| WEEK # | TOPICS | READINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | (Brief) Trip Through Time |  Jenkins, Henry. "Games, the New Lively Art." In Handbook of Computer Game Studies. Edited by Joost Raessens and Jeffrey Goldstein. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780262182409. Crawford, Chris. Chapters 1-4 in Chris Crawford on Game Design. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders, 2003, pp. 6-53. ISBN: 9780131460997.Reference: The Dot Eaters: Video Game History 101. |
| 2 | Game Basics | Bates, Bob. "Concepts/Principles of Game Design." Chapters 1-2 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 4-46. ISBN: 9780761531654. ———. "Storytelling." Chapter 4 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 76-102. ISBN: 9780761531654. Murray, Janet. "A New Medium for Storytelling." Part I in Hamlet on the Holodeck. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1998, pp. 13-65. ISBN: 9780262631877. Aarseth, Espen. "Genre Trouble." First Person, 2004. Wolf, Mark J. P. "Genre and the Video Game." Chapter 6 in The Medium of the Video Game. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780292791503.Demo: Videos of Game Genres. |
| 3 | Game Basics (cont.) | Bates, Bob. "Getting to Yes." Chapter 1 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 1-20. ISBN: 9780761531654. ———. "Project Lifecycle." Chapter 10 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 206-218. ISBN: 9780761531654. Crawford, Chris. Chapters 6-8 in Chris Crawford on Game Design . Indianapolis, IN: New Riders, 2003, pp. 71-106. ISBN: 9780131460997. |
| 4 | Designing Games | Bates, Bob. "Game Design Issues." Chapter 3 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 48-74. ISBN: 9780761531654. ———. "Managing Development." Chapter 11 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 48-74 and 220-238. ISBN: 9780761531654. |
| 5 | Class Workshop: Teams and Projects | Bates, Bob. "Level Design." Chapter 5 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 90-122. ISBN: 9780761531654. |
| 6 | "Storytelling and Narrative" |
Guest Lecture: Steve Meretzky, one of the most respected writers and designers in the industry, Steve Meretzky has written Infocom™ games, including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and is currently working with Paul Neurath on mobile games. For further reference, read his interviews with the BBC and Gamasutra.com. |
| 7 | Team Building | Bates, Bob. "The Development Team." Chapter 8 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 143-180. ISBN: 9780761531654. [Or 2nd ed. 2004, pp. 151-182. ISBN: 9781592004935.] |
| 8 | "Using Outside Resources" | Bates, Bob. "The Development Team." Chapter 19 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 182-202. ISBN: 9780761531654. Stone, Allucquère Rosanne. "Cyberdammerung at the Atari Lab." Chapter 6 in The War of Desire and Technology at the Close of the Mechanical Age. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996, pp. 122-155. ISBN: 9780262691895. Also review the following article: Jassin, Lloyd J. "Working with Freelancers: What Every Publisher Should Know About the 'Work for Hire' Doctrine." CopyLaw.com, 2000. Adapted from Jassin, Lloyd J., and Steven C. Schechter. Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. New York, NY: Wiley, 1998. ISBN: 9780471146544. |
| 9 | Play Balance and Online Games | Rollings, Andrew, and Ernest Adams. "Internal Economy of Games." Chapter 8 in Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design. New York, NY: New Riders Games, 2003, pp. 239-288. ISBN: 9781592730018. ———. "Online Games." Chapter 17 in Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design. New York, NY: New Riders Games, 2003, pp. 499-532. ISBN: 9781592730018. |
| 10 | "Introduction to Marketing and Intellectual Property" | Bates, Bob. "The Development Team." Chapter 12 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 237-253. ISBN: 9780761531654. |
| 11 | Selling your Game | Bates, Bob. "The Development Team." Chapter 13 in Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games. Prima Tech's Game Development Series, ed. André LaMothe. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2001, pp. 248-260. ISBN: 9780761531654. |
| 12 | Workshop: Polishing the Presentation and Business Plan | Salisbury, Ashley. "Pitch Materials." Chapter 3 in Game Development Business and Legal Guide. Boston, MA: Premier Press, 2003, pp. 87-91. ISBN: 9781592000425. |
| 13 | Team Presentations | Crawford, Chris. "Themes and Lessons." Chapter 27 in Chris Crawford on Game Design. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders Games, 2003, pp. 424-454. ISBN: 9780131460997. |
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Study Materials
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