Game Aesthetics AET 335 Instructor:

Dr. Paul Toprac GDC 6.318

Office Hours:

Thursday 3:30 – 5:00 (or email for an appointment)

TA: Office Hours:

TBD TBD

I. Description and Course Aims This course is designed to introduce students to the design and aesthetics of games. Our discussions, assignments, and other course activities are (1) what is the meaning of playing games, (2) the aesthetics of play and games, and (3) the role of game design as the creation of designed artifacts. Student activities include playing and analyzing games, reading articles on game aesthetics and design, and creating a tabletop game to further deepen understanding.

II. Course Learning Objectives By the end of this course, students will: • • • • • •

Apply critical thinking skills to clarify, address, and possibly even resolve issues such as “what is a game?” and “what is play?” Identify and explain the major conceptual components that constitute a game Analyze and understand the different aesthetics of games: gameplay, visuals, story, and audio (sound and music) Deconstruct games as designed experiences Communicate effectively your rhetorical stance Create a tabletop game and report findings

III. Tentative Course Schedule This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the semester, those plans may need to change to enhance the class learning opportunity. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and should be expected. Week

1

2

Topic

Readings/Assignments

MLK Day

N/A

Rhetoric of Games

Let's the game begin!

Rhetoric of Games

Salen: Defining Play (pgs 304-305) Salen: Defining Games (pgs 79-82) Salen: 7 Rhetorics (pgs 517-519)

Philosophy &

Philosophy, Axiology, Aesthetics & Art

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Deliverables

Games: Axiology, Aesthetics, Art, Feelings Games as Art 3

How do we deconstruct games? Aesthetics of Play

4

5

Game Aesthetics: General Game Aesthetics: General Game Aesthetics: Visuals Game Aesthetics: Audio

6 Game Aesthetics: Narrative

Toprac: 09 Chapter (only Theories of Emotions and Games) Pearce: Games AS art: The Aesthetics of Play The Journal of Computer: It-aint-art

Announcement of Teams

Henckle: MDA Gen Game: Aesthetics-of-play Lakitus: The-elements-of-game-design Creative Applications: On aesthetics-and-play-artifactual-playground Kendall: The-aesthetics-of-play Lakitus: Why-do-we-play-aesthetics-of-play International Hobo: What-is-game-aesthetics Terranova'sthe-aesthetics-of-video-games.html Niedenthal: What We Talk About When We Talk About Game Aesthetics Gamasutra: The Aesthetics of Game Art and Game Design Gamasutra: Videogame Aesthetics: The Future! Weinburg: Top 10: Video Games That Approach Art 09 Chapter (only the Introduction) Gamasutra: Establishing An Aesthetic Bridgett: Surround_Music_in_games Aesthetics of Play Journal: The Aesthetic Experience of Sound Jansen: The_Role_Of_Audio_On_Perceptual_Experience Machinima: Best Sound in Games - Inside Gaming Awards 2013 Indie Graph: Game Narrative and Aesthetics PT. 1: What is a Narrative? Extra Credits: Bad Writing - Why Most Games Tell Bad Stories Kingrey: Game Aesthetics: Level 1 Kingrey: Game-aesthetics-level-2-narrative

Lead Presentation 1 Lead Presentation 2 Lead Presentation 3 Lead Presentation 4

Lead Presentation 5

Lead Presentation 6

DIGRA: Exploring Aesthetic Ideals of Gameplay

7

8

9

Game Aesthetics: Gameplay

Zagal and Tomuro: Aesthetics of Gameplay Vorpal Mind: Game Design Aesthetics: Theme Vs. Mechanics…Parts 1 4

Lead Presentation 7

Game Design Aesthetics

McGonigal: Not a Game

Lead Presentation 8

Paper Prototypes

Game Deconstruction Report Learning about games Game Design Guide and Report

Team Eval 1

Application

Proof of Core Mechanics and Dynamics

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Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction

10

11

12

13

14

Application

Game Reconstruction Paper

Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction Game Reconstruction

Play

Final Release

Reconstruction Paper

Play

Team Eval 3

Playtesting

First Playtest Report

Application

Proof of Aesthetics

Playtesting

PreAlpha playtest report

Application

Alpha

Playtesting

Alpha playtest Report and Team Eval 2

Application

Beta

Playtesting

Final Release Game Presentation Game Presentation Game Presentation Course Reflection Paper

Presentations Presentations 15

Presentations

IV. Feedback Statement During this course I will be asking you to give me feedback on your learning in informal as well as formal ways, including through anonymous surveys about how my teaching strategies are helping or hindering your learning. It’s very important for me to know your reaction to what we’re doing in class, so I encourage you to respond to these surveys, ensuring that together we can create an environment effective for teaching and learning.

V. Course Requirements: 1. Class attendance and participation policy Attendance and participation in all classes is expected, but if you cannot make it to class, there are consequences. Being consistently late to class is not cool and it will have a negative impact on your grade. Also, assignments are due at the beginning of class and there are consequences for turning in assignments after this time. This course is a preparation for employment in a studio. Therefore we expect you to act in class as you would in the workplace. While studios are often informal, they still require everyone to be respectful of others. Furthermore, attendance both for the class and when your team meets are critical. How your teammates view the quality and quantity of your work, as well as your team skills are important. Finally, how much work you produced, as recorded in Rally, will be considered. Your computer is to stay closed unless otherwise indicated by the professor. Mobile phones are not to be used in class. If there is an emergency, please leave the class. Page 3 April 2015

Religious Holy Days By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

2. Course Readings/Materials You may be required to purchase materials for your tabletop game.

3. Assignments, Assessment, and Evaluation There is no curve. • • • • • • • •

Participation: Leading Class Discussion: Game Reconstruction: Game Reconstruction Paper: Game Reconstruction Presentation: Game Reconstruction Report & Guide Audience Evaluation Reports: Course Reflection

20% 15% 10% 10% 10% 15% 10% 10%

Group Project Grading • Project grade is on product and process • Individual grade is on the contribution and process

4. Use of Canvas in class In this class I use Canvas—a Web-based course management system with password-protected access at http://courses.utexas.edu —to distribute course materials, to communicate and collaborate online, to post grades, to submit assignments, and to give you online quizzes and surveys. You can find support in using Canvas at the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so plan accordingly.

VI. Grading Scale Percent   94-­‐100   90-­‐93   87-­‐89   84-­‐86   80-­‐83   77-­‐79   74-­‐76   70-­‐73   60-­‐69   Less  than  60  

Letter     Grade   A   A-­‐   B+   B   B-­‐   C+   C   C-­‐   D   F  

Description   Excellent  scholarship   Excellent  scholarship   Good  scholarship   Good  scholarship   Good  scholarship   Fair  scholarship   Fair  scholarship   Fair  scholarship   Poor  scholarship   Failure    

VI. Academic Integrity University of Texas Honor Code

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The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonest damages both the student’s learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial services Web site at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs

VII. Other University Notices and Policies Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students • All students should become familiar with the University's official e-mail student notification policy. It is the

student's responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is recommended that email be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete text of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at http://www.utexas.edu/its/help/utmail/1564 .

Documented Disability Statement Any student with a documented disability who requires academic accommodations should contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at (512) 471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329-3986 (video phone). Faculty are not required to provide accommodations without an official accommodation letter from SSD. (Note to Faculty: Details of a student’s disability are confidential. Faculty should not ask questions related to a student’s condition or diagnosis when receiving an official accommodation letter.) §

Please notify me as quickly as possible if the material being presented in class is not accessible (e.g., instructional videos need captioning, course packets are not readable for proper alternative text conversion, etc.).

§

Please notify me as early in the semester as possible if disability-related accommodations for field trips are required. Advanced notice will permit the arrangement of accommodations on the given day (e.g., transportation, site accessibility, etc.).

§

Contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329-3986 (video phone) or reference SSD’s website for more disability-related information: http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/for_cstudents.php

Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal. Q drop Policy The State of Texas has enacted a law that limits the number of course drops for academic reasons to six (6). As stated in Senate Bill 1231: “Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has

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dropped at another institution of higher education, unless the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number.” Emergency Evacuation Policy Occupants of buildings on the UT Austin campus are required to evacuate and assemble outside when a fire alarm is activated or an announcement is made. Please be aware of the following policies regarding evacuation: § Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of the classroom and the building. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when you entered the building. § If you require assistance to evacuate, inform me in writing during the first week of class. § In the event of an evacuation, follow my instructions or those of class instructors. Do not re-enter a building unless you’re given instructions by the Austin Fire Department, the UT Austin Police Department, or the Fire Prevention Services office.

v v v v _____________________________________________________________________________

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