Calendar

This course calendar is subject to change throughout the semester.

Date Due Today Class Topic
Aug. 23
• Course introduction
• Complete survey
• Sign Course Contract
Aug. 28 • Read excerpt from Steven Johnson's Everything Bad Is Good for You
• Read information about Responses
• Complete Response 1
• Johnson
Review Project introduction
Aug. 30 • Read review of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Wired)
• Read review of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Action Button)
• Read review of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (RPGFan)
• Read review of Madden NFL 12 (IGN)
• Read review of Madden NFL 12 (The Onion A.V. Club)
• Read review of Madden NFL 12 (Bleeding Green Nation)
• Read review of Metroid (Armchair Empire)
• Read review of Metroid (The Video Game Critic)
• Read review of Metroid (About.com)
• Read review of Tiny Wings (Touch Arcade)
• Read review of Tiny Wings (Ars Technica)
• Read review of Tiny Wings (Common Sense Media)
• Complete Response 2
• Discuss Reviews
• Create Review rubric
Sept. 4 • Read What Video Games chaps. 1&2
• Complete Response 3
Rubric vote
What Video Games chaps. 1&2
Sept. 6 Design Plan • Share Design Plans
Sept. 11 • Read What Video Games chaps. 3&4
• Complete Response 4
What Video Games chaps. 3&4
Sept. 13 • Review drafts • Draft workshop
Sept. 18 • Read What Video Games chaps. 5&6
• Complete Response 5
What Video Games chaps. 5&6
Sept. 20 • Read excerpt about casual games from Jesper Juul's A Casual Revolution • Discuss Review Analyses
• Discuss Postmortems
In-class play exercise
Sept. 25 • Read What Video Games chaps. 7&8
• Complete Response 6
What Video Games chaps. 7&8
Sept. 27 • Review 1
• Review 1 Analysis
• Review 2
• Review 2 Analysis
Postmortem
Pitch, Package Promote Project introduction
In-class play exercise
Oct. 2 • Read The Ultimate Guide chaps. 0-3
• Complete Response 7
The Ultimate Guide chaps. 0-3
• Play Zork online
Oct. 4 • Read excerpt about mimetic games from Jesper Juul's A Casual Revolution • In-class play exercise (meet at Sharky's in Fisher Student Center)
Oct. 9 No class
Oct. 11 • Read The Ultimate Guide chaps. 4-7
• Complete Response 8
The Ultimate Guide chaps. 4-7
One-sheet activity
Oct. 16 One-sheet Share pitches
Select topics / form groups
Oct. 18 • Existing packaging materials (instruction manual, retail box jacket, game label) print or online Packaging materials exercise
Create packaging materials rubrics
Oct. 23 • Completed packaging materials rubric (group)
• Instruction Manual draft (group)
• Retail Box Jacket draft (group)
• Game Label draft (group)
Packaging materials workshop
Oct. 25   • Video production workshop
Oct. 30 • Existing promotional materials (magazine-format advertisement, video advertisement) print or online • Promotional materials exercise
Create promotional materials rubrics
Nov. 1 • Magazine-Format Print Advertisement draft (group)
• 30-Second Video Advertisement draft (group)
• Promotional materials workshop
• Discuss Packaging Materials Analysis
• Discuss Promotional Materials Analysis
• Discuss Presentations
• Discuss Postmortem
Nov. 6 • Presentation • Share Presentations
Nov. 8 • Instruction Manual
• Retail Box Jacket
• Game Label
• Packaging Materials Analysis
• Magazine-Format Print Advertisement
• 30-Second Video Advertisement
• Promotional Materials Analysis
• Postmortem
Missing Chapter Project introduction
In-class play exercise
Nov. 13 • Read How to Do Things chaps. introduction-6
• Complete Response 9
How to Do Things chaps. introduction-6
Nov. 15   • In-class play exercise (meet at Sharky's in Fisher Student Center)
Nov. 20 • Read How to Do Things chaps. 7-14
• Complete Response 10
How to Do Things chaps. 7-14
Nov. 22 No class  
Nov. 27 • Read How to Do Things chaps. 15-conclusion
• Complete Response 11
• Discuss Design Plans
How to Do Things chaps. 15-conclusion
Nov. 29 Design Plan • Discuss Postmortems
Online Portfolio introduction
Dec. 4 • Chapter draft Chapter workshop
Dec. 11 (11:30–2:30) • Chapter (due as .pdf file attached to email)
Postmortem 
• Complete Online Portfolios

Course Information

Instructor Information