DataFlex
Educational game about data centers for children
A. Al-Kaswan (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
B. El Attar (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
G. Wiemers (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
L.J. Kronstadt (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
G. d' Abreu de Paulo (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
Willem Paul Brinkman – Mentor (TU Delft - Interactive Intelligence)
S de Wit – Mentor (VHTO)
T.A.R. Overklift Vaupel Klein – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Computer Science & Engineering-Teaching Team)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
Women are largely underrepresented in IT, girls’ interest in STEM and IT fields tends to drop throughout secondary education. Educational games are a great tool to change the perception of certain topics, as well as changing the behavior of the players. Thus, this report describes the development of a game to make the field of IT more appealing to girls between the ages of 10 and 14.
After collecting requirements with the client and doing a literature study a design is proposed. The final product is a two-player 2D Role-Playing-Game with puzzle elements, specifically designed to be played in a classroom environment. The game takes place in a data center and will show the players the societal importance of data centers as well as the diversity of the work in data centers. The gameplay consists of exploring a data center, talking with both male and female employees in various roles, helping them with their work through minigames, and solving a mystery. The game was designed to specifically cater to girls and to break stereotypes regarding women in IT.