ARTM3720 Game Design Studio 2

Prerequisite ARTM2710

Students will expand their knowledge gained in Game Design Studio 1 and move from making good games to making meaningful games. Class time will include discussions, play tests, and studio time to conceptualize, design and evaluate game-like experiences devised to instruct or persuade for strategic or research purposes, as well as to explore innovations in design that allow interactive narratives to create meaningful experiences far beyond the end of the game itself. 

“Serious games” have become vital to widespread industries and domains such as higher education, finance, public health communication, information security, and defense. The course will culminate in a serious game developed from a brief – from the process of identifying user needs based upon domain knowledge, to play testing and outcome evaluation with the target audience. Students will research the design objectives of a range of successful serious games and cognitive simulations, analyzing and assessing the effectiveness of their narrative structures, motivation, and evaluation metrics. Students will also engage in domain research to create their own meaningful games – a series of original, handmade board games culminating in the design of a final board or hypertext game using studio and digital art techniques. 

Note: This is not a course in computer programming but in the creative processes behind the development of meaningful games and game-like experiences that help educate, persuade, and do other kinds of work for people and organizations.

Objectives:

  1. Understand and apply the appropriate motivation framework for a given meaningful game experience or domain application.
  2. Illustrate how games may be used to persuade, test hypotheses, introduce concepts, practice skills, and assess proficiency
  3. Research and evaluate successful serious games or simulations based on published objectives and audience needs
  4. Conceptualize, implement, and iterate upon a series of working serious games or simulations
  5. Engage in critical and analytical play testing – considering both parameters that improve the game experience and the delivery of the underlying message, call to action, or user skill being evaluated

Required Class Texts and Materials

  • Sketchbook
  • Pens, Colored Pencils
  • Game Materials
    • 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
    • Timer – Egg timer
    • Storage box – A tackle or art box to carry supplies

Suggested Texts

  • Eric Zimmerman, Katie Salen. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, MIT Press, 2003
  • Flanagan, Mary. Critical Play Radical Game Design, MIT Press, 2009
  • Bogost, Ian. Persuasive Games: The expressive power of videogames, MIT Press, 2007

Projects & Grading

  • Game Ideas 15% – Students must come to class each week and present a meaningful game idea.
  • Game Prototyping / Play testing 25% – students must prototype and play test at least 3 of their initial ideas
  • Game Development 35% – students must fully develop 1 of their prototypes into a polished game
  • Student Podcast 15% – each student must pick a persuasive or meaningful game/ game designer (video or table top) to research, then do a 10 to 15 minute podcast discussing it’s game play, i.e. rules, mechanics, learning curve, fun factor, narrative etc. as well as the game’s intended meaning.
  • Critique and Participation 10% – each student will be expected to participate in discussions, play tests and critiques.