Learnding

March 16, 2008 7:45 PM

Questionaut is a charming flash application from the very talented Amanita. Kotaku jokingly calls it a 'Juvenile Timewaster', but how juvenile is it?
posted by Frasermoo (43 comments total)

I just came across this via JayIsGames and thought it was so cute. The artwork is really lovely. I wish there were more fun little things like this. And no, I have no shame about playing a kids game. Because it's just that damn cute.
posted by ninazer0 at 7:58 PM on March 16, 2008

I challenge the fact it's a kid's game. I got a few questions wrong and I'm way past being a kid... by age.
posted by Frasermoo at 8:01 PM on March 16, 2008

I enjoyed this, thanks! Very cute.
posted by pravit at 8:18 PM on March 16, 2008

Heh, well my old hippy school didn't bother teaching grammar and I was too busy passing notes to pay attention in math, so yeah - I got a few wrong too.
posted by ninazer0 at 8:22 PM on March 16, 2008

but how juvenile is it

Juvenile in that it is an overt learning tool with questions that correspond to specific educational outcomes (looks like something around 6-7th grade). What I find surprising is that it is also charming and interesting.

I got a few questions wrong

You aren't drilled on this stuff until it makes you weep with rage.
posted by mrmojoflying at 8:23 PM on March 16, 2008

I am now in a weird mood, thanks.
posted by pwally at 8:24 PM on March 16, 2008

Nice artwork.
posted by itchylick at 8:43 PM on March 16, 2008

Absolutely adorable! The art was really charming, and the music fit too.
My goofing off in math class at around 6th/7th grade really showed, too, which was funny.
posted by gemmy at 8:45 PM on March 16, 2008

That was good fun, and pretty. I knew it was the Samorost guy as soon as it loaded. Samorost 1 and 2 still set the bar for "juvenile" timewasters.
posted by steef at 8:47 PM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

the floating pot pie one took me way too long to figure out.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 8:59 PM on March 16, 2008

Okay, I'm going to look like an idiot, but how do I get started on stage 3? I can't figure out what to click or do. Let the mocking begin. . .
posted by Cochise at 9:04 PM on March 16, 2008

Which one is stage 3?
posted by tickingclock at 9:08 PM on March 16, 2008

(I've beaten the game and would love to help, but don't recall what stage 3 is.)
posted by tickingclock at 9:09 PM on March 16, 2008

Metafilter: Each day had its own bar.
posted by dhartung at 9:24 PM on March 16, 2008

I missed one because I don't know what a conjunction is. In my defense, they don't teach grammar in American schools.
posted by Citizen Premier at 9:29 PM on March 16, 2008

3? is that the one with the animals? pull someones tail...
posted by sexyrobot at 9:46 PM on March 16, 2008

Stage 3 took me forever too.

Cute! Thanks!
posted by small_ruminant at 10:21 PM on March 16, 2008

What is the name of the substance you put in a balloon to make it lighter than air?

a) Oxygen
b) Fuel
c) Lifting gas

What is dansdata?

a) A curmudgeon
b) A spoilsport
c) A nitpicker
posted by dansdata at 10:54 PM on March 16, 2008

For 3 - click on the cat's tail, then the little canary, then the owl.

What's a lovely game. It's reassuring that the BBC would fund projects like these. I wish I know more people who could appreciate the beauty of these apps and the time and effort needed to do the art.
posted by phyrewerx at 11:26 PM on March 16, 2008

Aww man, kids these days are so lucky. When I was a kid we had to learn geometry the hard way.

(Uphill, both ways, in the snow.)
posted by Salmonberry at 11:38 PM on March 16, 2008

Gorgeous.
posted by rokusan at 11:58 PM on March 16, 2008

Why won't the water boil?
posted by zardoz at 12:02 AM on March 17, 2008

Turn the gas even higher.
posted by OrangeDrink at 12:06 AM on March 17, 2008

Nevermind, got it.
posted by zardoz at 12:13 AM on March 17, 2008

From now on I intend to learn strictly within a hot-air (or question gas) balloon.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 12:44 AM on March 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

the sound in this game is beautiful!
posted by scose at 3:51 AM on March 17, 2008

Can't get the pie stage (6). No clue. Not asking for one either. :)
posted by sidereal at 5:25 AM on March 17, 2008

Gorgeous game, love the graphics and sound. This strikes me as something that would be great for the Nintendo DS as a kind of surreal, imaginative brain training game for kids (and adults!), using the stylus to interact with the world.
posted by TheWaves at 6:02 AM on March 17, 2008

Guess-my-interface-games: as fun as using non-standard regular expressions.
I liked the word chopping guys
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:07 AM on March 17, 2008

I can't get past the pie stage either, and I am asking for a clue. I assume the numbers have something to do with it, but I've clicked the colors in every arrangement I can think of and the old bastard just sits there shooting his binary digits at the colored columns. I want to get on to the last stage and I don't care how I do it. Hope me!
posted by languagehat at 6:18 AM on March 17, 2008

Languagehat, ten is a triangular number.
posted by Sitegeist at 6:21 AM on March 17, 2008

Citizen Premier - no Schoolhouse Rock in your house growing up (I guess this applied to a certain age group only). You should get the DVDs. It's still how I remember many rules of grammar.
posted by genefinder at 6:38 AM on March 17, 2008

Languagehat, ten is a triangular number.

Got it -- many thanks!
posted by languagehat at 7:02 AM on March 17, 2008

Not as "educational," but vectorpark is similar, and also charming. From the front page I recommend clicking on the box in the upper right hand corner. Enjoy!

For the "educational" (and altruistic), but not as charming, try freerice.
posted by eric1halfb at 7:24 AM on March 17, 2008

Very cool artwork! Nice site. Thanks for the link.
posted by robinrs at 7:39 AM on March 17, 2008

the pie stage was interesting, I had a hard time figuring it out but finally did. Had a lot of trouble w/the questions in the battery stage though. This is a great mindbender even for adults.
posted by robinrs at 7:40 AM on March 17, 2008

absolutely gorgeous - when it loaded i was wishing there were 'adult' games as beautifully made, but upon reuniting the neighbour with his top hat i realise that it doesn't really matter - an engaging game is an engaging game.
posted by sleep_walker at 10:11 AM on March 17, 2008

sitegeist: excellent clue
posted by MNDZ at 11:13 AM on March 17, 2008

I really enjoyed this but I think it's a bad learning tool- you have to know the answers already. It's more of a very pretty exam.
posted by small_ruminant at 12:28 PM on March 17, 2008

The serious games mailing list (don't ask) was just discussing this game, and someone called it "chocolate covered broccoli." I have to agree, a beautiful game covering up the worst kind of teaching. The things that make the game fun have nothing to do with the things that the game is trying to teach. It would be better without the quiz.
posted by blahblahblah at 12:41 PM on March 17, 2008

I agree, these are absolutely beautiful. I wish the questions were a little better, though. Nothing unusual, just the general complaint that (as with most multiple choice questions) they want a very specific level of thought--not too dumb, but not too bright either.

Two parallel lines will
a) Never cross
b) Always cross
c) It depends on how they are drawn


Yeah, yeah, it's obvious, but I'd be the ten-year-old who was really proud of his non-Euclidean knowledge, and really irritated at being punished for it.

And what was that earlier one about not needing to read every word of non-fiction? I think they meant "reference", right? Because I've encountered some beautiful non-fiction in my time... Who'd encourage little kids to skim The Right Stuff?
posted by Squid Voltaire at 3:21 PM on March 17, 2008

Just an FYI: This game is designed for Key Stage 2 kids, which means British children between the ages of 7 and 11. Hence the questions.
posted by Mwongozi at 4:17 PM on March 17, 2008

Wow, this is really well done. Thanks, it was fun to play!

Also, nice to be 'confronted' with those lodged-in-back-of-mind factoids. I got a couple wrong, too.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:09 PM on March 18, 2008