MAGiCAL

MAGiCAL Projects (Model, Animate, Game, Create, Learn) is a DARE enterprise at the UCL Knowledge Lab, supported by UCLB. The director of MAGiCAL is Professor Andrew Burn.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

MAGiCAL is an R&D programme developing game-based tools for learning. Most of the current research work centers on game-making tools for users to learn about game design, and about literary texts through game adaptation. Two such projects, using prototype new builds of the software Missionmaker, can be viewed on this site: Playing Shakespeare and Playing Beowulf.

MISSIONMAKER MACBETH

The team’s most recent project is a new version to make games based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. For information about the project, see the Missionmaker Macbeth page on this site. This version has been developed with collaboration from schools in London and North Yorkshire, and was launched at the British Library in 2019.

Here’s a video capture of a demo game to show what the software can produce.

MISSIONMAKER BEOWULF

The new Beowulf Missionmaker, built in Unity, is now available for purchase. Visit the MAGiCAL site to buy individual or site licences.

Designed in Unity by University College London’s Knowledge Lab and the DARE research centre
Make impressive 3-D games rapidly
Programme rules using Boolean logic
Learn about game design – link to Media Studies
Link to Beowulf and the English curriculum – make interactive narratives
Ideal for Key Stage 3 and above – has been trialled at KS 2 also.

Here’s a video capture of a demonstration game using the final version available for free trial and sale. Contact Andrew Burn – a.burn@ucl.ac.uk – with enquiries.

The following video shows the process of making a game in Missionmaker Beowulf, followed by a video capture of the game. The final section shows the complementary tool for generating new characters, which can be imported into Missionmaker; and also player characters, to make third person games.

MORE ABOUT MISSIONMAKER BEOWULF

There is more information about Missionmaker on Andrew Burn’s website. For more information about the Beowulf project, or to join the beta testing group, contact Andrew Burn.

Below you can see a Missionmaker Beowulf game made by two UCL students.