The C2create authoring tool: Fostering creativity via game asset creation

In this paper we introduce the Crayon Co-Create (C²Create) drawing tool as a mixed-initiative design approach for fostering the creativity of young learners. C₂Create follows the principles of mixed-initiative iterative design utilizing variants of novelty search for generating abstract drawings that act as a visual disruptor during the creation process. The authoring tool finds a multitude of uses both as a standalone gameful activity and, most importantly, offering abstract visual assets that can form parts of game components across various types of games that can either be shared in a social environment or played.