Cool School: An Inside Look at a Federally Funded Conflict Resolution Game and Interactive Tool for Classrooms

Speakers: David Warhol, F.J. Lennon

Track: SGS: Behind the Game

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: Part computer game, part educational tool, COOL SCHOOL: Where Peace Rules! is a whimsical interactive website that teaches five to seven-year-olds (grades K-2) how to resolve familiar interpersonal conflicts peacefully in a fun, colorful, imaginative way. Commissioned by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and funded by the Federal Government, the program launches in public schools in 2007.

In this session, the project lead discusses the origin of the project, the working relationships with government agencies and content experts, fundraising efforts, and their approach to creating the game world and characters, as well as techniques for designing and writing the project. The head of the studio that developed the product provides an in-depth look at the production, including pre-production techniques designed to capture stakeholder participation and the challenges of matching scope to budget.

Idea Takeaway: Attendees learn the various stages of a serious games production: research and analysis, design, pre-production, and production of a product that informs and educates while entertaining. Attendees also get an in-depth look at funding challenges facing serious games productions.

Intended Audience: The intended audience is anyone interested in learning the ins-and-outs of a large scale serious games production from beginning-to-end. The presentation might especially be useful to those seeking to create serious games geared toward classroom children and teachers.