Happy 2026!
I think it's been a few weeks since my last update. For those who aren't familiar, I am developing an educational platform that empowers students to master their curriculum through interactive games rooted in their genuine interests and passions.
Whether a child loves animal care, basketball, programming or any other interest, this platform adapts standard lessons into custom-designed game experiences. This approach allows students to learn necessary academic skills while engaging with what naturally motivates them.
I'll label my paragraphs in case you want to skip my technical ramblings. :)
[technical]
As I continue development, it becomes clear that this tool will need to have two levels to it. At it's core, it needs to be advanced game development tool with all the functionality and ability a 2D game developer could need, with additional tools and functionality focused on interactive and visual learning. On a second level, this application will need much more streamlined and simple tools that any teacher could comfortably use to integrate lessons into interactive games. That being said, I will be focusing on the more advanced level of the program for some time before eventually creating the much more teacher friendly functionality to the game maker.
I've recently finished the visual asset management tools I believe to be required (not the most glamorous update, I know. UI remains ugly colored). However, I am now working on the scene and animation tools, which means almost all updates forward should probably have a lot more Pizazz!
[visual learning]
As I begin work on the animation tools, I've been reflecting on my experiences with visual learning. I'm reminded of a lesson I received in school when I was younger, and how I just COULD NOT fully understand it until I was given some visual aid.
It was a math lesson on probability and the example was the Month Hall problem, famously solved by Marilyn vos Savant.
For those of you unfamiliar, the scenario is that you have three doors [][][]
Behind one door is the prize. The other two are loser doors. You start by picking one door [.][][]
The host removes one of the loser doors from the two you didn't pick [.][] [X]
You are then given the option. Keep the door you've picked or switch to the other remaining choice.
Marilyn suggested that if you want to play the odds, it always favors you to switch. On the surface, it might seem like you have just good of odds (1/3) whether you switch or stay. Why should you switch? Your odds are actually 2/3 (66.7%) if you switch.
It was written out for me...
You pick door 1. The host removes a door. You switch. The prize was behind door 1. You lose.
You pick door 1. The host removes door 2. You switch. The prize was behind door 3. You win.
You pick door 1. The host removes door 3. You switch. The prize was behind door 2. You win.
It becomes obvious that the odds from switching are 2/3. And I knew that... but I still didn't understand why. I knew it was right! I knew how to do the math, but something still wasn't clicking and it left me confused and wondering... that is, until I got to see the problem visually... expanded.
You get to pick one out of ten doors [][][][][][][][][][]
The host will remove 8 loser doors. Do you switch? [][]
It suddenly became obvious. There was a 1/10 chance that my first pick was the winner, but there's a 9/10 chance with all the others , after the loser doors are removed. It's not a 1/10 chance vs another 1/10 chance. The host only removes bad doors.
It's a 1/10 chance vs a 9/10 chance that is compressed and guaranteed to not discard the winner.
([]) vs ([][][][][][][][][])
Where is the prize more likely to be?
It finally made sense to me!
It was never a 1/3 vs two other 1/3s. It was always 1/3 vs a 2/3 group that gets compressed.
([]) vs ([][])
The visual expansion of the problem helped me understand the mechanics of the problem so I could finally understand what the real challenge was.
I strongly believe visual and interactive learning can help solve some of these confusing learning gaps. As I'm working on the animation functionality of the game maker, I'm having fun thinking of all the sort of functions required to help bring learning to life, (adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, grouping and sorting, scaling and expanding or shrinking, duplicating, rearranging, keyframe animation, path animation, shape functionality, and so on).
If you have any resources specifically about visual learning or learning and animation, please do share! :) I'm super passionate about this and what to create the best educational gaming app possible!
[technical updates]
I've finished the robust art asset manager. I'll probably recycle it for audio and video management at some point later on.
The manager has sprite selection, undo, redo, quick thumbnail browsing for current categories, custom groups for mixing assets to your own needs and having them conveniently together (ie. All the assets for a particular level or scene).
I've also created a spritesheet editor with many standard professional spritesheet features:
- Drawing splices
- Autosplice
- Select
- Multiselect
- Shrinkwrap Selection
- Repositioning, scaling, both manual or drag
- adaptive grid
- panning
- sprite ordering and reordering
- colored sprite pins to visually separate sprites and to assist with spritesheet animation
- color picker with color palette
All the edited sprite data and custom group organization is locally saved for now into JSON files.
I'm going to begin documentation of all app features.
[outro]
Anyways, that's my update. I'm really looking forward to education and gaming in 2026!
Different ways of helping include following this page, giving feedback, sharing with others who may be interested or donating (accepts Debit, Credit Card or PayPal):
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/NH2CABMEAUFB8