Our first day, started with our instructor Dr. George Christou explaining about our course and our objectives for this semester. He shared with us his idea for the main project of this semester, which will be a game on xbox 360 using kinect, which it will be directed to kids with special movement problems. The basic concept for this idea , is to create a fun game for those kids and at the same time will help them improve some movement difficulties that they have. So, instead of the kids doing the normal physiotherapy schedule, which is pretty frustrating for them , we will urge them to do so by creating a game on xbox kinect, that will implement some of those moves, and actually make the kids try their best while also having fun.
Then 2 physiotherapy Professors, from the department of Health Sciences of EUC, that were told the idea by Dr. Christou and were really excited and touched by this, came to our class to give us a few words about these kids, so we 'll have a better idea about what's about to follow. They demonstrated a few moves , that are used in order to improve these kids condition , and they agreed with our instructor to have some sketches ready. The sketches will be demonstrating some of those moves giving us the exact posture that the kids must have, in order to benefit from them. Afterwards our class had a long talk about the subject sharing ideas. Dr Christou made it clear for us that we should prioritize on fun as it comes to our game , because basically the whole idea was for those kids to have fun, while improving their condition, and not see the game as troublesome. After all the main characteristic that defines what is a game, is having fun, while interacting with it. Also in that way they will also be motivated to do every move that they are required as best as they can and feel a rewarding feeling while achieving them. This is actually what makes this idea so great. Because for those kids, what was considered before troublesome, boring and painful, making them frustrated when they have to attend , now will be considered fun. And on top of that when you had to urge them and force them to do the exercise right, now you don't even have to, they will want to do the required movement correctly in order to play the game, move on to a new level and get rewarded in general in something they find fun . We moved on with brainstorming ideas. One main idea that we had is while u control a character, you have to lean forward in order for the character to move(that was a move that was showed by the physiotherapy Professors). So the kids will have to do it. Then we had some fun exercises creating basic games(not video games) using a set number of rules. It was actually pretty confusing until you get a clear idea of what's considered a rule. Because we might consider some things regarding a game for granted while it's actually a rule. For example when you start to explain your friend a game , you 'll skip the part that this game is for two players. Of' course you don't need to explain it, because it's pretty obvious, but that doesn't change the fact that it's actually a rule Finally we went to the game design labs, that was created recently after our instructor's request, received our homework which required us to think about ideas on a possible game that could implement similar moves of what the physiotherapy Professors gave us. Now, for my personal thoughts of what had been occurred this day, I can say that i'm quite excited and satisfied. I'm personally a gamer , and I would love to learn how to make games and be part of making one myself even at their simplest forms, and that's why I actually picked this course. But now I know that not only i'm gonna make a game on xbox kinect , but is for a greater cause. This actually can help improve some kids lives , make them happier , so I liked the idea very much , because if we're gonna make a game why not adjust it to help people? Killing two birds with one stone. Also what I also liked , is as our instructor has said, we are like a real company , we have our clients , we have our deadline, and a manager. In quite some time I was wondering , what level must i be on , to be able to get a work, and perform well. And on what level i 'm at. I am at my third year of studying now , and in a year i'm gonna be assigned to my final project, which i have to deliver a professional level of work. Now this course shall show me quite a lot , and shall answer most of my questions. Even though this semester is pretty rough , i will surely give my best on this course and on this project, because this is not mainly for us but for those kids as well.
Then 2 physiotherapy Professors, from the department of Health Sciences of EUC, that were told the idea by Dr. Christou and were really excited and touched by this, came to our class to give us a few words about these kids, so we 'll have a better idea about what's about to follow. They demonstrated a few moves , that are used in order to improve these kids condition , and they agreed with our instructor to have some sketches ready. The sketches will be demonstrating some of those moves giving us the exact posture that the kids must have, in order to benefit from them. Afterwards our class had a long talk about the subject sharing ideas. Dr Christou made it clear for us that we should prioritize on fun as it comes to our game , because basically the whole idea was for those kids to have fun, while improving their condition, and not see the game as troublesome. After all the main characteristic that defines what is a game, is having fun, while interacting with it. Also in that way they will also be motivated to do every move that they are required as best as they can and feel a rewarding feeling while achieving them. This is actually what makes this idea so great. Because for those kids, what was considered before troublesome, boring and painful, making them frustrated when they have to attend , now will be considered fun. And on top of that when you had to urge them and force them to do the exercise right, now you don't even have to, they will want to do the required movement correctly in order to play the game, move on to a new level and get rewarded in general in something they find fun . We moved on with brainstorming ideas. One main idea that we had is while u control a character, you have to lean forward in order for the character to move(that was a move that was showed by the physiotherapy Professors). So the kids will have to do it. Then we had some fun exercises creating basic games(not video games) using a set number of rules. It was actually pretty confusing until you get a clear idea of what's considered a rule. Because we might consider some things regarding a game for granted while it's actually a rule. For example when you start to explain your friend a game , you 'll skip the part that this game is for two players. Of' course you don't need to explain it, because it's pretty obvious, but that doesn't change the fact that it's actually a rule Finally we went to the game design labs, that was created recently after our instructor's request, received our homework which required us to think about ideas on a possible game that could implement similar moves of what the physiotherapy Professors gave us. Now, for my personal thoughts of what had been occurred this day, I can say that i'm quite excited and satisfied. I'm personally a gamer , and I would love to learn how to make games and be part of making one myself even at their simplest forms, and that's why I actually picked this course. But now I know that not only i'm gonna make a game on xbox kinect , but is for a greater cause. This actually can help improve some kids lives , make them happier , so I liked the idea very much , because if we're gonna make a game why not adjust it to help people? Killing two birds with one stone. Also what I also liked , is as our instructor has said, we are like a real company , we have our clients , we have our deadline, and a manager. In quite some time I was wondering , what level must i be on , to be able to get a work, and perform well. And on what level i 'm at. I am at my third year of studying now , and in a year i'm gonna be assigned to my final project, which i have to deliver a professional level of work. Now this course shall show me quite a lot , and shall answer most of my questions. Even though this semester is pretty rough , i will surely give my best on this course and on this project, because this is not mainly for us but for those kids as well.
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