CodeHS Game Design Insider: 5-Part Model, Blind Playtest Activity, and More!

​​🕹️ Game Mechanics with 5-Part Model

Designing mechanics is difficult for early developers. A successful mechanic gives the player choices and drives progress. To help students move beyond "I want a cool [item]," introduce the 5-Part Model (5PM).

Let’s apply the 5PM to a standard Shield Bubble power-up:

Representation: How does the player perceive it?

- Example: A translucent blue circle glows around the character.

Tokens: How does the player interact with it?
- Example: The player collects a shield icon or presses a specific key to activate it.

Resources: What are the risks or costs?
- Example: The shield only lasts 5 seconds. The risk is wasting it on a small enemy and not having it for the boss.

Goals: The "Why":
- Immediate: Block one specific attack right now.
- Local: Survive a difficult section of the level.
- Global: Reach the end of the game without losing a life.

Decisions: The binary choice.
- Example: Do I activate the shield now to be safe, or save it for a harder moment later?

Teacher Tip: The full model can be dense. Start by having students focus only on the Goals (Immediate, Local, Global) to ensure every mechanic serves a purpose!

For more information about the 5PM approach to designing game mechanics, download the article 5-Part Model: A Formal Approach to Designing Mechanics by Rodolfo Mora-Zamora.

👀 The "Blind Playtest" Activity

As students work on their own game creations, it's easy for them to assume that their game controls are intuitive (because they wrote the code). To break this bias, try the Blind Playtest in your next class.

The Rule: Students swap seats to play a peer's game. The creator stands behind the tester and is not allowed to speak. They cannot explain the controls, say "oops, don't go there," or apologize for bugs. They can only take notes.

Why it works: If the tester gets stuck or doesn't know how to jump, the creator instantly sees where their UI or tutorial is failing. It forces students to fix the design, rather than explaining away the problems.

🎥 The "3-Second GIF" Challenge

Code is hard to show off to parents or on a resume, but visuals are easy! Instead of just asking for a code submission this December, challenge your students to capture a single exciting 3-5 second loop of their game. Students leave your class not just with a grade, but with a shareable digital asset that proves their skills at a glance.

🧠 AI Curriculum

CodeHS has AI courses and dozens of AI projects you can plug into your existing curriculum! By introducing AI in computer science classrooms you can prepare students for a technology driven world and students can learn that what may seem like magic is actually just programs and algorithms!

🗝️ Check Out CodeHS Pro

CodeHS Pro has a full suite of tools to help teachers streamline their workflow and support student growth this year. Unlock access to the Fast Grade tool, student progress tracking, lesson plans, and more. Learn more about CodeHS Pro here.

💬 Stay Connected

Happy Coding, 

The CodeHS Team