Frequently Asked Questions

General

What are Unruly Splats?

Unruly Splats empower students to learn computational thinking and STEM skills through active, social recess-style play! Unruly Splats are super-durable, programmable electronic devices that students in elementary and middle school can control through code they create. Students develop STEM literacy by using our block code language to program the lights, sounds, jump and stomp on the Splats to play active games or collaborate to create any game they want. Unruly Splats connect wirelessly to a tablet or Chrome Browser. Unruly Splats encourage kids to think about games and coding in a fun, new way.

I don’t know how to code, do you need to know how to code to use Unruly Splats?

That’s okay, you do not need to know how to code to use Unruly Splats! To help you get started with Splats in the classroom, our annual plans come with access to 20+ core activities that are aligned to CSTA, NGSS, and state PE standards. Through the Unruly Portal, we will regularly release new video and support content to help you integrate Splats in your classroom. We also have built in tutorials directly in the Splats App for those who are brand new to coding. For a full customized training, we also offer a half hour virtual onboarding through a live video call.

Best age group and areas of use for Unruly Splats

Unruly Splats are a versatile tool to teach fundamental STEM and coding skills for elementary and middle school classrooms, grades 1 through 7. Unruly Splats work best in gyms, libraries, labs, classrooms, and after school spaces.

I’m concerned with student privacy - Do students connect to the internet to use Unruly Splats?

We care about children’s privacy and are committed to complying with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). You can review our privacy policy here.  Students will not need to be connected to the internet to use Splats. They will need to connect their Chromebook or iPad to Bluetooth for the Splats to connect with the device that is running the Unruly Splats app.

How durable are Splats?

VERY durable! See how durable here!

I’m a PE teacher, can I use Unruly Splats?

Absolutely! PE teachers love us in their “classrooms”, where better to learn coding than in the gym!

Purchasing

I’m a teacher, how do I get Unruly Splats for my classroom?

We <3 teachers! We have a few options to buy:

a) You can see our membership options for Unruly Splats on our website at https://www.unrulysplats.com/memberships

b) Submit a PO

c) Request a call

Do Unruly Splats have a warranty?

​Our school memberships come with a lifetime warranty while in the plan for broken Splats. Send them back to us at any time for a replacement and we will cover the shipping! Visit our memberships page for more information.

How do I make a return?

We hope you will be happy with your Splats, but should you need to make a return, you will have thirty (30) days from the date of purchase to request a return. Please reach out to us at info@unruly-studios.com and we will do our best to make things right!

How much is shipping? How long will it take to get my Splats?

Shipping cost and timing is calculated at checkout.

Where can I find your W9?

You can download our W9 here.

Where can I get a quote to purchase Unruly Splats?

You can request a quote here.

Do you accept Purchase Orders (POs)?

We definitely do! You can click here to submit a PO.

Getting Started

YAY! I have my Splats! Where do I get started?

To get the most out of your Unruly experience, we recommend that you start with our tutorials, which can be found on the home screen. Once you become familiar with the basic functions of your Splats, try out some of our pre-coded examples. Our examples were designed to give you some inspiration as to what’s possible when designing your own experiences with your Splats. When you’re ready to get really Unruly, start a design from scratch by creating a “New Project,” and let your imagination take you the rest of the way.

Where are the tutorials?

Click the green “Next” button at the top of the page, to the right of the tutorial text. You can also jump to a specific step by clicking anywhere in the row of numbered circles located above the tutorial text.

I completed a step in the tutorial. How do I move ahead?

You can find the tutorials on the home screen found by clicking the right hand column on the app. They’re in the second row of cards between “My Projects” and “Examples.”

Are there any training videos?

Yes! If you log in to our Unruly portal, you can see our training video with Dr. Splat that walks you through the whole process of getting started with Unruly Splats! Our annual plans come with a live online training session with our education team. You can also visit our YouTube channel for additional videos or check out the tutorials within the app.

How can I delete a project?

Open the project, then click on the gear in the banner section above the Programming Area. In the gear menu, click “Delete Project.” You can also click “Reset” to delete all of your projects.

How can I add sounds or music to my game?

Pick a programming block from the “Sounds” section and use those blocks in your program stacks.

I just want to play some games. Are there any pre-coded games?

Of course! Jump right into any of our pre-coded examples found on the home page in the “Examples” and “Unruly Creations” sections. Just click on a card to load one and then have fun!

Can I change the code of the pre-coded games?

Absolutely! Remixing is part of the fun and a great way to learn! If you remix, the original game will always stay the same in the Example Games section, so you can always come back to the original. Remix and save your game with an new awesome title in “My Projects”!

Where can I create my own games?

On the home screen, click on the “New Project” card, located in the “My Projects” row. Once a new project is created, get started by clicking on one of the tabs in the Blocks Palette (Lights, Sounds, Sensing, etc.) and then drag a block into the Programming Area to the right.

Where can I see / play the game I created?

On the home page, you’ll find all of the games you’ve created on the cards located in the section labeled “My Projects.” Simply click on the game you’d like to play to open it.

I have a question that is not listed here, where can I get help? Where can I submit feedback?

Feel free to visit us on our website https://www.unrulysplats.com/ and use the chat button on the lower right to send us questions. You can also email us at info@unruly-studios.com

Device Compatibility

Which devices are Unruly Splats compatible with?

You can check if your device is compatible with Unruly Splats here

Can I run the simulator on iOS or Android?

The simulator is a web app that runs with Google Chrome browser only, and has not been optimized for small screens. We don’t guarantee complete functionality of the app on mobile devices or tablets using Google Chrome.

iOS and Android

What are programming blocks?

Programming blocks are the foundation of your program. You will use these blocks to tell your Splats to do what you want. Each type of block is color-coded and gives you program different behaviors. For example, all math-based blocks are green.

What type of programming blocks are available?

There are several different types of blocks in our Splats app.

Starting Blocks: These blocks will be used to start a sequence of code in your program.

Sensing Blocks: These blocks are the blocks that will detect certain attributes such as what color the Splat is or if it is being pressed

Light Blocks: The light blocks let you light up all the lights (LEDs) of each Splat that is connected via Bluetooth.
Sound Blocks: These blocks will be used to bring your program to life by adding a variety of pre-recorded sounds and add musical notes to your code. There are different sound categories that you can drag into your “Play Sound” blocks to let your imagination soar. There is also a sound category called “Recordings” that allows you to add some of your own custom sounds into your program.
Scoring Blocks: These blows will allow you to add a scoring system to your games.
Control blocks: Control blocks will control how fast your project runs the blocks, how many times it will repeat, and which actions the program should execute when it is running. You will also find a Stopwatch block that will allow you to add a timing element to your projects.
Math Blocks: These blocks will perform math operations in your program
Variables: Variable blocks are custom containers that allow you to store numerical information to access at a later time.
Functions: Function blocks contain a set of other blocks that can be executed using the one function block. They are useful for keeping code nice and clean as well as repeating a certain logic in your code using a single block instead of repeatedly using the same set of blocks.

My Splat won’t Connect.

In order for your Splats to connect to your Unruly App, your device must have Bluetooth turned on so it can discover your Splats.

Can I connect the Splats to the app after the Title Screen?

Of course! Tap the blue “+” icon on the left-side user tray, next to the Virtual Splat you would like to pair.



Connectivity will be acknowledged by the Splat ID / Name bar turning Green as well as the “+” icon turning into a green Splat icon.



My Splat presses won’t register.

Please make sure you are using the Splat devices on a level and flat surface. Also, make sure your Unruly creation is running by pressing the Run button.



How to I load a profile?

From the main programming screen, tap on the User Profile button and then tap on the Plus Sign button at the top of the screen located next to “User Profile”. Next, tap on load profile and select a profile.

How do I save my Unruly creation?

Easy! Tap on the Unruly Projects button on the right-side user tray, and tap on the “Save My Project” tab. Name and describe your creation and tap the Save button.



How do I load a saved Unruly creation?

Tap on the Unruly Projects button on the right-side user tray, and tap on the “My Unruly Creations” tab. Select a creation and tap on the Load Creation button to load it.

How do I delete a saved Unruly creation?

Tap on the Unruly Projects button on the right-side user tray, and tap on the “My Unruly Creations” tab. Select a creation and tap on the Delete Creation button to delete it.

Are there any examples or pre-made games?

Yes! We have over 20 pre-made games that you can play or use as a reference when building your own! To access them, tap on the Unruly Projects button and tap on the “Unruly Examples” tab. From there, we have sorted them based on how many Splats are used when playing.

Are there any tutorials?

Yes! Our Unruly Tutorials were designed to help you get familiar with the basics of your Unruly Splats. Tutorials can be found in our Unruly Projects User Tray on the right-side user tray. Tap on the Unruly Projects button then and tap on the “Unruly Tutorials” tab. We have five tutorials at the moment ranging from the Splat basics to more advanced features.

How do I record a sound?

Tap on the Recordings button on the right-side user tray, and select a slot to record to. When you are ready, tap on the Record button and the app will begin recording for 5 seconds.




How do I upload a recorded sound?

Once you have recorded a sound, a menu will appear at the bottom with six buttons numbered 1 – 6. Each number corresponds to the Splats that are connected to the tablet. For example, by tapping on the number 1 button, you will upload the recorded sound to the Splat device connected to Splat 1.




How do I use recordings in my project?

In the Blocks Palette, tap on the Sounds tab and you will see a “Recordings” block. Place this block into a “Play Sound” block, then select the recording slot you wish to play.