I came across this odd game development site a few weeks ago called Game-O-Matic, in which you build a simple video game by providing the system with a “networked diagram” of ideas. (Sort of like a mind map). The software then constructs the game, which is a little difficult to play. But it is fascinating how the use of a diagram of ideas linked together can get transformed into a video game.
I created my game (called The Musician Game) along the lines of a musician, and the bonus points are notes and ideas while the penalty points are dissonance and critics. The idea is to keep growing the musician by feeding on the notes and ideas, and avoid the power suck of the dissonance and critics. This kind of game might be an interesting way to teach symbolic thought.
Give it a whirl:
Peace (in yet another game),
Kevin
PS — here is a tutorial: