Game Design Syllabus:
Parsons the New School for Design
Summer 2010 Summer Intensive Session
Supplies:
See Supplies Page for all
Grading:
Participation: 20%
Reading: 20%
Assignments + Presentations: 20%
Final Project: 40%
Week 1: Core Concepts
Day 1 – Monday June 28 (1/2 Day)
INTRODUCTION
Watch Jane MacGonigal at TED
Introduction Presentation
Who are you?
Why are you here?
What do you want out of this class?
What…is your favorite game (digital or analog)
Why?
Get ID Cards
Homework:
Get your Materials!
Day 2 – Tuesday June 29
Example: My Thesis as a game system
Discussion + Q&A
Systems
a set of parts that that inter-relate to form a complex whole
(Zimmerman/Salen page 55)
Puzzles/Riddles
Chance
Skill
Bluffing
Interactivity
People interacting with systems
Designing Interactions – Define your audience – Aim for them!
Agency – people have to make meaningful choice within the game system
Defining Games
What defines a play experience?
Mechanics – What do people do?
Example – Settlers of Catan (Trading Mechanic)
Battleship – (Fog of War)
Poker – (Bluffing/Betting)
Stuff!
Magic Circle
When are we playing?
Can be broken if people give up/refuse to play
Context/Expectations – What are player’s expectations?
Poker (lying) vs. Battleship (honesty)
Homework:
- Mechanics Article by Miguel Sicart
Day 3 – Wednesday June 30
DESIGN PROCESS
Discussion of Miguel Sicart Essay
Examine your favorite Board Game. What are the systems that make it work? Play a game – change one of the rules? How does it work? Better/Worse?
Rules
Defining rules clearly – INSTRUCTIONS (hard)
Complicated (Chess) vs. Simple (Go)
Mechanics
Jane MacGonigal Video
http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html
Discussion – Games as Motivation?
Homework:
Motivation and computer game based learning Article – PDF
Day 4 – Thursday July 1
- Discuss Design Process
- Field Trip to Kapitall
Homework:
Settlers of Catan Article: http://www.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/magazine/17-04/mf_settlers
Day 5 – Friday July 2
Design a Game!
Design Process
Initial concept
Theme/Story
Mechanic
Play
Iterate
add “Stuff”
Weekend Homework – Split into teams (4 teams of 2)
Design a Board Game using:
1-Deck of standard cards
2- Dice (2 x d6)
3- Poker Chips – (Play pieces or currency)
4- Chess board (8 x 8 grid)
Reading: Sample outline for a game design
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/specs.htm
Week 2 –
Day 6 – Monday July 5
Review of Weekend Homework
Bring in a Design document with:
1- rules of the game
2- how many players
3- central mechanic
4- secondary mechanic
5- win state
Groups will present their initial concept and mechanic
Iteration!
Groups will trade games with each other
Play test
Discuss
Refine
Play Test
- Refine
Day 7 – Tuesday July 6
- Groups will discuss how they incorporated feedback from other groups
Refine more
Homework – Keep working on Games
Reading What game designers can learn from educators; what educators can learn from game designers. by Sebastion Williams
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SebastionWilliams/20100615/5375/What_game_designers_can_learn_from_educators_what_educators_can_learn_from_game_designers.php
Day 8 – Wednesday July 7
Presentation of Games – Guest Critic Nick Fortugno
Field Trip to the Met Museum for thematic inspiration
Homework: Decide on a Theme based on 1 work of Art or Artist from the Met
Prepare to Present your Theme
Day 9 – Thursday July 8
Level Design
What is leveling?
Balance (skill vs hardness)
Guest Speaker Kyle Lee – Intro to Little Big Planet
Begin Designing Level Based on a piece of Art from the Met (Little Big Planet)
Homework: Work on Level Design
Reading Becoming a Level Designer and Env. Artist Part 1
http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/level_design_tutorials/becoming-level-designer-environment-artist-part1.php
Day 10 Friday July 9
Continue working on Level Design
Guest Speaker Baxter Crabtree – Discussion of Project Management (SCRUM)
Weekend Homework – Continue working on Level in Little Big Planet
Week 3 –
Day 11 Monday July 12
- Presentation of Levels Designed in Little Big Planet
- Introduction of Activate! Curriculum
What is Activate?
Intro to Game Maker
Guest Presentation by Colleen Macklin/Eric Nunez
Split into teams
Begin Learning Game Maker
Homework:
Reading: Why Play Games When There’s Work to Do? Fun, Games and Social Change By Adam Fletcher – http://www.freechild.org/Firestarter/games.article.htm
Day 12 Tuesday July 13
Continue working in Game Maker
Begin concepting a game to present Friday
Homework:
Produce a Design document for an Activate! Game made in Game Maker
Day 13 Wednesday July 14
Groups present their Design Documents
Feedback from Other Groups
Continue working in Game Maker
Homework:
Continue working in Game Maker
Reading Death of Duke Nukem
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/fail_duke_nukem/all/1
Day 14 Thursday July 15
Play Test! Game Maker games with other groups
Iterate – incorporate feedback from other groups
Homework:
Continue Working in Game Maker
Day 15 Friday July 16
(Guest Instructor – Eric Chung)
- Presentation of Activate Games!
- Discussion of Mobile/Locative Games
Begin discussing Final Projects
Week long game development
Choice of Board Game, Locative Game, LBP, Activate!
Field Trip with Eric to Large Animal Games (Unconfirmed)
Homework: Detailed Design Document of Final Game
Design a Logo for your game – Think about Identity of the Game
Week 4 –
Day 16 Monday July 19
Presentation of Final Project Concepts
Feedback and Discussion
Work on Games!
Homework: Reading Mortal Kombat – A Book Excerpt from Replay: The History of Video Games by Tristan Donovan
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/5833/mortal_kombat__a_book_excerpt_.php
Day 17 Tuesday July 20
- Discuss Article – Games in Social Context
Continue working on Final Games
Play Test
Homework:
Continue working on Final Game
Reading Dorothy E. Warner and Mike Raiter
Social Context in Massively-Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs): Ethical
Questions in Shared Space (PDF)
Day 17 Tuesday July 21
- Discuss Article – Games in Social Context
Continue working on Final Games
Play Test
Homework
Keep Working!
Day 18 Wednesday July 22
Present progress of Game Design
Critique
Incorporate Feedback
Homework:
Continue working on Game
Reading The Idiot’s Guide to Marketing Your Indie Game by Michael Rose
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MichaelRose/20091212/3798/The_Idiots_Guide_to_Marketing_Your_Indie_Game.php
Day 18 Thursday July 23
Build a Blog for your game!
Use free Blogs to get the games out!
Continue working on Games
Day 19 Friday July 24
Final Game Presentation
Pizza Party!
