Boy Scouts of America Introduces Game Design Merit Badge

Table Of Content

• (c) Discussion with Counselor and Changes
• Boy Scouts of America Selects Roger Krone as New President and Chief Executive Officer
• Conducting a Blind Test to Perfect Your Game Design
• (b) Blind Test Feedback
• Understanding Intellectual Property in Game Design
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Troop Merit Badge Library

This could be a college professor or an instructor at a specialized game development school. Ask them about what they do day-to-day, how they got into the field, and how their job fits into the bigger picture of game development. Take notes during the conversation so you can review them later. So, gather some folks to play your game and listen closely to their feedback.

(c) Discussion with Counselor and Changes

Poker is a card game with 2-10 players where you try to get the best hand of cards. I like the risk and strategy, but losing money is not fun. Super Mario is a video game where you try to save a princess. The project portion of the Game Design merit badge gives Scouts flexibility to work with a medium of their choosing. The level of effort required to make a game in different mediums can vary significantly. However, the requirements define what each Scout must include in his design notebook so that there is a baseline for all Scouts to meet.

Boy Scouts of America Selects Roger Krone as New President and Chief Executive Officer

A blind test involves giving your game and its rules to a new group of players who haven’t played it before. You watch them play without giving any instructions to see how well your game and rules are understood. After sharing my notebook and observations with my counselor, we talked about how players reacted. I learned that instructions have to be super clear and that every game piece needs a purpose. I’d give my game prototype and instruction sheet to a group of friends who have never played the game before.

Conducting a Blind Test to Perfect Your Game Design

In the game design industry, this can include things like game concepts, characters, and even how the game looks (graphics). When designing a game, the goal is to make it fun, interactive, and social. The game should be easy to learn but hard to master, so that it’s accessible to new players but still challenging for pros. It should also be well-paced, immersive, and have lots of replay value. And of course, it should be affordable so everyone can join in the fun. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit

Boy Scouts announce new merit badge in game design at SXSW - New York Daily News

Boy Scouts announce new merit badge in game design at SXSW.

Posted: Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT [source]

For his game design, he can choose from a wide range of media, from cards to boards, dice, and even designing a smartphone application. DALLAS, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Games are an important element in every culture around the globe. Through Game Design, its newest merit badge, the Boy Scouts of America is opening the door for Scouts to put their creativity to the test. The merit badge includes many opportunities for teamwork and group play.

Understanding Intellectual Property in Game Design

Eagle Scout invents card game for kids, using skills from these five merit badges - Aaron on Scouting

Eagle Scout invents card game for kids, using skills from these five merit badges.

Posted: Wed, 15 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The notebook must demonstrate a thoughtful initial concept, multiple design iterations based on initial testing, and feedback from blind testing. Encourage Scouts to use their notebook to record brainstorming sessions, test parameters, and any game-related ideas throughout the process. Also encourage them to record thoughts behind key design decisions to help them trace and retrace their steps as their designs evolve.

Energy & Natural Resources

Below is some information that might help you complete the existing requirements. Basketball is a game where two teams try to score points by shooting a ball into the opponent’s hoop. You dribble to move the ball, pass to teammates, and play defense to stop the other team.

Eagle Required Merit Badges

So, protecting intellectual property helps creators keep their original ideas safe and allows them to profit from their creativity. People play games for various reasons, each contributing to the appeal and popularity of gaming in different ways. Below are five key reasons people engage in gaming, along with examples for each. Requirement 8a or 8b MUST be completed before you attend your merit badge day class.

At this stage, you would sketch out the game board, showing the different types of spaces (puzzle, challenge, start, and end). These drawings don’t have to be perfect but should give a clear idea of what each element will look like. People would want to play this game because it combines strategy, problem-solving, and a bit of luck. The jungle setting and quest for a hidden treasure add excitement and a sense of adventure.

Based on the tests, one change I’d make is to clarify the point system and the value of each game piece. This would make the game easier to understand and more fun to play. You give them the rules, the pieces, and then step back to watch how they navigate through the game without any help from you. This could be anything from scoring points, solving a puzzle, or collecting items.

The no-dribbling rule made the game slower, and the requirement for all players to touch the ball did emphasize teamwork but at the cost of fewer scoring chances. In short, game design is a skill that combines creativity and technical know-how to create games that bring joy and connection to people everywhere. At New England Tech, students learn from industry professionals in small classes in a “hands-on” format utilizing the most current technologies available. NEIT helps students develop basic math, communications, and business skills that allow them to compete for the best jobs and ensure growth in their chosen career. Troop 8 has been a great place for kids to learn and grow and have fun for over 100 years!

For each term that you pick, describe how it relates to a specific game. You should also make adjustments based on feedback and play it multiple times to ensure it works as intended. Protection is needed so people can’t just copy your hard work and make money from it without your permission. A “licensed property” means using someone else’s intellectual property legally. For example, making a “Star Wars” video game would need a license from the owners of the “Star Wars” brand.

Because the project is so flexible, it is likely that you will have Scouts working in mediums with which you are unfamiliar. The game design community has a vast array of publicly available resources, and the merit badge information online at maintains updated links to relevant material. If you have a specific concern about programming an electronic game prototype, there are a number of free or inexpensive game design software packages available online. Some are very easy to use with little or no computer knowledge, and most have robust information resources to support them.