Abandoned prototype video game teaching elementary circuit theory

post by Steven Byrnes (steve2152) · 2022-03-30T20:37:19.653Z · LW · GW · 3 comments

Contents

  Click here to play the game
None
3 comments

About a decade and several hobbies ago, I was inspired to make an educational video game that would teach the intuitions behind elementary circuit theory (batteries, switches, diodes, capacitors, inductors, etc.).

After an inordinate amount of time,^[1] I wound up with this prototype browser game:

Click here to play the game

Its biggest limitations (i.e., the biggest reasons that I'm calling it a “prototype”) are (1) I only got around to making five “levels” (i.e., puzzles to solve), (2) it's not very user-friendly.^[2]

Still, I gave it to my 7-year-old kid last night, and he was really enjoying it and clearly getting something out of it. That made me feel sad that it’s been sitting on my hard drive for a decade, and (on current trends) always will be.

So, if anyone wants to take this thing and develop it further, let me know, and maybe I’ll send you the code repository and give you permission to do with it as you please. (For example, if you commercialize it, you can keep all the profits.)

Meanwhile, enjoy. If you have nothing better to do with your time than to try to solve the puzzles, then please use spoiler-hiding [LW · GW] as appropriate in the comment section. 

1. ^{^}

   This was 99.99% a solo project, but thanks to Michael Prettyman for some help and advice on the art assets. All remaining ugliness is fully my responsibility!

2. ^{^}

   In a well-designed game, the user naturally and effortlessly learns the game interface, because it's presented bit by bit, with good affordances and/or tutorials, and user-tested, etc. I didn't get around to doing any of that, sorry. I think adults would be able to get the interface relatively quickly, especially if they happen to already know some elementary circuit theory (ironically). Younger kids might need a bit of help.

3 comments

Comments sorted by top scores.