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Game Studies: Rolling Your Own

Game Studies: Rolling Your Own. Issues, Trends, & Lessons Learned. Talk Overview. Background Early Programs Curriculum Program Design Current Issues Emerging Truths Future Directions. Game Studies. Background. Background. Me 1991: Computer Science

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Game Studies: Rolling Your Own

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  1. Game Studies: Rolling Your Own Issues, Trends, & Lessons Learned

  2. Talk Overview • Background • Early Programs • Curriculum • Program Design • Current Issues • Emerging Truths • Future Directions

  3. Game Studies Background

  4. Background • Me • 1991: Computer Science • 1995: Interactive Narrative • 1997: Graduate Studies: AI • 1999: AI & Video Games • 2000: IGDA Education Committee • Detailed Game Studies Curriculum • Education Summit: 2002, 2003 • Bibliography (in progress)

  5. Background • Games • 1962: Spacewar for the DEC PDP-1 • 1972: Pong, Magnivox Odessy • 1985: Nintendo • 1990: 3D (First Person Shooters) • 2000: Games = $$$ • Over 30 million consoles in homes • Over 20 million PC gamers

  6. Background • Game Studies • J. Huizinga • Homo Ludens • E. Avedon & R. Sutton Smith: • The Study of Games, • The Ambiguity of Play • S. Sackson • A Gamut of Games

  7. Background • Game Studies • H. Jenkins & J. Cassell • From Barbie to Mortal Combat • R. Rouse • Game Design, Theory and Practice

  8. Game Studies Early Programs

  9. Early Programs • MIT • Comparative Media Studies • 1984: Film & Media Studies Concentration • 1998: CMS graduate program • 2001: Jenkins & MS Research • Games to Teach • Fall 2003: Full Undergrad Major in CMS • Humanistic Focus “Increasingly CMS courses are designed to teach students about the forms of media, as well as the text.”

  10. Early Programs • CMU • Entertainment Technology Center • Randy Pausch & Don Marinelli • 1999: Pilot Class – 8 seniors • 25 new students per year, 50 total • 2 year Masters program (MET) • Focus on Placement • Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), • Angel Studios • Universal Studios • MERL: Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab.

  11. Early Programs • Most Major Universities • Game Courses in CS Departments • Video games in the Humanities • Sociology of Games • Gender Studies • Game Violence • Children and Play • Education

  12. Game Studies Curriculum

  13. Curriculum • 2000: IGDA Education Committee • Panel of Academics & Developers • Goals • Bridge gap between communities • Create opportunities for communication and collaboration • Create a unified curriculum for Game Studies Programs

  14. Curriculum • 2000: IGDA Education Committee • Panel of Academics & Developers • Goals • Bridge gap between communities • Create opportunities for communication and collaboration • Create a unified curriculum for Game Studies Programs  HARDER THAN WE EXPECTED

  15. Curriculum • Many different flavors of Institution, Goals & Concerns • Curriculum Framework • Overview of the Field • Details on each Discipline • Outline Several Possible Careers • Guide Program Designs

  16. Curriculum • Many different flavors of Institution, Goals & Concerns • Curriculum Framework • Overview of the Field • Details on each Discipline • Outline Several Possible Careers • Guide Program Designs NOT DICTATING FORM/CONTENT

  17. Game Studies Curriculum: Core Topics

  18. Curriculum: Core Topics • Ten Topics • Three Major Areas • Humanistic Study • Game Technology • Game Business • Overview follows • Details in online document

  19. Curriculum: Core Topics • Humanistic Study: • Critical Game Studies • Criticism, Analysis and History of electronic and non-electronic games • Games and Society • Understanding how games reflect and construct individuals and groups

  20. Curriculum : Core Topics • Technical Study • Game Design • Game Programming • Visual Design • Audio Design • Interactive Storytelling

  21. Curriculum: Core Topics • Process & Management • Game Production • Practical challenges of managing the development of games • Game Business • Economic, legal and policy aspects of games

  22. Game Studies Curriculum: Career Paths

  23. Curriculum: Career Paths • Scholarly/Academic • Game Studies Scholar/Educator • Game Technology Educator • Game Journalist • Applied • Game Artist/Programmer • Game Designer • Game Producer

  24. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Studies Scholar and Educator • Trained in History, Analysis, Criticism • Experienced Gamer • Knows Genres, Designs • Understands Technology • Familiar with Industry • Understands Dev. Process • Knows gist of Business & Legal

  25. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Technology Educator • Trained in Design and Development • Experienced Programmer • Knows Mechanics, Dynamics • Hardware Strengths & Limitations • Emphasizes Good Process • Software Dev. Best & Worst Practices • Group Work, Creativity Management

  26. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Journalist • Trained in Design, Analysis, Criticism • Expert Communicator • Investigator of Game Culture • Non-Digital, PC, Console, Online • Visual Aesthetics, Narrative Theory • Social Issues (Gender, Violence) • Technical trends, research, novel implementations

  27. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Programmer/Artist • Trained in Design, Analysis, Tech • Experienced Procedural Thinker • Specialization Expert • Graphics Programming • Audio Design & Implementation • Concept Art, 3D design & Rendering • Level Design and Game Mechanics • Character Design, Behavior, Artificial Intelligence

  28. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Designer • Trained in Design, Analysis, Tech • Experienced Procedural Thinker • Expert Communicator • Narrative and Experience goals • Visual & Audio Aesthetics • Practical Nuts & Bolts • Example: Thief

  29. Curriculum: Career Paths • Game Producer • Trained in Biz & Management • Experienced Procedural Thinker • Expert Communicator • Team structure and goals • Time, Budget and Design constraints • Markets, Promotion, Publication • Legal issues

  30. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills

  31. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking

  32. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication

  33. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work

  34. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity

  35. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility

  36. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility • Curiosity

  37. Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility • Curiosity • Will Wright:city planning, ants and people

  38. Game Studies Program Design

  39. Program Design • Major Considerations • Foundation: Your Institution • Scope: Your Program • Roots: Your Core Instructors • Focus: Your Methodology • Relationships: Your Allies

  40. Program Design • Foundation • University, College, Vocational? • Collection of Schools or Disciplines • Working together to create a “tent” • Finding instructors • Funding your efforts • Advertising to students • Advertising to the rest of the world

  41. Program Design • Scope • Course, Concentration, Certificate, Major or Advanced Degree? • Strengths & Weaknesses • Numbers: Where is the labor? • Expertise: Where is the know-how? • Fame: Where will it shine? • Buy-in: Who wants it? • Critical Mass • Pilot courses, Student Groups

  42. Program Design • Roots • Technical: Computer Science, Material Sciences, Engineering • Humanistic: Media Studies, Cultural Theory, Sociology, Psychology • Fine Art: Art Theory and Practice, Design, RTVF, Animation and Film

  43. Program Design • Focus • How to teach the material • Methods of Analysis and Critique • What to teach with • Software, Hardware, Bibliography • Finally, What to teach • Fundamentals of Design • Basics of Implementation • Production, Biz, Legal

  44. Program Design • Relationships • Inter-departmental • Local Universities • Local Industry & Alumnae • Major Publishers • DARPA, NSF, NEH, NEA

  45. Game Studies Current Issues

  46. Current Issues • IGDA Academic Summit 2003 • Game Developers Conference • Working Meeting • 140 Academics, 10 Developers • Global interest • Several approaches shared and discussed – all available on line.

  47. Current Issues • Major topics: Highlights • Attracting & integrating developers into the classroom • Facilitating exchange between departments & disciplines • Structuring & funding conferences, journals, and on-line resources • Facilitating tech transfer, sharing of dev. tools & information

  48. Current Issues • Major themes • Procedural Literacy • DIY: “Change your attitude, not theirs” • Leveraging current academic funding and publication structures • Avoid “bleeding edge” technology • Modify existing tech/games • Look for low-hanging fruit • Bruce Gooch & NPR

  49. Game Studies Emerging Truths

  50. Emerging Truths • Academic • Integrated programs • Leverage strengths • Promote collaboration between groups and departments • Georgia Tech – Hodges, Mateas • Relationships with developers • Assets (code, art, designs) • Time (not money)

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