If you’re an ’80s kid who loved Nintendo, then you probably tried to design at least one level for a favorite video game. Maybe you worked at it with a piece of graph paper and a pencil, a cold glass of Coke at your side. Then you had to imagine the whole thing in motion, since you lacked the skills to make your sketch into a real game. That was then, and this is the future. A Kickstarter for Pixel Press wants to help today’s kids bring their games to life by simply scanning the paper with an iOS device (or Android, if stretch goals are reached).
If you’re an ’80s kid who loved Nintendo, then you probably tried to design at least one level for a favorite video game. Maybe you worked at it with a piece of graph paper and a pencil, a cold glass of Coke at your side. Then you had to imagine the whole thing in motion, since you lacked the skills to make your sketch into a real game. That was then, and this is the future. A Kickstarter for Pixel Press wants to help today’s kids bring their games to life by simply scanning the paper with an iOS device (or Android, if stretch goals are reached).
Pixel Press is a game creation system that utilizes regular paper, pencils, and an iPhone or an iPad. You simply print out a free sketch kit on any white paper and then draw a game level that contains five floors. The goal is to make the level more challenging as the player gets closer to the top. Depending on the game’s layout, players may find themselves contending with pits, traps, and monkey bars suspended over lava. Your sketch also lays out rules for how far your hero can jump, and how fast he can run.
When you’re done your sketch, you snap a photo of it. Pixel Press then converts the sketch into a game. No code required. Once you have the bare bones laid down, you can make your game even more awesome with graphic skins and music.
Pixel Press is designed with kids in mind, though it’s definitely meant to attract anyone who loves making and playing games. If you’d rather sit out the creative process, you can download other designers’ levels.
While the ground work for Pixel Press is laid out, it’s a complicated app that needs lots of fine-tuning. That’s where your pledge comes in. For $10, you get a download of the game for iOS or Android (if stretch goals are reached). Also, if you Tweet the team or contact them on Facebook, they’ll send over an extra copy for your younger brother or sister. For $25, you get the game, plus a pre-printed sketch pad. $40 will grab you the “Teacher’s Package,” which contains multiple game downloads, three sketch pads, and access to an educational portal.
If you have a little extra cash to spend on cool things, there are plenty of higher tier rewards, too. $150 gets you a metal mechanical pencil shipped from Germany, plus the previous rewards. $500 lets you be among the first to upload your own level. For $10,000, you can contribute ideas to the future of Pixel Press, and help determine how it can entertain as well as educate.
Ready to start scribbling? Visit the Kickstarter page for Pixel Press!
Kickstarter Picks is a series of features on Gamezebo that will profile Kickstarter projects in the world of video games. We’re doing this in the hopes of calling attention to interesting projects in need of funding, so please, if a game looks like something you’d want to play, don’t hesitate to lend it your support!
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