AI-First Educational Game Development: Father-Son Learning Experiment
Status: Week 6 Retro Transformation • AI Autonomy: 85% • Target: 12-year-old learners
Educational strategy game where 12-year-olds learn geography, economics, and languages by progressing from peasant to world leader through:
- 🎲 Dice-based career progression (Farmer → Politician → World Leader)
- 🌍 Real-world territory acquisition using World Bank GDP data
- 🗣️ Language learning with Azure Speech recognition
- 🤖 AI tutoring agents providing safe, educational guidance
Current Focus: Retro 32-bit transformation inspired by our 12-year-old creative director's vision!
# Clone and run the game
git clone https://github.com/victorsaly/WorldLeadersGame.git
cd WorldLeadersGame
# Start with .NET Aspire (recommended)
dotnet run --project src/WorldLeaders/WorldLeaders.AppHost
# Game available at:
# - Web: https://localhost:7154
# - API: https://localhost:7155
# - Dashboard: https://localhost:15888Requirements: .NET 8 SDK, Docker Desktop
| Layer | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend | Blazor Server + TailwindCSS | Child-friendly retro UI |
| Backend | .NET 8 + ASP.NET Core | Stable educational API |
| Database | PostgreSQL + Entity Framework | Educational data storage |
| AI | Azure OpenAI (GPT-4) | Safe educational AI agents |
| Speech | Azure Speech Services | Language learning |
| Deploy | .NET Aspire + Azure UK South | Production orchestration |
Our 12-year-old creative director transformed this from modern UI to retro 32-bit pixel art:
"Dad, this should look like those old games with pixel art and have a green background theme!"
Week 6 Transformation Includes:
- 🎨 32-bit pixel art aesthetic with green theme
- 👤 Character personas replacing text usernames
- 🗺️ Interactive world map with pixel art countries
- 📱 Mobile-first retro UI optimized for tablets
| AI System | Role | Autonomy |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 3.5 | Architecture & content | 85% |
| GitHub Copilot | Real-time coding | 90% |
| Azure OpenAI | Educational AI agents | 85% |
Human Oversight (15%): Creative vision, safety validation, educational alignment
| Section | Focus | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Home | Project overview | Visit → |
| 📅 Journey | Week-by-week AI collaboration | Follow → |
| 🔧 Technical | Implementation guides | Learn → |
| 📝 Blog | Educational insights | Read → |
| 🏆 Stats | Real-time progress metrics | Track → |
- 🔒 Multi-layer content moderation (Azure + custom validators)
- 👨👩👧👦 COPPA/GDPR compliance for child data protection
- ⏱️ Child-specific session timeouts (30 minutes)
- 🛡️ Safe AI fallbacks for any inappropriate content
- 🇬🇧 UK data residency with educational compliance
Revolutionary AI-First Development: This project demonstrates:
- 🤖 95% AI autonomy in software development
- 👶 Child-centered design with authentic user feedback
- 📚 Complete methodology documentation for replication
- 🎓 Educational technology innovation with real learning outcomes
Perfect for: Educators, parents, AI researchers, and developers interested in human-AI collaboration in educational technology.
All automation scripts are in /scripts/ directory:
# Development
./scripts/start-game.sh # Start local game
./scripts/validate-documentation-completeness.sh # Validate docs
# Deployment
./scripts/fast-deploy.sh # Deploy to production
./scripts/restart-production.sh # Restart services
# Content
./scripts/generate-blog-image.sh # AI blog images📖 Complete Command Reference →
⭐ Star this repository to support our AI-first educational development journey!
Educational Use Welcome: Adapt our methodology for your own parent-child learning projects or educational technology development.
🌐 Start Exploring: worldleadersgame.co.uk →
Built with ❤️ by father-son team + AI collaboration
📖 MIT License • 🎓 Educational Focus • 🌍 12-year-old Creative Director