Содержание :

Urgency of a problem.
The prompt development of new information technologies in the ХХ century has had a huge influence on many aspects of human activity. It is especially necessary to note the essential influence on the process of formation of a child’s personality by the occurrence of computers in educational institutions and entertainment clubs. The important factor is the absence of a system of effective help to a child with the choice of a program. This results in the “unguided” process of formation of child’s personality and his (her) intellectual development.
In computer classes at school, personal computers at home, the software package of educational and entertainment programs is to some extent supervised. On the other hand, independent Internet “browsing” gives young users a choice of direction of development.
The greatest concerns caused by a situation in computer clubs and game computer studios, where the time of interaction between the computer and a child passes in the form of so-called running and shooting games.
A computer game can be useful in the sense that a child can obtain basic typing skills, an improved reaction time, and a development of attention skills among other useful abilities. However, these types of game do not deliver to the child reason to think, therefore, their intellectual development begins to minimize or decrease. Ultimately, these games do little good for the child’s intellectual ability and usually can leave that child with only just a bad habit.
Philosophy of the game.
The thinking of children at the preschool and elementary school ages is characterized by egocentrism. Children often do not know the difference between what is real and what is fantasy. A lack of experiences in life is what leads to this result.
The upbringing of a child can be done in different ways, such as housework, social activities, etc. Yet, the game becomes the main form of his/her activity and most of the child’s time is spent not studying or on any other form of work, but rather spent playing. While playing these games they do acquire education as well as they would have if they had performed in other ways, such as the before mentioned activities. In a sense, we can say that the game is a specific form of learning, as it stimulates a high level of motivation, interest, and emotional involvement. The game also can allow the child to discover his/her hidden faculties.
The methodological principles, on the basis of which there are processes of the game form of activity, are classified in practical psychology and pedagogics on the basis of the theory of opportunities as follows:

The first group:

(a.) Principle of integrated approach of stimulating influence.

According to this principle it is pedagogically clever to influence all aspects of their intellect. To make this principle work, a system of different stimulus of which one branch has to act on observation skills, another for cognitive skills, and in addition, one for their practical abilities must be constructed.

(b.) Principle of orientation on actual potential of stimulus, which says that it is pedagogically reasonably to organize the influence on such stimulus that “turn on” certain psychological mechanisms of intellectual formation.
The conditions to achieve this principle are the following:
· entertaining presentation of objects, their positive emotional perception;
· making objects individual;
· Making objects have common factors (such as morphological and behaviorist) with human beings.
(c.) Principle of orientation on sensing the stimulus.
Pedagogically it is reasonable to organize the influence of stimulus on a personality, considering its age, individual and personal features, determining the degree of the importance of these stimulus on this personality.
A condition for achieving the given principle is making the precise choice of such stimulus that correspond to the individual readiness if the person.
The second group:
а) Principle of heterogeneity of practical activity.
This principle states that it is pedagogically reasonable to put a person go through a maximum possible variety of activities.
The conditions for achieving this principle are:
· pedagogical organization of variety of activities, representing images of objects generated by a person;
· Making a person develop different technologies of interacting with the surrounding world.
b) Principle of directional formation of practical activity.
It is desirable to put a person through activity that would “turn on” different mechanisms to develop a personality.
The following criteria are necessary in order to achieve this principle:
· the priority of a non-pragmatic direct interaction of a person with surrounding objects;
· using mechanisms of identification, reflection, etc.;
· avoiding destruction caused by surrounding objects.
c) Principle of individual psychological adequacy.
It is reasonable to organize an activity that would correspond to specific peculiarities of a personality.
A condition for achieving this principle is to put a person through an activity that is of his dominant motivation.
Anatomy of the game.
A game is basically a series of steps that follow one another, and have a specific and predictable ending or outcome. Usually it is a set of repeating monotone actions that have a hidden motivation. And it should be a series of steps containing a trap, some sort of a trick. There are two basic characteristics that separate games from routine procedures and rituals, namely: hidden motivation and the existence of a prize.
Procedures may be successful or unsuccessful, rituals - effective or not effective. But ultimately all of them are predictable. They may have some sort of competition, however they do not allow the conflict between the participating parties to develop. Their outcome can sometimes be unexpected, but it is never dramatic.
In many cases, games end up being “not fair”; and quite often are characterized by the dramatic, and not just fascinating outcome.
The essential feature of the game is its culmination – the prize. Players go through a sequence of actions, that puts them in a favorable position, which allows them to have certain advantages over other contenders. Besides, every step gives a player a self-satisfying effect.
Formation of a demand for intellectual computer games.
We can say without any doubt, that most of the computer games are based on a primitive scenario – “the superman beats the black forces”. Unfortunately, computer games that require creative thinking, high speed typing skills are not in demand. For this reason, development on intellectual games, that involve elements of habitual entertaining computer games (with the choice of a weapon, shooting techniques, precise coordination and quick reaction time) is essential. However, they should also have a strong intellectual underlying case. Intellectual part of the game may not be dominant, moreover, it shouldn’t interfere with game’s general scenario. Although now, a player wouldn’t be able to avoid the intellectual part, as it will be essential in achieving a victory.
The intellectual part of the game should be used to turn a playing process into an educational, and the substantial filling can include literally all fields of knowledge (mathematics, biology, culture, etc.)
The following scenario gives a set of rules for achieving a victory. The secret of the script is in questions that a player has to answer, rising in the hierarchy of positions.
A draft version of an entertainment game “Erudite”.
Hierarchy of positions (levels of complexity of the game).


Position Points for every target hit Penalty points for every miss Total sum of points
Intern 1 1 Up to 10
Secret Service Officer 5 5 11 – 50
Counter-Espionage Officer 10 10 51 – 100
Agent 30 30 101 – 300
Resident 50 50 301 – 500
Ambassador 100 100 501 – 1000
Minister 500 500 1001 – 5000
President 1000 1000 5001 - 10000

The size of a target (may vary for different levels).
Variant 1.

Object Diameter’s Coefficient
Mosquito 1,0
Fly 1,5
Wasp 2,0
Bug 2,5
Butterfly 3,0


Variant 2.
Object Diameter’s Coefficient
Sparrow 1,0
Quail 1,5
Duck 2,0
Pheasant 2,5
Capercailzie 3,0

Variant 3.
Object Diameter’s Coefficient
Mouse 1,0
Rat 1,5
Jerboa 2,0
Hare 2,5
Boar 3,0


Variant 4.
Object Diameter’s Coefficient
Sprat 1,0
Roach 1,5
Perch 2,0
Pike 2,5
Shark 3,0

Variant 5.
Object Diameter’s Coefficient
Lizard 1,0
Snake 1,5
Turtle 2,0
Crocodile 2,5
Dinosaur 3,0

Range of target’s size: 1 - 10
Range of target’s speed: 1 - 10
Time distribution:
Search Aim, shot
5 15

The time for the identification of the object (preparation for the answer) is connected with the time available for aiming and shooting. After the time expires, the weapon shoots automatically.
Variants for the timer:
= The identification arrow constantly moves around the circle and makes a full revolution in one minute of game’s time (the speed of rotation varies, increasing at higher levels)
= The timer occurs unexpectedly and automatically positions the arrow (depending of the probability of winning)

Cost of bullets
Type Cost Effectiveness
Simple Bullet 1 Hits on a correct aim
Indicator 10 Finds the correct answer
Sniper 15 Hits the specified target
Explosive 30 Hits all targets

Weapons:
Kind of a weapon Shooting Range Cost
Pneumatic Pistol 10 10
Gun 25 20
Revolver 50 30
Rifle 1000 40
Underwater Gun 15 20

Secret service and Counter-espionage: maximum 5 employees.
Secret service officer From 0 up to 5
Counter-espionage officer From 0 up to 5

Secret service officer - determines the correct answer (legalized help).
Counter-espionage officer - warns about an opportunity of a terrorist act at an ammunition warehouse (without this service there is a high risk of losing saved potential).
The end of game - complete charge of the ammunition.
Ammunition upgrade - after each promotion.
The amount of questions at each level - from 10 up to 50 depending on the complexity of the level and the subject.
Variant of the intellectual component for the computer game "ERUDITE".
As it was mentioned earlier, intellectual filling of a game may consist of different fields – Mathematics, Biology, Culture, etc. The player gets to choose one specific field.
Let’s consider the case of a Biology field.
After the weapon and the ammunition in chosen, the player goes into a zone of active actions, where he/she will have to search for the object, aim and shoot at it, earn points, go to a higher level, upgrade the ammunition, and so on, and so forth, till he/she wins. Here, the block “searching for the object, aiming, hitting the object” contains the intellectual component of the game – the questions on the chosen subject.
The first stages of the game should be rather easy (they include the so-called “children’s” questions). For example:
= What animal kingdom does the rose represent?
Target Answers
Mosquito Archaebacteria
Fly Bacteria
Wasp Mushrooms
Bug Plants
Butterfly Animals

To win on this particular stage of the game, it is not sufficient to know the right answer, as the player will have to hit a moving target. The player will need to take the following steps after choosing the correct answer – aiming at the correct target, and then hitting it. Since the answer is “Plant”, the correct target is “Bug”.
The program can change the difficulty by varying the size of the target, its speed, and the time available for hitting it. Notice that the essentially important moment – the choice of the correct answer can stay “in the shadow” especially on the early stages of the game, when the questions are rather simple, and the basic efforts of the players will be directed on aiming at the target and hitting it. At the same time, this component of the game allows to transfer it from senseless “shooting game” into a training and developing exercise.
While “fighting on the Biology field” the player can be asked questions from Botany, Zoology, Anatomy, Physiology of a man, and general Biology. The user chooses the necessary section of biology himself. There are special kinds of means for hitting the target to keep player interested in the game. For example, a usual bullet can be used in the case, when the player is absolutely sure in correctness of his choice of the target, and the size of a target and its speed allows him/her easily reach the desirable result.
The “indicator” bullet can be used, when the player is not sure in correctness of his/her choice of the target. This bullet indicates whether the correct target was chosen or not. In this case player’s skills play essential role in hitting the target.
When the player is not sure which target is the correct one, and the target is moving at a high speed, he/she can use the “sniper” bullet, which has a 100% probability of hitting the chosen target (the so-called self-aiming rocket).
An obvious question arises – why can’t the player use only “explosive” bullets, that guarantee the victory? It is impossible to do so, because in the beginning of the game, the player “buys” the set of his weapons and the set of the ammunition, and he/she can only spend a specific amount of credits (or points). Thus, the player doesn’t have the ability to use only the “explosive” bullets.
If the player knows the material well, he/she may easily win. Using simple bullets. However, if the player is not well-prepared, he/she’ll have to use the help of different hints, therefore, turning the game into a tutoring lesson.
Summary.
Intellectual computer games should be a main focus of the computer game industry. By introducing a series of various computer games, we can create a basis for a proper emotional and intellectual development of the young citizens of our country. This problem is of a very high importance. To ignore it would be at least thoughtless.