Tektoma: Game Tutorial for Children--A Review

Do you want to learn how to make video games?

Tektoma offers you this:

• Engaging video tutorials for ages 7-17
• Tutorials of varying skill levels and topics
• Learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home
• Natural progression helps develop technical skills
• Customize your learning experience
• Low monthly membership fee gives access to all our resources
• New curriculum available monthly

Read why more parents and kids are choosing Tektoma for learning to make online games…

SAFETY: Be assured that offering a SAFE learning environment is a top priority at Tektoma. All materials, projects and forums are moderated for appropriate content, language and graphics that are suitable for even young children. Come explore Tektoma’s online video tutorials and inspire your tech imagination!

UPDATES: New technology oriented tutorials are added each month!

PRICE: Just $14.95 per month or $140 per year gets you access to all the tutorials as well as online help via the forums. Payable by credit card or Paypal. Monthly fee automatically renews until canceled.

FREE MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
• Free 14-day Trial
• Earn Free Membership Time by Telling Your Friends: Use the Tell Your Friends link at the top to invite your friends to try out Tektoma, too. When they become paying members, you get 15 days free. There is no limit to the number of referral credits you can earn.

REQUIREMENTS:
• Currently, the tutorials are for computers running Windows XP or Vista only. Macintosh versions coming in the future.
• Broadband internet connection
• Any browser should work, but make sure it is a current version
o For GameMaker tutorials, you need a copy of GameMaker installed and the GameMaker resources folder.

Instructions for downloading these files can be found on the GameMaker Tutorials page. GameMaker requires 128mb of RAM, DirectX 8 with at least 32mb of video memory, and a screen resolution of at least 800×600.
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Stemmerding Family takes on this product Tektoma:

Games, on-line games, is one my sons’ favorite past time. My oldest especially loves computer gaming. When I first told him that he’ll need and would be able to make his OWN game…needless-to-say he was ecstatic to begin.

By reviewing this product, we obtained a free membership for a specific time frame. With this membership we are able to view several tutorials for different types of gaming…e.g.—Race Games, Arcade Games, Platform Games, Fantasy Adventure, What’s New Puzzle Games.

He chose Arcade Game tutorial. To make a game online with Tektoma, we had to download two items; Game Maker Software (Game Maker *), a free download from YoYo Games, and Game Resource Pack (on our desktop)—at no extra cost. With downloading the total time is about 4-5 minutes.

After download, we started the Tutorial for Arcade Games. The tutorial was about 1 hour and 37 minute to complete. End results for anyone should produce an Arcade Game or whatever type of game you decide.

On the Tektoma website you’re able to see Featured Blog, Links, Applications—great resources for gamers and parents.

The one thing I was relieved by and think that its’ Tektoma best feature is that of Safety.

SAFETY: Be assured that offering a SAFE learning environment is a top priority at Tektoma. All materials, projects and forums are moderated for appropriate content, language and graphics that are suitable for even young children. Come explore Tektoma’s online video tutorials and inspire your tech imagination!

To ease the process of watching the tutorial and making the game, we used are desktop for the video tutorial and our laptop for the game. Otherwise, it's more time-consuming to do it simultaneously on one computer. The video was a little fast for us also, but thank God for the rewind button...

My 11 year old LOVED this and I am sure he would like to spend most of his time perfecting his skills!! I really enjoyed viewing and helping a little with my son’s game. It’s definitely a great option for extracurricular activity and programming for beginners. The price for membership is actually a great price! So, maybe (if you’re strap for cash---hm mm who isn’t right?) but, you can pay for a few months (or a semester) for programming/computer skills. I feel it is a great website and tool for your avid programming/computer child.

My eight year old boy loves playing on-line games, but he was not so interested in making them. I don’t feel that it’s above his level, but I think it’s something that one has to be interested in to get involved with. Also, I think that Tektoma can be a beginner’s guide to see if this is an interest your child(ren) would like to take on and probably do in the future. Giving them (our children) the best options for learning is what makes homeschooling all the more wonderful.

You can't beat their FREE 14-day trial with Tektoma. NOTE: Make sure to cancel if you don't want to subscribe after the 14-day trial.

Overall, fabulous website and if you have an avid computer-focused child this is a site you’ve been looking for.

NOTE: I am not paid to do the product reviews, so my review is exactly how I feel about the educational product and how my family used it.