Game Analysis and Design

Professor Hlas
hlascs (@) uwec.edu
Drop-in hours / Zoom appointments

Getting a game design from 95% to 100% done takes as long as it does to get from 0% to 95% done.
—Brian Henk

Course Information

Section: 501, Mondays 3-5:45pm

Games have been a part of human culture for over 5000 years and have been used as a tool for recreation as well as for teaching and learning. As such, games are worthy of scholarly analysis. Unfortunately, little scholarly work has been done with this medium. This course is an attempt to view games through a scholarly lens by analyzing the experience of a game.

Questions that will guide our analysis include:

  1. What is fun?
  2. Is fun a necessary component of a game?
  3. What makes one game fun and another not?

This course helps students meet the following Liberal Education Learning Outcomes (as assessed by final project):

Objectives

Structure

Materials

  1. Schell, J. (2014). The art of game design: A book of lenses.
  2. Koster, R. (2013). A theory of fun for game design.
    Note: Try reading the cartoons first, then go back to read the text

Other resources


Grading

Experience points (XP) are gained for clearly communicating ideas and reflecting on the iterative design process.

Weekly writing assignments (9 × 8 XP)

There will be readings and videos for each week's topic. Most of these weeks require a written assignment requiring you to integrate and applies the various ideas within the readings.

Roll-and-write design project (12 XP)

A practice design project that has specific constraints to prepare you for the game design project.

Print-and-play design project (66 XP)

In teams of 1-3, students will iteratively design a game idea of their own choosing. Students will be graded on communication of ideas, not game quality. Specifically, students will individually submit a reflection after each playtest. Further, students groups will submit a design diary with group and individual parts for the final project.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When/how is the professor available outside of class?

Email is the best way to reach me. I typically respond within 24 hours, but do not check email in the evenings or on Saturdays due to other commitments.

My drop-in schedule and sign-up for Zoom appointments are posted at https://math.hlasnet.com/officehours

What is the attendance policy?

A record of attendance is required by the University to maintain accurate class rosters. Attendance is not graded but poor attendance may impact participation in group activities (e.g., taking a group quiz individually).

If you are absent, please check the course schedule then meet with the instructor via drop-in hours, Zoom, or email to make sure you are caught up. Graded work that occurs during an authorized absence (school functions, emergencies or illness) may be made up for full credit. Other absences may complete graded assignments late for 90% credit or early for full credit. Late work is expected to be completed within two weeks of the return date or by the last day of classes, whichever occurs first. In situations where a makeup cannot occur, the final exam score may be used as a proxy for a missing assignment. Students missing a week or more of class should contact the Dean of Students Office to get extra support.

What if the class is too easy or too difficult?

The Department of Mathematics allows students within entry-level mathematics courses (i.e., 010, 020, 104, 109, 112, 114, or 246) to move up to a higher numbered course during the first two weeks of a semester or move down during the first three weeks. Please contact the instructor for more details.

How does grading work?

Final scores (rounded up to the nearest whole number) are compared to the grading scale given in the syllabus to determine a final grade. Individual scores or grades will not be modified because they represent a student's progress in the class throughout the semester. If there is a mistake in scoring, please contact the instructor as soon as possible to get the error fixed.

Midterm grades do not have a score table so are based on the percentage of points completed at the time of midterm submission.

Note: I dislike the University's scale of "F" because I have never once felt that a student has "failed" a class. Instead, I prefer to think of this as a "not pass" where insufficient evidence has been demonstrated by a student to move on to the next level.

What if I need accommodations (like extra time on tests)?

Any student who is in need of classroom accommodations should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office in Centennial Hall 2106 at the beginning of the semester.

What else do I need to know?