Syllabus Winter 2020

DIGM 530: Advanced Game Design I

Winter Term 2019/20

Meeting Time: Tuesdays 15:30 – 18:20, URBN Center 206

Instructor: Prof. Stefan Rank [stefan.rank (AT) drexel.edu]

Office Hours: by appointment

Course Description

This class is part of a two-course graduate-level sequence (with DIGM 531 Advanced Game Design II). The two courses cover game design principles and provide hands-on experience in team-based games design and development. The course sequence also investigates research issues in gaming including modeling, animation, storytelling, programming, and user interface design for various markets, devices, and purposes. Students will work in teams to research, plan, and implement an area of gaming that contributes to expanding the knowledge-base of the field.

The main purpose of this course is to prepare students with the necessary skills for designing and developing as well as conducting research for complex games and the main goal is to, eventually, produce research suitable for published papers, projects, and presentations. During the first course, in particular, student teams iteratively design and test their game prototypes, which can be expanded to full production, or serve as platform for research, in the second course in the sequence.

Learning Objectives

To develop your knowledge and skills of:

• • Game design principles

  • Iterative design & development skills

  • Game production skills

  • Team-based organization and communication skills

Format

Classes will be a combination of presentations, class discussions, individual and group assignments, and lab. Class participation is an important part of your evaluation and grade. In addition, students will be required to work in teams outside of class, doing research online and in books and journals, and hands-on exposure to various video games.

Students will chose a research topic, and develop a proof-of-concept game in this area. Students will also investigate public submission of this research area through either publication or display or contest. At the end of DIGM531 Advanced Game Design 2, the final submission can be a research paper on the subject.

In class presentations (see the grading system for criteria):

• For the small group / individual project: every student presents their game design and prototype.

• For the team project: a pitch and three iterations of the prototype are presented in class.

• For required reading: groups of students present book chapters or assigned papers, summarizing the main messages and demonstrating the concepts by using them to analyze two or three example games.

Required Texts:

• • Tracy Fullerton (2018): Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to creating Innovative Games. 4th Edition. CRC Press.

  • Robin Hunicke, Marc LeBlanc, Robert Zubek (2005): MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research, Technical Report, Northwestern University.

Other required reading material will be provided by the instructor on a weekly basis.

Recommended:

• • [Gray et al. 2005] K. Gray, K. Gabler, S. Shodhan, M. Kucic: "How to Prototype a Game in Under 7 Days", Gamasutra, October 2005.

  • <TBA>

Requirements and Grading Policy

• • Class Participation: Active and informed class participation is expected and mandatory.

  • All written correspondence related to class to the instructor **and** between team members must be archived (yes, even emails and instant messaging). The instructor may request submission of this material from individual students as part of the evaluation of their performance as a team member. Professional correspondence with team members and the instructor (in the role of an external game producer) is expected.

  • Late Policy: All readings and assignments are due **before** class. Assignments and projects submitted after the specified deadline will not be accepted. Excuses will not be accepted after the assignment is due. If you believe the assignment even might have to be turned in late, it is your responsibility to notify your instructor beforehand.

  • Plagiarism and Academic Integrity: For the benefit of those who may not have been told before, cheating or plagiarism are violations of both personal and academic integrity. Such violations are punishable with a failing grade on the work and may also result in a failing grade for the course and disciplinary actions on the part of the University. Copying text, artwork, models, or animations without credit, whether copyrighted or made freely available on the web, is considered plagiarism for the purposes of this class (as it is in industry) and is forbidden. One illegal asset can open an employer up to litigation. Having another student perform your tasks for you is considered cheating as well. Cheating and plagiarism are often done not due to sinister intentions, but because of laziness, fear, lack of preparation, overloaded schedule, or other reasons. If you are having a problem in class and are fearful that your grade may suffer, please talk to your instructor about it rather than attempting some shortcut. We are always eager to try to help and do not want to have to fail anyone.

  • Students are responsible for checking their **Drexel email account** daily for course announcements. If you have any question about an assignment, please email the instructor at least **24 hours** before the deadline.

  • Two unexcused absences will constitute a loss of 20% of the final grade. 3 absences, without a valid excuse will result in an F grade.

A student that demonstrates an eagerness to participate and shows some thought and preparation behind their comments, delivers clear and useful presentations, and contributes to successful pitch and prototypes of their team will have no trouble achieving an "A" grade for this course.

Grading System

• 15% - Small group / Individual projects

  • Will be graded based on originality and effort

  • Pitch documents (2 pages maximum): 5%

  • Pitch and prototype presentations: 10%

• 55% - Term project

  • Will be graded based on its functionality, aesthetics, and originality

  • For prototype presentations: use of concepts and terminology from required texts

  • Pitch: 10%

  • Prototype Iteration #1: 10%

  • Prototype Iteration #2: 15%

  • Prototype Iteration #3: 20%

• 20% - presentation on required texts (10-15 minutes)

  • Clearly presenting the *main* concepts (not just listing the contents): 10%

  • In-depth analysis of and/or applications to 2 (or 3) games using these concepts, detailing where and how the game succeeds/fails: 10%

• 10% - Class participation

  • Attendance and participation in class discussions, will be graded on how well you contribute your own ideas and thoughts and demonstrate that you keep up with the assigned material.

A+: 100-97, A: 94-96, A-: 90-93, B+: 87-89, B: 84-86, B-: 80-83,

C+: 77-79, C: 74-76, C-: 70-73, D+: 67-69, D: 60-66, F: 0-59

Teams

• • Group A: Shelf Life

  • Group B: Messy Man

Schedule (may be updated during the term)

Drexel University Code of Conduct

Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, and Cheating Policy

http://drexel.edu/provost/policies/academic_dishonesty.asp

Drexel University Student Handbook

http://drexel.edu/studentaffairs/community_standards/studentHandbook/

Students with Disability Statement

http://drexel.edu/ods/student_reg.html

Course Drop Policy

http://drexel.edu/provost/policies/course_drop.asp

Course Change Policy

The instructor reserves the right to change the course during the term at his or her discretion. These changes will be communicated to students via the syllabus, website announcement, or email.