The Handmaid's Tale: Canvas Based Game

[beth_ritter-gut]

In my previous life, I taught English, and one of my favorite texts to teach was Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale.  I am working with two faculty members (one here at Union and one at Montclair State) this semester to build a student-written game (choose your own adventure model) within Canvas using a Google Docs Temp and then some fancy hyperlinking.

We will be donating the games (and the framework) to the Public Domain through the Canvas Commons.  

If anyone is interested in partnering with us, please let me know 🙂

[dhulsey]

Sounds fun and educational! I can't wait to play when the game is finished.  

[laurakgibbs]

Pinging  @keeganlong-whee ‌ for this!

[sheldonj1]

Hi

You will later have a very large problem if you pull this off.

The students will SWAMP the game because they just LOVE them!

I've produced several over the years and, back when one could actually do this, .... had students "play test" the game.  They love "play testing" also and will learn a LOT from doing it...almost....free learning! lol WHAT A THOUGHT! LOL

The methodology about what you are talking about doing can be used in a MULTITUDE of classes that are "information driven" as opposed to a "skill class".  ( although I am positive that someone will immediately post about how it can be used in such! lol   )

I look forward with great anticipation to your work.

james

[kroeninm]

I haven't used it other than playing with it a long time ago but you might investigate Twine a bit, it had some neat features and output if you are building a choose your own adventure game.  If the students are collaborating and creating the game though I don't think it had collaboration options.  

• Twine / An open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories 
• http://www.cbs.com/shows/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/escape-from-the-man-sized-cabinet/
• The Griffin and the Minor Canon by CMG 

- Melanie

I'd be happy to test (play) when you are done as well!

[sheldonj1]

Interesting.

[rniolon]

I'll wish you good luck on this too

I'm curious from a tech perspective on how you are doing this...?

If you are deciding how to do this... I would suggest either TiddlyWiki or TiddlyWiki (classic) which could also be deployed in other LMS or as a free standing html page somewhere...

Rich

[fairwea]

Beth, count me in for this project!  I'm an ID with a science background but The Handmaid's Tale is one of my favorite books.

[beth_ritter-gut]

Thank you for the links and support everyone!  We are trying to use Canvas as the tool to see if we can actually pull it off.  The idea is to use graphics linked to pages in a stacked format.

[scottdennis]

Hey  @beth_ritter-gut ,

How did your class go?  Did the technology enhance or get in the way?  Do you think the experiment was a success? 

[laurakgibbs]

I did a quick search at Community here for Twine-related materials and found this post. I am also curious if the Canvas-based experiment turned out!

I just wrote up some notes about how to do Twine in Canvas; it works!

https://community.canvaslms.com/people/laurakgibbs/blog/2018/09/23/you-really-can-play-twine-games-i...