AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES 1/11 AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES (A CLASS IN FIVE ACTS) Term: Fall Semester, 2011 Start/End Dates: August 22 – December 7; No class Sept 5 (Labor Day), Nov 24 (Thanksgiving) Day/Times: MW mornings, 10:50 AM – 12:05 PM Room Location: COB 216 Course Blog: http://criticalgamestudies.wordpress.com Instructor: Devin Monnens Office Hours: MW, 9:30 AM-10:30 AM, 12:15 AM-3:00 PM or by appointment Email: [email protected] Texts Needed: Other texts will be available online and are listed in the course schedule. Braid [Steam; PC/Mac/Xbox/PS3 360 - $9.99] Half-Life 2 [Steam; PC $9.99]* Half-Life 2, Episode Two [Steam; PC $6.99]* *OR – You can buy both along with Portal in The Orange Box for $19.99 Another World 25th Anniversary Edition [Digital Download or CD; PC $9.99] The Path [Steam; PC $9.99]** The Graveyard [Steam; PC; Free/$4.99]** **OR - You can get the Tale of Tales bundle pack for $21.97. A Slow Year [Open Texture; PC/Mac; 27.83 after tax and shipping] Kairo [PC/Mac; $8] Course Description: AH 3000-004 – Art History of Videogames is the survey and analysis of videogames as an art form. We will cover basic foundations of critical game studies such as ludology, narratology, and historical analysis. We will be interested in discovering where the art of games lies – is it in the visuals, the subject matter, the narrative, the gameplay? Or is it in the game as a whole? What is the essence of games, and what is needed for a game to qualify as art? Course Objectives: To explore major topics behind games as art and their critical analysis as artistic and expressive works. We will better understand what makes the game an artistic medium and intersections between games and the traditional arts. You will produce critical papers that explore different aspects of games as art. As there is plenty of uncharted territory, we will be working together to create new discoveries and provide new intersections between games and art. Evaluative Criteria: You will be graded on your ability to comprehend the subject matter as well as your reflective analysis of course material and games. Finally, part of your course evaluation is based on your class participation and responses to assigned readings. About the Professor: I hold an MFA in Electronic Media Arts Design from the University of Denver. My game development experience includes game production at Sony Online Entertainment Denver and the independent development of socially conscious games, one of which is part of the international Values at Play Archive. I also am a board member of the IGDA Colorado Chapter. My interests also include Medieval Studies and Japanese. AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES 2/11 GRADING SCALE Below are the elements of the grading scale to help calculate your scores. By the end of the semester, you should have 10 journals, 3 papers, and 1 final paper (as well as not missed more than 2 classes). Grading Procedures Gameplay Journals 30% Participation & Attendance 10% Art Game Analysis Papers 30% Final Paper 30% Gameplay Journals: Each week, you will write a short (minimum 300 words) journal entry on a game we played for class discussion. Record your experiences you had playing this game as well as your interpretations of it. Don't go about rating the game; instead, think about the artist's intent, what it means, how effective the piece was, and why you chose it. Journals will be turned in at the beginning of class and are due by Wednesday. Participation & Attendance: You are responsible for all required readings. Each class, bring in two questions for discussion and to be handed in after. Consider applying them to your papers. Critical Game Papers: You will produce three critical game analysis papers using critical game studies methodology. These papers will be a minimum three pages long, but you can go over if you have something interesting to say. Remember that I want game criticism, NOT game reviews. You will be telling me something interesting about a game we played, NOT why I should buy it. Final Paper: Your final paper is a further exploration of one or more categories we discussed during the semester. This paper will be a minimum 10 pages long. You will apply this critical theory towards one game or area of study of your choosing. ***You MUST include a works cited sheet with your papers. Your works cited sheet does NOT count towards your page length. ALL papers MUST be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, and numbered with 1” margins and 0 point paragraph spacing. Otherwise, points may be deducted. The grading scale for papers is weighted as below: Grading Scale A+ = 100% A = 96% A- = 92% B+ = 88% B = 85% B- = 82% C+ = 88% (etc) Required Readings: Readings required for this class are primarily electronic documents. Digital copies of printed matter will also be provided. Your 'readings' also include digital games. Play these games before class and comment on them during the class period. You won't have to beat all of these games, but you will have to play them. Inform me before class if you are having trouble getting a game to run! I can help. A PC IS REQUIRED. There are several art games that can ONLY be played on the PC. AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES 3/11 ACT I – INTRODUCTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS Week 1 – Introductions – Are Games Art? Aug 22 – Introductions Are Games Art? Aug 24 – Background of Game Art Thomas, David. (2009). “Games are Not Art.” Crispy Gamer. http://www.crispygamer.com/features/2009-09-30/games-are-not-art.aspx Ebert, Roger. (2010). “Okay Kids, Play on My Lawn.” Sun Times. http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/07/okay_kids_play_on_my_lawn.html Week 2 – Art and Aesthetics Aug 29 – Game History Game On, The Unauthorized History of Video Games http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tOOhITaGNs – Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncgEo_yTi1Y – Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMZ3X_wAO0 – Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is02AkCuLx8 – Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7idfiqO8Ubw – Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2IDq8dd6ss – Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2IDq8dd6ss – Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oSxscsP7Xg - Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waUk4Ydx8Es – Part 9 Aug 31 – Pixel Art & 3D Art Aesthetics Sheff, David. (1999). “I, Mario.” Game Over: Press Start to Continue. Wilton, CT: GamePress. NFGMan. 2004. “The Evolution of Mario.” NFG Games. 25.Nov.2008 http://nfggames.com/games/MarioSprites/ NFGMan. 2006. “A Castlevania Sprite History.” NFG Games. 25.Nov.2008 http://nfggames.com/games/CastlevaniaSprites/ Hayward, David. 14.Oct.2005. “Videogame Aesthetics: The Future!” Gamasutra. 25.Nov.2008 http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20051014/hayward_01.shtml ACT II – ART GAMES AS CONCEPT Week 3 – Game as Symbol Sept 5 – LABOR DAY – NO CLASS AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES 4/11 Sept 7 – Game as Symbol Pacman. (Namco, 1979). http://apps.facebook.com/pacmanoriginal/ Poole, Steven. (2000). “Signs of Life.” Trigger Happy. New York: Arcade Publishing. Murray, Janet. (1997). “Games as Symbolic Dramas.” Hamlet on the Holodeck. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. The Marriage (PC, 2007). Rob Humble. http://www.rodvik.com/rodgames/marriage.html Play the game, then read the artist statement. Then play the game again. Humble, Rob. (2006). “Game Rules as Art.” The Escapist. 41. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_41/247-Game-Rules-as-Art Week 4 – Jason Rohrer Sept 12 – Passage Passage. (PC/Mac, 2007). Jason Rohrer. http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/ Rohrer, Jason. (2007). “What I was Trying to do with Passage.” HCSoftware. http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/statement.html Rohrer, Jason. (2008). “The Game Design of Art.” The Escapist. 155. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_155/4987-The-Game-Design-of-Art Sept 14 – The Creative Process Gravitation. (PC/Mac, 2008). Jason Rohrer. http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/gravitation/ Reid, Brian. (2008). “Playing Games with Balance.” The Washington Post. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/onbalance/2008/03/playing_games_with_balance.html Perfectionism. (PC, 2008). Jason Rohrer. http://downloads.escapistmagazine.com/designersnotebook/Perfectionism_v2.zip Rohrer, Jason. (2008). “Game Design Sketchbook: Perfectionism.” The Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/gamedesignsketchbook/3018-Game- Design-Sketchbook-Perfectionism Week 5 – Deconstructions and Constructions Sept 19 – Cory Arcangel You will need an NES emulator. I recommend Nestopia (v 1.4.1). http://nestopia.sourceforge.net/ - PC and Mac Super Mario Clouds. (NES, 2009). Cory Arcangel. http://www.coryarcangel.com/things-i-made/supermarioclouds/ AH 3000-004 ART HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES 5/11 I Shot Andy Warhol. (NES, 2002). Cory Arcangel. http://www.coryarcangel.com/things-i-made/ishotandywarhol/ F1 Racer Mod. (NES, 2004). Cory Arcangel. http://www.coryarcangel.com/things-i-made/f1racermod/ Arcangel, Cory. (2004). “Part II: Video Game Projects”; “Checking Tetris”; “Nintendo iPod”; “Laziness.” School of the Arts – Digital Media Center. Columbia University, New York. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/soa/dmc/cory_arcangel/ Sept 21 – Exploration Myst (Mac, 1993). Cyan: Broderbund. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-8CFun3nEw - Chapter 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvEa6fvn8Wo – Chapter 4, Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LU3ZEIZpXQ – Chapter 4, Part 2 Kairo. (PC/Mac, 2011?). Richard Perrin. http://kairo.lockeddoorpuzzle.com/ Week 6 – Game Poems Sept 26 – A Slow Year A Slow Year. (Atari VCS, 2011). Ian Bogost. Read “Introduction” and “Part I – Game Poems” in A Slow Year – Game Poems.