class schedule
Jan. 6
Introductions and syllabus review. Begin reading assignments. Look into / play VOSR. Ph.D. students: begin researching educational game for review.
Jan. 13
Week 0: Introduction to instructional games.
NEW READING
Shelton chapter, out of Shelton & Wiley Ed. book.
Track A
Wolf, M. J. P. (2001). Chapter 6: Genre and the video game. In M. J. P. Wolf (Ed.), The Medium of the Video Game (pp. 113-134). Austin: University of Texas Press.
Holland, W., Jenkins, H., & Squire, K. (2003). Chapter 1: Theory by design. In M. J. P. Wolf & B. Perron (Eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader (pp. 25-46). New York: Routledge.
Track B
Virvou, M., Katsionis, G., & Manos, K. (2005). Combining software games with education: Evaluation of its educational effectiveness. Educational Technology & Society, 8(2), 54-65.
Jan. 20
Week 1: What are instructional games? Research, classifications and culture
NEW READING
Rieber, L. P. (1996). Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds, simulations, and games. Educational Technology Research and Development, 44(2), 43-58.
Track A
Hayes, E.Find out who you really are: Adult learning in virtual worlds.
Kirriemuir, J. (2002). Video gaming, education and digital learning technologies. D-Lib Magazine, 8.
Kirriemuir, J., & McFarlane, A.Use of computer and video games in the classroom.
Track B
Squire, K., Barnett, M., Grant, J. M., & Higginbotham, T. (2003). Electromagnetism supercharged! Learning physics with digital simulation games. Paper presented at the International Conference of the Learning Sciences 2004 (ICLS 04), Santa Monica, CA.
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 4: What games teach us. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 48-79). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
both tracks
Deshrill, M. (2004). Interview with Nick Montfort. Retrieved August 16, 2005, from http://www.eboredom.20m.com/features/interviews/montfort1.html
Jan. 27
Week 2: : Instructional games and learning
NEW READING
Shaffer chapter
Track A
Wolf, M. J. P. (2001). Chapter 5: Narrative in the video game. In M. J. P. Wolf (Ed.), The Medium of the Video Game (pp. 93-112). Austin: University of Texas Press.
Crawford, C. (1997). Chapter 1: What is a game? In The Art of Computer Game Design: Washington State University.
Track B
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 3: What games are. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 34-47). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Aldrich, C. (2005). Chapter 8: The three essential elements to successful educational experiences: Simulations, games, and pedagogy. In Learning by doing: A comprehensive guide to simulations, computer games, and pedagogy in e-learning and other educational experiences. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
both tracks
Montfort, N. (2003). Toward a theory of interaction fiction. In E. Short (Ed.), IF Theory (3.5 ed.). St. Charles, IL: The Interactive Fiction Library.
Feb. 3
Week 3: : Introduction to the design of instructional games
NEW READING
Paras, B., & Bizzocchi, J. (2005, June 16-20). Game, motivation, and effective learning: An integrated model for educational game design. Paper presented at the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA): Changing Views -- Worlds in Play, Vancouver, BC.
Track A
Tews, R. R. (2001). Chapter 9: Archetypes on acid: Video games and culture. In M. J. P. Wolf (Ed.), The Medium of the Video Game (pp. 169-182). Austin: University of Texas Press.
McMahan, A. (2003). Chapter 3: Immersion, engagement, and presence: A method for analyzing 3-D video games. In M. J. P. Wolf & B. Perron (Eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader (pp. 25-46). New York: Routledge.
Track B
Miller, C. H. (2005). Chapter 11: Video games. In Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment (pp. 209-224). Burlington, MA: Focal Press Elsevier.
Gee, J. P. (2003). Chapter 2: Semiotic domains: Is playing video games a "waste of time"? In What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
both tracks
(if interested) Inform programming resources:
Hunter, A. (2005). Zoom Manual. Retrieved August 15, 2005, from www.logicalshift.demon.co.uk/unix/zoom/
Nelson, G., & Knight, C. (2003). Inform - A design system for interactive fiction. Retrieved August 15, 2005, from www.inform-fiction.org
Feb. 10
Week 4: : Revisiting Research, classifications and culture of instructional games
NEW READING
Dickey, M. D. (2006). Game design narrative for learning: Appropriating adventure game design narrative devices and techniques for the design of interactive learning environments. Educational Technology Research & Development, 54(3), 245-263.
Track A
Agency, B. E. C. a. T. (2001). Comptuer Games in Education Project. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.becta.org.uk/research/research.cfm?section=1&id=2826
Track B
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 7: The problem with learning. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 110-127). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Recommended for both tracks:
Montfort, N. (2003). Twisty Little Passages: An Approach to Interactive Fiction (First Paperback ed.). Cambridge: MIT Press.
Squire, K., & Barab, S. Learning world history through computer simulation games.
Steinhuehler, C. A. (2003, March 25). Videogaming as participation in a discourse. Paper presented at the Annual Conference ofthe American Association for Applied Linguistics.
Feb. 17
Week 5: : Instructional games in schools
attend Monday's classes on Tuesday due to President's Day
NEW READING
Dempsey, J. V., Rasmussen, K., & Lucassen, B. (1996). The Instructional Gaming Literature: Implications and 99 Sources (Technical Report 96-1): University of South Alabama
Track A
Crawford, C. (1997). Chapter 6: design techniques and ideals. In The Art of Computer Game Design: Washington State University.
Track B
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 9: Games in context. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 140-159). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Miller, C. H. (2005). Chapter 10: Creating a new project: The development process. In Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment (pp. 183-206). Burlington, MA: Focal Press Elsevier.
Feb. 24
Week 6: Design of instructional games (II)
NEW READING
Ladd, B. C. (2006). The Curse of Monkey Island: Holding the attention of students weaned on computer games. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 21(6), 162-174.
Track A
Gunter, B. (1998). Chapter 2: Tapping into players' habits and preferences. In The Effects of Video Games on Children: The Myth Unmasked (pp. 29-48). Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press.
Track B
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 5: What games aren't. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 80-99). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Mar. 3
Week 7: Design of instructional games, advanced topics (III)
NEW READING
Van Eck chapter
Track A
Crawford, C. (1997). Chapter 5: The game design sequence. In The Art of Computer Game Design: Washington State University.
Track B
Miller, C. H. (2005). Chapter 8: Blending entertainment with other goals. In Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment (pp. 135-158). Burlington, MA: Focal Press Elsevier.
Miller, C. H. (2005). Chapter 9: Tacklling projects for children. In Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment (pp. 159-182). Burlington, MA: Focal Press Elsevier.
both tracks
Rollings, A., & Adams, E. (2003). Chapter 8: The internal economy of games and game balancing. In Andrew Rollings and Earnest Adams on Game Design (pp. 239-288). Indianapolis: New Riders.
Mar. 10
Week 8: No class: Spring Break
Mar. 17
Week 9: Design of instructional games, advanced topics (IV)
NEW READING
Bixler, B. (2005, December 7-8). Motivation and its relationship to the design of educational games. Paper presented at the New Media Consortium (NMC) Online Conference on Educational Gaming, Internet.
Track A
Bernstein, C. (2001). Chapter 8: Play it again, Pac-man. In M. J. P. Wolf (Ed.), The Medium of the Video Game (pp. 93-112). Austin: University of Texas Press.
Grodal, T. (2003). Chapter 6: Stories for eye, ear, and muscles: Video games, media, and embodied experiences. In M. J. P. Wolf & B. Perron (Eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader (pp. 25-46). New York: Routledge.
Track B
Jelfs, A., & Whitelock, D. (2000). The notion of presence in virtual learning environments: What makes the environment "real". British Journal of Educational Technology, 31(2), 145-152.
Mar. 24
Week 10: Motivation in instructional games (I).
NEW READING
Dempsey, J. V., Rasmussen, K., Haynes, L. L., & Casey, M. S. (1997). An Exploratory Study of Forty Computer Games (COE Technical Report No. 97-2): University of South Alabama.
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 2: How the brain works. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 12-33). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Track A
Crawford, C. (1997). Chapter 2: Why do people play games? In The Art of Computer Game Design: Washington State University.
Track B
Koster, R. (2005). Chapter 8: The problem with people. In A Theory of Fun for Game Design (pp. 128-139). Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
Mar. 31
Week 11: Motivation in instructional games (II)
NEW READING
Nelson et al chapter
Track A
Frasca, G. (2003). Chapter 10: Simulation versus narrative: Introduction to ludology. In M. J. P. Wolf & B. Perron (Eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader (pp. 221-236). New York: Routledge.
Shelton, B. E., & Wiley, D. (Submitted 2006). Instructional designers take all the fun out of games: Rethinking elements of engagement for designing instructional games. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2006, San Francisco.
Track B
Takahashi, D. (2004, September 20). Game sequel takes leaps in AI technology. The Mercury News.
McAllister, K., & Moeller, R. (2004). Introduction. Works and Days 43/44: Capitalizing on play: The politics of computer gaming, 22(1&2), 11-20.
Apr. 7
Week 12: Future of instructional games.
NEW READING
Barab et al. chapter
Track A
Robertson, J., & Good, J. (2005). Story creation in virtual game worlds. Communications of the ACM, 48(1), 61-65.
Track B
Kirriemuir, J. (2003). The relevance of video games and gaming consoles to the higher and further education learning experience. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from www.ceangal.com
both tracks:
Review of “Design Briefs” from Resnick with links, see Appendix B.
Apr. 14
Week 13: AERA week!
Apr. 21
Week 14: Design briefs vs. Full Design Documents. Project wrap and reflection
NEW READING
Steinkuehler chapter
Review Game Template created by Chris Taylor. Work toward completion on design projects and game creation. Final de-bug of all assignments and projects. Addition of meaningful details.
Taylor, C. (2000). Your Company's Design Template. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from www.designersnotebook.com/ctaylordesign.zip
Apr. 28
Week 15: Game integration and open house.
Apr 30 (Thursday)
Final exam time 11:30am-1:20pm.
[Presentations of game reviews...]
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Theory/Reading/Gaming (Due)
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(1/6)
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Syllabus & Course overview
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Visionaire Demo, and WhereIGo Demo
Given Constraints
-Locations, Objectives, Overall story outline
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0
(1/13)
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Shelton
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Play VOSR, downloadable from the cle.usu.edu website. Come to class next week ready to discuss the form, format, and progress you made in the game.
Visionaire Tutorials: http://www2.visionaire2d.net/glenfx/
Part 1 - Part 5
Assignment: With the provided assets, create 2 scenes with a character, mouse icon, and fonts imported. Send a screen capture to Brett of each scene.
WhereIGo Tutorial: http://www.wherigo.com/tutorial/index.html
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=59
Assignment: Zooventure level 1. Send to Brett the compiled and working lua file based on the zooventure game.
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review location information, activities at AWHM: http://www.awhc.org/
Formulate group activites:
brainstorm narrative, story ideas, challenges aligned with learning goals...come to class with 2 favorite overall storylines
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1
(1/20)
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Reiber
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Visionaire Tutorials: http://www2.visionaire2d.net/glenfx/
Part 5B - Part 7
Assignment: With the two scenes have your character move between location, create your inventory, menus and have you character walk between the two scenes. Send a (brief) series of screen captures that demonstrate your progress.
WhereIGo Tutorial: http://www.wherigo.com/tutorial/index.html
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=59
Assignment: Zooventure level 2. - Send to Brett your compiled and working lua file based on the zooventure game.
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Phases Confirmed
Design P1
read through the wiki manual also for more help http://wiki.visionaire2d.net/index.php?title=Visionaire_Manual
http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/submachine/
http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/submachine-2/
http://www.thegameslist.com/playgame/229/Cursor_10
http://www.abc.net.au/gameon/chasm/chasmgame.htm
What are the goals of each of the games? How are those goals relayed to the player? How do the actions available to the player help achieve those goals?
How do these games handle different actions within the game? How are actions (look, take, move a given direction, etc.) handled in each? What are the pros/cons to these interfaces?
How does the style of the visual elements add to the enjoyment? How do they distract? How are cut-scenes used?
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2
(1/27)
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Shaffer
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Visionaire Tutorials: http://www2.visionaire2d.net/glenfx
Part 8 - Part 11
Assignment:
1. In the different scenes pick up an object from one location and bring it to the other location to use it on something (For example you could have a key open a door or put a weight on a scale to balance it out)
2. Add a second character and have at least a 5 sentence dialogue between the two characters. Send a (brief) series of screen captures that demonstrate your progress.
WhereIGo Tutorial: http://www.wherigo.com/tutorial/index.html
Assignment: Zooventure level 3 - Add an aspect to the American West Heritage Center game, using the zooventure level 3 as a guide. Their assignment should include a scenario based on the AWHC that has the player collecting an item, but only after a condition is met. So for example, instead of just going to the garden to get something, a problem is presented to them first. The problem must be solved before the garden is 'unlocked', and they are able to get the item. Send to Brett your compiled and working lua file based on the zooventure game.
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CLASS:
What kinds of actions will need to be supported for the a-whack game? Must decide what form we’ll have for the game.
Inventory.
Actions – walking, taking, examining will be handled how?
GROUP:
Decide on your “overall story idea” as a group. Break this story idea into 3 phases of design/construction. Provide an outline for each of these phases.
Design of P1 (phase 1):
What elements of our environment will you need…how do you “connect” locations? Storyboard each scene needed…
Begin listing objects necessary for each location…
Begin listing actions required for each location…
Begin listing other elements in each scene that will require descriptions…
Begin listing other visual assets that will be required (how to incorporate actual photos?)
Tie each activity to one (or more) learning objectives.
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Dev. P1
CLASS:
Discuss through shared board any decisions made that will affect the other groups
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3
(2/3)
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Paras & Bizzocchi
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1. catch-up on all outstanding Visionaire Tutorials and WhereIGo Tutorials
2. explore Visionaire v3.0 and decide if moving to that version will be in the class' best interests. Review the new demo game included with that version.
3. work within group decision for interface/action/inventory decisions
-mirror those of Captain Brawn, except also provide an "inventory" icon, and initiate it with a "right click"
-choosing inventory provides a pop-up that includes a link to the main menu items, the menu may also be accessible throught he escape key
In-class activity:
Break into groups. Think about towers of Hanoi. List:
-objects needed
-what actions will be required
-what conditions and variables will be required to keep track of
-what kinds of if-then, or condition checks will you implement on objects? On user actions?
Assignment: build the towers and the 3 disks in WhereIGo, initiate the pick up and dropping of disks in each of the 3 zones (1 tower in each zone)
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Design P2
What elements of our environment will you need…how do you “connect” locations? Storyboard each scene needed…
Begin listing objects necessary for each location…
Begin listing actions required for each location…
Begin listing other elements in each scene that will require descriptions…
Begin listing other visual assets that will be required (how to incorporate actual photos?)
Tie each activity to one (or more) learning objectives.
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GROUP:
Development of P1
Using simple visual elements, implement design work from P1
General location sketches
Objects, even if they’re rough placeholders
Implement basic actions (take, look, descriptions, dialogue)
Come to class and present within Visionaire your P1 development progress
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4
(2/10)
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Dickey
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In-class activity:
Discuss the logic behind the differences in WhereIGo versus the Visionaire version. Modifications that might be necessary, etc.
Individually, complete the Towers game in WhereIGo
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CLASS:
Discuss overall outlines. Go over feedback from Brett on overall outline.
Discuss through shared board any decisions made that will affect the other groups.
Design of P3 (phase 3):
Begin listing objects necessary for each location…
Begin listing other elements in each scene that will require descriptions…
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Dev. P2, Refine P1
GROUP:
Further Development of P1
Using simple visual elements
General location sketches
Objects, even if they’re rough placeholders
Implement basic actions (take, look, descriptions, dialogue)
(Basically, get all functionality working [coding] so that only visual assets remain to be implemented)
Each group: present within Visionaire your P2 development progress
Development of P2
Using simple visual elements, implement design work from last week
General location sketches
Objects, even if they’re rough placeholders
Implement basic actions (take, look, descriptions, dialogue)
Each group: present within Visionaire your P2 development progress
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5
(2/17)
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Dempsey et al.
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Design P3
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6
(2/24)
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Ladd
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Download and play "Passage" (a quick google search should take you there, the source code for all platforms is on SourceForge
Be prepared to discuss in class:
Describe the goal(s) of the game
Describe gameplay
Describe interface & options
How/why is the game “successful”?
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Dev. P3, Refine P2
***
By this time, we should be almost caught up with what was due for last week.
Be prepared to demo all your WhereIGo and Visionaire progress for P1.
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7
(3/3)
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Van Eck
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continued
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8
(3/10)
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(none) |
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Integration, Beginning, Ending, Testing, and Extras
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9
(3/17)
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Bixler
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continued
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10
(3/24)
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Dempsey et al.
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Testing
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11
(3/31)
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Nelson et al.
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Design Docs
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12
(4/7)
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Barab et al.
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Design Docs
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13
(4/14)
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(none)
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(Rollover room)
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14
(4/21)
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Steinkeuhler
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(Rollover room)
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15
(4/28)
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(none)
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(Rollover room)
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reading schedue:
week 1: mark
week 2 katherine
week 3: gisela, Jon T.
week 4: matt
week 5: NONE
week 6: jordan, Jon T.
week 7: christian, jason
week 8: NONE
week 9: jason
week 10: justin
week 11: john r.
week 12: peter
week 13: NONE
week 14: peter
week 15: open house/demo
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