Black Rocket FAQs

Comic Life 1 Trial (Windows) An installer for the trial for the Comic Life 1 software can be downloaded from Black Rocket. CLICK HERE! LEGO Digital Designer To continue creating LEGO figures please download LEGO Digital Designer from LEGO, which is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh Computers. CLICK HERE!

Scratch Projects (.SB2) Student projects created in Scratch can be opened and edited with the free software Scratch available to access at: Web Version: CLICK HERE! Website Projects Student website zip files will need to be extracted first (right click on the downloaded zip file and choose extract all -if on PC, double click - if on Mac). Then clicking on the index.html will open their website in your default web browser.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Code Your Own Adventure course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Play the Game: To make your child’s game easily accessible at home final projects are published as a playable HTML file. This project HTML file must be opened within Google Chrome like a regular webpage. Elements of this type of game are not compatible with IE or Firefox. Game Project Folder Download your child’s game project folder from the Black Rocket Learning Portal. After downloading the zip file you'll need to extract it by right-clicking on the file in your downloads folder and choosing extract all from the context menu for a Windows Computer. For Mac users simply double-click on the folder to extract it. Open the folder and locate the Template.HTML file (Chrome or Internet Browser Icon). Right click on this file and choose Open With > Chrome to play the game in your browser. Step 2 Get The Software: Twine (Download Version) The downloadable version of Twine (not the online version) is a free open source tool used for coding interactive stories and games. There is a strong community following this innovative tool that combines storytelling and coding in an easy to use approach. Download Twine 2D Nima 2D Nima is a web-based 2D Animation software that can be used to create 2D character animations. Visit 2Dimensions.com for more information. Pixlr Editor Pixlr Editor is a web-based image editing software that can be used to create and modify 2D images. Visit Pixlr.com for more information.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s 3D Game Labs with Unity course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Get The Software: In order for students to play their creations at home, you must install the Unity Software. Unity3D Software Unity3D can be downloaded from the following links: Download Unity3d for Windows Download Unity3d for Mac After installing Unity3D, and running for the first time, students will need to create a free personal account using an email address. Step 2 Install The Maps: Unity Project Files Student projects are accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal as zipped folders. In order to play or continue working on a Unity3D game at home, you'll first need to extract the student project zip file. With the project extracted from a folder, you'll then be able to launch Unity3D and choose Open Other from the main menu. Select the extracted project folder to play or continue editing your project in Unity3D. Step 3 Play the Game: Play Your Unity Game Once the project folder has been loaded into Unity 3D you can click the 3DVG folder, then Scenes, and double-click the scene you would like to open. Click on the Play Icon on the main menu bar to test play your map.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Creative Design and Robotics course! Please see below for information on how to access your projects at home. Step 1 Access the Project Files: Student project files are accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal via your Parent or Student Account. There is a combination of pictures and possibly videos in their project folders of what they accomplished with their bots during the week. Step 2 Find Out More About the Class: MakeBlock During class, students learned how to code using the mBot v 1.1. Students programmed their robot to complete a complex task using multiple sensors and commands. Black Rocket does not sell these products and is not affiliated with a Makeblock distributor or the parent company. Scratch During class, students learned how to code using the Scratch program. This program was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab and is available for free. Visit Scratch.MIT.edu to use the web version of the software. MOSS Robot Builder To help design and visualize how their robots would function, students used Modular Robotics' interactive builder. Although students may not have access to the physical parts to build a robot, they can continue to design robots using this tool. Visit MOSS Robot Builder Pivot Animator Pivot Animator is a software briefly used in class to demonstrate how complex the simple task of walking can be for a robot to achieve. If you would like to continue playing with the software, you can download fit using this link: Download Pivot Animator

Mine-imator (Official PC Version) Mine-imator 1.06 can be downloaded and installed from the following link: CLICK HERE Extract the downloaded zip file. In the extracted folder (there may be a folder inside the folder) double-click on the Mine-imator.exe to run the software. With Mine-imator installed you'll be able to open and continue working on your project file. TinkerCAD Tinkercad can be accessed at tinkercad.com: CLICK HERE

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Drone Adventures course! Please see below for information on how to access your projects at home. Step 1 Access Your Flight Log: Students will leave at the end of the week with a digital flight log they may access at home. The Student Flight Log page is accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal via your Parent or Student Account. You will need your class ID number to view the flight log. Step 2 Find Out More About the Class: Parrot Cargo or Parrot Mambo Drones Parrot Cargo drones are robust, impact-resistant mini-drones that can be customized. These Drones can be operated using the coding platform, Tynker. Black Rocket does not sell these products and is not affiliated with a Parrot distributor or the parent company. Tynker App Students learned how to operate the Drone by coding using the Tynker App. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Download the Tynker App

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Minecraft Designers course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Get The Software: Minecraft A personal license of Minecraft the game for Windows or Mac is required to play your maps at home. Black Rocket does not sell and is not affiliated with Minecraft, Mojang (the developer), or Microsoft (owner of Mojang). Please be sure that you own the Windows or Mac Desktop version of Minecraft, often referred to as the Minecraft: Java Edition. The Minecraft: Windows 10 Beta app, console, or mobile versions are not compatible with the projects created in class. To purchase and/or download Minecraft, please visit the official Minecraft.net store. Buy Minecraft: Java Edition Note: this will take you to a third party site. The Minecraft site will provide steps on how to download and install the software on your computer: Visit the Minecraft Help page Step 2 Install The Maps: Install Projects into Minecraft To install the map created in class, please follow this installation guide: Installing a Minecraft Map To install and enable a resource pack created in class, please follow this installation guide: Installing a Minecraft Resource Pack Step 3 Continue Learning: World Painter WorldPainter is a free to use software for creating custom maps for Minecraft. This software can be downloaded freely for either Windows or Mac: Download WorldPainter TinkerCAD Tinkercad is a free to use the website from Autodesk for creating 3D models. This site was used by students in camp to create schematic files to import into Minecraft. Visit Tinkercad.com

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s eSports Apprentice - YouTube Streamers and Gamers course! Please see below for information on how to view your videos at home. Step 1 Download The Recording: As part of this class, students participate in an in-class tournament with their fellow classmates providing the play by play. Recordings of these matches are available to download for view at home. Please login to BlackRocket.com/Learn and navigate to the My Projects section. From there, you may view and download your child's recording. REMINDER: You may only post recordings that feature your child on social media or public facing sites. Please do not upload recordings that feature video of any other students without Black Rocket's written permission. Footage that does not include faces (ex. audio over game play) or last names are permitted. Step 2 View The Video: The software used in class to create the recording exports an .MKV file. This a high-quality video format that may not be playable by your computers default video player. If this is the case, we recommend using VLC Player, and free cross-platform video player. VLC Player VLC Player can be downloaded from the following links: Download VLC Player for Windows Download VLC Player for Mac Step 3 Continue Recording: OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) To create these recordings in class, students learned how to use OBS. This software is free to use and open source program for recording and live streaming. Please visit OBSproject.com to download and continue using this software.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Make Your First 3D Video Game course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Get The Software: Atmosphir Atmosphir is a free to use 3D Game Development tool. While this software is no longer actively updated by its parent company, it has a very strong community following from people of all ages due to its unique art style, easy to use editing tools, and fun gameplay mechanics. To play student-created projects in the Atmosphir Game Engine you’ll first need to download and install Atmosphir. This software is secure and safe as it is hosted on our personal file server and is free of viruses. Select the version below that matches your computer. Download Atmosphir for Windows Download Atmosphir for Macintosh After downloading the zip file you'll need to extract it by right-clicking on the file in your downloads folder and choosing extract all from the context menu for a Windows Computer. For Mac users simply double-click on the folder to extract it. Step 2 Install The Maps: Adding Project Files into Atmosphir Now that you’ve got the Atmosphir software installed you’ll need to copy the student project files into the proper folder so that they can be played within Atmosphir. The project file format for this class is .ATMO. Download your .ATMO project files from within your Black Rocket student account. Windows Users Copy the .ATMO file(s) from your downloads folder and paste them into the following directory within the Atmosphir folder you had previously unzipped: DownloadsAtmosphirCollectionWinAtmosphir_Datadrafts Mac Users Right-click the Atmosphir application’s icon, and select “Show Package Contents”. From there, you’ll be able to locate the drafts folder mentioned above. Step 3 Play Your Games: Launch Atmosphir Double-click on the Atmosphir.exe or application (blue gear icon) within the extracted folder to launch Atmosphir. Please Note: If you receive an Open File - Security Warning this is your computer verifying this file has been downloaded from a secure location, click Run. The first time you launch Atmosphir you will receive an “oops” error window. This can be closed and disregarded as it is a default warning that the engine is no longer connected to the community server. Open and Play Your Maps Once Atmosphir has launched click Design on the bottom menu bar. Please Note: The Login and Register buttons on the top right are disabled. Clicking Design will bring you into the Atmosphir editor. To open a student project file click the Open (folder icon) on the top menu bar. The Open Level window will display all maps stored in the drafts folder. If you do not see your project file here double check that you have moved the .ATMO file to the proper directory (See Step 2). Select Your map and click Load. Use the Green Play arrow on the top menu bar to play your game, enjoy!

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Code Explorers course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Access The Projects: CodeAvengers.com Your child can access the Code Avengers Course Library at home by logging in to their personal CodeAvengers.com account they created in class. Students were given a sheet in class that contains login information. This login information was also saved within their BlackRocket.com/Learn student account in their My Projects section. You can contact [email protected] if you need assistance locating this information. Click Login on the top right of the CodeAvengers.com site and enter their login information. Click on the My Courses tab at the top, center of the screen to view the courses/projects your child completed. Game.Kodable.com Students also completed Free Code Exploration lessons within Game.Kodable.com. Students were given a sheet in class that contains login information. This login information was also saved within their BlackRocket.com/Learn student account in their My Projects section. You can contact [email protected] if you need assistance locating this information. Choose Enter Class Code, enter the class code on your child's take-home sheet, and then select their name from the list. Step 2 Get The Software: CodeAvengers.com All students who attend this class receive 1-year free access to the CodeAvengers.com content they used in class. You can access Code Avengers courses from any computer with a modern browser and Internet connection. Some JR courses are also compatible with iPads. Game.Kodable.com Students can continue to access Game.Kodable.com free content. A paid membership to Kodable is not included with this class. Step 3 Continue Learning: Students may continue learning at home and have full access to the entire CodeAvengers.com Course Library. Click on the Course Library page to view additional self-guided lessons available. The Course filters on the left can be used to adjust the viewable courses.

Game Maker (PC) In order for students to be able to continue working on their projects at home, you'll first need to download and install the free-to-use Game Maker 8 Lite edition. Please note that Game Maker 8 will only run on Windows computers. CLICK HERE! PLEASE NOTE: There have been reports that Microsoft's Edge and Internet Explorer browsers are incorrectly marking the download file as corrupt or invalid, due to a file signature issue. You may bypass this warning message by clicking the "View Downloads" button. Then you can locate the "Game Maker 8 Installer.exe" and double click it to install. Please be reassured that the file is safe, and will still install properly. With GameMaker installed you'll be able to open up the student's .GMK project file to continue editing and working on their games. Game Maker (MAC) Since Mac computers can not play executable files (the playable version of the game), a conversion of the game is required. This conversion carries a $15 fee. Please contact [email protected] with a request for converting a project to Mac. Be sure to include the student's name, email address given for student account, where the class was taken, and when so that we may find and convert the game. Included in your conversion, by request, and editable version of the game can be created for use on a Mac computer. In addition to this file, you'll need to download and install GameMaker 7 for Mac from YoYo Games. CLICK HERE! If you receive an error message when attempting to install this program, please refer to this YoYo Games support article: YoYo Games - "Downloaded .app is damaged and can't be opened" LEGO Digital Designer (for LEGO Video Game only) To continue creating LEGO figures please download LEGO Digital Designer from LEGO, which is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh Computers. CLICK HERE!

Rocket Engine 1.5 (Windows) The installer for a custom version of the Rocket Engine used in the X-Games course can be downloaded from the Black Rocket fileserver. CLICK HERE Please allow the installer to install the software in the default location of the user desktop. It will be easier to copy student maps into the software. Rocket Engine 1.5 (Mac) The experimental Macintosh version of the Rocket Engine software can be downloaded from the Black Rocket fileserver as a zip file. CLICK HERE This version has not been widely tested and may not function exactly the same as the Windows version used in class, or not at all in some systems. It is highly advised to download and use the Windows version for student projects. How to Copy Student Map Files - Windows Instructions Student created map files will be packaged into a zip file of the students name and located in the link sent to the email address used when setting up a student account in class. Please follow the instructions below to load student files into the software: Install Rocket Engine 1.5 to the desktop by following the default instructions in the installer. Copy the downloaded zip file to the desktop. Right Click on the zip file and choose extract all. A folder with the student name will be created on the desktop. Within the folder should be a folder called gamefiles. Close Rocket Engine 1.5 if it is running. Copy the gamefiles folder into the Rocket Engine 1.5 folder. When prompted to replace files choose Allow All. Student map files will now be available to play when loading up the Rocket Engine 1.5 software. At the main menu choose the Offline Practice. Choose a mode to play on. The student maps should be displayed as custom icons at the right in the map selection area. How to Copy Student Map Files - Mac Instructions Download the RocketEngine1.5-Mac.zip file. Double click the RocketEngine1.5-Mac.zip to extract the software. Download the student project file from your PROJECT link supplied in the email sent when the student project account was created. Double click on the downloaded student project file to create the gamefiles folder. Right Click on the RocketEngine1.5.app file that was created after extraction and choose Show Package Contents. Navigate to the following directory Contents/Resources/wineprefix/drive_c/winebottler/ In another window navigate back to the gamefiles folder that was created from extracting the student project zip file and drag it into the winebottler folder. You’ll be asked to overwrite the gamefiles folder, choose Replace. Student map files will now be available to play when loading up the Rocket Engine 1.5 software. Back out to the directory where the RocketEngine1.5.app file is and double click on the app to launch the software. (Depending on your version of OSX you may receive a security prompt and will need to right-click the .app file and choose open. At the main menu choose the Offline Practice. Choose a mode to play on. The student maps should be displayed as custom icons at the right in the map selection area.

MagicaVoxel Magicavoxel can downloaded freely for Mac/PC: CLICK HERE TinkerCAD Tinkercad can be accessed by creating a free account at tinkercad.com: CLICK HERE Meshmixer Meshmixer can be downloaded freely for Mac/PC from Autodesk: CLICK HERE Ordering and Printing 3D Models Student created 3D models can be uploaded, purchased, printed, and shipped using the Shapeways web service (unaffiliated with Black Rocket): CLICK HERE

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Roblox course! Please see below for information on how to view your projects at home. Step 1 Get The Software: Roblox Studio Roblox Studio is a software developed by Roblox for their users to create their own games. This is the software used in class for students to test play their games created using Code Kingdoms. Roblox Studio will need to be installed to play any unpublished games. Step 1: Downloading Roblox Studio Visit Roblox.com/create to download Roblox Studio for free. Click Start Creating to check which version you need for your computer. The website will check if you already have Roblox Studio installed and verify what type of computer you have automatically. Click Download Studio once checking is complete. Step 2: Installing Roblox Studio Locate the Roblox Studio Launcher file within your downloads folder. Double click the launcher and click Run to install Roblox Studio. To use Roblox Studio, you must sign in with a Roblox account. Your child used a dummy account during class to create their projects. Click Sign Up and provide your information to create your own account. Once sign up is complete enter this new account information to continue the installation of Roblox Studio. Step 2 Opening the Mini Games: Locate and download your child’s .rbxl files from their student account in the Black Rocket Learning Portal. Return the Roblox Studio and select File from the top left menu and choose Open. Navigate to where you saved your child’s project files to, most likely the Downloads folder or the Desktop, and select the file and choose Open. Double-click the file to launch it in Roblox Studio. This map can be modified within the editor or test played using the Play icon on the top Toolbar. Step 3 Continue Learning: Throughout the week, your child used Code Kingdom’s Roblox editor to learn to code various game types. These projects were exported and opened within the free Roblox Studio software. While these projects were created using Code Kingdom’s Roblox editor a Code Kingdoms account is not required to view your child’s work at home. If you would like to continue learning with Code Kingdom’s Roblox editor after class, you may choose to purchase a membership. Please visit CodeKingdoms.com/camp and enter the code below:

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Roblox course! Please see below for information on how to view your projects at home. Step 1 Get The Software: Roblox Studio Roblox Studio is a software developed by Roblox for their users to create their own games. This is the software used in class for students to create their own custom Roblox places. Roblox Studio will need to be installed to play any unpublished places. Step 1: Downloading Roblox Studio Visit Roblox.com/create to download Roblox Studio for free. Click Start Creating to check which version you need for your computer. The website will check if you already have Roblox Studio installed and verify what type of computer you have automatically. Click Download Studio once checking is complete. Step 2: Installing Roblox Studio Locate the Roblox Studio Launcher file within your downloads folder. Double click the launcher and click Run to install Roblox Studio. To use Roblox Studio, you must sign in with a Roblox account. Your child used a temporary account during class to create their projects. Click Sign Up and provide your information to create your own account. Once sign up is complete enter this new account information to continue the installation of Roblox Studio. Step 2 Opening the Places: Locate and download your child’s .rbxl files from their student account in the Black Rocket Learning Portal. Return to Roblox Studio and select File from the top left menu and choose Open. Navigate to where you saved your child’s project files to, most likely the Downloads folder or the Desktop, and select the file and choose Open. Double-click the file to launch it in Roblox Studio. This map can be modified within the editor or test played using the Play icon on the top Toolbar. Step 3 Continue Learning: To help your child on their journey to create their own world, please visit the ROBLOX Makers course page on the Black Rocket Learning Portal. There, your child can watch our lessons from class and view Quick Guides.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Minecraft Modders course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Get The Software: Minecraft A personal license of Minecraft the game for Windows or Mac is required to play your maps at home. Black Rocket does not sell and is not affiliated with Minecraft, Mojang (the developer), or Microsoft (owner of Mojang). Please be sure that you own the Windows or Mac Desktop version of Minecraft, often referred to as the Minecraft: Java Edition. The Minecraft: Windows 10 Beta app, console, or mobile versions are not compatible with the projects created in class. To purchase and/or download Minecraft, please visit the official Minecraft.net store. Buy Minecraft: Java Edition Note: this will take you to a third party site. The Minecraft site will provide steps on how to download and install the software on your computer: Visit the Minecraft Help page Step 2 Install The Mods: To play most mods for Minecraft, a framework needs to be installed first. The framework needed for the mods created in programs is Minecraft Forge. Please refer to the following guide for installing Forge and the mod's .jar file: How to Install and Run Mods in Minecraft 1.12.2 If looking to install a mod from prior to Summer 2018, please refer to the following pages: SUMMER 2017 INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS SUMMER 2016 INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS SUMMER 2015 INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS Step 3 Continue Learning: MCreator is free to use software for creating Minecraft mods. It can be downloaded and extracted from the links below. It is not required to play the mods created but can be used to further work on the .MCR files from class or to create a new mod project. MCreator (PC Version) Please select the Installer version that is compatible with your computer: Download MCreator 1.7.7 If you are unsure what your Windows computer's bit version is, follow the steps below: Right-click on "My Computer" (for Windows 7 or earlier) or "This PC" (for Windows 8 or newer) Click "Properties" Locate "System Type" to view your computer’s bit version, 64 or 32 Bit OS Launch the MCreator.exe file located in the extracted folder. The first time it launches it may take 10-20 minutes to complete the initial setup. MCreator (Mac Version) MCreator now is officially supported for Mac by its developer though additional dependencies are required to be installed prior to using MCreator. Step 1: Install JDK 8 on your Mac Java Development Kit 8 can be downloaded and installed from the following link: Download Jave Development Kit 8 After installing the JDK, make sure that your computer is running Java 8 or greater as your default Java software. You can do this by typing Java-version in your computer's terminal. Step 2: Install MCreator MCreator 1.7.7 for Mac (please select the 64 Bit version) can be downloaded and extracted from the following link: Download MCreator 1.7.7 Step 3: Complete Setup Click on the MCreator.jar file in the extracted folder to run MCreator. MCreator will complete the initial setup. This might take 10-20 minutes to complete, as MCreator will download updated resource files.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Python Programmers course! Please see below for information on how to view your projects at home. Step 1 Access the Projects: Codesters.com Your child can access their Python Programmers projects at home by logging in to their personal Codesters.com account they created in class. Students were given a card in class that contains their class key, an alphanumeric code. Click Login on the top right of the Codesters.com site and select Sign in with Class Key. If a parent email was provided that can also be used to log in. Student “Create Projects” are listed on the Class Projects page. Click Classes to view the class your child attended. Then choose Class Projects. You will be able to view all projects created in the class but your child can only edit their own. Capstone, New, and Public Projects can be viewed within the Projects tab on the left side navigation. Step 2 Get The Software: All students who attend this class receive 1-year free access to the Codesters.com content they used in class. Minimum Browser Requirements Codesters.com will function in any one of the following web browsers: Chrome Version 26 or higher Internet Explorer Version 11 or Edge Firefox Version 18 or higher Safari Version 7 or higher Step 3 Continue Learning: Students can remix existing projects from the Public Projects page or experiment with the concepts they learned in class and create New Projects in the Projects tab.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Virtual Reality course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Access the Project: VR Creations Locate and experience your child’s VR creations on our Apps.BlackRocket.com site. These projects can be played in your browser as a more traditional 3D experience or on a smartphone (with or without a headset) for a VR experience. To experience the project on your smartphone, you will need to install the CoSpaces Edu app on your device: Step 2 Get the Software: About CoSpaces Edu CoSpaces is a web-based AR and VR creation tool that allows a user to build their own 3D spaces that can be viewed and explored. Going beyond simply building a 3D space, users can also utilize CoBlocks coding (based on JavaScript) to program interactive and game-like elements into their spaces. To learn more about CoSpaces or to create a free account to continue building with CoSpaces, please visit CoSpaces.io. Please note there are some differences between the free Basic version and the Pro version used in class.

2D Video Game Class Projects Last Updated: Jul 02, 2018 12:16PM EDT Yes I found this article helpful No I did not find this article helpful

Thanks for choosing Black Rocket programs! Please see below for information on how to create a parent account to access your child’s projects at home. Step 1 Complete Your Registration: Your child will bring home a Golden Ticket on the first day of camp. This contains your child’s Username and Secret Code (secret code = class ID) which will allow you to access your child’s projects. Feel free to take a picture of the front of this card to keep your child’s information, though the card will be returned to your child at the end of the week. Return this golden ticket to your child’s instructor on the following day of camp with the parent email section completed. Your child’s instructor will add your email to your child’s account. You will then receive a “Complete Your Registration” email request from Black Rocket. Please follow the directions in the email to finish the setup of your parent account. If you have not received a registration request email from us please contact us at [email protected]. Step 2 Access Your Child’s Account & Projects: When you complete your registration you can log in to BlackRocket.com/Learn. Scroll down from within the main Dashboard page and locate the My Projects section. Here you can view and download all projects created by your child. My projects can also be accessed from the Quick Links drop down on the main menu bar.

The Minecraft Designer curriculum is compatible with any desktop (and laptop) version of Minecraft software that is for a PC or Mac computer. Recently, Minecraft has come out with a version of their software for the Xbox 360 and mobile tablets/phones. These versions of Minecraft are not compatible with the desktop software we will use in the class. Since at the present time, the mobile and desktop files are not compatible, students must purchase the PC/Mac version of the software before they can continue to edit/play their maps from home. Minecraft can be purchased directly from the developer at https://minecraft.net/

Students frequently change the name of their project; please ask your child if he/she changed the name of his/her project. Due to file editing and uploading, your child’s project may not be available until the following Monday after the class has been completed. Please check back on Monday evening. If you still do not see the student project please contact us.

People often ask about our teaming approach to classes (aka ‘why do children share computers?’). In fact, this is the most common question we get each year. In addition to the questions we receive, occasionally there is a need to resolve interpersonal issues between student team members. Furthermore, many of our competitors proudly boast a one - to - one, student - to - computer ratio as a way to differentiate themselves from Black Rocket. Based on all of the above it clearly would be much easier to have all students work independently. So why do we continue to promote a team approach to our curriculum when it is more challenging than the alternative? We promote teams because we are in the business of educating children. Black Rocket is built on an educational philosophy that is supported by 13 years of experience working with tens of thousands of children around the country from affluent suburbs to youth correctional facilities. Our philosophy is also grounded in extensive academic research conducted over the last few decades on how students learn best with technology. Before we explain these reasons in more detail it is important to note that any child at any time can work by themselves if they or the parent make that request. We give out a survey each Monday to determine if a child might want to work alone, and our curriculum requires teachers to monitor teams throughout the week to determine if any interpersonal issues arise that might necessitate a student to work independently. On any given week about 15% to 20% of our students choose to work alone and we respect that choice. Teaming is not easy, but when done correctly creates a more rewarding experience for students. Most classes have teams of two, except Lego Films and Star Wars Animation which may have three students. Students are paired based on gender, age, and interests. For example, a student who wants to make a superhero game would not be teamed up with a student who wants to create a game about koala bears. (Unless, of course, it is a superhero koala bear. Some of our best games, apps, and movies come from creative brainstorming on bridging two distinct ideas/genres.) Our curriculum and this approach are based on multiple research studies that demonstrate students who share equipment during the creative process show much higher levels of collaboration, mastery of content, and creation than if they are on individual stations. In fact, the studies have shown that working on individual stations has a negative impact on collaboration. There is a great TED talk on Self-Oriented Learning Environments that describes a recent study on technology integration and teams. If you are interested in the topic, we also have white papers and other resources that were used as the foundation for our curriculum Another reason we encourage collaboration and teams is that it is incredibly hard to make a game, app, or movie in 15 hours with young children. Their projects inevitably are more creative and engaging when they work in teams. In our early years as a company, we experimented with different approaches and found that the students who worked in teams reported a higher degree of satisfaction with their final product. Finally, we philosophically believe that we should mirror the real world collaboration process and teach essential life skills. Many of our students do not have team experiences in other aspects of their life. Our favorite parent compliments are about the self-confidence and socialization that their child gained from our classes, not necessarily the technical skills. (Please visit the parents page on our website to see comments.) Other educational organizations, such as Code.org, are seeing the power in partner learning. We encourage you to check out their video explaining how and why working with a partner works so well: Pair Programming We stand by our programs and guarantee student satisfaction. We also understand that many people might not agree with our approach, and we will always honor requests to work alone. However, as a father of three boys, a teacher at High Technology High School, and a former middle school administrator, I always ask parents to give teams a try. If at the end of the week the child is not happy with the class or their project we promise a 100% refund or a credit for another program. Sincerely, Richard Ginn Black Rocket

Is your email address coming up as invalid when searching for a project? The email address or USERID that your child used to create his/her account on the 2nd day of class. A slip of paper was sent home on day 1 of the class requesting an email or USERID. COMMON ISSUES FOR EMAIL: Student left off @ or .com or .net Student misspelled email address Student entered a different email address COMMON USERNAMES (Non-email): First Initial Last Name: Example: John Smith= jsmith Last Name First Initial: Example: John Smith- smithj

For users of the Windows 8 operating system, you encounter an issue when playing games with sound from the following class projects: Make Your First Video Game LEGO Games Video Game Animation classes If your game(s) crash when attempt to play, it is likely due to a conflict with the Windows 8 operating system and the sound fx and music in the game. Please contact us at [email protected] and we will be able to strip the sound from the file, which will allow you to play the game. If you have any questions or comments regarding this issue, you can e-mail us at [email protected].

Here are links to some other software we have used in the past. SketchUp: SketchUp is a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software that allows you construct industry-grade 3D models. It has a free version, which gives you access to most of the software tools. To download this software click below: Click Here to Download SketchUp Spore: Creature Creator: Spore is an interactive simulation game that let's you create, evolve, and play with your own species of creatures. There is a free version of the creature creator, which we use in some of our classes. To download this software click below: Click Here to Download Spore: Creature Creator Sculptris: Similar to SketchUp, Sculptris is a 3D CAD software. Rather than using linear and planar geometry, Sculptris allows the user to literally mold a 3D object uses tools that smooth and shape a block of 3D "clay". The software is free and can be dowloaded from the following site: Click Here to Download Sculptris Paint.net: Paint.net is an advanced version of Microsoft paint. It adds tools like layering and advanced opacity tools that would normally be found in higher-end image editing software. It is free and can be downloaded from the following website: Click Here to Download Paint.net

The App Attack and App Adventures classes will have two project types at the end of the week. The first project type is an editable file that can be opened on a PC computer using the Construct II software. You can download the software below: Construct II Download Link The second project type is a playable file, which exists on our apps website. You can access the apps website by going to the following web-link: apps.blackrocket.tv Here is a video explaining the download process.

Viewing a Movie Since media players can vary from computer to computer please download this universal free video player prior to watching your movie. Our video files may be in any of the following formats .mov, mp4, .wmv, or .avi depending on the location the course was taken. The VLC media player should be able to play all different types of movie formats on both Mac and Windows computers. PC COMPUTER: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html MAC COMPUTER: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

The majority of Minecraft maps that you can download (especially those uploaded into the Black Rocket database) will likely be archived within a .zip file. The folders and files contained in this archive must be extracted into your Minecraft "saves" folder, this allows Minecraft to detect the map. If Minecraft is able to detect the map, it will appear in the singleplayer worlds list. Locating the Minecraft "saves" Folder To locate where the Minecraft map needs to be install, open Minecraft to the launcher window. Instead of clicking the green Play button, click on the Launch options tab to view the different profiles created on your installation of Minecraft. Double click on the profile you normally play on. In the profile settings, locate the Game directory line with the directory's file path. To open the Game directory, click the "Go to folder" arrow pointing to the right. In the Game directory, locate the "saves" folder, and double click it to open. Extracting a Minecraft Map Zip Copy or move the downloaded Minecraft zip file to the "saves" directory. Next, extract the zip file. Usually, for Windows, you’ll be able to right click the zip file and choose extract all. For Mac, simply double click on the zip to extract it. NOTE: Minecraft requires the map's folders to be setup in a specific way. We try to package the map's zip folder so that you simply need to extract the zip to install the map. However, it may be possible the map's zip was setup in a way that will create a duplicate folder within it. To double check if the map will be visible in Minecraft, open the folder created by extracting the zip. You should see a series of subfolders with a "level.dat" file below them. If you do not see the "level.dat" file, but instead a single folder, move this folder to the "saves" directory.

Minecraft gives users the ability to modify the look and feel of their world without needing to use code by installing and enabling resource packs. A resource pack can be used to change the textures, models, and sounds of blocks, items, and mobs. These files are typically shared as zip files. To install a resource pack, the file must be placed in the "resourcepacks" folder of the Minecraft directory, then enabled within Minecraft's options menu. Locating the Minecraft "resourcepacks" Folder To locate where the Minecraft map needs to be install, open Minecraft to the launcher window. Instead of clicking the green Play button, click on the Launch options tab to view the different profiles created on your installation of Minecraft. Double click on the profile you normally play on. In the profile settings, locate the Game directory line with the directory's file path. To open the Game directory, click the "Go to folder" arrow pointing to the right. In the Game directory, locate the "resourcepacks" folder, and double click it to open. Place the download resource pack zip into this folder. Enabling a Resource Pack To enable a resource pack for use in Minecraft, you will first need to launch Minecraft. At the main menu, click the "Options..." button. Next, click the "Resource Packs..." button at the bottom of the menu. In the Select Resource Packs window, you will see two lists. On the left side is the list of resource packs installed. On the right side is the list of active resource packs. Note: the "Default" resource pack is always active and can not be disabled. To enable a resource pack, hover the mouse over the inactive pack's thumbnail so you see the arrow icon. Clicking the arrow icon will enable the pack. To disable a resource pack, hover the mouse over the resource packs thumbnail and click the arrow icon.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Advanced Robotics course! Please see below for information on how to access your projects at home. Step 1 Access the Project Files: Student project files are accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal via your Parent or Student Account. There is a combination of pictures and possibly videos in their project folders of what they accomplished with their bots during the week. Step 2 Find Out More About the Class: MakeBlock During class, students learned how to code using the mBot v 1.1. Students programmed their robot to complete a complex task using multiple sensors and commands. Black Rocket does not sell these products and is not affiliated with a Makeblock distributor or the parent company.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Augmented Reality course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Access the Project: AR Creations Locate and experience your child’s AR creations on our Apps.BlackRocket.com site. These projects are meant to be experienced on a smartphone using the Merge Cube your child received as part of this course. To experience the project on your smartphone, you will need to install the CoSpaces Edu app on your device: Step 2 Get the Software: About CoSpaces Edu CoSpaces is a web-based AR and VR creation tool that allows a user to build their own 3D spaces that can be viewed and explored. Going beyond simply building a 3D space, users can also utilize CoBlocks coding (based on JavaScript) to program interactive and game-like elements into their spaces. To learn more about CoSpaces or to create a free account to continue building with CoSpaces, please visit CoSpaces.io. Please note there are some differences between the free Basic version and the Pro version used in class.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s App.io course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Play the Game: Web & Mobile Playable Apps Exported apps can be found at arcade.BlackRocket.com website and are playable in modern web browsers on both Windows and Macintosh computers as well as mobile devices such as iPhone 4+, iPad 2+, and a variety of Android devices. Step 2 Get The Software: Construct 2 - Photon Engine version included Our customized version of Construct 2 can be downloaded from: Download Construct 2 Please note that Construct 2 will only run on Windows computers and games are not editable on Macintosh computers. There is no Macintosh version at this time to convert the game files to, however, if you have the ability to dual boot into Windows using Boot Camp on your Mac, you can install Construct 2 in Windows. After Construct 2 is installed you can open up the .CAPX file to continue editing and working on their app or game. The .CAPX file must be opened from within the software. In Construct 2, click File, Open, then Locate your downloaded student project file.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s Battle Royale: Make Your First Fortnite Style Video Game course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Play The Game: Unity Executable Files Executable Builds are accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal as zipped folders. Once downloaded, these zipped folders can be shared with friends via (flash drive, email, Dropbox, WeTransfer). In order to play the game, you'll first need to extract the Class Build zip file. With the files extracted from a folder, you'll then be able to launch the Battle Royale.exe file and the game will start running. NOTE: At least two players in the same room are required for the game to be played. Step 2 Get The Software: Unity3D Software Unity3D can be downloaded from the following links: Download Unity3d for Windows Download Unity3d for Mac After installing Unity3D, and running for the first time, students will need to create a free personal account using an email address. Step 3 Continue Building: Unity Project Files Student projects are accessible within the Black Rocket Learning Portal as zipped folders. In order to play or continue working on a Battle Royale game at home, you'll first need to extract the student project zip file. With the project extracted from a folder, you'll then be able to launch Unity3D and choose Open Other from the main menu. Select the extracted project folder to play or continue editing your project in Unity3D. From this point, you can continue working on the creations you made in class. NOTE: Edits made to the map in the Unity Project File will not be imported into the Unity Executable File.

Frames Student projects were created using the Frames 5 software. A 30-day trial of which can be downloaded from the Tech4Learning website for either Macintosh of Windows computers. CLICK HERE! This software is not required to view movies, but if the students want to continue creating animations at home they could use Frames and a webcam.

Thanks for attending Black Rocket’s App Attack course! Please see below for information on how to play your games at home. Step 1 Play the Game: Web & Mobile Playable Apps Exported apps can be found at Apps.BlackRocket.com website and are playable in modern web browsers on both Windows and Macintosh computers as well as mobile devices such as iPhone 4+, iPad 2+, and a variety of Android devices. Step 2 Get The Software: Construct 2 The most recent release of Construct 2 can be downloaded from the Scirra website: Download Construct 2 Please note that Construct 2 will only run on Windows computers and games are not editable on Macintosh computers. There is no Macintosh version at this time to convert the game files to, however, if you have the ability to dual boot into Windows using Boot Camp on your Mac, you can install Construct 2 in Windows. After Construct 2 is installed you can open up the .CAPX file to continue editing and working on their app or game. The .CAPX file must be opened from within the software. In Construct 2, click File, Open, then Locate your downloaded student project file.