Susan Maynor's Creative Quest

Welcome to Planet Protector , an educational game that makes recycling, sustainability, and eco-friendly practices engaging and interactive. Players take on the role of Earthy, a planetary guardian on a mission to clean up polluted environments while learning real-world skills to protect the planet. Each level, from parks to forests, oceans, and cities, presents unique challenges like collecting recyclables, avoiding pollutants, and completing eco-station sorting tasks. Here is a video pitch of the game, including some iteration ideas! 

Reflecting on the past 16 weeks of designing learning games—from playing Zoombinis (LOVE!) to analyzing many types of games to learning Twine and designing Garden Design Heroes to Equation Architects to learning Construct 3 and designing Planet Protector—all of these learning experiences have been transformative for me. This learning journey has taught me invaluable insights and knowledge into the game design process and its potential to shape educational experiences. One of the most insightful aspects of this training was recognizing and exploring the complexity of aligning game mechanics with learning objectives. This iterative process grew my brain! Each game I designed presented unique challenges that needed both my critical and creative thinking processes.  Planet Protector's emphasis was on decision-making and environmental stewardship practices. Having a more sophisticated scoring system and creating levels challenged me to add layers and complexity to engage players.  ...

Planet Protector is a learning game designed and created by Susan Maynor. Here is a link to the prototype: Planet Protector Overview Planet Protector is an exciting educational game where players become Earthy, a planet-saving hero on a mission to clean up polluted environments while learning about recycling and sustainability. Explore locations like parks, oceans, forests, and cities filled with recyclables, compostables, landfill pollutants, and non-pollutant environmental hazards. Collect eco-friendly items such as cans, bottles, and compostables to earn points while avoiding hazards like plastic bags, styrofoam, and straws. Use quick reflexes and intelligent decision-making to navigate obstacles and prioritize high-value items as environments become increasingly challenging. At the end of each level, players arrive at an eco-station to sort items into recycling, compost, and trash bins. These sorting challenges reinforce learning, unlock new levels, and reward players with badges ...