Welcome to JunkBall

 

Recycling and conservation are important issues, and it helps to teach kids at a young age about how they can have an impact on the environment. More important than simple understanding, however, is the practice that kids get in following through on what they learn and developing routines that can turn into habits they continue to follow as they get older. Games, especially fast-paced “Twitch speed” games, are a great tool for developing habit-forming routines. JunkBall was developed to be part of a larger social 3D space where kids can interact with each other, play games, and learn about helping the environment.

JunkBall is a game that relies on speed and reflex, known as a "twitch-speed" game. This genre of game is good at developing a player's intuition about a set of rules or a specific scenario. Repeated gameplay creates an instinctive response in players. JunkBall was developed to encourage players to become so accustomed to sorting recyclables they start to do it without thinking and begin separating garbage in real life and recycling more.

JunkBall places players within the real-life context of sorting garbage and requires them to apply problem solving skills to pass the various levels. Through the interaction with game activities players develop new knowledge and skills relating to recycling. Flow state is maintained by starting the game off with easier levels and increasing the challenge as players increase their skills. Motivating factors including points, increasing levels and status, and bonuses are included in the game to maintain interest in gameplay. The name of the game comes from a play on the words "Jump Ball," familiar to all basketball players.

The Story: The kids have been given the use of Sam's dad's old factory to use as a clubhouse, because the building is still in great condition but hasn't been used since the company moved to a newer, bigger warehouse. However, neighborhood kids have been using the building to hang out and not cleaning up after themselves. The garbage needs to be sorted and cleared so the kids can start using their new clubhouse. Time is of the essence so they can finish cleaning with enough time left to summer vacation to enjoy the clubhouse.

The Characters: Sam – Sam is a non-player character (NPC) who lets the player know what the premise of the game story is at the beginning of the game. He sets the game in motion.
Player-character – The player takes on the role of one of Sam's friends by choosing a look and name for the player avatar. Players are motivated by wanting to clean the factory so they can turn it into a clubhouse, in addition to all the bonuses they get along the way.
Other NPCs – there are various other NPCs who play the role of other kids cleaning the clubhouse. When a player clears a level, they cheer and encourage the player to continue.

The Objective: Collect all the trash in the factory and sort it accurately before the clock runs out.