Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Syllabus

Film 2700/FA 2700 – Intro to Videogames


Instructor: Kurt Coppersmith, MFA


University of Utah


Spring, Thursdays 6:10 pm to 9:00 pm, SBH AUD


Email: kurt.coppersmith@utah.edu


Office Hours: By appointment only 


Course Description

Video games represent a medium that is understudied and often misunderstood. This course takes a critical look at the cultural, artistic, economic, and social aspects of this 40 year-old expressive phenomenon. With video games now surpassing the economic impact of film and with the global penetration of gaming into the daily lives of, in some countries, the majority of residents there is no excuse not to study what may become the most important cultural and artistic development of the new millennium.
This course examines several aspects of video games and gaming through a variety of theoretical lenses. We will critically explore the history, cultural aspects of, and societal issues concerning video games. We will cover the growing academic interest in video games as well as industry interests, and we will delve into the artistic and design aspects of gaming.
We will also be exploring industry norms and how it operates. In addition to learning how to study video games, students will also learn how to write industry standard design documents. In order to do this we will explore various genres of gaming and representative games in them before attempting to design our own games.


Course Objectives

Through readings, lectures, discussion and laboratory work, at the end of the course students will have a well founded, broad understanding of the sphere of video games as well as the tools to critically evaluate video games as media. Students will also understand video games in the contexts of mainstream industry, hobbyist and hacker subculture, and academic exploration. They will also be able to understand industry roles and how to write videogame design documents.


Required Texts

  1. Articles and games as assigned by the instructor. Most games required are available on Xbox Live, Playstation Network, the Steam Network or multiple online sources (greenmangaming.com, GOG.com etc.). I recommend setting aside approximately $50.00 for downloading these games. Note, if you only have access to an Apple Macintosh computer your ability to do several of the assignments might be seriously impacted.
  2. Optional, but excellent: Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, by Katie Salen, Eric Zimmerman


Teaching and Learning Methods

Students are expected to fully participate in the class. Attendance at lectures, participation in discussion, as well as completion of all assignments is expected and required for satisfactory completion of the course. I also reserve the right  to use a plagiarism detection service in this course, in which case you will be required to submit your paper to such a service as part of your assignment.


Attendance

Due to the strict enrollment limit registered students must attend class at least one of the first two days of class in order to retain their spot in class. Students who miss those days forfeit their positions and must drop the class or risk earning a failing grade for the class. Please be aware of the drop deadlines as it is your responsibility to remove this or any other unwanted class.
Students who participate in officially sanctioned University activities (e.g., marching band, debate, athletics) will be permitted to turn work in early and/or make up assignments without penalty. Official absences must be documented at least one week prior to the absence.


ADA Statement

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.

Wellness Statement

Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, cross-cultural differences, etc., can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive at the University of Utah. For helpful resources contact the Center for Student Wellness; www.wellness.utah.edu; 801-581-7776.

University of Utah Student Code

The Student Code is spelled out in the Student Handbook. Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of the code. The code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves cheating, tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc. Students should read the Code carefully to become aware of these issues. Students will receive sanctions for violating one or more of these proscriptions.
The faculty will enforce the code. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.


Accommodation

I do not offer content accommodations. If you find any of the course material offensive, you may opt not to participate acknowledging that you will not receive points for that section of the course.


Term Papers

Two papers are required. The first is a critical game analysis in which students will choose one video game (subject to instructor approval) and explore either cultural, societal, or design aspects of the game. The second paper is a video game design document. Students will design and propose their own video game. In addition to the basic game design, the paper will mirror a professional game “design doc” identifying potential markets and publishers, in addition to other industry norms for this type of document.


Copyright

Work produced in this class is copyrighted by the student. Continued attendance to this course constitutes permission for your work to be used by the professor as examples in courses, public lectures, academic publications, and other not-for-profit, fair-use practices.


Evaluation

* Class Participation: 15%
* Debate Participation: 10%
* Homework: 15%
* Game Critique: 30%
* Game Design Document: 30%


Grade Scale

* The A range is for excellent performance and superior achievement.
* The B range denotes good performance and substantial achievement.
* The C range indicates standard or average performance and achievement.
* The D range is for substandard performance and marginal achievement.
* An E is given for unsatisfactory performance and achievement.
I grade on a standard system: A=94-100; A-=90-93, B+=87-89, etc.
Late work will be accepted with permission only. There is a 10% reduction to the grade every 24hrs after the original due date/time.
All assignments should be submitted via email with your name and FILM 2700 in the subject line.

Course Schedule and Content:


 

**Note: The syllabus is not a binding legal contract and will likely


 change with appropriate notice. You are responsible to get those


 changes from this syllabus, your peers, or via class announcements.


Week 1: January 9

  • Intro to class/major projects
  • Why Study Videogames (and does that just take all the fun out of it)?

Week 2: January 16

  • Begin History of Videogames

Week 3: January 23

  • Continue History of Videogames

Week 4: January 30

  • Finish History of Videogames
  • Games in Society

Week 5: February 6


Week 6: February 13

  • Finish Games in Society
  • Playing Games Aware
  • Academic Lenses - Narratology & Ludology explored
  • How to do a Close Reading

Week 7: February 20

  • Working Day For Debate Groups 
  •  Academic Paper refresher.

Week 8: February 27

  • Begin The Great Debates!

Week 9: March 6

  •   Finish up The Great Debates

Week 10: March 13

  •  SPRING BREAK!!

Week 11: March 20

  • The great transition: Game Design
  • Game Industry Roles
  • Intro to the Game Design Doc (Assignment due by midnight, Sunday, April 28th).
  • Genre for next week of classes: Fighting Games

Week 12: March 27


Week 13: April 3

  • Discuss Independent Games
  • Next Week’s Genres are Puzzle and Casual games and Platformers.

Week 14: April 10

  • Dissect a game.
  • Discuss Puzzle & Casual games (Are all games puzzle games?)
  • Discuss Platformers
  • Next Week’s Genre is Role-Playing Games

Week 15: April 17

  • Review Pitches in groups (Do you understand their game? What was unclear? Is it compelling? What could improve it? What genre will it fit into? What do you expect to see in their design document?)
  • RPGs/What is a Role-Playing Game?

Week 16/17: April 24-30 – Finals Week



 HOMEWORK IS DUE BEFORE CLASS ON


 THURSDAYS


(unless otherwise noted here).


**Remember when you email (kurt.coppersmith@utah.edu) to put your name and Film 2700 in the


   subject line**


HOMEWORK 1: DUE BEFORE CLASS JANUARY 16th.

Visit an arcade and then answer the following questions:
  • Why aren’t arcades more popular?
  • What was it like traveling to a destination to play games, as opposed to playing in your own home?
  • What are the physical differences in playing at an arcade vs. playing at home? Does it affect the gaming experience?
  • Which is a better value, home play or arcade play?
  • Any final thoughts on your arcade experience?
Play a retro game (can be played at the arcade you visit). “Retro” means a game released before 1983 (the Great Videogame Crash) and answer the following:
  • What game did you play?
  • Who published the game?
  • When was it released?
  • What platform was it released on?
  • List two positive design aspects…
  • List two negative…
  • Finally, tell me why you think anyone would have wanted to play this game, let alone put quarters into a machine or buy it to play it?

HOMEWORK 2: DUE BEFORE CLASS FEBRUARY 6th.

Find an article in the mainstream (not gaming) press regarding a societal reaction to videogames. Respond with the following:
  • Provide me the link
  • What is the issue?
  • Is the article accurate?
  • Your thoughts & reactions to it?
  • What do you think the motivation was behind the article?

HOMEWORK 3: DEBATE ASSIGNMENT (Presentations Feb. 27, March


 6).

Each student will be assigned to a debate team and given a topic to debate from the following list:
  1. Videogames are good for you and have many positive effects.
  2. Videogames are addictive and that addiction has many negative effects.
  3. The government should regulate and censor videogames.
  4. Sex and violence in videogames is harmful to minors.
Each group will debate these topics in class (you’ll be assigned to either the affirmative or negative side). Each group will also create a handout for the class consisting of an annotated bibliography with a minimum of 15 sources, and an outline of the debate points (I suggest you focus on three main arguments). The group will need to email both the bibliography and the debate points to me the day you present.

HOMEWORK 4: “Thesis statement”  - DUE BEFORE CLASS FEBRUARY


27th.

  • Tell me which game (or games – with my approval) you’ll be writing about.
  • Describe the theoretical lens you’ll be using to critique the game.
  • If you already have some source material for your theory, include that too.
  • Final paper due Sunday, March 16th by midnight

HOMEWORK 5: DUE BEFORE CLASS MARCH 6th.

Katamari Damacy Criticism – Write a half page response/proposal – What school of criticism made the most sense to you in this article? How would you criticize Katamari Damacy i.e. what school would you use?

Katamari Damacy Part One & Two & Three


Academic Videogame Critique Paper  - Due Sunday,


March 16th before midnight.


HOMEWORK 6: DUE BEFORE CLASS March 20th.

Play Psychonauts and answer the following:
  • What genre is this game? Explain why you think so?
  • What do you feel the most compelling features of the game are?
  • Can you see any glaring design flaws?
  • What is the game’s “hook?”
  • List three primary game “mechanics”

HOMEWORK 7 (Diary 1): DUE BEFORE CLASS ON March 27th

USE Diary How To  FOR FORMATTING.
  • Play for next week and diary on one of the following puzzle games:
    • Tetris
    • Super Qix
    • Puzzle Bobble (Bust-A-Move)
    • Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
  • Compare against two of the following “casual” games. What do you think the difference is?
    • Farm Frenzy
    • Sims Social
    • Pixel People
    • Candy Crush Saga
    • Castleville
    • Sally’s Spa
    • The Clockwork Man
    • Escape from Rosecliff Island
    • Peggle

HOMEWORK 8 (Diary 2): DUE BEFORE CLASS ON APRIL 11th.

  • Play for next week and diary on two of the following
    • Sonic the Hedgehog (any of the 2D versions)
    • Gunstar Heroes
    • Castlevania (any of the 2D versions)
    • Metal Slug (any)
    • Earthworm Jim (any)
    • Ristar
    • Wonderboy
    • Strider
    • Ecco the Dolphin (any)
    • Vector Man (any)
    • Golden Axe (any 2D)
  • For comparison also play (so play a total of 3 games)
    • Dig Dug
    • Burger Time
    • Elevator Action
    • Frogger

HOMEWORK 9: Draft Game Pitch due on April 17th – BRING TO CLASS

  1. essentially the elevator speech for your game.
  2. 1 page, detailed description
  3. focus on big ideas, characters, setting, etc. whatever “sells” your game
  4. should list 3 similar games
  5. should speak to how your game is different/better than those three
  6. should speak to the game’s perceived market - Read this!
*** something you might want to watch if you have time - Will Wright Game Design Video

Extra Credit  (DIARY 3): DUE BEFORE CLASS ON APRIL 17th.

-  May be substituted for another diary as well.  Also, Because of the nature of RPGs you only have to do one.

Game Design Doc  – Due by midnight, Sunday, April 27th.

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