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Experimental
Game Design
4510.01 4510.02 6400.01
FALL 2021
Wednesday
2:00-5:50pm
4 credits
Prerequisites: Game Dev 1, (or 2), (or by permission of insturctor)
Studio access: VAST Studio,
Sage 2411, GSAS Project Space, & GSAS Classroom mocap studio
Radioland created in EGD, Winner 2nd Place, ‘Vicarious Visions
Student Challenge’ Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Gamefest 2015
© 2015 by Neale LaPlante Johnson, Annie Sardelis, Brian Tam, Tim Terrezza,
Scott Todd, with music by Matt Wellins
http://radioland.github.io/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=25&v=XRVRkRMiYZw
Instructor:
Kathleen Ruiz
Associate Professor of Integrated Arts
office hours: Thursdays 2:30pm to 4:30pm by appointment ruiz@rpi.edu
Student Mentor:
Millie
Harris
Office hours: 12:00-2:00
on Thursdays (or by appointment) in Sage in the GSAS lounge area
harrim10@rpi.edu
Experimental Game Design is an upper level hands-on studio and seminar focusing on the
creation of large scale, workable game and simulation projects and prototypes
that advance innovative paradigms, emerging forms and dynamic interfaces.
Primary to the course is the formation of trans-disciplinary collaborative
teams whose members learn by thinking, experimenting, creating, making,
resonating, and reiterating. Games are analyzed as cultural artifacts
reflecting behavior, social formation, and the representation of gender,
ethnicity and identity. This analysis is applied to the creation of inventive
models for the future.
Students present their work in a series of formal and informal critiques that
help to guide and expand their iterative process.
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Starting
with creating an archeological, socio-cultural and ethical overview of their
own history of game and toy preferences, students then create two short
projects in temporary teams.
Final
project teams are then formulated for the remainder of the semester. The
final project, which is the main focus of the course, is a purposeful work
which shows depth and quality of ideation, innovation and interaction. It is
student driven in subject, design and development. The project must be fully
functional and be accompanied by a completed, detailed advanced game design
document using the format: Advanced
Game Design Document
Social
action games & simulation, art games, applied or “serious” games, indy games, problem solving, blended/augmented reality,
educational games, mobile and locative games, musical games, abstract play,
and other inventive forms have been created in the course. Factors in game
design including flow and game play gestalt are taken into consideration. The
aesthetics of game design including interaction design, character
development, level design, game play experience, and delivery systems are
developed as students create the various assignments. Interdisciplinary
collaborative teams consist of talents from visual art, music and sound art,
computer science, cognitive science, game design, writing, engineering, IT
and others. Elements of successful collaboration are covered and camaraderie
of invention is encouraged.
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Please be
aware that at any point the class may need to pivot to other types of
contactless forms of instruction due to health and safety.
Please
click here for helpful info for on and off- campus Support Resources
from our Dean.
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* Helpful
Resources and Tools
* Box Info (you first need to register for a Box and then you
will then be invited to join our IDI class box):
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Required Events
(cancelled due to Covid)
Tools
Course Topics
Miscellaneous
Granular Details
Conferences
& Groups
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Course in a Nutshell: 
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·
Short study #1. Personal Game Archeology &
Analysis 5% = 5
points
·
Short study #2. Experimental
Game Jam # 1 “Gaming responds to the big
questions of our time.” 10% = 10 points
·
Short study #3. Experimental
Game Jam #2 teams chose one: “chaos, serenity, balance, or proactive, ”10% = 10 points
·
Final Project 60% (incremental evaluation over 9 due dates, each 6.666% = 6.6
points each x 10= 60 points
·
Participation in class 10% = 10 points
·
Reaction papers 5% to readings 5 and your events 3 = 8 total @
1.25 points each = 5points
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Course
Assessment/Measures: Assignments:
Please upload all projects, studies and
readings to your individual folder in our class Box repository
Info is subject to updates, so please check in and refresh your browser.
Students at the 6000 level have additional or preapproved discussed
research related readings indicated in grey text.
week 1. Personal Game Archeology & Analysis
5 points
due Sept 1 / Sept 2
Archeology and analysis of
personal gaming preferences from:
a. childhood and
b. today as an adult.
Research and present a short power point or web presentation and
demonstration of your favorite game/toy as a child and why it was your
favorite, and your favorite game/toy as an adult and why. Include a brief
history of the origins of each game, and why this is/was a compelling game
experience for you. Thoughtfully research and consider the socio-political
context of the game/toy you have chosen and its use. Please consider not only
the game industry, but also the larger world context as well. Include
references in your presentation—web links, documentation.
Readings: due Sept 1 / Sept 2
Experimental Games Invigorate The
Industry, So Why Don't They See More Coverage?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissabrinks/2018/08/28/experimental-games-invigorate-the-industry-so-why-dont-they-see-more-coverage/#2894274e47bd
http://tale-of-tales.com/TheGraveyard/
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Walkthrough (Ch. 17 Moutaineering
1/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM1g79JnNag
Understanding the Success of Fortnite: A UX & Psychology Perspective by Celia Hodent https://celiahodent.com/understanding-the-success-of-fortnite/
Gacha
Systems:
Genshin Impact will DAMAGE Gaming Forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIc9FKxGJAk
good points touching on the veil of normalization covering some
of the extreme amorality present on mobile gacha
systems.
The
5 Biggest Mistakes Made by Indie Development Studios
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AidanMinter/20150818/251514/The_5_Biggest_Mistakes_Made_by_Indie_Development_Studios.php
Additional
Readings for 6000 level Students:
Browse through the articles in the Well-Played Journal https://press.etc.cmu.edu/index.php/publication-tag/well-played/
and select two readings that resonate with your personal research. Write a
short 1 page review of your selected readings
____________________________________________________________
week 2. & 3. Experimental Game Jam # 1
“Gaming responds to the big questions of our time.”
10 points
due
Sept 8 Social
awareness games readings and game critic reviews
due Sept
15 Finished big questions games
What are the big questions of our time? Being aware of them could mean being beyond the cutting
edge of the game field and being a cultural producer, rather than a follower.
What do we mean by “the big
questions of our time”?
What larger forces of nature, culture, spiritual, intellectual, emotional,
physical, economic, shifts are on the horizon? What world events are
happening or about to happen that may be of intense interest to you and your
future? You decide on the top issue
that will become the theme of your game.
Working collaboratively in temporary teams, (ideally creating a balanced team consisting
of the following talents: visual artist, programmer, engineer, sound composer
& designer) create a short experimental game around a theme that you or
your team feels is critical to our time.
This is purposefully broad so use
your imagination and creativity and open
yourself up to experimenting.
Trust your intuition! Innovation is key here.
Pay attention to the ethics of
your theme and intentionality (what world or possibility you create, the
realms of possibilities to do what kinds of activities in? Do market research
on your ideas!!! If it has been done before, why repeat it?
Original ideas are more important than polished
graphics and optimized code for this study.
Deliverables:
* workable game (or app) prototype responding to the chosen question
* PowerPoint or web presentation of the team’s research and ideas that also
answers the following questions:
~ What
is the game?
~ What is the main focus?
~ Why create this game? Why would
someone want to play it?
~ What is different or experimental about your game?
~ Immediate and Long Term Projected
Socio-cultural Project Impacts?
~ Predecessor or previous games/ distinctive factors in this genre?
~ Target audience?
~ What is the ethical space of the game?
~ Where does the game take place?
~ What do the players do?
~ How many characters are there, if any?
~ List of technical information and methodologies of production: any
necessary hardware, software, SDKs, and APIs, etc. needed.
Readings: due Sept 8
* info you or your team find interesting about your chosen
question
* look through and play 3
social awareness games that may be of interest. Then be a game critic
and create a short paragraph analysis and critique with suggestions about
your 3 chosen games.
Please create 3 short
paragraph critiques
Here are some preeminent sites to
choose from:
Games for Change : http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/
Persuasive Games: http://www.persuasivegames.com/
Paolo
Pedercini www.molleindustria.org
* read Experimental
gameplay project - How to Prototype a Game in Under 7 Days
Additional
Readings for 6000 level Students:
* Homo Ludens: A study of the Play
Element in Culture by Johan Huizinga
* Man, Play, and Games by Roger Caillois
create a short reaction paper
____________________________________________________________
week 4. & 5 Experimental Game Jam #2
The theme is one of the following: chaos, serenity, balance,
or proactive,
10 points
due Sept 22 research readings & initial research
Sept 29 finished game
How can games help people connect
to each other and form deep, meaningful experiences and foster relationships?
We all know that games have forged
new territories in the ways we interact with each other.
Your game or simulation project
can approach the design of your game in serious or playful way.
Working collaboratively in temporary teams,
(ideally creating a balanced team consisting of the following talents: visual
artist, programmer, writer, engineer, sound composer & designer) create a
game around the theme of connectivity.
Exemplary projects will be
encouraged to submit their games to international game festivals.
due Sept 22
power
point teams will present a power point
that contains the following background research:
* evolving conceptual ideas and sketches of your team’s creative response to
the theme
* storyboards explaining and illustrating your ideas for the project
* Answers to the following questions:
~ What is the game?
~ Why create this game? Why would someone want to play it?
~ Immediate and Long Term Projected Socio-cultural Project Impact?
~ Predecessor or previous games/ distinctive factors in this genre?
~ Target Audience?
~ What is the ethical space of the game?
~ Where does the game take place?
~ What do the players do?
~ How many characters are there, if any?
~ What is the main focus?
~ What is different?
~ List of technical information and methodologies of production: any
necessary hardware, software, SDKs, and APIs, etc. needed.
due Sept 22
Readings:
What games must learn from children's books by Ana Anthropy
https://boingboing.net/2015/06/11/what-games-must-learn-from-chi.html
Cognitive
Flow: The Psychology of Great Game Design
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/166972/cognitive_flow_the_psychology_of_.php
Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi asks, "What makes a life worth living? https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow
Please create a short
paragraph reaction to each and upload to your class box folder.
Additional
Readings for 6000 level Students:
building upon your research with
relevant selections from the following:
* Springer Special issue:
The Philosophy of Computer Games Volume 27, Issue 2, June 2014
vpn or log in to rensSearch
then go to http://link.springer.com.libproxy.rpi.edu/journal/13347/27/2/page/1
* Simulating Philosophy: Interpreting Video Games as Executable
Thought Experiments
https://link-springer-com.libproxy.rpi.edu/article/10.1007/s13347-013-0102-2
* Technological Unemployment, Leisure Occupation, and the Human
Project
https://link-springer-com.libproxy.rpi.edu/article/10.1007/s13347-014-0166-7
* Game Studies: The International
Journal of Computer Game Research http://gamestudies.org/1602
* Sage Journal: Games & Culture http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/gac/0/0
* create a short reaction paper to 2
relevant papers from the above and place in your folder in the class drop
box. Come to class ready to give a briefing on your readings.
Sept 29
working
games presented formally
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Final Project
Experimental Game Trajectory
working with permanent teams from this point out
____________________________________________________________
week 6. Final Project Starting Sketches, Ideas & Concepts Informal presentation 6.6 points
due Oct 6
Deliverables:
drop in drop box and also print
out the following:
First ideas about your final project game
These are all ITERATIVE
and will be changed and perfected as your ideas unfold.
* rough concept ideas and sketches of
your team’s ideas
* rough storyboards explaining and illustrating the project your team has in
mind
* rough initial prototypes
* Fill in the Game Structure
template
* Answers to the following questions:
~ Why create this game?
Why would someone want to play it?
~ Immediate and Long Term Projected Socio-cultural Project Impact?
~ Predecessor or previous games/ distinctive factors in this genre?
~ Target Audience?
~ What is the game?
~ Where does the game take place?
~ How many characters are there, if any?
~ What is the main focus?
~ What is different?
~ List of technical information and methodologies of production: any
necessary hardware, software, SDKs, and APIs, etc. needed.
You are essentially starting your
iterative GDD found here:
Advanced Game
Design Document
don’t worry your will find the answers as you go, and things will change, but
just start. And yes philosophy is important to success in innovative game
creation
* Answer Ernest
Adams Game Design Philosophy Questions:
- What dreams does the game
fulfill?
- What is the player going to do?
- What are the physical, intellectual, emotional, economic and
ethical spaces of the game world?
Please remember that your completed game project is an innovative, original,
purposeful work which goes beyond conventional style gaming paradigms and
shows depth of creative goals, sensitivity to social issues, and quality of
interaction. The game must be fully functional.
Additionally, the final project
must be accompanied by an iterative, completed, (web ready, standalone) game
design document and a well-designed poster, project overview sheet and
promotional game trailer.
See samples:
Nova Radix: Game Design
Document rough and incomplete, but a good starting iteration
Nova Radix
Game
Readings:
due Oct 6
* your research readings
* read this:
Ethics in the Videogame Industry:
A Mythbusting and Scientific Approach
https://celiahodent.com/ethics-in-the-videogame-industry/
* skim this:
Play as Design by Brenda
Laurel Play as Design by Eric
Zimmerman
*create a short, one paragraph
reaction paper of the above and place in your drop box
____________________________________________________________
Midterm assessments
(please
upload all perfected work to drop box for evaluation)
week 7. Phase I Proposal Final Project Formal Group
Presentation 6.6 points
due Oct 13
Deliverables:
rethink and refine
your project based on your resonation of the feedback your team received
in class previously:
* concept ideas and sketches
* storyboards
* Advanced Game Design
Document with blocked out time frame of
production, a schedule and an outline of individual responsibilities
and deadlines
* Game
Structure template
* list of technical information and methodologies of production: any
necessary software, SDKs, and APIs, etc. needed.
* produce new work and progress on your game assets including design, art,
programming, etc.
Readings: due Oct 13
* From Sun
Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games by Ed
Halter
* Baudrillard
and Hollywood: subverting the mechanism of control and The Matrix by Jim Rovira
* The Oxymoron of Virtual
Violence, J. Baudrillard
*create a short, one paragraph, reaction
paper to each of the above and place in your drop box
Readings for Masters and Ph.D. Students (Optional Extra Credit
for Undergrads):
* Origins of FPS by Galloway
* Lenoir-Lowood_TheatersOfWar
*create a short reaction paper of each
the above and place in your folder in the class drop box
____________________________________________________________
week 8.
Phase II Reiteration Informal presentation
6.6 points
due Oct 20
Reality check on
scope of project and schedule
presented
Deliverables:
* gameplay experiments showing
clear proof of concept and
progress on your game assets
* evidence of new research and
work
* updated and refined Advanced Game Design
Document that
includes a game overview sheet,
more refined story boards, at least 5 citations of games/ websites/readings/
literature/ films that have influenced your team’s research,
Readings: due Oct 20
Extra Credits
* No Gendered Mechanics - How
Genre Stereotypes Limit Games and Players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERR1F-zoTVg
*
True Female Characters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1qndga6SNU
*
Harassment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9GwmOWoqo
*
Sexual Diversity - How a Gay Character Made Persona 4 Great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUqivXMlpcQ
*create a short, one
paragraph, reaction paper to each of the above and place in your drop box
folder
Readings for Masters and Ph.D. Students (Optional Extra Credit
for Undergrads):
* A Game of One’s Own: Towards a New
Gendered Poetics of Digital Space by Tracy Fullerton, Jacquelyn Ford Morie, and Celia Pearce
*create a short reaction paper of the
above and place in your drop box * The Construction of Experience: Interface as Content David Rokeby
*create a short, one paragraph reaction paper of
the above and place in your drop box
____________________________________________________________
week 9.
Phase III Game Prototype
Formal Group Presentation 6.6 points
due Oct 27
Deliverables:
* evidence of progress
incorporating critical feedback, polishing and refinement of content, assets,
gameplay, methodology, and delivery system
* final definitive schedule for entire project which will be used as clear
milestones for further project development
* your team’s progress of the above reflected in your evolving Advanced Game Design
Document including
completed game overview sheet and image, refined answers to the
philosophical question section
Please print and hand in prior
to your team’s presentation in class
Readings: final
project research readings
_________________________________________________________
week 10.
Phase IV Game Content Informal presentation
6.6 points
due Nov 3
Deliverables:
* refined game fact sheet
overview see http://radioland.github.io/#snab-tm-factsheet
* evidence of refinement and progress on your team’s project in design,
development, gameplay and depth of research reflected in the project and game
design document
Playtesting and User Evaluation Overview Info
Readings:
final
project research readings
____________________________________________________________
week 11.
Phase V Refinement Formal Group Presentation
6.6 points
due Nov 10
Deliverables:
* Play Testing Plans due
* Refinement and progress on your team’s project for pre-review and three week trajectory for individual team work
* Your final printed game overview
sheet in .doc format with dynamic image
* consider how you will exhibit your work
(installation or online, what type of forum, delivery system will work best
for you, your game and the times.
Related
Readings: final
project research readings
____________________________________________________________
week 12. Phase VI Further
Refinement Informal
Group Presentation
6.6 points
due Nov 17
Deliverables:
* Play Testing Summary Results and Recommendations
* Refinement and progress on your team’s project based on critiques
* Printed Project Posters approximately 34” x
24” or larger. Please print early, as other students across the campus will
be vying for the archival printers soon. You can print archival prints on the Epson 9800 printer in Sage 2410 by
appointment only. Please email the archival printer person for an
appointment. Please see details and instructions at: https://hassinfo.rpi.edu/large-format-printing-information/
* Video game trailers:
high quality edited high
def. 1920 x 1080, H264 mp4 promotional video trailer. Please highlight
the general gist of your game and the exciting features, with title, credits
for all involved, including sound credits, interaction and gameplay on and off screen (if desired).
1.5 to 2.5 min. maximum should be enough time to give a person a taste of
your game project and for them to want to play it.
You can use any screen action capture program. OBS Studio is
now installed in the project space. How
to: https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-record-your-pc-or-macs-screen
You can use Adobe Encoder for good compression: (. mp4 is
recommended.) The game trailers will be used by the judges as part of the
review process and they may be used as
part of a compilation reel.
____________________________________________________________
week 13. Nov 24 online
Wed
class off for Thanksgiving Break! Enjoy!
____________________________________________________________
week 14. Phase VII online
due Dec 1
Informal Group Presentation & Intensive Work Studio
____________________________________________________________
week 15. Phase
VIII
online last class of the
semester
due Dec 8
Formal Group
Presentation of Final Projects
60 total points
All perfected work due this day.
Please ensure that all work is spell checked.
In addition to
uploading your work to the class box storage,
It is required to submit all work on a
non-returnable, labeled thumb drive
Final Project:
· Your final project game build
· Your
personal contributions to the final project (your code, art, writing, design,
originally composed music, etc.)
· A
readme that indicates your
personal contributions to the final project
· Final
project video game trailer (High
quality edited high def. 1920 x 1080, H264 mp4 (Please include title,
overview, interaction, gameplay and credits.)
· Final
project poster
· Final
project Advanced Game Design Document that also
includes your game overview sheet,
your user evaluation test and summary
and recommendations
· Your
git or repository
Perfected Short Studies:
·
Your Game Archeology
·
All Short study project game builds and your contributions (code, art, music, writing, design, and a read me
that outlines your personal contributions
· Event
reactions
· Reading reactions
____________________________________________________________
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Class Schedule
week 1. Sept 1
* Introduction to the course
* review game archaeologies, best works, and student aspirations
* lecture & discussion on ideas for the future
of games and gaming as we may not know it now to be, content,
platforms and interfaces
* lecture/discussion/student input on “The Big
Questions of Our Time.” What are they? Which ones to work with?
* temp teams formulate and pick their question for Experimental Game Jam #1 Gaming responds to the big questions of our time
week 2. Sept 8
* review in-process Games from Game
Jam #1
Gaming responds to the big questions
of our time
* discuss selected social awareness games from Games for Change, Persuasive Games, & Molleindustria
research assignment
* Discussion and lecture on Trajectories from
EGD into the real world: case studies of a number of successful students
* grads discuss:
Homo Ludens: A study of the Play
Element in Culture by Johan Huizinga
Man, Play, and Games by Roger Caillois
* briefly discuss prototyping, short project as opposed to longer project
trajectories
week 3. Sept 15
*critique Games from Game Jam #1
Gaming responds to the big questions
of our time
*
Grads present reaction paper analyses of 2 articles from the following
selections:
* Springer Special issue: The Philosophy of
Computer Games Volume 27, Issue 2, June 2014
vpn or log in to rensSearch then go to http://link.springer.com.libproxy.rpi.edu/journal/13347/27/2/page/1
* Game Studies: The International
Journal of Computer Game Research http://gamestudies.org/1602
* Sage Journal: Games & Culture: http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/gac/0/0
*
review parameters for
Experimental Game Jam #2 Connectivity
* formulate temporary teams
for Game Jam #2
week 4. Sept 22
* Review power point presentations for Jam #2
* Discuss readings:
What
games must learn from children's books by Ana Anthropy
https://boingboing.net/2015/06/11/what-games-must-learn-from-chi.html
Cognitive
Flow: The Psychology of Great Game Design
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/166972/cognitive_flow_the_psychology_of_.php
Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi asks, "What makes a life worth living? https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow
*
Discussion and lecture on Innovation &
Collaboration
and Trajectories
week 5. Sept 29* Formal presentations &
critiques of Experimental Game Jam #2 Connectivity
*
Discuss parameter of the final project
* Formulate permanent Final Project teams
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Final Project
Working with permanent teams from this point onward.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
week 6. Oct 6
* Informal review of Final Project Starting Sketches, Ideas & Concepts
*
Review the Advanced Game
Design Document
* Discuss the iterative process of game design and production as given in
Play as Design reading selection
*
Lecture, video and discussion about Aesthetics and
games
week 7. Oct 13
Midterm Review of all perfected studies uploaded
to class exchange folder.
*
Formal review of phase I
prototypes
*
Reality check on scope of project and schedule
* Lecture, video and discussion about virtual
violence, catharsis and desensitization
* From Sun
Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games by Ed
Halter
* Baudrillard
and Hollywood: subverting the mechanism of control and The Matrix by Jim Rovira
* The Oxymoron of Virtual
Violence, J. Baudrillard
week 8. Oct 20
*
Informal presentation and critique of phase II prototypes
* team meetings with Experts giving feedback on initial ideas
* Lecture, video and discussion about the representation of gender, love and emotion in games
and the game industry and discussion of the related (inverted studio) videos:
* No Gendered Mechanics - How Genre
Stereotypes Limit Games and Players - Extra Credits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERR1F-zoTVg
* Extra Credits: True Female Characters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1qndga6SNU
* Extra Credits: Harassment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9GwmOWoqo
* Sexual Diversity - How a Gay Character Made Persona 4 Great -
Extra Credits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUqivXMlpcQ
Uncanny Valley
week 9. Oct 27
* Formal presentations and reviews of phase III refinements
* Lecture, video and discussion about the representation of race representation in games and the games industry
* review of the ways that playtesting
can help garner feedback on your working game
* review team 4-week trajectory schedules
* overview of good, clear game fact sheets can look like
see http://radioland.github.io/#snab-tm-factsheet
week 10. Nov 3
*
informal presentations and critiques of phase IV Focusing on content
* review game fact sheets
* see: 7 mistakes to avoid in game
making, especially at this point https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5x4Q_SOLN28
*
review how to create:
- Playtesting and User Evaluation Overview
Info
- project summaries
- game design documents
* poster and promotional design and
high end printing
*
review installation requirements, tech, and gear
*
Lecture, video and discussion about Breaking through
the 4th Wall and issues in player created content
week 11. Nov 10
Formal Presentation Phase V
Review Play testing plans
*design, development, gameplay and depth of research reflected in the project
and in the evolving game design document
Review:
Samples
of best practices for Game Design Documents:
Sound Slingers
Sentient Artificiality
Review how to do:
*
game trailer (approximately 2 to 3 minutes), highlighting the general gist of
your game and the exciting features, with title, credits for all involved,
and sound credits. You can use any screen action capture program OBS Studio
is now installed in the project space
https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-record-your-pc-or-macs-screen
You can use Adobe Encoder for good compression: (. mp4 is recommended.) The
game trailers will be used by the judges as part of the review process and
they will be put into a compilation reel.
week 12. Nov 17
students
present Phase VI Refinement Informal
Presentations
*
Play Test Results due
*
Refine game trailers
*
Refinement and progress on your team’s project for pre-review and final
trajectory for individual team work
week 13.
off for Thanksgiving Break! Enjoy!
week 14. Dec 1 second to last class
* informal reviews of Phase VII
* deliver
video game trailers and review closely
intensive work studio:
refining of the game and project assets
week 15. Dec 8 last
class
* Formal reviews of the final completed project Phase VIII
* please include your poster, Advanced Game Design Document, video
trailer: (High quality edited high def. 1920 x 1080, H264 mp4 video
trailer (please include your title, overview, interaction, gameplay and
credits.)
* All perfected work due
Please ensure that all
work is spell checked.
Place in your personal box folder and on a non-returnable thumb drive
Final Project:
· Your final project game build
· Your
personal contributions to the final project (your code, art, writing, design,
originally composed music, etc.)
· A
readme that indicates your
personal contributions to the final project
· Final
project video game trailer (High
quality edited high def. 1920 x 1080, H264 mp4 (Please include title,
overview, interaction, gameplay and credits.)
· Final
project poster
· Final
project Advanced Game Design Document that also
includes your game overview sheet,
your user evaluation test and summary
and recommendations
· Your
git or repository
Perfected Short Studies:
·
Your Game Archeology
·
All Short study project game builds and your contributions (code, art, music, writing, design, and a read me
that outlines your personal contributions
· Event
reactions
· Reading reactions
* lecture and discussion
The Future is Here!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grading:
Evaluation: Students at the 4000 level will demonstrate
satisfactory achievement of course objectives through fulfillment of course
projects and by contributing to class discussions and critiques.
·
Short study #1. Personal Game Archeology &
Analysis 5% = 5 points
·
Short study #2. Experimental Game Jam # 1 “Gaming
responds to the big questions of our time.” 10% = 10 points
·
Short study #3. Experimental Game
Jam #2 10% =
10 points
·
Final Project 60% (incremental evaluation over 9 due dates, each 6.666% = 6.6
points each x 10= 60 points
·
Participation in class 10% = 10 points
·
Reaction papers 5% to readings 5 and your events 3 = 8 total @ 1.25 points each =
5points
Evaluation: Students at the 6000 level must
demonstrate satisfactory achievement of course objectives through fulfillment
of course projects and by contributing to class discussions and critiques.
·
Short
study #1. Personal Game Archeology & Analysis 5% = 5
points
·
Short
study #2. Experimental
Game Jam # 1 “Gaming responds to the big questions of our time.” 10% = 10
points
·
Short study #3. Experimental Game Jam #2 10% = 10 points
·
Final
Project 60% (incremental evaluation over 9 due dates, each
6.666% = 6.6 points each x 10= 50 points
·
Participation in class
10% = 10 points
·
Reaction
papers 5% to readings 5 and your events 3 = 8 total @ 1.25
points each = 5points
·
Students
at the 6000 level will give class audio visual presentations of their
research = 10 points
Point to Letter grade equivalents for the course are as follows:
|
LETTER
GRADES
|
PERFORMANCE
DESIGNATION the 4000 level
|
POINTS
|
|
A+
|
EXCELLENT
|
90-100 points
|
|
A
|
85-89 points
|
|
A-
|
80-84 points
|
|
B+
|
GOOD
|
77-79 points
|
|
B
|
73-76 points
|
|
B-
|
70-72 points
|
|
C+
|
SATISFACTORY
|
67-69 points
|
|
C
|
63-66 points
|
|
C-
|
60-62 points
|
|
D+
|
MARGINAL
|
57-59 points
|
|
D
|
53-56 points
|
|
D-
|
50-52 points
|
|
F
|
UNSATISFACTORY
|
0-49 points
|
|
LETTER GRADES
|
PERFORMANCE DESIGNATION for 6000
level
|
POINTS
|
|
A+
|
EXCELLENT
|
90-100 points
|
|
A
|
85-89 points
|
|
A-
|
80-84 points
|
|
B+
|
GOOD
|
77-79 points
|
|
B
|
73-76 points
|
|
B-
|
70-72 points
|
|
C+
|
SATISFACTORY
|
67-69 points
|
|
C
|
63-66 points
|
|
C-
|
60-62 points
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation: you are invited, encouraged, and expected to engage in discussion,
reflection and activities.
Class Attendance Policy
As an
enrolled student, you have made a commitment to this class and your attendance
is a significant part of that commitment. Attendance will be taken at every
class. An absence is considered excused if the student has informed the
course instructor by email or in person before
the beginning of the class and the excuse is considered reasonable by the
instructor.
Late Policy: All students are required to be on time and in
attendance for each and every class. Students arriving to class more than 10
minutes late may be counted as absent.
Two (2) unexcused absences will result in a reduction of one entire
letter grade.
Adherence to deadlines is expected. It is the individual student's responsibility to keep
track of deadlines and to present the work to the class and instructor on the
specified dates. 15% per day will be subtracted from late assignments.
If a
student needs an official excuse for medical or other reasons, please go to
the Advising & Learning Assistance Center https://info.rpi.edu/advising-learning-assistance/
If you
are concerned about your creative trajectory or your grade at any point
during the semester, please do not hesitate to contact your Instructor and
schedule an appointment.
Academic Honesty:
Class
Specific
Collaboration
and discussion about class projects is actively encouraged, and is in no way
considered cheating. This is a studio course, and personal ownership of
information is not deemed to be appropriate.
Original game design, art and design,
programming, music, and production are required. Projects are expected to reflect personal endeavor, but may also be
collaborative in nature when the
nature of the collaboration is clearly indicated.
Academic Integrity Statement for all
courses at the 4000 level or above:
The Rensselaer Handbook of Student Rights and
Responsibilities and The Rensselaer Graduate Student Supplement define
various forms of Academic Dishonesty and procedures for responding to them.
All forms are violations of the trust between students and teachers.
Student-teacher relationships are built on trust. For example, students must
trust that teachers have made appropriate decisions about the structure and
content of the courses they teach, and teachers must trust that the
assignments that students turn in are their own performance. Acts that
violate this trust undermine the educational process.
The Rensselaer Handbook of Student Rights and
Responsibilities and The Rensselaer Graduate Student Supplement define
various forms of Academic Dishonesty and you should make yourself familiar
with these. In this class, all assignments that are turned in for a grade
must represent the student’s own work. In cases where help was received, or
teamwork was allowed, a notation on the assignment should indicate your
collaboration. Submission of any assignment that is in violation of this
policy will result in a penalty. If found in violation of the academic
honesty policy, students may be subject to two types of penalty. The
instructor administers an academic [grade] penalty and the student is
reported to the Dean of Students or the Dean of Graduate Education as
appropriate. The first violation results in 0 grade for that assignment. The
second violation results in failure of the course. If you have any questions
concerning this policy before submitting an assignment, please ask for
clarification.
In cases where
help was received, or teamwork was allowed, a notation on the assignment
should indicate your specific contributions to the collaboration.
Generally
We're a mix of many people with many backgrounds
with many levels of experience. We'll use the Django Code of Conduct which
breaks down to the following list; although, I would encourage following the
link to read the details. It's a common practice in many FLOSS and
similar software communities.
·
Be friendly and patient
·
Be welcoming
·
Be considerate
·
Be respectful
·
Be careful in the words that we choose
·
Try to understand why we disagree
This was developed by the TODO Group which
has many more useful links for futher information,
for example, Geek
Feminism.
Another thing to be aware of - the be a
reasonable person as described at Carnegie Mellon's CS site: Reasonable Person Principle
Students with Disabilities:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute strives to make
all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or
experience academic barriers based on a disability, please let me know
immediately so that we can discuss your options. To establish reasonable accommodations,
please register with The Office of Disability Services for Students. After registration, make
arrangements with me as soon as possible to discuss your
accommodations so that they may be implemented in a timely fashion. DSS
contact information: dss@rpi.edu; 518-276-819; 4226 Academy Hall.
Course
Objectives/Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course:
1. students will have the ability to explore
new approaches to the concepts of “game,” “play”, and “simulation” and start
to define alternate paradigms and expressive forms as demonstrated in the
individual and team based projects
2. students will
develop one or more of the following skills: design, art making, game
programming, or engineering strategies which merge concept, process and form
- encouraging approaches that are at once inquisitive, analytical, creative,
experimental and articulate
3. students will be able to create an archeological,
socio-cultural and ethical overview of their own history of game and toy
preferences
4. students will
demonstrate the ability to work together in trans-disciplinary teams to
conceptualize, design, produce and express ideas through game or simulation
projects
5. students will
become more articulate in the work of artists, theorists, and institutions
who engage in game creation
6. students will demonstrate their process, code, art, design and experiments
in a detailed game design document, summation overview, poster and short
video game trailer
7. students will successfully articulate informed ideas relating to the
representation of gender, race, and behavior in games and simulations and an
increased awareness of games as cultural and aesthetic artifacts as
demonstrated in class discussions and critiques and in short written reaction
papers to relevant readings and events
8. students at the 6000 level will have demonstrable
advanced understanding and ability to articulate their opinions regarding the
philosophical, theoretical, social and political ramifications of games and
in their personal game development for the course.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Required Materials
• An
active RCS account.
•
Approximately 200 GB usb drive and or high capacity
external hard drive will be necessary to back up and archive your work
• Other
materials on a project basis
• You may
be making a number of digital prints/manifestations of your work on or off
campus. The costs of digital printing vary, but be prepared to incur
approximately $25 in fabrication/material costs.
Electronic
Communication
Email:
All students are expected to have an active electronic mail account, and
should check mail at least four times a week for class information. Some
essential class information is communicated by email only.
Work Habits
Always
back-up your work frequently; that is, every time you make something you
think is worth keeping. Systems crash when least expected and you could
lose all your work. It is a good
idea to make three backups (on different media), as storage media are
sometimes unstable. Always save onto your own media or into your account as
files left on hard drives will be removed.
Also,
please keep in mind the highly addictive aspects of working with computers.
Many people lose track of time and later wonder why they have severe back, neck
and eye problems. It is a good idea to
take a rest every 15 to 20 minutes.
Look up or beyond your computer or, better still, at a long distance
to relax your eyes. Take a walk or
stretch. Fatigue can lead to
frustration. Stay in touch with your body's needs.
Try not
to harm or deface any equipment or software in any way or lose files and
folders belonging to our class or other classes.
For problems in the studio please be specific in
your email and contact: hasshelp@rpi.edu
Please
follow the guidelines for working in each studio very carefully, as you will
be held personally responsible for problems you incur. At all times please
keep the lab clean and sanitary.
Overview of Game
Design Document:
Title of the Game, Artist Statement/Philosophy/The WHY Factor (why create
this game? why would someone want to play it?), Predecessors or previous
games/ distinctive factors in this genre, Target Audience, Introduction &
Story, Immediate and long term projected socio/cultural project impact,
Delivery System & Requirements, Interface, User Interaction, The World
Layout, Level Design, Visualization (characters, flow charts), Music/ Sound
Design, Rules and Game play (Setup, Scoring (if applicable)), Program
Structure, Technical Specs (such as Physics, Rendering Systems, Lighting
Models), Implementation, Production Timeframe, Research, References and other
Features Unique to the Project.
Background needed:
Students entering the course should have a basic general awareness of
contemporary socio-cultural issues, have some exposure to interactive digital
simulation, and possess the ability for personal expression using any one or
combinations of the following: media applications, drawing, music
composition, programming, visual art, design, narration, or engineering.
Students entering this course have had varied backgrounds coming from Computer
Science, Arts, Communication & Media, Cognitive Science, Engineering, IT,
Management, and other areas.
Suggested further
readings:
Wardrip-Fruin, Noah
and Pat Harrigan, Editors. First Person: New Media as Story, Performance
and Game
Laurel, Brenda and Zimmerman, Eric, editors.
Play as Design
Saarkeesian, Anita, www.feministfrequency.com
Halter, Ed. From
Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games
Huizinga, Johan. Homo Ludens: A
study of the Play Element in Culture
Caillois, Roger. Man, Play, and Games
Schell, Jesse. The Art of Game Design
Lenoir-Lowood. Theaters Of War
Nitsche, Michael. Video Game Spaces. Image, Play, and
Structure in 3D Worlds
Adams, Ernest. Fundamentals of Game Design, Second Edition
Jenkins, Henry. Complete
Freedom of Movement: Video Games as Gendered PlaySpaces
Baudrillard, Jean. Passwords
Juul, Jesper, The Art of Failure : an Essay on the
Pain of Playing Video Games
(There are many other evolving and
emerging relevant titles of interest.
Please ask the instructor.)
|
