QR codes are used to give the user an experience outside of the game. They are placed on Fairtrade products across various shops and products and its up to the user to find them. With each code the user will get a number of seeds to plant on their farm. With the seeds the user may get other rewards too. These could be items to place on the farm, or items used to up-grade buildings. If the plant is not already available by getting the code the user will unlock the seeds or tree that it corresponds with. The exploration of looking for QR codes will give the user something else to do, but it can also help them improve their game experience. Exploring can lead to the user finding new products to try which they may then become regular users of.
The technical side of the QR codes is that each code will correspond with a URL. On each web page attached to a URL is a picture of the final items that the user will receive. These pictures will be pulled from the page and added to the available space on the app, in the Scanner menu. The items will then appear separately in the My Stuff menu (these again will be taken from the page).
Monday, 4 April 2011
Final Concept - Story Board
 |
| 1. The user opens their app to their farm |
 |
| 2. On the farm the user can plot, move things and sell things using the tools menu |
 |
| 3. The items menu allows the user to get things to decorate the farm |
 |
| 4. The QR scanner allows the user to get items from codes they have found on Fairtrade products. These items are sent to the users ‘My Stuff’ |
 |
| 5. Once a QR code is scanned the user can access the items from it in ‘My Stuff’ in the Items menu. Once they select the item they can place it |
 |
| 6. Seeds gained can be planted - the amount of seeds equals the amount of plots that the user can seed. They grow at different times and if left unattended can wither |
 |
| 7. Once fully grown the user can harvest the crops for experience. The crops are then sent to the Stall |
 |
| 8. In the Stall the user sells what they have grown |
 |
| 9. When they select the crop to sell they get given a choice of selling fair or corporate. Fair gives them more money while corporate gives them less |
 |
| 10. Once sold the user returns the Stalls menu and shows what they sold and for how much for a brief period of time |
 |
| 11. The Store can be accessed in the Items menu |
 |
| 12. The Seeds and Trees menu enables the user to buy trees or seeds to plant on their farm |
 |
| 13. In the Buildings menu, the user can place buildings available to them on their farm |
 |
| 14. The building can be place anywhere are as long as there is enough free land |
 |
| 15. In the Decorations menu, the user can place the decorations available to them |
 |
| 16. The decoration needs to be place on the farm where there is available land |
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Final Concept - The App
The Store
The Store is the place where the user looks for everything. Here they can buy seeds, trees, buildings, decorations and special purchases. The Store can be found in the Items menu. Seeds and trees are what the user use to earn their keep. The use of these are explained under Farming. Buildings as mentioned just before are also bought here, however their up-grades are available from the actual building. Decorations are similar to that of the buildings except that they are quite simply decorations. Things like fences can be used to keep things tidy while other are place because the user feels their plot looks better with them. The idea is that people develop the land and by adding decorations they are improving the appearance. Specials can be anything that can be added due to a specific event or for expansion for the farm. As the user levels up, they may find that their farm gets a bit small for them. By expanding they increase the amount of land they have to play with for farming and also placing more buildings and decorations. Some things in the Store are unavailable. This is due to the user needing to unlock them by getting QR codes and leveling up to an appropriate level.
The Store is the place where the user looks for everything. Here they can buy seeds, trees, buildings, decorations and special purchases. The Store can be found in the Items menu. Seeds and trees are what the user use to earn their keep. The use of these are explained under Farming. Buildings as mentioned just before are also bought here, however their up-grades are available from the actual building. Decorations are similar to that of the buildings except that they are quite simply decorations. Things like fences can be used to keep things tidy while other are place because the user feels their plot looks better with them. The idea is that people develop the land and by adding decorations they are improving the appearance. Specials can be anything that can be added due to a specific event or for expansion for the farm. As the user levels up, they may find that their farm gets a bit small for them. By expanding they increase the amount of land they have to play with for farming and also placing more buildings and decorations. Some things in the Store are unavailable. This is due to the user needing to unlock them by getting QR codes and leveling up to an appropriate level.
 |
| The Buildings Menu |
 |
| The Decorations Menu |
 |
| Store Menu |
 |
| Seeds menu |
Final Concept - The App
Buildings
Buildings have multiple uses, but what it comes down to is the type of building. All are decorative, making the plot look more impressive and developed. Some buildings will have abilities like barns for storage or a school where the user can ‘learn’ techniques to improve what they harvest in terms of earning more per harvest or being able to level up more by getting more experience. All of these bonuses from buildings are aimed to give the user an advantage if they purchase them from the store. These buildings can be improved on - making the advantages better by getting more. To do this, the user will need to invest in getting materials to improve the buildings, planks of wood and nails are some examples of things needed to be collected. These can come though when the user scans a QR code or by getting help from other users when publishing requests on social network sites like Facebook.
Needs Images
Buildings have multiple uses, but what it comes down to is the type of building. All are decorative, making the plot look more impressive and developed. Some buildings will have abilities like barns for storage or a school where the user can ‘learn’ techniques to improve what they harvest in terms of earning more per harvest or being able to level up more by getting more experience. All of these bonuses from buildings are aimed to give the user an advantage if they purchase them from the store. These buildings can be improved on - making the advantages better by getting more. To do this, the user will need to invest in getting materials to improve the buildings, planks of wood and nails are some examples of things needed to be collected. These can come though when the user scans a QR code or by getting help from other users when publishing requests on social network sites like Facebook.
Needs Images
Final Concept - The App
The Stall
The Stall is where the user goes to sell their goods. Here they will make a conscious choice as to how they want to sell their stock. They can sell fairly, which means that they will receive a fair price for what they have grown, or they can sell to a corporate company and get just enough to get by on the next crop. The idea behind this is that the user gets use to choosing Fairtrade over big corporate brands which exploit their produces. There will be several options for the user to choose from, some will be clear which is best while others will not. In the future of the game, tasks can be created within this feature for the user to complete and earn more money, experience and other rewards.
The Stall is where the user goes to sell their goods. Here they will make a conscious choice as to how they want to sell their stock. They can sell fairly, which means that they will receive a fair price for what they have grown, or they can sell to a corporate company and get just enough to get by on the next crop. The idea behind this is that the user gets use to choosing Fairtrade over big corporate brands which exploit their produces. There will be several options for the user to choose from, some will be clear which is best while others will not. In the future of the game, tasks can be created within this feature for the user to complete and earn more money, experience and other rewards.
 |
| Market stall where the user sells their goods |
 |
| The market stall |
Final Concept - The App
Farming
The user’s main goal is to keep the land, making sure crops are planted and harvested at correct times so that they can sell quality produce for good prices. There will be different seeds and trees available the user depending on their progress (level) and what the have managed to collect using the QR codes. The users will receive some seeds when they first get the code for that seed, but in future will need to buy the seeds from the Market with money they get from selling crops. This will be the same for trees, however, trees will remain on the plot rather than being removed all together. One harvested, the crops are kept until the user is ready to sell them in the Stall.
The user’s main goal is to keep the land, making sure crops are planted and harvested at correct times so that they can sell quality produce for good prices. There will be different seeds and trees available the user depending on their progress (level) and what the have managed to collect using the QR codes. The users will receive some seeds when they first get the code for that seed, but in future will need to buy the seeds from the Market with money they get from selling crops. This will be the same for trees, however, trees will remain on the plot rather than being removed all together. One harvested, the crops are kept until the user is ready to sell them in the Stall.
 |
| Seeds in various stages |
 |
| Seeds menu |
Final Concept - The App
QR Codes
There is a built in QR scanner which will scan the codes from packaging from Fairtrade products. If the user doesn’t have the app installed already they will be sent to a page asking to install the app. However if they do have the app but use a different app to scan the code, they will be taken to the app. This will be discussed in more detail later on.
There is a built in QR scanner which will scan the codes from packaging from Fairtrade products. If the user doesn’t have the app installed already they will be sent to a page asking to install the app. However if they do have the app but use a different app to scan the code, they will be taken to the app. This will be discussed in more detail later on.
Final Concept - The App
The final concept for the module is a farming app, where the user is the head farmer, tending to the crops and contributing to the community.
In the game, the user starts off with a small plot of land, a basic home and a few plots of land ready to have seeds planted. This is a standard across all users. They will also receive a few seeds to start them off. A tutorial will be provided at the beginning, leading them to gain a level up and making them sufficient so that they can begin to develop their plot of land, or village once it has been developed more. The more the user plays, the more money they get, more abilities of planting and buying different things and eventually developing the village the a higher standard of living.
In the game, the user starts off with a small plot of land, a basic home and a few plots of land ready to have seeds planted. This is a standard across all users. They will also receive a few seeds to start them off. A tutorial will be provided at the beginning, leading them to gain a level up and making them sufficient so that they can begin to develop their plot of land, or village once it has been developed more. The more the user plays, the more money they get, more abilities of planting and buying different things and eventually developing the village the a higher standard of living.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)