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Course Schedule (Subject to Revision)

All games and prototyping materials can be found in the Weston Game Studio (JCL 133). 

UNIT I: Introduction to Game Design and Board and Card Games

Week 1 (January 4): Processing Play

Lecture: Introduction to Game Design and Theories of Play
Tinker Time: Playful experiences

  • Exquisite Corpse Activity (Drawing, Writing)
  • Liste Lanser
  • 1000 Blank White Cards
  • The Floor Is Lava (in groups)

Week 2 (January 11): Elements of a Game and Rapid Prototyping

***Playful Experiences Due Before Class***

For Class: “How to Prototype a Game in Under 7 Days” (Matt Kucic), “How pillars and triangles can focus your game design” (Ian Dransfield), “Sources of Uncertainty” in Uncertainty in Games (Greg Costikyan) and watch “Fail Faster” (Extra Credits).

Tinker Time: Prototyping and Modification

  • Rapid Prototyping Challenge
  • Core Mechanic Transplant
  • Scale Shift Mod.

Week 3 (January 18): Board Game Playtests and Critiques I

*** Game prototype I and Process Newsletter Due Before Class***

Activity: Playtest and critique Board Game projects

UNIT II: Tabletop Storytelling Games

Week 4 (January 25): Storytelling, Collaboration, and Negotiation

*** Final Game Project 1 and Game Review I Due Before Class

+++ Peer and Self-Assessment Due 11:59pm +++

For Class: Read “Games Design as Narrative Architecture”.

Activity: And Then What Happened (Consequences) and Collaborative Worldbuilding

Week 5 (February 1): Tabletop Storytelling Game Playtests and Critique II

*** Game Prototype 2 and Process Newsletter Due Before Class***

Activity: Playtest and critique Tabletop Storytelling game projects

UNIT III: Board and Card Games

Week 6 (February 8): Increasing Game Literacy

*** Final Game Project 2 and Game Review II Due Before Class

*** Peer and Self-Assessment Due 11:59pm, Thursday

Week 7 (February 15): Play and Critique Games

*** Final Project Process Post, Part I ***
*** Game Review Post (one per team)***

In Class: Final Game Project Pitch. Play recommended board games in class.

Week 8 (February 22): Silent Playtest

*** Final Project Process Post, Part II ***

For Class: Bring two copies of your rules to class. One copy for the instructor and CAs and another for the playtest.  Your classmates will playtest your game entirely on their own using the rules and materials you provide. At no point can you communicate to your playtesters. You must remain silent and observe how they interpret your rules!

Week 9 (February 29): Playtest

*** Final Project Process Post, Part III ***

For Class: Bring two copies of your rules to class.One copy for the instructor and CAs and another for the playtest.

Week 10: Final Project Submission Due no later than March 8th

 

 

Assignment Descriptions

Game Review Blogs (3 total)
On the blog, before the end of each unit, write up one critical analyses of a game that you have played for class.  In addition to analyzing the game using theoretical vocabulary, we expect you to evaluate medium-specific aspects of the game such as mechanics, rules, objectives, and player interactions. Each review should be at least 500 words long.

Process Newsletters (2 total)
On the blog, write up a mid-design progress report regarding your idea, collaborative process, schedule, challenges and accomplishments for each of your game projects. These newsletters are due on the date listed on the syllabus.

Final Project Process Post (1 per team)

For the final project, write up a progress report regarding the idea for your final project, the collaborative process, games you played as a team, challenges, accomplishments, and pivots for your game. Update this post weekly until your final project is submitted.

Peer and Self-Assessment (3 total)
After each of the four major projects, fill out a brief Google form that evaluates how well you think you worked with your team members. This exercise is meant to give you a chance to reflect on your collaborative process and convey the inside of that process to your instructors.

For each assignment, you must turn in the following:

  • Title: Name of the game
  • Abstract/Overview: A short description of the game.
  • Material List: Comprehensive inventory of all the physical materials required to play the game.
  • Rules: Set of instructions and guidelines that dictate how the game is played.
  • Images: Images that enhance the understanding of the game rules, set up, iconography, turn order, and more.

Game Project 1:

To accomplish this, closely observe your surroundings. Consider how you might repurpose an object or environment in a surprising manner or transform mundane activities into something bizarre, delightful, or challenging. Please provide descriptions, each 1-2 sentences long, for 10 such experiences.

The evaluation of your experiences will hinge on three criteria: the uniqueness of the concept, its capacity to convey meaning, and the level of social engagement it promotes.

Game Project 2: Board or Card Game
In small teams, you will design a board game. To do this, you will write the precise rules for a board or card game that your peers will subsequently playtest in class. The game (think of this as an interactive formal system) should be playable in roughly 15-30 minutes. Moreover, the written instructions should be clear and concise for players to understand without additional explanation. Since we will actually play these games in class, you should also include the necessary game board and pieces. As you design your game, think about the medium-specific dimensions of games, including rules, mechanics, and objectives.

Your game will be evaluated according to its balance, replayability, player interaction, originality of concept, creativity of design, polish achieved through iteration, and overall level of engagement. While material construction and art are not the priority, the quality of your board, cards, or other elements will also play a part in the overall evaluation.

Game Project 3: Storytelling Game
In small teams, you will create a storytelling game. You will be given a format, theme, and affective constraint that you must incorporate into your overall game. For this, you will turn in a rulebook. The game can include analog components such as paper, pens, dice, and a map or representation of the play area, but does not necessarily require these elements. The core elements should include characters that can be roleplayed, a world, and a story that is co-created by the players.

Your game will be evaluated according to its setting, conflict, characters, game mechanics, polish achieved through iteration, and overall level of engagement. While visual art is not the priority, any concept art or images included in your rulebook will also play a part in the overall evaluation.

Final Project: Board or Card Game

In teams of five, you will design a complex board or card game. To do this, you will write the precise rules for a board or card game that your peers will subsequently playtest in class. The game (think of this as an interactive formal system) should be playable in roughly 15-30 minutes. Moreover, the written instructions should be clear and concise for players to understand without additional explanation. Since we will actually play these games in class, you should also include the necessary game board and pieces. As you design your game, think about the medium-specific dimensions of games, including rules, mechanics, and objectives.

Your game will be evaluated according to its balance, replayability, player interaction, originality of concept, creativity of design, polish achieved through iteration, and overall level of engagement. While material construction and art are not the priority, the quality of your board, cards, or other elements will also play a part in the overall evaluation.