Prerequisite ARTM1022 4D Studio
Students will explore the design of games, the work of artists who create innovative games, and the ways in which games can be fun while also being a medium for artistic expression. Class time will include discussions, play tests, and studio time to assess and analyze a variety of games, explore history-making innovations, and discover what makes a good game through prototyping and testing. Students will be guided to devise unique rules of play and gaming mechanics and will explore connections between play and communication. Finally, students will create an original, refined, handmade board games culminating in the design of a final board game using studio and digital art techniques.
Note: This is not a course in computer programming.
Objectives
- Develop ideas / concepts / and rules for games
- Effectively communicate the rules of play for their designed game
- Create playable paper prototypes
- Engage in critical and analytical play testing of prototypes and the thinking and writing pertinent to the design of games and experience design as a whole
- Demonstrate knowledge about the concepts, history, terminology and issues related to games and play experiences
Skills to be mastered
- Table top game design & development
- Writing explicit rules
- Utilize game boards and pieces to inform implicit rules
- Understand the basics of probabilities and statistics
- Understand basic game mechanics
- Crafting, Prototyping & play-testing
- Utilize found materials and drawing to craft game worlds
- Implement play-testing using paper prototypes to test the playability of new games
- Critical thinking, problem solving, aesthetics & playability
- Apply game design principles in developing and evaluating games
- Give and receive criticism that improves the game play, interactivity and aesthetics of a game/ interactive experience, and that respects the dignity of players, clients and colleagues
Required Materials
- Sketchbook
- Pens, Colored Pencils
- Game Maker’s Kit
- Dice – Multiple 6-sided dice
- Poker Chips – White to be used as game pieces
- Paper – Various sizes and colors
- Notecards – 3×5
- Tokens – Glass beads, beans, checkers, coins, meeples
- Timer – Egg timer
- Storage box – A tackle or art box to carry supplies
Required Book
- Selinker, Mike. Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, Open Design LLC, 2011 ISBN-10: 1936781042
Optional Books
- Eric Zimmerman, Katie Salen. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, MIT Press, 2003
- Hofer, Margaret K. The Games We Played: The golden age of board and table games, Princeton Architectural Press, 2003
Grading (to be gamified in class)
- Game Ideas 15% – For 5 weeks students must come to class and present 5 new game ideas.
- Game Prototyping / Play testing 25% – students must prototype and play test 3 of their initial ideas
- Game Development 35% – students must fully develop 1 of their prototypes into a polished game
- Student Presentations 15% – each student must pick any game (video or table top) to research, then do a 5 minute presentation on it’s game play, i.e. rules, mechanics, learning curve, fun factor, narrative etc. as well as the game’s history and evolution
- Critique and Participation 10% – each student will be expected to participate in discussions, play tests and critiques.