Multimedia Science - Game Makers - Categories Game Maker


Science Software By Science Teachers For Science Teachers

NEW
Version 6.0

The Categories Game Maker allows you to create exciting review and assessment games for playing with your classes using a computer and projector system. A completed game consists of up to 70 questions broken up into seven categories, each worth from 10 to 100 points. And the NEW Version 6 includes many new features that makes creating and running the games easy, so you can concentrate enjoying the game with your students. Some features of the Categories Game Maker include:

create questions by typing in text or adding graphics, animations , movies, and sound files
choose how many categories and which point questions to include
create, revise, save, and load games
create answer keys that can be saved, loaded, and printed out
set up to 10 team names
there are several choices for playing your game
- sequential or randon team selection
- use with a buzzer system
- allow students to answer a single question or keep going if they answer correctly
- use a timer and set the number of seconds
final scoring screen for making final score adjustments and printing the final results
the ability to save and then reload team names, questions asked, and scores in the middle of the game
a number of creation tools to help you make your questions
- File Finder - helps you preview graphics, animations, movies, and sounds
- Multiple Choice Question Maker - helps you create multiple choice questions using text and graphics
- Free Form Question Maker (NEW) - create questions using drawing tools, text, and graphics
- Screen Capture Utility - allows you to capture anything that is on your computer screen

You can find some pictures of the game screens with more information below. Also check out the new video tutorials and Faqs page available on the Game Makers screen.

Click on the pictures to see a larger version in a pop up window.
You may have to disable any pop up blockers.

	The picture on the right shows the game setup screen, where you set up the parameters of playing your game. First, you create from 2 to 10 teams of students, giving each their own name. There are several styles of play. Teams can be chosen sequentially (team 1, then team 2, etc.) or randomely (the program makes sure that each team gets an equal number of chances). Play can be set so each team answers only one question or teams can keep answering if they get questions correct. You can set a timer, to give each team a set number of seconds to answer the question. You can use the Load Saved Game button to finish playing a game that was previously saved.

	The picture on the right shows the screen where students choose from the possible seven categories and a point value for their question from 10 to 100 points. Questions that are answered correctly are removed from play (they will be greyed out and cannot be selected again). Questions that are not answered correctly can be chosen again later. Part of the strategy of the game is for students to keep track of questions that they know the answer to and choose them when it is their turn. You can save the game at any point by clicking ont he Save button. Everything is saved including the team names, the scores, which questions have been answered and which team is set to go next.

	After a question is chosen, a question and scoring screen is displayed. A typical question screen is shown on the right. The main question area (shown here with a picture of blood pressure equipment) can display text, graphics, animations, or moives. There can also be text displayed underneath the main question area and a sound can be added that will be played when the Play Sound button is clicked. After comparing the students' answer to to an answer sheet created in the Categories software, you keep score by clicking on the YES and NO buttons or on the plus and minus buttons next to the teams. The software has built in a lot of flexibility to allow you to run the game the way you want to. The software does all of the work, so you can pay attention to running and enjoying the game with your students.

	So, where do the questions come from? The questions can be created several ways. The screen on the right shows the question by question editor where you create one question at a time. As you add the text, graphics, animations, movies, and sounds, you can see exactly how the question will look. When you first start making a game, the software helps you set up a game folder and saved game file. All of the multimedia elements for your game, the graphics, animations, movies, and sounds, are placed in this game folder. The Categories software includes a number of utilities to help you both locate and create these multimedia elements and copy them to your game folder.

	One useful utility that comes with the Categories Game Maker is the File Finder. The File Finder helps you find, view, and copy graphics, animations, movies, and sounds into your game folder. When you open the File Finder, the path to your game folder is loaded, so any multimedia element that you find can quickly and easily be copied there. You can also find and move files by clicking on Windows My Computer or by using Windows Explorer.

	Multiple choice questions are very useful for inclusion in your Categories game. The Multiple Choice Question Maker that is included helps you create multiple choice questions with both text and graphics. The created questions are saved as graphics files (in BMP format) that can then be added to your Categories game questions. There are four types of questions, combining either text or a graphic for the question and text or pictures for the answers. An example question graphic is shown on the right using text for the question and graphics for the answers.

	Another new utility is called the Free Form Question Maker. With this tool, you can create a graphic question by using basic drawing tools, adding text, and adding graphics. You can use the filled rectangle, circle, pen, and eraser tools to create shapes of different colors on the background. On top of the background, you can add various text elements of any color and font. Also, add graphic elements and resize them. The question shown on the right was created by making a black background, adding the three graphic elements above, and adding a number of text elements below.

	The included Screen Capture utility allows you to capture anything that is on your computer screen, save it as a graphic file (in bmp format), and import it into Categories as part of one of your questions. You can capture pie charts and graphs from Excel, equations or drawings from Word and Wordperfect, or anything you can create in any other software program.

	The included Screen Capture utility allows you to capture anything that is on your computer screen, save it as a graphic file (in bmp format), and import it into Categoires as part of one of your questions. You can capture pie charts and graphs from Excel, equations or drawings from Word and Wordperfect, or anything you can create in any other software program.

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