Introduction

Trash is becoming a larger problem for us and for the environment due to poor disposal of waste products. Mismanagement of waste can come-up with environmental consequences: surface water contamination, local flooding, air pollution, and spread of disease. This would be a serious problem if no one will take concern of this. This problem will be lessen is we are properly segregating our garbage’s and maintain cleanliness to our environment. We need to educate the children on the benefits of proper waste disposal because as we all know that children are not so familiar with these facts. With the support of Proper Waste Disposal, our Mother Earth properly cared [1].

In the Philippines, The Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) and the Department of Education (DEPED) has a partnership agreement in a governmental recycling campaign involving school students to a national scale. The two government departments have collaborated with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) for the National Ecosavers Program (NEP). NEP is a venue for them to play their roles in the enforcement of Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 with immediate benefits for public school students and especially in poor municipalities [2].

In the global setting, RGH Games develop a game called “Trashers” for teaching the user of the game in being concern to the environment. The gameplay of their game is a kind of action game with a mix concept of time-based game. The goal of the game is to destroy all the trash monsters and clean up the city as fast as the user can and the user must collect fast the trash to finish the level of the game. This game was developed by RGH in year 2011 and this mobile game is awarded as 1 of the best educational games in that year [3].

In the national setting, Team Mighty created the mobile game “SIPA”. The mission in playing “Sipa” is to hit a shuttlecock with your elbows and feet for as long as you can. In the Philippines, players use scrap cloth or washer with ribbons. The developer made this android & iOS version game to promote our rich Filipino culture and heritage, teaches the user to become environmentally-aware. This game was created in year 2012 and it gives a big impact to Filipino people that love to play games in mobile phone. This Game was awarded as 1 of the top grossing game in that year [4].

In local setting, Davao city doesn’t have this kind of educational mobile game to teach the children and to give knowledge about waste segregation. Therefore, the researchers will create this Trash Rush mobile game application to educate the users about proper segregation of garbage’s and also to promote the cleanliness of the environment in our city. The researcher wants to develop a game in android OS platform. The researchers decided to propose this application in order to produce an educational game that the children can engage with the new latest mobile OS technology and at the same time giving them knowledgeable information about our environment. The relevance of this project is to provide information about the Waste management and Proper Disposal of garbage’s. The researchers will target this application most especially to children and students that are not so familiar in proper segregation of garbage’s. This application will be the new way in teaching students and children in innovative way.

Review Of Related Literature

The researchers discuss in great detail the works of particular authors that include the text gathered related to the study. These are the following:

Maharaja Games invented an educational game called Hanjer’s Trash buster that gives important lesson to the users about social awareness for the environment. This mobile game can educate the users by throwing garbage’s in a single bin in the first level and as the mobile game progresses it educates the users to segregate the trash into different categories of bins. Mahajara Games and Hanjer want to awaken the India citizens in conscience and believe that each citizens of Indian can make a difference to their environment [5].

Snake Games is famous for making galaxy games and they also invented an educational mobile game called Recycle Time [6]. Recycle Time game is an educational mobile game that is entertaining and this mobile game is a non-violent game for children that could give learning’s about important lesson on how to segregate garbage’s properly. The gameplay of the game is just to flick the screen in left or right in order the garbage can be throw in the right trash can. This game is for free in the Google play store and this game is aimed for children and to the teens that loves playing mobile games.

Educational Kids Recycling is an educational mobile game created by Nikos Kouremenos. Educational Kids Recycling Mobile game is a game that is an entertaining and also educate kids to learn separates properly the recyclable items by clicking the bins in where the trash must be thrown. The developer of this game wants to share knowledge thru mobile game so the people can learn how to recycle things and to save mother earth.

Yogome Inc, invented an educational mobile game Educational Games for Kids. The game’s objective is to fight the Evil Queen Ignorantia. To defeat Evil Queen, the Yogome Squad must use their abilities to segregate all the trash into plastic, glass, metals and paper so they can save the world. This educational game teaches children to appreciate the environment and to protect the world. [7].

RaLight Solutions is a company started in Spain, with 30 years of experience in computer games industry. RaLight Solutions invented an educational mobile game called Eviana [8]. Eviana is an Educational Mobile Game for preschoolers developed only for tablets. The Eviana game modes are recycling, avoiding pollution or collecting garbage. The gameplay of this mobile game is based on dragging objects on the screen [9].

Objectives

To create an educational mobile game about waste management for children and students.

• To educate user about proper disposal of garbage.

Since then, Teachers are using textbooks as a tool in giving lectures to students about proper disposal of garbage’s. This mobile game will be serve as additional source of learning for our children. This technological way of teaching can give them more interest in learning about environment cleanliness.

• To provide information on cleanliness to environment and its bad effects when garbage are not properly disposed.

The game provides picture information in the loading background about the bad effects of not cleaning the environment. This information will give idea to the users on what’s happening about pollution to our environment and this information will inspire the children to help and protect our mother nature.

• To provide entertainment in the form of mobile app.

In creating in the Android OS Platform, students and children can play this game with-out using keyboard and this mobile game uses the advance navigation sensors for playing the game as easy. The game will provide reward system so that the user will really love and keep them engage in playing the game. The reward system will provide additional entertainment value of the game and it can give a challenging factor to the user.

Scope And Limitation

Trash Rush game will only feature about segregation of Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable and has page category of information about bad effects of garbage pollution to our environment and it has page that gives a tips on how to recycle things. This application is open for all ages, but the developer is targeting most especially children and students ages 6 to 13. The game will start at the easy level in the first chapter of the game and the next level can be unlocked if the current level can be accomplished to its goal score. The game consists of two modes, first is the story mode that consist of 5 chapters with 9 levels. The second mode is the Time Attack Mode in which the only goal of the user is to beat the current high score established. In submitting local score to global scores internet connection is needed. This mobile game is only supported by Android Operating System and Accelerometer capable Android devices. The game can only support an android device that the screen resolution of 854x480 and above and this game can only be installed in Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread and above.

Technical Background

• Android Platform

The researchers use Android Platform to provide an educational game for Android mobile devices. Android OS is an open source OS developed by Google. Android is now the one of the new emerging mobile platform OS and its numbers of users are increasingly growing. The researchers wants to engage this mobile educational game with this larger of audience in tech community.

• Corel Draw

The researchers use Corel Draw to create the design, prototypes, user interface and logo. Corel Draw is a graphics editing application developed by Corel Corporation.

• Reactable Application

The Researchers use Reactable Application for sound effects and background music. Reactable Application is a musical maker instrument application with a tabletop Tangible User Interface.

• Accelerometer Sensor

The researchers use Accelerometer sensor as the main navigator of the gameplay. Accelerometer sensor is a sensor which measures the orientation and tilting motion of a mobile phone. This accelerometer sensor will serve as user input in controlling the movement in the game by tilting the phone in left or right. This sensor also be used for advance graphics effects Parallax Effects The researcher also wants to develop the game that will give an easy way of playing and with a touch of technology.

• Lua Scripting Language

The researchers will use Lua scripting language for the reason that it is fit for the study of the researchers conducted, the codes is easy to understand. This language will use to develop the game features and system behavior of the gameplay in which our program develop will synchronizes to the phone sensor and the system.

• Corona SDK

The researchers use Corona SDK is development platform and is quickly becoming the platform of choice for developing games, eBooks, business apps and other mobile experiences. The researchers conducted research and Corona SDK fits to the need in making the mobile educational game, the application environment is easy to understand, also the reports and class is already built in and it has many references. The researcher will build the APK file in Corona SDK, in building the APK file the Corona SDK will need the images, sound effects and Lua Script Program codes. Corona SDK will also serve as the simulator in Testing and bug testing of the mobile game.

• Box2D Game Engine

The Box2D Game engine will analyze and interpret the implementation of the images and Physics graphic effects of the game. Box2D has also API for graphics animation in Corona SDK that is needed to for the objects movements and animations.

• SQLite

The researchers use SQLite as the storage Database of the mobile game. Corona SDK and Lua scripting Language has a full database support for SQLite and it is compatible to the Corona SDK Engine. . SQLite is the most widely deployed SQL database engine in the world. This database will be used to store the scores and the status of achievements that the player gained.

• Web Server

The researchers will use Web server as the online storage Database of the mobile game. The Trash Rush game can submit scores globally by submitting the scores with a need of internet connection. In sending request to global scores, the code in our LUA is being decoded to JSON (Java Script) and the JSON will send request to PHP MySQL that it is been save to our webserver.

Product Features

File:Picture 90.png

• 2D Motion Graphics with Physics Game Engine

In this feature, the game analyzes the motion of the device in a way that the game can also apply to the movements of the game. The system uses the Accelerometer API as the tool for interpreting the movements of the device and the system uses the Box2D Game Engine to provide more realistic in Physics graphics. The System uses the Motion Parallax effect in Graphics effects in order to give more realistic effects in movements of the objects and the backgrounds in the game

• Global Scoring System

The system uses Webserver as Global Database in saving the submitted scores in the game. In the Time Attack Mode has a Global Scoring system that the game can be more challenging to users in achieving the highest score and the users can compare and compete their scores. Our Lua code is being decoded to JSON codes and it will send request to the PHP MySQL that is saved to webserver.

• Mobile Game System

The system has a unique way of playing of segregation of garbage’s and the system has an addictive game style in were the children can easily adjust to the school environment of the game. The system has 2 kinds of game the Story Mode and the Time Attack mode. The story mode has Level scoring base system in a way that the user can only access a chapter and a level that the user must need to achieve the minimum requirement in order to access to new levels and chapters. The Time Attack Mode has a Scoring system in were the user can save the score in Local and Global. The System also has a Store sections were the user can convert the collectable candy items into power-ups and the power-ups can be used in both modes of the game.

Analysis

• System Analysis

The system was said to be useful functional and beneficial to those who will use the system. The following are the feasibility study issues that help provide decisions if it is effective or ineffective procedures.

• Economic Feasibility

Economically speaking, the system is feasible because the system can be downloaded for free.

Development

The system was developed by the programmer through gathering some information on the internet on how to develop an Android Platform Mobile Game. The researchers used iterative model as their methodology because it defines the procedures and techniques in developing the system.

• Interview

This kind of discussion with client and the researchers would help in determining the software requirements and also to come up with a good output. The researchers gather facts and opinions, ask for other sources of information, ask about specific details, and ask if they have alternative ideas.

Iterative Model

This iterative model process is used by the researcher to develop the system and the researchers also follow its step by step process. When researchers can detects at early stages and the researcher can rapidly change it to avoid the downward flow of the defects. The researcher uses prototyping and play testing techniques to ensure game element functionality and to expand more game ideas.

1. First Iteration

In the first iteration, the researchers did 95% analysis, and 5% design

- During this stage, the developers did initial planning, analysis, design and requirement specification. Ideas about the possible functions and features are being discussed. The researchers conducted data gathering about the needs of the mobile application and on the requirement specifications that must be accomplished by the application, analyzed the solutions of development constraints, and made initial designs for the application. The output for this stage is an overview of what the application would be in the near future.

2. Second Iteration

In the second iteration, the researchers did 50% analysis, 40% design, and 10% coding

- During the second stage, the researchers must need to accomplish the needed design and functionalities of the application. The researchers added some improvements in design and physics objects. In this phase, the researchers also started the code for the initial version of the application that acts as the first prototype.

3. Third Iteration

•In the third iteration, the researchers did 20% analysis, 20% design, and 60% coding

- The researchers gave more focus on coding of the game mobile application. The designs were improved and more functionality related to the plan was being employed.

4. Fourth Iteration

•In the fourth iteration, the researchers did 30% design, 30% coding, and 40% testing and bug fixing.

- During this stage, the researchers focused more on testing and fixing some bugs. Coding phase was also much lesser since functionalities are already done.

5. Final Stage

•In the fifth iteration, the researchers did 50% testing and bug fixing, 30% integration, and 20% deployment.

- Lastly, it is on this stage that the researchers focused more on bug fixing. The researchers reviewed the application for other possible improvements. This is to achieve a reliable, consistent, and efficient application. As a result, the application is now ready for deployment.

Reference

[1] Philippines Environment Monitor, (2013), Brown Environment, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPHILIPPINES/Resources/16-38-BrownEnvt.pdf

[2] Philippine Information Agency, (2012) http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=1781355223616

[3] Play.google.com (2013) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rghgames.trashers&hl=en

[4] Karina Mendez, (2012), SIPA, http://wahmaholic.com/2012/02/sipa-a-proudly-pinoy-made-mobile-app/

[5] Play.google.com (2013) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.hanjer.trashbuster

[6] Snake Head Games.com, (2013) http://www.snakeheadgames.com/about/

[7] Play.google.com (2013) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yogome.RecycleHero

[8] RaLight Solutions.com (2013), http://www.ralightsolutions.com/RaLight_Solutions/Contact.html

[9] RaLight Solutions.com (2013), http://www.ralightsolutions.com/RaLight_Solutions/RaLight_Solutions/Entradas/2013/5/9_Who_is_Eviana.html

References