GAM 424 Game Design Workshop
Summary
GAM 424
Game Design Workshop
Explorations in Game Design
Thursdays: 5:45pm to 9:00pm
Room 1511 Lewis building.
Instructor: Allen Turner
Summary:
This course is an extension of the processes begun and discussed in GAM 224 and GAM 399 and is aimed at a more extensive examination of core experiences as well as the design process as it leads toward the development of a usable game design document and a presentation of solid examples of how the game is expected to play. Students will be expected to conceive of a number of varied game ideas and develop a subset of them using the development exercises provided in class. Students will be expected to document their progress and submit works in progress for peer review weekly.
In this class students will spend time examining such ideas as "Core Experience",Flow, Scope, Feedback, Narrative pacing, Revelation, and a number of other design ideas that are partly measurable and partly introspective. As always in my classes the emphasis is on the design of the game and it's play and not programming or graphics. Students are welcome to bring any skills they have to bear, however they are expected keep in mind that the ultimate goal is a playable core game experience. Students will use physical prototyping in many cases as proof of the functionality of core systems for their games.
Students will be asked to present design papers that compare their proposed ideas to existing games available on the market as well as examine the particular design styles and the influences of a number of designers past and present.
The final project will be the development of a game design, with a predetermined theme, as a team. The limits of the game design and themes available will be discussed in class. Students will have the last 4 weeks of class to develop the idea and have a playable, very detailed, prototype which will be presented on the last day of class.
Texts
The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses
by Jesse Schnell
ISBN 978-0-12-369496-6
Prerequisites
Students are expected to follow instructions and know how to find information and locate school services. All assignments that are typed are expected to be turned in on Colweb in addition to any classroom presentation requirements. I WILL NOT be chasing people down to get things on Colweb at the end of the quarter. Please take responsibility for your work. All typed assignments on Colweb can be submitted in any of the following formats:
.docx
.doc
.rtf
.odt
.wpd
.txt (as a last resort)
.pdf
.html
Grading will be based on a number of things that include but are not limited too:
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In class participation of topical discussion
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Completion of homework assignments
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The ability to follow instructions
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The ability to ask for help when stumped
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The ability to be critiqued by their peers
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The ability to provide useful critique to others
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The ability to explore ideas in a team environment
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The ability to explore different approaches to an idea on one's own
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The ability to break down an idea into it's essential bits and pieces and reconstruct it in different interactive media and for different interaction styles.
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The ability to design for people outside yourself.
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The quality of class projects.
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The completeness of game ideas presented.
These are all skills I believe to be essential to a good game designer, and it is our goal in this class to work towards developing them as much as we can in the 10 weeks allotted.
If you have a problem or expect to have a problem with class that you feel will affect your ability to attend or complete some assigned work please come and talk to me. Don't wait until the problem has compromised you learning. We can usually find a workaround if we put our heads together.
Finally, on the first day we will introduce ourselves, play some games, and I'll get a general assessment of the overall skill level of the class through that and the first assignments. I will provide a week to week breakdown after I have that assessment. Come to class prepared to talk, play, and create.
Grading
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296