Dec. 5, 2023
Hello, since the weekly readings have become a bit disorganized I decided to post the final readings for weekly reflections here. You should have a total of 10 responses and you can number them 01 - 10 for credit. They need to be added to your blog beofre finals week.
Reading Nine: Salen + Zimmerman, Rules of Play, Chapter 4 on Design Here
Reading Ten: Playtesting, read pages 248 - 255, Pozzi & Zimmerman Here
Also, here is a flyer for Game Night. Feel free to share with friends.
Note: I will bring a printer to class this week. You may use the printer. We will review packaging and presentation for games (how to make boxes, etc).
Week Eleven:
Break
Week Ten:
LOCATION | SITE BASED GAME:
Please write a short description of your experience creating a game during class today. If you were out this assignment can be substituted with by volunteering to organize our GAME NIGHT: All Our Messy Games - December 7th @ 6PM
RESOURCES:
INKSAPCE https://inkscape.org
PROCESSING https://processing.org
THE CODING TRAIN https://thecodingtrain.com
THE NOUN PROJECT https://thenounproject.com
CANVA https://www.canva.com
METAHUMAN https://metahuman.unrealengine.com/mhc
SOUL MACHINES https://www.soulmachines.com
PROJECTION MAPPING EXAMPLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3iIOpijMV4
ADOBE https://stock.adobe.com
PHOTOS https://unsplash.com
Week Nine:
Reading: Gee, J.P. Good Videgames, The Human Mind and Good Learning, Introduction
Narrative Project:
Using a story from the Brothers Grimm create a game that has the narrative at the center. You may use any of these: Grimm. Incorporate some non-digital narrative games and the strategies
Once Upon a Time: an example of a game with a "creative user problem" that lives or dies based on how likely players are to jump in and start telling their own stories. If nobody's in the mood to be creative and make things up, the game can fall flat.
Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective: an avalanche of embedded content; players poring over authored material as gameplay process; they actually are detectives
Arabian Nights: another game with a lot of embedded content, and a choose-your-own-adventure feel (with additional mechanics, and competition)
The Resistance or Shadows Over Camelot: narrative that emerges out of players being assigned to roles (traitor, etc)
Pandemic: design that focuses primarily on simulating a complex system (the spread of disease) and then gives players roles (specialists on a CDC-style team) to thrust them into that world
Lord of the Rings (Knizia): relying on an existing well-known story world allows a nuanced simulation of that fantasy world's rules (the mechanics of the "Ring") that players will "get" very quickly if they know the story
Cash n Guns: emergent drama created through very simple player roles, and a lot of social dynamics
Week Eight:
This week I have been sick and I am being caution not to spread the sickness. I will be moving class online for this Thursday 11/8. You can join here:
Haverford College
Thursday, November 9 · 12:00 – 6:00pm
Time zone: America/New_York
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jfm-veou-omc
Or dial: (US) +1 413-370-4243 PIN: 672 572 242#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/jfm-veou-omc?pin=9044482276615
Reading: Salen, K. and Zimmerman, E. (2004) - Rules of Play - Ch. 2
Reading Response:
For each assigned reading, complete a short reading reflection (~100 words). This should summarize and critique the main points of the text, as well as draw connections to other texts and ideas introduced through this course.
Week Seven:
Reading: Rules of Play: Ch. 27: Games as the Play of Simulation
Assignment: Social/Emotional Game
We have studied a number of the social and emotional exercises:
1. What the main core interaction was for each game.
2. What was the "engine" of social interaction or emotional that made the game run?
3. How do games create social gameplay and emotive response?
For example:
Zen Counting: COLLABORATION + ANTICIPATION/RELIEF
Five Fingers: POLITICS + SUSPENSE
What are some social and emotional experiences that you have felt playing a game. The emotions should have to do with a relationship between the players or the player and the media. For example, not “fear” but “suspicion” – not “joy” but “camaraderie.”
For the assignment finish your Scratch Game from class, and focus on the social play or emotions that happen between people who are playing your game (either playing a two person game or watching gameplay together) or you may consider what happens when a player is interacting with the game system alone.
Social and emotional experience are little more complex and contextual than fundamental emotions like anger, fear, happiness, calm, sadness, etc. Games will be graded on how well the social and/or emotions are evoked through playing. Try to play test your game with other before the next class.
You may submit your final project by adding the link to your project in Scratch or Export the final using this website: https://thetimetube.herokuapp.com/scratchviewer/
Week Six:
Resources from last class:
Scratch Code for Virtual Pets
Lecture on Personality
Sign up to meet with me here
Resources for our Final Project Please complete the pre-work activity only.
Reading for next class (Due 10/26): here
Enjoy Fall Break!
Week Five: Reading
Chapter 24: Games as the Play of Pleasure
Resources from last class:
Lecture
Emotions:
Reading Response:
For each assigned reading, complete a short reading reflection (~100 words). This should summarize and critique the main points of the text, as well as draw connections to other texts and ideas introduced through this course.
Additional Thinking:
Use this week to consider some games you may want to create for this course. We will be working together to create one digital or non-digital game.
Week Four:
Next week I will be away, use this class time as a lab and create your mechanics game.
Week Four: Readings
Rules of Play: Chapter 19: Games as Game Theory Systems
Reading Response:
For each assigned reading, complete a short reading reflection (~100 words). This should summarize and critique the main points of the text, as well as draw connections to other texts and ideas introduced through this course. Please share your course website here.
Assignment:
A game’s mechanics are the rules and procedures that guide the player and outlines the reward and response system - based on the player’s moves or actions. Through the mechanics you define how the game is going to work. The mechanics describe rules the player follows and the rules the game itself follows.
Create a game that uses One Material constraint and One Structural constraint.
You may work individually or as a team.
Your game may be a language game, a sound game, a physical game, a digital game. This is an open assignment - but this is a very simple game and should be used for ice-breakers or casual play. You may modify an existing game.
The game should not last longer than 20 minutes.
Brainstorm your game idea. Here is a good tool to use here.
Review the constraints here.
Make your game and playtest your game. Watch this video to consider what makes sense for your test here.
Post your game rules onto your course website. You can add videos of people playing the game - that would be helpful too see.
Resources from last class:
Week Three: Lecture
Week Three: Readings
Rules of Play: Chapter 15: Games as Systems of Uncertainty
Rules of Play: Chapter 18: Games as Cybernetic Systems
Reading Response:
For each assigned reading, complete a short reading reflection (~100 words). This should summarize and critique the main points of the text, as well as draw connections to other texts and ideas introduced through this course.
Assignment:
For the next game you design you will be asked to pick one structural constraint and one material constraint. Pick one from each category before our next class.
Structural constraints: here (play one game listed in your category of choice).
Material constraints: here
Week Two: Lecture
Week Two: Readings
Rules of Play Chapter 3 (meaningful play via Huizinga, discernable and integrated actions)
Rules of Play, Chapter 6 (definitions of interactivity, designing interactivity, choice-outcome molecules, anatomy of a choice, communication & feedback, possibility space)
Week Two: Assignment
We will upload this onto a Google Website together in session 03.
Reading Response:
For each assigned reading, complete a short reading reflection (~100 words). This should summarize and critique the main points of the text, as well as draw connections to other texts and ideas introduced through this course.
2. Project Assignment: Modify an existing (broken) card game
Pick one of the following card games: GAMES TO MODIFY
War (the card game, standard rules)
DUO
Memory
G.O.P.S.
Play the card games once or twice with friends
Assignment:
THINK: doesn't work about the game?
THINK: What does work about the game?
DESIGN: a variation to create meaningful play for the players. A variation must be different enough that someone from outside the class wouldn't describe the game as "just a different version" of the original game.
SUBMIT: {DUE BEOFRE MIDTERM} - Name, title of the new card game, a set of new rules, and bring any materials needed for the game (for example, dice...). We will be playing your games in the next class.
Week One: Lecture
Syllabus Here