MDDN 243 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GAME DESIGN Course Outline Trimester 2, 2016

GENERAL

Trimester 2; 20 points

ASSESSMENT

100% internal by assignment Note: Any hand-in dates scheduled in the exam period are tentative until the official exam timetable is available.

CLASS TIMES AND LOCATIONS

STUDIO: Mondays 12:40 – 15:30 Room: WG4.01 Media Design Lab Thursdays 12:40 – 15:30 Room: WG4.01 Media Design Lab

COORDINATOR

Coordinator Peter Freer WG 408 463 6234 Office Hours: Friday 11:30 – 12:30 [email protected]

For Tutor details please visit the course blog via: blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

COMMUNICATION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Any changes or additions to this Course Outline will be discussed and agreed with the class, and conveyed via email or through the course blog on the School of Design Teaching and Learning website: blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

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PRESCRIPTION

MDDN243 is a production and theory course, focusing on understanding the wider significance of computer gaming, and the game prototyping techniques of smaller scale "indie" or independent game development. Students explore the industry-based practice of combining game design, game programming and game art production when building their own games in groups.

COURSE CONTENT

The course aims to enable students to develop the visual and technical vocabulary necessary for game design, and to encourage students to pursue and demonstrate individual research into different aspects of game development. Students will have the opportunity to complete a series of exercises in creating, analysing and evaluating game projects, and to present their research concepts and designs. Students are encouraged to consider the wider implications of our increasingly ubiquitous gaming culture, and to critically examine, analyse and engage with this new paradigm in a creative manner.

These skills combined with the unique challenge of working in group assignments is reflective of industry practice and will give students a good overview of the skills and tasks necessary of smaller-scale “indie” or independent game development.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Develop and execute basic game development skills and best practises towards creating imaginative and innovative design solutions; 2. Reinforce critical game design explorations as a dynamic medium by understanding the history and impact of games that have evolved to encompass such a large part of our social lexicon; 3. Understand the role of the designer in communicating to an audience, and the larger social role that comes with the ability to communicate to a large audience; 4. Convincingly communicate game design concepts with clarity and insight in written, and particularly, visual formats; 5. Develop group management skills and experience working in multidisciplinary groups with a variety of talents and abilities.

TEACHING FORMAT

The two sessions per week will include lectures as well as practical tutorials, group critiques and individual mentoring. Students are expected to attend all weekly sessions. This is a tightly packed course, so any absences could potentially result in a large setback. Any potential absences should be communicated to the course coordinator via e-mail prior to the missed class. Additionally, students may seek assistance from the course coordinator and tutors during office hours or by making appointments.

Group Work: Project 3 is a group project. While the entire project involves teamwork, the project partners are responsible for recording their individual project input. Project 3 counts 40% of a student’s final course grade. 15% of the P3 grade will be a group mark, while 25% will be an individual mark.

All course materials, project descriptions, important dates, reference materials and required readings will be available on the course blog, located on the School of Design Teaching and Learning website, see: blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

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WORKLOAD

Attendance and participation is an important aspect of the learning process, and you are required to attend all lectures and tutorials.

If extraordinary circumstances arises that require you to be absent from some class sessions, you should discuss the situation with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible.

You should be expect to spend of around 200 hours on this course, including both scheduled class time and independent study. Typically this involves around 10-15 hours per week during the twelve teaching weeks, with the balance during the mid trimester break, study week, and examination period.

Please check out the link below with information on Studio Courses: www.victoria.ac.nz/fad/faculty-administration/current-students#studioculturepolicy

Students with course timetable clashes are responsible for discussing these with their Course Coordinators. Students who then choose to remain enrolled in such courses must recognise that it is their sole responsibility to seek information from peers, Blackboard and other sources, and catch up on course material they may miss because of clashes. ASSESSMENT

Assessment items and workload per item Due % CLO(s) 1 HUMAN-POWERED GAMES: A Game Mechanics Compendium 04.08 30% 1, 2

2 ‘TALKING POINT : Creating a digitally facilitated game prototype 08.09 30% 1, 2, 3 3 ‘THE NEW ARCADE’: Group game design and development 13.10 40% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

All work submitted for this course must be original and developed for this course only, unless prior approval is gained from the course coordinator to further develop existing work from previous or concurrent courses. The School has a long tradition of providing critical review of student work as it progresses especially in design projects. For further information please refer to the Website below: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/fad/faculty-administration/current-students/faqs All grades posted during this course are only provisional results until entered on your student record in Banner

Project Descriptions: For clarity, all details and specifics regarding individual project and SPA hand-in requirements will be made available during lectures and in the MDDN243 Course Content section on Blackboard: blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

Project 1: Human-powered games | 4 weeks | Assessment 30%

Before diving into the deeper, technical aspects of , first it is important to understand and apply the formal aspects of game design without the hindrance of technology. This will allow a clearer understanding of the differences between game design, game development, and how it relates to video game design.

This first project is a compendium of 3 micro-assignments, each roughly a week in length. They offer an opportunity to learn the basics of designing games, establish the processes required to work effectively and promote the design thinking and research associated with the field.

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Part a: Modification – ‘Fix’ a broken game 10% The best entry into game design is to modify existing games. For this section, students will each take an existing simple tabletop game and modify it to create a new game. Students will learn about game mechanics, meaningful decisions and communicating rulesets Part b: Thematic design – design a tabletop game prototype from an existing real-world experience 10% Game mechanics and theme have an interplay which is deeply important for generating meaning. For this section students will each design a tabletop game based around a randomly selected thematic event, they will design a game prototype which effectively represents the event through abstracted gameplay mechanics. Part c: The toy - Game mechanics research 10% The core of any videogame is a playable toy in which gameplay and a meta-game is built around. This final section offers an entry into understanding digital games - each student will research one main game and two supporting (similar) games, analysing the core game mechanics and structure. Focusing on how the mechanics function within the in-game economy, how they are meaningful to the player and within the system, and what meaning is generated through play. Students will present their research findings in an oral presentation.

Project 2: Talking Point | 5 weeks (Inc. 2 weeks MTB) | Assessment 30%

Games can promote and reinforce useful real-world skills – team work, communication, management, creative problem solving etc. Serious Games is a growing area in which games are used to train or educate users rather than purely entertain. For this project, students will each design a multiplayer game prototype that focusses on using the inter-communication between players as a core gameplay mechanic, with the goal to promote effective group communication and dynamics.

A game is not the medium in which it exists in, rather the medium facilitates the play - based on this premise, the game prototype will utilise an interactive digital application, created in Unity, to facilitate a core aspect of the gameplay. This project offers the entry point into learning the basics of digital game creation using the popular game engine Unity.

Project 3: The New Arcade | 6 weeks | Assessment 40% (15% group, 25% individual)

Professional game design, from large and well-known companies in the industry, to experimental indie and serious game production, is inherently a group-work activity. Working in a team allows the individuals to function symbiotically as a larger entity. This entity has the potential to achieve far more than the best efforts of the individual. Much of this is due to the division of labour and the creative benefits of developing ideas within a team dynamic. Capitalizing on these same strengths, while also providing a professional model of instruction, this final project will be achieved through group work. As a team you will design, document, and present a complete video arcade game to be played using a rigidly defined control setup consisting of Joystick and buttons. The team-developed game will be based on the theme of relationship and builds on from concepts explored in Project 1 and 2.

Playtesting is an expected and important aspect of the game design process; as such students are expected to fully participate in the play-testing of their own games and those of other students regularly in and out of the studio sessions.

SUBMISSION AND RETURN OF WORK

The general Media Design video specifications for submissions are:

1. Resolution of the video is to be 1920x1080 px (1080p), compressed using the H.264 codec, and exported in the QuickTime file (.mov) or MPEG-4 (.mp4) format.

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2. If you did not create the audio yourself, the music/audio has to be either appropriately accredited through Creative Commons or Public Domain audio, or you have acquired rights for educational/commercial reproduction.

3. Credits should be added at the end of the video, and include:

· Name of student · Name of Project · Year of work · Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design · Appropriate audio accreditation · Anyone who has helped in any way

Alternative video formats need to be discussed with the course coordinator before submission.

Each student is responsible for ensuring their work is submitted to their Course Tutor or Course Coordinator on time and in the required format.

Work submitted late must be submitted to the Course Coordinator. Late submissions will be penalised as set out below, unless an extension is approved by the Course Coordinator.

EXTENSIONS

In the event of illness or other extraordinary circumstances that prevent you from submitting and/or presenting a piece of work on time, or that you feel adversely affect the quality of the work you submit, it is important that you discuss your circumstances with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements may be made. You should complete an Application for Extension form (available from the Faculty Office) for the Course Coordinator to approve. You will also need to provide suitable evidence of your illness or other circumstances. In an emergency, or if you are unable to contact the Course Coordinator, you should advise the Faculty Office of your situation.

PENALTIES

If no extension has been approved, the following penalties will be applied:

 Failure to personally present work at any scheduled graded review will result in an automatic failing grade of E (maximum mark of 39%) for the work being reviewed;  Work submitted late will receive a failing grade of E (maximum mark of 39%);  Any work not submitted within 5 working days of the due date will be recorded as a non-submission (0%).

REQUIRED MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Students will need to provide all materials and equipment as necessary for the completion of required work. Please check the website link below for the standard requirements: www.victoria.ac.nz/fad/faculty-administration/current-students/faqs#materialsandequipment

Required:  USB memory stick or comparable digital storage medium,  Pen and notepad / notebook / sketchbook. Desirable:

 Laptop (with free educational versions of Maya 2016 , Unity and the Adobe Creative Suite

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 external disc drive (highly recommended)  headphones

 digital photo camera Additional Costs: Variable.

RECOMMENDED READING

Bogost, I. (2007). Persuasive games : the expressive power of videogames. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Koster, R. (2006). A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Scottsdale, Arizona: Paraglpyh Press. Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2003). Rules of play : game design fundamentals. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2003). The Game Design Reader : A Rules of Play Anthology, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: a book of lenses. Burlington, Massachusetts: Morgan Kaufmann

Recommend Playing Mobile 868-HACK (iOS, PC, Michael Brough) Canabalt HD (iOS, Android, SemiSecret Software) Crossy Road (iOS, Android, WinPhone, Hipster Whales) Desert Golf (iOS, Android, Justin Smith) Device 6 (iOS, Simogo) Downwell (iOS, PC, DevolverDigital) Her Story (iOS, PC, Sam Barlow) Jetpack Joyride (iOS, Android, Halfbrick Studios) Monument Valley (iOS, Android, WinPhone, USTWO) Punch Quest (iOS, Android, RocketCat Games) Ridiculous Fishing (iOS, Android, Studios) Robot Unicorn Attack 2 (iOS, Android, PikPok Interactive) Space team (iOS, Android, Sleeping Beast Games) Super Hexagon (iOS, Android, BlackBerry, PC) Tiny Wings (iOS, Andreas Illinger) (iOS, Android,PC, Ashley Vogel)

Desktop/Console Crypt of the Necrodancer (PC, Mac, Ryan Clark) Keep Talking and No-one Explodes (PC, Mac, Steel Crate Games) Hearthstone (PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Blizzard) (PC, Mac, Cactus/Dennis Wendin) Nidhogg (PC, Mac, PS4, messhof)) (PC, PS4, Vlambeer) Mini-Metro (PC, Mac, iOS, Dino Polo Club) Papers, Please (Windows, Mac, Lucas Pope) (PC, Xbox, PS3, PS4, Derek Yu)

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SCHEDULE OF SESSIONS Week month day date item location time Comments Week 28 M 11 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 Trimester 2 begins July TU 12 W 13 TH 14 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 15 Week 29 M 18 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 July TU 19 W 20 TH 21 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 22 Withdrawal refund This is the last date you can withdraw from a Tri 2 course with a full refund. Week 30 M 25 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 July TU 26 W 27 TH 28 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 29 Week 31 M 1 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 August TU 2 W 3 TH 4 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 P1 Presentation/Submission F 5 Week 32 M 8 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 August TU 9 W 10 TH 11 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 12 Week 33 M 15 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 August TU 16 W 17 TH 18 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 19 Week 34 M 22 Mid-trimester break August TU 23 W 24 TH 25 F 26 Week 35 M 29 August/ TU 30 September W 31 TH 1 F 2 Mid-trimester break ends Week 36 M 5 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 September TU 6 W 7 TH 8 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 P2 Presentation/Submission F 9 Week 37 M 12 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 September TU 13 W 14 TH 15 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 16 Week 38 M 19 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 September TU 20 W 21 TH 22 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 23 Course Withdrawal After this date the Associate Dean’s approval is required for 7

withdrawal from Tri 2 Courses. Week 39 M 26 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 September TU 27 W 28 TH 29 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 30 Week 40 M 3 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 October TU 4 W 5 TH 6 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 F 7 Week 41 M 10 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 October TU 11 W 12 TH 13 Studio WG 4.01 12:40-15:30 P3 Presentation/Submission F 14 Week 42 M 17 Study/Examination Period October TU 18 W 19 TH 20 F 21 Examination Period Week 43 M 24 Labour Day – Public Holiday October TU 25 W 26 TH 27 F 28 Week M 31 Oct/Nov TU 1 W 2 TH 3 F 4 Week 45 M 7 November TU 8 W 9 TH 10 F 11 S 12 Examination period ends

CLASS REPRESENTATIVES

The Faculty of Architecture and Design operates a system of Class Representatives in 100- courses, and Year Representatives in each of the professional disciplines. Student Representatives are elected during a class session in the first week of teaching. All Student Representatives will be listed on the STUDiO notice board in the Atrium, and the relevant Representatives are also listed on studio notice boards. Student Representatives have a role in liaising between staff and students to represent the interests of students to the academic staff, and also in providing students with a communication channel to STUDiO and the Student Representation organiser.

Class Rep name and contact details:

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STUDENT FEEDBACK

No significant changes to this course have been made as the feedback from the last cohort indicated that students found the content and structure of the course supported their learning.

Student feedback on University courses may be found at www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/feedback/feedback_display.php.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The information above is specific to this course. There is other important information that students must familiarise themselves with, including:

 Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: www.victoria.ac.nz/home/study/plagiarism  Academic Progress: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/students/study/progress/academic-progress (including restrictions and non-engagement)  Dates and deadlines: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/students/study/dates  Faculty Current Students site: www.victoria.ac.nz/fad/faculty-administration/current-students  Grades: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/students/study/progress/grades  Special passes: Refer to the Assessment Handbook, at http://www.victoria.ac.nz/documents/policy/staff- policy/assessment-handbook.pdf  Statutes and policies including the Student Conduct Statute: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/about/governance/strategy  Student support: www.victoria.ac.nz/students/support  Students with disabilities: www.victoria.ac.nz/st_services/disability  Student Charter: www.victoria.ac.nz/home/viclife/student-charter  Terms and Conditions: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/study/apply-enrol/terms-conditions/student-contract  Turnitin: www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/wiki/index.php/Turnitin  University structure: www.victoria.ac.nz/about/governance/structure  VUWSA: www.vuwsa.org.nz

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