Obama Announces Educational Game Challenge

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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Obama Announces Educational Game Challenge



America needs more mathematicians, scientists and engineers, and the Obama administration is turning to videogames to help create them.

As part of an initiative to reinvigorate math, technology and science education in American schools, President Obama has announced the National STEM Video Game Challenge, which offers prizes and expertise to the developers that submit the best educational games.

The challenge is sponsored by the ESA, Microsoft and AMD, and teams will compete for a $100,000 dollars worth of funding, split into three different awards. The first award is the grand prize of $50,000 for the best overall submission, with $25,000 set aside for a collegiate prize, and the final $25,000 going to the game that "greatest potential to reach underserved populations." As well as the cash prize, entrants will also get help and advice in how to take their designs further, as well as help promoting and distributing it.

Speaking at a White House event, President Obama said that the success of America as a nation depended on being a nation of discovery and innovation. He applauded the organizers and sponsors of the challenge for lending their expertise and resources to improving science, technology, engineering and math education in the United States.

The opening date for submissions is October 12th, and the closing date is January 5th, with the finalists announced in mid-February and the final rounds taking place in mid-March. Entrants must be U.S. citizens and aged 18 or over, and teams applying for the collegiate must be currently enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate degree program. You can find more information about the challenge on the official website. [http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/Initiatives-31.html]

Source: 1up [http://www.1up.com/news/president-obama-announces-video-game]



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Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
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Intresting - But definetly something viable to find talent.

Good luck to the entrants!
 
Feb 13, 2008
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OK, who's going to 'shop "Objection!" into that photo first.

OT: This may be a real kick in the teeth to the Governator, and not before time.
 

tehroc

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Jul 6, 2009
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While a good idea, Obama should challenge the major publishers into making a good game that is also educational.
 

zHellas

Quite Not Right
Feb 7, 2010
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
OK, who's going to 'shop "Objection!" into that photo first
No. You need an Angry Faced Obama to do that correctly.
 

ma55ter_fett

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Oct 6, 2009
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50,000 grand prize huh, so I'm guessing this is aimed at indie developers and one man operations.

100,000 total is nothing, really this is barely news worthy since almost nothing good will come of it.
 

Quaxar

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Sep 21, 2009
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No problem, the creators of the "say no to teen sex" game are certainly the first in line.

I'm thinking about submitting my own game. I call it "Army of Square Root of Two".
 

Marmooset

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Mar 29, 2010
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ma55ter_fett said:
50,000 grand prize huh, so I'm guessing this is aimed at indie developers and one man operations.

100,000 total is nothing, really this is barely news worthy since almost nothing good will come of it.
Yes. He's unleashed an unspeakable evil with this contest...

The government has offered a reward (maybe not a large one) for an educational game. this is a gamesite. Of course it's fucking newsworthy!

So, if the reward had been a million, what would have been your parade-pisser then? "My hard earned taxpayer dollars going to this???"

Try to look past the man at the action. It's a good thing.
 

GothmogII

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Apr 6, 2008
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ma55ter_fett said:
50,000 grand prize huh, so I'm guessing this is aimed at indie developers and one man operations.

100,000 total is nothing, really this is barely news worthy since almost nothing good will come of it.
Got a pretty negative brain on you there, besides:

The Developer Prize challenges emerging and experienced game developers to design mobile games, includinFg games for the mobile Web, for young children (grades pre-K through 4) that teach key STEM concepts and foster an interest in STEM subject areas.

The Youth Prize engages middle school students (grades 5 through 8) in STEM learning by challenging them to design original video games. The Youth Prize design challenge will be open to middle school students from any U.S. school with a special emphasis on reaching students in underserved urban and rural communities.
It's looking at both emerging and young designers, and while yes it also mentions experienced designers, I get the feeling they aren't talking about Valve or Ubisoft. ;P Although, there wouldn't be anything stopping the big names from participating, even if just for the PR.

I think it's a wonderful idea personally, and hope many devs decided to take up the challenge.
 

Dogstreet

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Jul 13, 2009
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Calling it an 'Educational Game' is a huge mistake IMHO... when has such a game ever been considered fun? Nobody wants to play a game where they have to stop to work out Maths problems or only progress if they can name a particular historic figure.

"America needs more mathematicians, scientists and engineers..." - You want more math, science and engineering graduates? Then make a game to inspire them to learn and not to try and teach them whilst they play!

I'm sure movies/TV series have influenced waaay more people in their career choices than any 'Educational Video' so why shouldn't a purely recreational game inspire someone into a particular career?

.. having said all of that I look forward to seeing what come out of it! :)
 

Fensfield

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Nov 4, 2009
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I rather like this. If it goes well, this could very well be a stepping off point for more serious initiatives. A $50/25/25,000 prize for an educational game, to me, smells like someone testing the waters for some kind of (probably much smaller-scale) DARPA-esque software initiative.
 

Lightslei

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Feb 18, 2010
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To be honest, I'd be interested to know if there are any limitations o_O. Because if there aren't, I'd give it a shot for the hell of it :p.
 

GothmogII

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Apr 6, 2008
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Dogstreet said:
Calling it an 'Educational Game' is a huge mistake IMHO... when has such a game ever been considered fun? Nobody wants to play a game where they have to stop to work out Maths problems or only progress if they can name a particular historic figure.

"America needs more mathematicians, scientists and engineers..." - You want more math, science and engineering graduates? Then make a game to inspire them to learn not to teach them whilst they play!

I'm sure movies/TV series have influenced waaay more people in their career choices than any 'Educational Video' so why shouldn't a purely recreational game inspire someone into a particular career?

.. having said all of that I look forward to seeing what come out of it! :)
Oregon Trail.


Secondly...everyone seems to be getting bogged down in semantics, yes, that's the name of the competition, but that doesn't necessarily mean that a game designed to teach Math has to be a series of Math puzzles interspersed with other gameplay. I would hope that the Designers would get creative, with the puzzles integrated fully into the game and not simply a blatant 'please answer what 20 x 5 is to continue'.