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[play] [rules] [timetable] |
Each student will research and present an analog or digital game. The class will play the game for 45 minutes and then the student will lead a discussion and analysis of gameplay and content which includes references to appropriate readings. Here are a list of criteria you should keep
in mind as both presenter and audience for the presentations. Following the presentation, the student will turn in a 3 page summary of the presentation and class discussion. Summary must also be posted to the class discussion list.
10 points
Analysis of analog game/narrative which incorporates discussion of interface,
usability, symbolism, content, fun, suspension of space/time, and other aspects from the readings. The paper should be an analysis
of your play experience with the game. Why is it
compelling/important/interesting to play this game? How does it affect you
socially? Which elements of the game have been mentioned in the readings
and have we discussed in class? Do not spend more than one or two paragraphs describing the game. The paper is not a report about the game. It is an analysis of play. (5-7 pages)
15 points
Here is an example of a good paper:
Analysis of digital game which incorporates discussion of
interface, usability, symbolism, content, fun, suspension of space/time, and
other aspects from the readings. The paper should be an analysis
of your play experience with the game. Why is it
compelling/important/interesting to play this game? How does it affect you
socially? Which elements of the game have been mentioned in the readings
and have we discussed in class? (5-7 pages)
15 points
Your project will be tailored to your individual skills. Generally, I expect students to produce either a Game Design Document for a new original game, a new, original, playable analog game, or a research project on some aspect of gaming. The basic assignment is the following:
Game Design Document: Design a new digital game. You can do this individually or as part of a group. Your paper document should include a complete description of the game, discussion of why this game will be fun (and for whom), rules, scoring, mise en scene, and possibly a playable demo.
Analog Game: Either alone or as part of a group you develop a new analog game. You build the game board, pieces, or whatever is needed to play the game. You turn in a paper document that describes the game and includes all the rules of the game. You must play the game several times with different groups of people and then discuss usability/fun issues in your paper.
Research Project: This is arranged individually and must be discussed with the professor.
I expect that there will be ca. 20 pages of document per student.
25 points
This is a seminar which means that the class consists of
discussion rather than lecture. Your participation is thus essential to the success of the class. We play once a week and discuss the readings once a week, so if you miss a class or part of a class, you miss a great deal. If you miss more than 3 classes, you get no points for participation.
5 points
You are expected to post a weekly response to the readings, The point is not to summarize the readings or to make general comments about them, but to pick specific aspects of the reading that you found provocative/interesting/disturbing and discuss them. On the timetable I post a question to consider in your weekly response. Reading responses must be posted by 5pm on Monday nights. Reading responses 5 points
10 points
I expect 1-2 entries per week. 10 points
The final exam is a game. Thus you will play the final. Your score in the game is your grade on the exam. We will discuss this further in class.
15 points
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