New Media Technologies: Videogames
Term: Fall 2008
Meeting Days: Tuesday/Thursday
Meeting Time: 11:00AM - 12:15PM
Prerequisites: NMIX 4110, NMIX 2020
Professor: Dr. Casey O'Donnell
Email: WebCT; or caseyod@uga.edu
Email Note: Please put "[NMIX 4200]" at the beginning of your email subject line. It will improve my response time to your email.
Office location: Grady 101-J
Office hours: Tuesday 3:30PM-4:30PM, Wednesday 9:00AM-Noon; By Appointment
Phone: 706-542-5951
Course Location: Journalism 412 - New Media Institute Seminar Room
Disclaimer
The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary. Parts of this syllabus have been adapted from several of Scott Shamp's NMIX syllabi.
Description
This class will explore the history, techniques, and impact of videogames. This course pays particular attention to videogame technologies and how they shape and are shaped by games. Students will be research particular game technologies and their context to better understand this relationship and why it is important for all forms of New Media. An introduction to game design and game design analysis will also give students the foundation for the critical analysis of videogames as a form of New Media.
Course Goals and Requirements
Upon completion of this course, students will have an understanding of the interconnection between videogame technologies, their social/political/economic context, and the media which are created for them. Students will also be given an introductory understanding of game design and critical game studies. Students will develop and appreciation for the complexity of "the industry," game technologies, and game design. Continually, students will be encouraged to draw connections between videogames and other forms of New Media. After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Understand how technologies shape and are shaped by the (new) media they are intended to host.
- Critically analyze the social, political, and economic context of videogames and videogame technologies.
- Critically analyze the content of videogames and videogame mechanics.
Required Textbooks
- Kent, Steven L. 2001. The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Change the World. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.
- Salen, Katie and Eric Zimmerman. 2004. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
- Other readings as assigned throughout the course.
Additional Readings
Additional readings will be assigned through the use of Google Reader, an RSS (Real Simple Syndication) news feed reader. Students will be required to either check the website for news items or subscribe to the feed through their own RSS feed reader. Quizzes over this material will occur once per week, and will be "open note," but must be completed alone. Quizzes will be posted on WebCT Sunday evening and must be completed prior to class Tuesday morning. No late quizzes will be accepted. Other readings may be assigned and provided in electronic form.
Students must also pick three news items five times throughout the semester and write a response essay to these news articles. A response essay will consist of exactly one page, double spaced, Times New Roman (or equivalent) 12 point font, in which students articulate an argument and support that argument with material presented in the articles or drawn from other sources. Students must cite sources.
Web-based View:
http://www.google.com/reader/shared/user/14229394684930416384/label/NMIX%204200
RSS Feed:
http://www.google.com/reader/public/atom/user/14229394684930416384/label/NMIX%204200
Ethics
All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty." All students are responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
Standards Of Practice Classes in the New Media Institute will teach you about new media. But they will also teach you how to be successful professionals in whatever field you choose. Below you will find some standards of practices for students in New Media Institute (NMIX) classes. Adhering to these rules will not only make you a more successful student, practicing them in your career will make you a better professional. If you feel that you cannot conform to these practices, please consult with your teacher - maybe a New Media Institute course isn't right for you.
Plagiarism and Citations
You are required to review and learn the definition of plagiarism included in the UGA Student Code of Conduct. The idea that information that you provide will be complete, accurate, fair and original is the fundamental ethic of the mass communication industry. If you take more than four words directly from a source, they must be enclosed in quotation marks and the citation must appear at the end of the sentence in which the quotation appears. If you use facts or ideas from another source but paraphrase them into your own words, the source must be cited immediately after the paraphrased material.
Cooperative Work
More than one student may be using the same materials on assignments. You are ENCOURAGED to work together, help, and learn from one another. But you may NOT turn in identical or nearly identical papers. Each student is required to independently conduct his/her own analysis and write his/her own paper. Evidence that you are co-producing papers and turning them in individually will be considered plagiarism. If you have a question about whether your joint work is acceptable, ask me before you turn in the assignment. Group projects are of course not included in this category.
Violation of Honesty Policy
I will vigorously prosecute all instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating, or other information fabrication. The minimum penalty for being found in violation of violations of the University's academic honesty policy will be failure of the entire course - regardless of how small a proportion of the final grade the assignment or material represented.
Office of Disability Services
Any student who is working with the University's Office of Disability Services and who needs special consideration on assignments or exams should let me know as soon as possible.
Attendance
Good workers come to work. Your class attendance not only helps you learn more, it makes the class better. But sometimes things happen. Let me know ahead of time via email. Missing 20% of the classes (six classes) will result in a FAIL grade for this course. Missing classes can negatively affect your in-class participation points as well.
Coming Late
Good workers arrive on time. You must come to class on time to receive the full benefit from your class. Upon arriving in class, you will be required to swipe your key card in the door scanner for the classroom door. This will log when you came to class. For every two times you arrive late, you will be counted absent.
Cell Phones Off
It is unprofessional to allow outside interruptions to disrupt meetings. The same goes for class. Turn your cell phone off before you enter class (or at least turn it to vibrate).
Classroom Computer Use
Professionals do not engage in extraneous activities during meetings. Successful students do not engage in activities unrelated to a class during that class. In class, not use your computer for activities unrelated to the class. Answering email, working on other class projects, downloading songs - do these on your own time, not during class. If you engage in non-class related activities during class, you might as well not be in class - and you will be counted as absent.
Honors Option
This class is available for Honors Option credit. If you are interested in taking the course at the Honors level, please let me know by the beginning of the second full week of classes.
Challenging Evaluations
In your jobs and your classes, you will be evaluated. How you handle and use these evaluations will greatly determine your eventual success. There is a professional approach for addressing evaluations (or grades) with which you do not agree.
- Take some time to consider the evaluation. After you receive the evaluation, think about it for at least 24 hours before doing anything - this cooling off period will help you present your case in a positive manner.
- Formulate a rational argument for why you deserve a better evaluation. Develop at least three points that you think prove you deserve a better evaluation. Your opinion is not an argument. Support your argument with data and analysis.
- Present your argument in writing (email is preferred) then request a meeting to discuss your evaluation. I may very well buy your argument and you won't need to meet with me at all! Handling disputes constructively is the mark of a true professional.
These are the standards of practice for students in the New Media Institute. Learn them, love them, live them.
Grading Policy
Grading in the course will be based on the percentage of points earned out of the total points possible. The standard scale will be used (Note: rounding is based entirely on in-class participation):
A: 93%-100%;
A-: 89.995-92.995
B+: 86.995-89.994
B: 82.995%-86.994
B-:79.995-82.994
C+: 76.995%-79.994
C: 72.995-76.994
C-: 69.995-72.994
D+ 66.995%-69.994%
D: 62.995-66.994
D- 59.995-62.994
F = below 59.995%
Assignments
Description Due Date Percentage of Final Grade
In Class Assignments, Quizzes, and Participation N/A 15%
Reading Responses Multiple (See Schedule) 10%
Paper 1: Game Technology Analysis 09/25/08 15%
Paper 2: Critical Game Analysis 10/23/08 15%
Project 1: Game Design Document and Prototype 11/13/08 15%
Presentations 10/21/08 and 10/23/08 10%
Final Paper: Reflections/Refractions/Postmortem 12/02/08 20%
Assignments must be turned in to me by 11AM (Class time) on the day that they are due, except when noted. They may be turned in to me in class or in my mailbox in the Dept. of Telecommunications main office. They may NOT be turned in to my mailbox in the Main College office. Late assignments are due by 11AM on the day of the next class period and will be penalized one full grade (11% of the possible points). No late assignments will be accepted after 11AM on the day of the next class period after the assignment was due. Be aware that I do not accept computer and printer problems as an excuse for late assignments. Computer-problem solving is a critical professional skill.
Course Schedule
A continually updated course calendar is available online: http://www.google.com/calendar
Part I - Game Technologies and "The Industry"
08/19/2008 First Class Meeting 08/21/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 11 of Kent 08/26/2008 Quiz 1 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 12 & 13 of Kent 08/28/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 14 & 15 of Kent 09/02/2008 First reading response essay must be submitted by 11AM; Quiz 2 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 16 & 17 of Kent 09/04/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 18 & 19 of Kent; Game Technology Analysis Paper topic chosen by end of class 09/09/2008 Quiz 3 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 20 & 21 of Kent 09/11/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 22 & 23 of Kent 09/16/2008 Second reading response essay must be submitted by 11AM; Quiz 4 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 24 & 25 of Kent 09/18/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 26 & 27 of Kent 09/23/2008 NO QUIZ THIS WEEK; Come Prepared to Discuss: Chapter 28, 29, 30 of Kent 09/25/2008 Game Technology Analysis Paper Submitted Prior to Class; Closing Discussion on first Part of course
Part II - Critical Game Analysis and Game Design
09/30/2008 Quiz 5 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss through P.27 of Salen and Zimmerman 10/02/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss through P.69 of Salen and Zimmerman 10/07/2008 Quiz 6 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss through P.106 of Salen and Zimmerman; Critical Game Analysis Paper topic chosen by end of class 10/09/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss through P.149 of Salen and Zimmerman; Divide Chapters 14-20 and 23-28 for in-class presentations 10/14/2008 Third reading response essay must be submitted by 11AM; NO QUIZ THIS WEEK; TBA; 10/16/2008 TBA; 10/21/2008 Quiz 7 Completed Prior to Class; Presenting Material from Chapters 14-21 10/23/2008 Critical Game Analysis Paper Submitted Prior to Class; Presenting Material from Chapters 23-28 10/28/2008 Fourth reading response essay must be submitted by 11AM; Quiz 8 Completed Prior to Class; Come Prepared to Discuss through P.536 of Salen and Zimmerman 10/30/2008 Come Prepared to Discuss through P.587 of Salen and Zimmerman; Form Groups for Game Design Document and Prototype Project 11/04/2008 NO QUIZ THIS WEEK; POLITICS and GAMES and POLITICAL GAMES 11/06/2008 In Class: Game Design Document and Prototype 11/11/2008 Fifth reading response essay must be submitted by 11AM; Quiz 9 Completed Prior to Class; In Class: Game Design Document and Prototype 11/13/2008 In Class: Game Design Document and Prototype 11/18/2008 Quiz 10 Completed Prior to Class; In Class: Game Design Document and Prototype 11/20/2008 TBA; 11/25/2008 THANKSGIVING BREAK 11/27/2008 THANKSGIVING BREAK 12/02/2008 NO QUIZ THIS WEEK; PITCH: Game Design Document and Prototype 12/04/2008 PITCH: Game Design Document and Prototype 12/11/2008 Final Paper Due Prior to NOON Exam Time; Final Class Meeting: Noon - 3PM;