1.23 Week 1 Motivation
- Discuss: Sequels, Painstation, Getting Over It
- Play: Calvin Ball https://calvinandhobbes.fandom.com/wiki/Calvinball
- Homework:
- in teams of 3 generate 5 game ideas for games that do not have an explicit end state, exploring viral spread and changeable rules)
- Post thoughts on what we played in class
- Read/Play: Cow Clicker, http://bogost.com/writing/blog/cow_clicker_1/, The Graveyard, Townscaper https://youtu.be/hqq25n6cQqo?si=leLV3KMoWNIXzbaM
- Questions:
- What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker?
- How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?
- How do social games destroy time outside of the game?
1.30 Week 2 Persuade
- Discuss:
- Advergames – Pepsi Man, Sneak King, Chex Quest, M&M Kart Racing, America’s Army
- Awareness Games – Vote!!!, Darfur is Dying
- Play:
- In Class Pitch – one of your endless game ideas (wrinkle – now make it a persuasive game)
- Homework:
- generate 5 new game ideas that explore changing players minds about … (climate change, energy, politics, etc.)
- Post thoughts on what we played in class
- Read: Advergames from Bogost, Ian. Persuasive Games: The expressive power of videogames
- what advergames have you played? did they influence a purchase?
- why do the advergames tooth protector and escape work? What makes chase the chuckwagon and shark bait fail?
- what does volvo’s drive for life accomplish?
- what company used in-advergame advertising
- what was one if the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for?
- what makes the toilet training game sophisticated and do you agree?
- what do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share?
2.6 Week 3 Games for Change
- Discuss:
- ARGs: A World Without Oil
- Discovery Tour by Assassin’s Creed
- Detroit Become Human
- Factorio
- Outer wilds
- Gris
- Gone Home
- The Layoff Game
- Play:
- Homework:
- Post thoughts on what we played in class
- Generate a list of five potential problems/issues that can be address using game play. Note, this week do not come up with ideas for games or mechanics.
- Read: Excerpts from Flanagan, Mary. Critical Play Radical Game Design, MIT Press, 2009
2.13 Week 4 Serious Games
- Discuss: Train, Crosser & La Migra, Ludoztil, Oregon Trail, Last Resort
- Play:
- Crossing the Bridge
- Observance
- Homework:
- Post thoughts on what we played in class
- Read:
- Amy Bruckman “Can Education be Fun?” (1999)
- Ian Bogost “Gamification is Bullshit” (2011)
- Matthew Farber, “Why Serious Games Are Not Chocolate-Covered Broccoli” (2014)
2.20 Week 5 Simulation
- Playtest Game 1
- Discuss: Doctrine – Cognitive Task Analysis, Full Spectrum Warrior, Medical Simulation
- Play: Keep Talking and No-one Explodes
- Homework:
- Post thoughts on what we played in class
- Conduct a task analysis of an existing game
- Read:
- Brian Winn, Carrie Heeter, “Resolving Conflicts in Educational Game Design through Playtesting“ Innovate: Journal of Online Education Volume 3, Number 2, December 2006
2.27 Week 6 Post Podcasts
3.13 Week 7 Prototype Game 2
3.20 Week 8 Playtest Game 2
- Playtest Game 2
- Discuss: Assessment/After Action Review
- Play: Keep Talking and No-one Explodes
- Homework:
- Read: Chen, S. and Michael, D. Proof of Learning: Assessment in Serious Games.
3.27 Week 9 Refine Game 2
4.3 Week 10 Playtest Game 2
4.10 Week 11 Prototype Game 3
4.17 Week 12 Playtest Game 3
4.24 Week 13 Refine Game 3
5.1 Week 14 Playtest Game 3
Final Play Test of fully developed game
5.8 Week 15 Final Presentations between 8:00 to 10:00am
Final Play Test of fully developed game