Mine Typer - A Gamification System for Early School Typing Training

### Proposed Game Title: MineTyper – Typing Adventure in Blocky World **Target Audience:** Toddlers (4–6 years) and Lower Primary School students (6–9 years). The game must feel extremely rewarding, non-frustrating, and visually delightful. **Core Concept** A 2D side-scrolling Minecraft-inspired world where the player controls Steve (or Alex) who explores, mines, builds, and fights cute mobs — but every action is triggered by typing simple words, letters, or short phrases. Typing = Movement & Action. Wrong or slow typing simply slows you down or pauses the action (never “game over”). **Visual Style** - Bright, chunky 2D pixel-art Minecraft aesthetic (similar to Minecraft 2D fan games or Terraria) - Big, rounded fonts - Pastel-friendly color palette with high contrast for young eyes - Cute versions of creepers, zombies, pigs, etc. (no scary explosions) ### Progression & Typing Curriculum The game follows a proven typing-tutor framework that combines elements from: - TypingClub / Typing.com (hand position + progressive lessons) - Dance Mat Typing by BBC (fun animal guides + 4 stages) - ZType / TypeRider (typing-to-action gameplay) Divided into 4 Worlds (like BBC Dance Mat Typing stages), each introducing new keys. | World (Stage) | Theme / Biome | New Keys Introduced | Example Words / Phrases | Goal | |---------------|------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------| | World 1 | Overworld Meadow | Home row: a s d f g h j k l ; | “grass”, “sun”, “pig”, “cow”, “dig” | Basic movement & mining | | World 2 | Forest & Village | Top row: q w e r t y u i o p | “tree”, “wood”, “house”, “apple” | Jumping & building | | World 3 | Underground Caves | Bottom row: z x c v b n m , . ? | “diamond”, “lava”, “mine”, “torch” | Faster digging, combat | | World 4 | Nether & End | Numbers 1–0 & symbols ! @ # $ % | “portal”, “nether”, “dragon”, “fly” | Boss typing challenges | Each world has 8–12 short levels (2–4 minutes each). ### Built-in Tutorial System (Guided & Non-Intrusive) - A friendly NPC guide: “Typo the Parrot” (a colorful parrot wearing a little graduation cap) - At the start of every new key group: - Shows a giant keyboard on screen with Minecraft-style hands (blocky Steve hands) - Highlights the new key in bright green - Typo the Parrot says (voice + text): “Press the G key with your left finger, like this!” (animation shows finger pressing) - Player repeats the key 3 times while a cute animation happens (e.g., Steve punches a tree) - Immediate positive feedback with particles, coins, and cheerful sound ### Core Gameplay Loop 1. Steve stands still until the player starts typing the prompted word that appears above an object or enemy. 2. As you type correctly: - Letters appear in green and fill up → Steve walks/runs toward the target - When the word is complete → action triggers (block breaks, sword swings, bridge builds, etc.) 3. Partial typing still gives slow movement (so kids never feel completely stuck). 4. Accuracy & speed give bonus diamonds (currency). **Examples of prompts (age-appropriate):** - “dirt” → break dirt block - “jump” → Steve jumps over a gap - “pig” → pet/feed the pig (collect bacon or hearts) - “creeper” → friendly creeper dances instead of exploding when typed fast - “build” → places a block to make a bridge - “hi” / “bye” → villagers wave and give gifts ### Gamification & Reward Systems (Highly Important for Young Kids) - Instant feedback: sparkles, satisfying Minecraft “pop” sounds, coins flying - Diamond currency → spend in “Creative Shop” to customize Steve’s skin, hats, pets, house - Pet system: type well → baby animals follow you (turtle, fox, axolotl) - Achievement badges shaped like golden tools - Daily login bonus & very gentle daily challenges (“Type 20 words today!”) - “Free Build” creative world unlocked after each stage — type anything and instantly place blocks (pure fun, no pressure) ### Difficulty & Frustration Prevention - No lives or health that can reach zero - Auto-hint after 8 seconds of inactivity (Typo the Parrot slowly types one letter at a time) - Adjustable typing speed requirement (3 difficulty modes: Snail, Rabbit, Cheetah) - Option to switch to “single letter mode” at any time for absolute beginners - All text is spoken aloud (text-to-speech) for pre-readers ### Technical Specs Summary - Platform: Web browser first (HTML5), then iOS/Android apps - Resolution: 1080p with UI scaling for tablets - Controls: Keyboard only (touch keyboard on mobile) - Offline play + cloud save - Parental dashboard: track accuracy, WPM, time spent, keys mastered - Languages: English first, easy localization (just change word list) ### Sample Level Flow (World 1 – Level 3) 1. Steve stands in front of grass → prompt “grass” 2. Child types g-r-a-s-s → grass block breaks, diamonds pop out 3. Next, a pig walks by → prompt “pig” → child types → pig turns into rideable mount for 10 seconds 4. Small gap appears → prompt “jump” → Steve jumps across 5. Chest at the end → prompt “open” → chest opens, rewards skin hat 6. Typo the Parrot congratulates and shows accuracy stars (★★★★☆) This combination of proven typing pedagogy (progressive key introduction + finger positioning) wrapped in a joyful, pressure-free Minecraft world creates a game that toddlers and early primary kids will beg to play — and actually learn touch-typing along the way.