Calendar

This course calendar is subject to change throughout the semester.

Date Due Today In Class
Aug. 22
• Course introduction
• Complete survey
Aug. 27 • Read GDR "The Player Experience" and one corresponding essay
• Read information about Responses
• Complete Response 1
• Sign course contract
• "The Player Experience"
• Review Project introduction
Aug. 29 • 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. 3 • Read GDR "The Rules of a Game" and one corresponding essay
• Complete Response 3
• "The Rules of a Game"
Sept. 5 • Design Plan • Rubric vote
• Share Design Plans
Sept. 10 • Read GDR "Gaming the Game" and one corresponding essay
• Complete Response 4
• "Gaming the Game"
• In-Class Play Exercise 1
Sept. 12 • Complete In-Class Play Exercise 1
• Draft Reviews
• Draft Review workshop
Sept. 17 • Read GDR "The Game Design Process" and one corresponding essay
• Complete Response 5
• "The Game Design Process"
• Draft Review feedback
Sept. 19 • Listen to one of the seven "A Life Well Wasted" podcast episodes • Check Review rubric
• Discuss Review Analyses
• Discuss Postmortems
• In-Class Play Exercise 2
Sept. 24 • Read GDR "Player and Character" and one corresponding essay
• Complete Response 6
• "Player and Character"
• Review Project questions
• In-Class Play Exercise 3A
Sept. 26 • Review 1
• Review 1 Analysis
• Review 2
• Review 2 Analysis
• Postmortem
• Pitch, Package, Promote Project introduction
• In-Class Play Exercise 3B
Oct. 1 • Read excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design • Discuss one-sheets
• One-sheet activity
Oct. 3 • Complete one-sheet activity
• Read GDR "Games and Narrative" and one corresponding essay
• Complete Response 7
• Discuss one-sheet activity
• "Games and Narrative"
Oct. 8 • One-Sheet • Share pitches
• Select topics
• In-Class Play Exercise 3C
• Form groups
Oct. 10 No class
Oct. 15 • Existing packaging materials (instruction manual, retail box jacket, game label) • Packaging materials exercise
Oct. 17 • Draft packaging materials (Instruction Manual, Retail Box Jacket, Game Label) • Draft packaging materials workshop
• Create packaging materials rubrics
Oct. 22 • Completed packaging materials rubric
• Existing promotional materials (magazine-format advertisement, video advertisement)
• Select class packaging materials rubric
• Promotional materials exercise
• Create promotional materials rubrics
Oct. 24 No class
Oct. 29
• Video production workshop
• Draft promotional materials workshop
• Discuss Presentations
Oct. 31 • Presentation • Share Presentations
• Form class promotional materials rubric
Nov. 5
• Discuss Packaging Materials Analysis
• Discuss Promotional Materials Analysis
• Discuss Postmortem
• Draft workshop
Nov. 7 • Instruction Manual
• Retail Box Jacket
• Game Label
• Magazine-Format Print Advertisement
• 30-Second Video Advertisement
• Missing Chapter Project introduction
• In-Class Play Exercise 4

Nov. 12 • Packaging Materials Analysis
• Promotional Materials Analysis
• Postmortem
• Read How to Do Things introduction–chap. 6
• Complete Response 8
• How to Do Things introduction–chap. 6
Nov. 14 • Read How to Do Things chap.7–chap. 10
• Complete Response 9
• How to Do Things chap.7–chap.10
Nov. 19 • Read How to Do Things chap. 11–chap. 17
• Complete Response 10
• Discuss Design Plan
• Discuss IDEA outcomes
• How to Do Things chap. 11–chap. 17
Nov. 21 • Read How to Do Things chap. 18–conclusion
• Complete Response 11
• Look through sample chapters (linked on project page)
• Online Portfolio introduction
•
How to Do Things chap. 18-conclusion
• Discuss sample chapters
Nov. 26 • Design Plan
• In-Class Play Exercise 5 (meet at Sharky's in Fisher Student Center) 
Nov. 28 No class
Dec. 3 • Draft Chapter
• Look through sample chapters (linked on project page)
• Think about what makes an effective chapter
• Discuss Postmortems
• Draft Chapter workshop
• Complete IDEA forms
Dec. 10 (8:00–11:00) • Chapter
• Postmortem
• Complete Online Portfolios

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Instructor Information