BBC turns to The Doctor and the Dalek to help get kids coding
The BBC has launched a new online game, starring Doctor Who and a Dalek, with the aim to help gets kids coding.
Part of the BBC’s ‘make it digital’ initiative, the game was produced and developed by BBC Wales and content agency Somethin' Else in association with BBC Future Media.
Freely available from Wednesday 22 October, the game shows the newly regenerated 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi) receive a distress beacon from Dalek – normally the mortal enemy of the Doctor – trapped onboard a ship belonging to other recurring enemy: the Cybermen.
The Doctor saves the Dalek and the two go on a mission to save all of creation from destruction at the hands of his greatest enemies.
Paul Bennun, chief creative officer at Somethin’ Else, said: "It's not every day you get to design a control panel for a Dalek thousands of people will use — and to be such an integral part of something as important as the BBC's Digital Creativity initiative. We hope this game will delight its audiences as much as it teaches code through play. We think it's an amazing example of what content can do."
A range of puzzles are featured throughout the game, where players must take control of the Dalek and programme it to “power up” its ability to perform a range of tasks, such as flying. Each puzzle unlocks an achievement that helps the Doctor build the Dalek back to full strength, ensuring it can take on increasingly difficult challenges as the game progresses.
Danny Cohen, BBC director of television, said: “The Doctor and the Dalek is a brand new Doctor Who story and a fantastic game, voiced by the wonderful Peter Capaldi. It’s an excellent example of how a hugely popular BBC show can give fans something extra, whilst also introducing wider audiences to increasingly important skills, such as coding and programming.”
The Cyber-tombs of Telos and the Sontar home planet are among the universes spanned in the digital game.
