I’d also love to make it so that if they chose to spend a smaller amount – buying just one cupcake, for example – they could save that money and take it with them to the next challenge. I’d want them to go to the movies, a fast food restaurant, an arcade, etc., and be met with different challenges in each location.
Too Much to Mention: There’s lots more that went into this one – from the variables and conditional triggers to the images, fonts, and pictograms – but if I go into all that we’d just be burning daylight, and you need to go buy some cupcakes! (But feel free to ask me questions.)
Go Buy Cupcakes!
Have fun spending Grandma’s money on a little cake and frosting right here.
Select Image to Launch Demo
Jackie, loved the cupcake design and just the thing to help me design and practice variables, triggers, etc. Thanks.
Hi Glen!
I’m so glad you love it! Yes, if you were to deconstruct and try to replicate this you’d get lots of good variable and trigger practice. Those cupcakes look all innocent on the surface, but they’re pretty wired up on the back end.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate it. :)
Jackie
Jackie, like your cupcake design too! And also your sharing of design for mobile devices such as iPad – keep it simple!
I did the game for several times, it’s fun! Just wonder if the drag space can be something like a plate to put on cakes to mimic the shop…
Hi Jen!
Thanks! Glad you like it and that the mobile tips help.
As to cupcake tray design – you could certainly design it however you’d like! My scheme was designed to bring your attention to the most important elements – if everything is screaming for attention then nothing gets attention – so I purposely made my tray (and that’s what it is) very flat to go with the flat design, and as subtle as possible. Does that make sense?
Glad you had fun buying cupcakes – and thank you so much for your comments!
Jackie
Beautiful as usual, Jackie. :)
Aw – thanks, Natalia!! :)
Do the variables and triggers come with frosting on top? That would make them so much more delightful!
Dan, you can build your variables and triggers any way you’d like. I could see you doing a little mango buttercream – or maybe something with citrus and coconut? No matter what, it’ll make for a lovely interaction. :)
Jackie! Quick question….are these gluten free?
I would have liked to buy more than one of the same kind of cupcake. Can you fix that for me please? :)
Wonderful job, beautiful colors and….how can you go wrong with cupcakes!
Richard
Hi Richard!
I believe most of these have extra gluten. (New trend!) However because they are PNGs I don’t believe it’s actually digested as gluten. I’m sorry we didn’t have more of a selection when you came in. Sales have suddenly spiked, but we’re working hard to keep up.
I’m glad you liked the interaction – thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your business. :)
Jackie
I love it Jackie, beautiful design and game!
Thank you, Cecilia! :)