Schedule is subject to change
Week 1: Introduction
8/31: Welcome
– Introduction to the course, covering the syllabus, laying the groundwork for the semester
– Manifesto for a Ludic Century, Zimmerman, Eric
– Reading:
– Homo Ludens chapter 1 : Significance of Play as a cultural Phenomenon
– First Paper due 9/9. Define Play (2p).
9/2 : Coming to a definition of play
– Reading:
– Rules of Play Chapter 3, Meaningful Play
–The Definition of Play & The Classification of Games (pdf)
Week 2: Imagination and discovery
9/7 :
– Reading:
– Rules of Play ch 13, Defining Play (pdf).
– Ambiguity of Play pp. 1-17, 35-52
9/9 :
– Reading:
– Games as Cultural Rhetoric (pdf)
– Play Matters, Ch 1-3
– paper #1 due
Week 3
9/14 :
– Reading:
– Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping, and Development, Chapters 1&2
– Play Matters pp 49-71
9/16 :
– Assignment :
go out and reclaim a space as a playground
– Reading:
– Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping, and Development, Chapters 3&7
-Play Matters pp 72 -102
Week 4
9/21:
– Start broken game paper (due 10/5)
– Reading:
– Design, Systems, Interactivity (pdf)
– Little Emma by Geza Csath(pdf) (thanks Norina!)
9/28
– Reading:
–The Design of Ethical Gameplay Ch 5&6 (pdf)
– begin prototype of first game (final due on 10/28)
Week 5
9/30:
– Reading:
– The Design Evolution of Magic Garfield, Richard (pdf)
– Examples Ironclad & Sibling Rivalry (pdf)
10/5:
– Reading:
– Tools for Creating Dramatic Game Dynamics (pdf)
– broken game paper due
Week 6
10/7 :
– Reading:
– Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping, and Development, Chapters 8-10
10/12 :No class – go to Polyglot’s work in the art center
Week 7
10/14 : Visiting Artist: Polyglot Theater director Sue Giles
– Reading:
– A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE GAME OF KARMA IN INDIA, NEPAL, AND TIBET
– Snakes and Ladders in India: Some Further Discoveries
10/19 : Visiting Artists : Ragamala Dance Company
evening : Ragmala work in progress
Week 8
10/26 :
– Evaluate prototypes part 1
Reading : Designing for Critical Play from Radical Play by Mary Flanagan
10/28 : Play-testing each other’s games
– Playtesting from Game Design Workshop
Week 9
11/2 :
– Reading:
– Histories of Gaming & Games as New Media, Hjorth
– begin final paper (discussed in class)
11/4 : Case Studies
– Prepared Playstation
– How to Play WOW
– How to Win Super Mario Brothers
– Reading:
– Terry And Gyan Riley: Together In C
– Tacit Group: An Audio-Visual Performance Group That Is Changing the Face of Live Music Performance
– NYUAD Library study guide for Tacit Group
Week 10
11/9 :
– Tacit Group visits
– materials for project 1 due
11/11 :
Present projects
– begin final game project (due Dec 14).
Week 11
11/14 : “Special” Saturday class
– Reading:
– Reinventing Reality, Jane McGonigal
11/16 : ARGs
– Reading:
– Why Gamification is Bullshit, Bogost, Ian
– Homo Ludens (Subspecies Politicos), William Graver
Week 12
11/18: Gamification
– Foldit
– SETI
11/23 : Guest speaker : Farah Al Qaissieh from discover.ae
-Draft 1 of longer paper due
Week 13
11/25 : Case Study
– Game Developer Story
12/7 : Final Presentations and critique
presentation of prototypes
Week 14
12/9: Final Presentations and critique
presentation of prototypes
12/14 : Last class
-draft 2 paper 2 due