Module: GDT4004-20 Critical Play

Level: 4

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: James TerKeurst

Module Tutor Contact Details: j.terkeurst@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

Game Jams are popular events in the game development community where original  ideas are tried out through rapid prototyping and collaboration. Individuals or small  teams challenge themselves to create a game or interactive experience over a set  timespan - normally between a weekend and two weeks. Game Jams are a safe  place to learn, and taking risks with new ideas and technologies is encouraged. A  'theme' is often set by facilitators to provide creative inspiration and constraints that  serve to expedite the design process and promote divergent thinking. 

The aim of this module is to build your experience of the type of rapid prototyping  practices used in the games industry, while also giving you the space to start finding  your style or ‘creative voice’ as a game developer by trying out several ideas.  Creating a prototype helps you to decide whether it is worth your time and effort to  pursue a game concept, or not. Game Jam is designed to show you that it is ok to fail  - yet it’s best to do so quickly and not dwell on ideas that either don’t excite you,  aren’t compelling to others, aren’t feasible to develop or are limited in their originality.  

In this module you work within the ‘game jam’ format to realise several games  concepts in quick succession. By rapidly prototyping, iterating and playtesting  regularly, you’ll come up with multiple ideas that you may wish to develop further - either later on in the course, or as an adjunct to it. You engage the importance of  scope management and its ability to help you home in on the critical feature(s) of a  game concept, while gaining an understanding of the need for game developers to be  comfortable with experimenting and learning from mistakes. Using appropriate  technical tools to manage technical overheads, you create a portfolio of prototypes  with accompanying critical reflections. As part of this you have the opportunity to play  games made by peers, and gain experience in how to give and receive feedback that  is constructive, targeted and informed by critical theory.

2.Outline syllabus

Outline syllabus 

● Developing a tool kit for rapid prototyping 

● Iterative design 

● Scope management 

● Time management 

● Ideation strategies

● Utilising a design prompt (or theme) 

● Playtesting 

● Gathering and acting on feedback 

● Experimentation with concepts and materials 

● Learning from failure 

● Reviewing, adapting and discarding ideas 

● Exploration of game development tools 

● Presentation skills 

● Reflective writing 

● Collaborative practice

3.Teaching and learning activities

Class Hours 

In this module you participate in a series of short game jams. Class hours are studio  based in which processes of ideation, prototyping, testing, and technical development  are supported by both tutors and peers. Game jams are short and focused, so  regularly assessing the scope of projects is key. Time in class is lent to reviewing  work in progress, identifying ‘good ideas’, and considering ways of adapting concepts  to meet the constraints of time and team experience.  

Independent Learning 

Game Jams are a central activity in game developer communities. They require  enthusiasm, collaboration and dedication. You should expect to devote plenty of time  to experimenting with the game making tools and techniques introduced in class. We  expect you to manage independent working where required, but also to communicate  effectively with classmates on collaborative projects. 

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Coursework

• Description: Portfolio of prototypes. With accompanying reflective journal.

• % Weighting: 100%