Loan Fox

Loan Fox was made in a two week sprint for one of my classes. Its a serious game meant for children to teach them to pay their bills on time. It uses pixel art in a 2D format with keyboard controls and was developed using Unity and C#. I developed it with another group member and presented it.

Project Goal and Reasoning

The game was developed as part of a class at Drexel University in Serious Games. The assignment was to develop a serious game ( A game with an underlying purpose besides entertainment).

Hence we decided to create an engaging educational experience that teaches children the importance of financial responsibility specifically, paying bills on time. We chose this idea because we recognized a lack of accessible and entertaining resources for teaching basic financial literacy to younger audiences.

The playful pixel-art style was selected to appeal directly to children, making the learning experience fun and approachable.

Gameplay Overview

In Loan Fox, players control a friendly fox character who must manage finances by collecting coins, budgeting expenses, and paying bills before deadlines.

Players navigate through the level using simple keyboard controls (WASD or Arrow keys), interacting with coins which they then deposit inside wooden boxes. The game has a timer of 60 seconds to beat and players need to find the coins and deposit them before time runs out.

Development Process

Week 1: Ideation & Planning

Brainstormed concepts as a team; selected financial literacy due to its educational value.
Defined core mechanics: bill management, coin collection, deadlines.
Created initial sketches and mockups of the gameplay loop.

Week 2: Rapid Prototyping & Iteration

Developed gameplay mechanics using Unity and C#:
Player movement scripts.
Bill-paying system with timer.
Coin collection mechanics.
Integrated pixel art assets downloaded from the Unity Asset store.
Conducted informal playtests with classmates to refine gameplay balance and difficulty.

Throughout development, we prioritized simplicity in controls and clarity in UI design to ensure accessibility for younger players.

Group Collaboration

This project was developed collaboratively with my teammate Chelsea James.

Chelsea was responsible for the following:

Research for the project.
UI Design.
Presentations

Results and Reflections

Loan Fox successfully demonstrated our ability to create an engaging educational experience within tight deadlines. Feedback from our peers indicated that the game effectively communicated its intended lessons while remaining fun for younger audiences.

Importance of clear communication within small teams.
Rapid prototyping techniques within Unity.
Balancing educational content with engaging gameplay.
Given more time, we'd expand the game's content further—adding additional levels, more complex financial concepts, and polished animations.

Description

Product Details

Loan Fox is a serious game designed to teach children about financial literacy, specifically the importance of paying bills on time. Developed in a 2-week sprint, the game features 2D pixel art, simple keyboard controls, and engaging gameplay mechanics that combine education with fun.

My Role

Designed gameplay mechanics, including coin collection and bill payment systems.
Created level designs that balanced educational objectives with player engagement.
Collaborated with a teammate to develop the game using Unity and C#.
Presented the final game as part of a class project.