My+revised+Children's+Media+Pitch

March 21, 2010 Dear David Pierce, CEO of Atari, ** Xtra Curricular ** By Brian Berrodin This MMORPG is exclusively made for children in elementary school. Children can go home from school and be anyone they want to be. Once at their home computer, children can design their character to their liking (whether it be someone they would like to be portrayed as or they can create as an accurate depiction of themselves) and make it as detailed as they wish. Once they have made their character and username, they are put into a classroom of a school with other users and/or CPUs. The classroom is like a waiting room for other users to sign on to join and compete in several different activities. This game is a like //The Sims// but for children around the fourth through eight grade level.
 * __ Introduction __**

As mentioned before, the users will start each session of gaming in a random classroom in a school. In the classroom, users may act however they want to. They can shoot spitballs and throw things at the teacher; however, the teacher will be prompted to punish the user if she or he catches them. Once the teacher has had it and starts to approach the misbehaving kid, that user has the option to stay or run. Just think of GTA without the blood and gratuitous violence. The user can run all around the school to seek relief in secret hiding spots. The ease of getting away from the teacher depends on how reckless the user was in the classroom in the first place. If the user shoved the teacher’s books off of his or her desk, it will be harder to escape the wrath of discipline. Moreover, the teacher is not the only one in search of the misbehaving user. Other teachers are liable to jump out of classrooms and into the hall to join in the chase. The main defense mechanism that the user has is a slingshot for which he or she can use to ward off any other teachers or disciplinary figures. However, once caught the user forfeits his slingshot and all the spitballs that he or she had. The user can obtain the slingshot by earning a certain amount of points in the various games that are available around the school (see games and activities). This segment of the game is a lot like the videogame //[|Bully]//. If the users don’t want to cause mayhem in the school, they can simply flirt or chat with other users through instant messaging. Since users can have contact with other users around the world, this tool will work as a pen pal system. Unlike the pen pal you and I grew up with, these letters (messages) will be sent instantly. They can discuss anything, including which part of the school they will venture off to in order to participate in other activities and games. In addition, each user has a friend list where they can list different users for easy connections. Other than disrupting the teacher, users can meet in the classroom to figure out what games they want to play. In the classroom, children (users) from all over the world can coordinate to compete in educational videogames to earn points (points allow users to add accessories- i.e. girls- bracelets, sunglasses, clothing, etc. / boys- slingshot, skateboard, etc. / note: girls and boys have access to any accessory he or she pleases despite gender). Points are also used as bragging rights as all the high scores will be available to view. Games can be formulated in multiple ways. Users can create a private group (i.e. students from their real-life class) or they can join an international group where they can play users from all over the world. The high scores brackets will be displayed in charts of “All-Time High Scores (around the world)” and also the user’s //actual school// high scores. This way children can compare scores with other children in the world and in there hometown class. The accessories and the high scores serve as incentives for children to play the games. So, let’s get to those games already!
 * __ The Classroom __**

The two types of games that are most important are math and investigative problem solving. Users will have the opportunity to “go to the computer lab” in the cyber world of //Xtra Curricular//. “Students” can formulate and plan the game according to participating users in the “classroom” and venture to the “computer lab in the school” to compete in games comparable to //Troggle// //Trouble Math// and //Where in the World is Carmen San Diego//. Users can compete with any mix of “classmates” (users vs. users, users vs. CPUs, users/CPUs vs. users/CPUs, etc.). Although these games may scream “educational,” users won’t even see it that way, as they are competing for accessories and bragging rights. If users want to play a different game, they can take a trip outside to the recess yard where they can play kickball or skateboard. The same rules apply in kickball as they do in the two aforementioned games. There can be any mix of users and CPUs and all the stats will be recorded and visible to all who participate. This game will be a lot like //[|Backyard Baseball]// (in format), but will obviously be with a kickball. For instance, //Backyard Baseball// is formatted in a way that is easier to learn, unlike other extremely intricate baseball videogames. Skateboarding can only be done if the user has accumulated enough points, from other games, to buy a skateboard. Skateboarding will also take place on the recess yard, but in the mini-skate park. Here, users can “free skate” or compete in timed runs, where the users will try to achieve the highest score. Each skater also has the option of conversing with other skaters in order to challenge them to a duel. Each duel will last one minute. They can decide on how many rounds they want to compete in before actually engaging in it. Once the terms are agreed on, each skater will go individually to gain as many points, from tricks, as they can in order to get the higher score. The amount of points given for each trick depends on trick difficulty. Higher score, more points, more bragging rights, more accessories, more FUN!
 * __ Games __**
 * __ Activities __**

Students can go to the art room to paint and to share artwork with other students. Using the latest software, users can explore the possibilities of a rudimentary form of Photoshop to produce and share their own work. Also, children will have the option to use a basic video editing software program to make their own movies to share with other users. Brian Berrodin Temple University School of Communications and Theater 1217 Spring Garden Street #401 Philadelphia, Pa, 19123 Tua43149@temple.edu 484.883.8444
 * __ Arts and Crafts __**
 * Contact: **