Reaction Rescue
a 2D RPG to teach chemical reaction to JEE aspirants
I've been learning how to make games using Unity for the last two years. But, I had never made my own indie game. So, for the Erasmus Application, I decided to challenge myself to make a game in one month, that will be meaningful. That's how I created "Reaction Rescue"!
What is JEE? Why JEE?
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is an important test for students in India who want to study engineering. It's known for being very hard and every year, over 1.2 million students take it to try and get into top engineering schools.
I passed this tough exam coming from a simple background. Because of this, I've always wanted to help others who come from similar places. That's why I started a YouTube channel. On it, I share lessons on tough subjects, making learning easier and more fun. I believe in helping my community, and I see teaching through games as a new way to help students prepare for the JEE, a path not many have explored yet.
Problem
I used to receive comments from my subscribers to make videos on chemical reactions taught for JEE.
One of the most important aspects was to study important named reactions and conditions to keep them stable. I took up this idea and thought of creating a game to teach one named reaction i.e. Haber's Process.
Ideation
I found out that to keep the reaction stable in Haber's Process, you need to get three things right: temperature, pressure, and the catalyst. So, I decided to make three tasks in my game, each one focusing on one of these conditions. Before each task, I'll give players some hints to help them understand and remember how to manage each condition.
Gameplay
"Reaction Rescue" is set in a lab where the reactor is unstable. The player starts off not knowing which reaction is happening or why the reactor is in trouble. Guided by an NPC, "Dr. Fritz," players are led through the game with helpful hints. To stabilize the reactor, players need to explore the lab, gather clues, and then tackle a task related to one of the reaction's conditions: temperature, pressure, or the catalyst. Completing each task successfully unlocks doors to new areas of the lab. The game ends in choosing the correct catalyst to finally stabilize the reaction, ensuring players not only enjoy the gameplay but also learn about the Haber Process along the way.
1. You can interact with objects pressing "Z"
2. You need to finish the pressure setting task to unlock the first door.
3. I also tried to teach other concepts like the Le Chatelier's principle via hints.
4. The task to set temperature range to unlock the second door.
5. Dr. Fritz helping with hints at each stage of the game.
6. Final task to select the correct catalyst before the game ends.
Insights and Impact
I had only a month to develop the game, so I did some early testing with five of my YouTube subscribers and friends who are preparing for the JEE 2024. They were excited about learning reactions through gaming and enjoyed trying out the game. Their feedback gave me valuable insights for future updates:
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Some players struggled to identify the reactions, even with hints. This tells me I need to improve the story to help even beginners learn as they play.-
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There were suggestions to enhance the sound effects and how tasks work in the game.
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One player recommended adding a time limit to tasks to make the game more engaging and motivating.