Not yet but we did reach a major milestone and had a fantastic research visit with kids from the Storm Lake community. We had the pleasure of working with 12 kids, ranging from middle school to first-year college students. After introducing ourselves and our research, we set up three tables, each with laptops in front of them, and the kids started to play our game
I sat with a group of three middle school boys as we played the game together. I was astonished by how quickly they grasped the mechanics and combat aspects. Their evident game knowledge made the combat puzzle seem like a walk in the park for them, and impressively, they completed the game on their very first try.
After gathering their feedback, I talked further with the boys about what they wanted to do for their future.. One of them wanted to become a software developer, while another had a passion for Zoology and wanted to pursue it as a major.
With their creative minds at work, we moved on to the next task: designing a new level in the game. Together, we brainstormed ideas, and they contributed their thoughts on how to make the game even more engaging. Utilizing props they created a storyline and scene that would fit seamlessly into the game.
On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to present our research to the CUNY REU students. While our presentation might not have been the most polished due to the recent nature of our research trip, it served as a nice recap of our experiences in Storm Lake and our learnings from the previous day. Sharing our insights and discoveries with the CUNY students was a valuable experience, and it allowed us to reflect on the progress we’ve made.
After work, we decided to unwind and have some fun by going bowling in the basement of the Memorial Union. To my surprise, it turned out to be a surprisingly good time, as we discovered that the bowling alley was glow in the dark. It added an extra element of excitement and novelty to our bowling experience, making it an enjoyable and memorable evening.
And that’s a wrap for this week. Hopefully my next blog post will involve more escapades.
Great post. This is several examples of research in action!