Mondays and Thursdays, , N7-C25

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1 1 The Rhetoric of Gaming and Its Cultural Impact Spring 2017 Copenhagen 3 Credits Major Disciplines: Communication, Computer Science, Rhetoric Faculty Member: Iben Schandel, iben.schandel@gmail.com Program Director: Iben de Neergaard, Vestergade 10 A23, idn@dis.dk Assistant Program Director: Louise Bjerre Bojsen, Vestergade 10 A23, louise@bjerrebojsen.dk Program Assistant: Jenny Han, Vestergade 10 A23, yh@dis.dk Mondays and Thursdays, , N7-C25 Course Description: Chances are that you - or someone you know - just played a game online, on your computer or on your cell phone. The gaming industry is booming with both fun and serious games - from World of War Craft, (Icelandic produced) EVE Online, (Swedish produced) Minecraft, SIMS City and League of Legends played on gaming consoles or computers to Bejeweled and Candy Crush played on your mobile phone. We play games to relax, but games are also sites of community building, social activism, bullying and education. Studies furthermore suggest that games reflect, shape and/or challenge our cultural and gender identities. Scandinavia is a special place to study the culture, as well as threats and potentials of games. In four years the number of Danish gaming start-ups has doubled and the export increased with 64% during the same period. Danish game producers like KnapNok deliberately design games that challenge the philosophy of games like Wii, emphasizing that games should not be designed to be safe but can also be used to challenge and negotiate social boundaries. Additionally, Danish game developer Serious Games Interactive is Europe s leading developer of games-based learning. Drawing on communication theories and cultural studies, we will analyze games in a variety of genres (arcadestyle; first person shooter; multiplayer role playing; educational; open and virtual world experiences) and explore Scandinavian gaming trends that challenge cultural norms, experiment with how we play games, and/or use games for educational purposes. You will meet innovative and creative companies and also get feedback on your own final project. The course is non-technical and no gaming experience or interest is required, though you will of course also enjoy this class if you are a gamer. Together, we develop a vocabulary for discussing and analyzing games, and the potentials and challenges of gaming through hands-on experience from field trips and discussions with special guests in class.

2 2 Learning Objectives: At the end of the course, you will be able to: Critically analyze games from a cultural, societal, and communication perspective Reflect on the relationship between the player and the game(s) Explore and understand the expressive potential of games Have a deeper understanding of game mechanics and core fundamentals of game design Field study visits may include: Copenhagen Game Collective Workshop at the Danish IT University s game design and game developer department Spilhuset i Pilestræde // CPH Game Collective Aalborg University Serious Games Assignments and Grading: Participation: active participation in groups and in plenum, plus presentations 15% Game Design: create your own game based on previous lectures 20% Serious Game Analysis Paper: 2-3 page analysis of a serious game of your own choice 25% Final Project: Create a game design document and pitch a game of your own choice, revise an existing game, or create a storyboard of a new game with audience and purpose in mind (with a theoretical paper) 40% Participation: Attendance in all classes and field studies Involvement in class and group discussions Level of preparation and ability to answer questions asked in class Active participation in field studies Participation in in-class exercises and class presentations Classroom Policies: Students are expected to be on time for class and attend all scheduled classes. If one misses multiple classes, the Director of Teaching and Learning, as well as the Director of Student Affairs, will be notified, and they will follow up with you to assure that all is well. Absences and being late may jeopardize your grade. Allowances will be made in case of illness, but in the case of multiple illnesses you will need to provide a doctor s note. Laptops may be used for note-taking. Please wait until after the class to check , Facebook, and send messages. If surfing the internet or text messages become a problem, then laptops and cell phones will be banned from the classroom and will affect the participation grade. All material will be on the DIS forum or a link will be provided. All slides used in-class will also be uploaded. Note that part of the homework will also consist of playing games at DIS or on your own computer.

3 3 GRADED ASSIGNMENTS Serious Game Analysis Paper: Analyze a short serious/persuasive game in a 2-3 page paper using 3-4 references from the course. The paper must contain: An introduction describing the genre, who made the game, and for what system An analysis of the game where you describe the mechanics of the game, the intend and message of the game, and how the game conveys this message A discussion on the theoretical basis for how, why, and if the game succeeds in conveying its message Game Design: In groups of 2-4 students, you must create a game based on the readings from the course (where 1 cannot be from Adams or Salen & Zimmerman) A students will receive a theme for the game, which we will work on throughout that day s class o There are no rules for the type of game created; it may be a physical game such as soccer, a card game, board game, or something else entirely. o Materials for creating game objects will be available in class (such as dice, paper, glue, markers, and scissors) A prototype with the rules written and printed must be available for another group to playtest and give a peer-review of. You have until the rest of the class to use the feedback and improve on your game. Game materials and rules must be handed in for evaluation no later than 11:59PM that day. Students are free to spend time between the two lectures on the game, but may not change or improve the game after the specific date (TBA) Each group must hold a 10 minute presentation explaining the game and the theories used to make the game. A poster must be handed in advertising your game at the beginning of class, as well as uploaded as a pdf-file on the forum To pass the assignment, the game must be presented at the DIS Final Showcase on Thursday December 8 th The game counts for 60% of the Game Design grade and the presentation counts for 40% of the Game Design grade. The entire assignment is graded as a group assignment o Individual grades will be redacted in case of unexcused absence at the DIS Final Showcase

4 4 Final Project: Students may choose 1 of 3 possible projects to hand in: A Game Design Document of a game you design yourself, describing the design and theoretical basis for the design choices (4-6 pages paper with 4-5 references) A paper (5-6 pages paper with 4-5- references) describing the revision of an already published game in order to either o Make it more meaningful and immersive, or o Make it convey one or more message(s) A storyboard (max 12 frames) describing a game you have designed yourself with a 4-5 page paper explaining the design and theoretical basis for the design choices In General: A rubric for each assignment will be uploaded on the forum and handed out per request. There is no required reference format, but as a minimum you are required to use the APA referencing format - example: o All written assignments must contain references and your name. Lack of correct referencing will result in a grade deduction. The format of your paper must be size 12 font with double-spacing. Please be aware that a page is defined as a length of 300 words. o Images do not count towards the page limit All papers are handed in through the forum and must be uploaded as a PDF-file. Late assignments are generally not accepted and will result in a failing grade. However, in the case of major circumstances an extension can be made. Please see me if this should be the case. You are encouraged to use the DIS library, the Danish Royal library ( who also have free Wi- Fi and access to online databases) and your home university libraries to find more references for the assignments. You are always welcome to ask questions about the assignments. Please send them to me by (Iben.Schandel@gmail.com) or ask me before/after class it is also possible to schedule a meeting if requested.

5 5 COURSE SCHEDULE 1. First day of class A history of games the meaning of games in cultures? Students will receive an introduction to the course, processes and learning objectives as well as a brief history of games and examples of the diversity of games and their cultural impact. At the end of the class we will take a trip down to introduce you to our very own gaming lounge! In class activity: We will play The Danish Clapping Game to get to know each other: Required readings/preparations: Reflect on your experience with playing games in any form (digital, board games, sport, etc) Reflect on why you have chosen this course What is a Game and how do We Analyze it? 2. What is a game really? How do we define games? What do games consist of and what is gameplay? What are games? The concept of games have been subject to various definitions. We will discuss some of these and go over the core elements of a game. In-class activity: We will discuss the various definitions in accordance with games, new and old, and see how they fit with today s games. Salen & Zimmerman, Rules of Play: Meaningful Play (pages 31-37) Juul: The Game, the Player, the World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness (~9 pages) Adams, Fundamentals of Game Design: Games and Video Games (pages 2 14) 3. Games as Systems We will discuss games as formal, experiential, and cultural systems. In-class activity: Each group will get a simple but broken game as a starting point. Groups will identify what is broken about their game, and make modifications to create a more meaningful experience for players. Salen & Zimmerman, Rules of Play: Chapter 5: Systems (pages 49-55) & Chapter 6: Interactivity (pages 57-69)

6 6 4. Game as Systems Continued Today we will look more at games as systems. In-class activity: We will meet in class at 11:40 sharp and go to Bastard Café (a café with lots of board games). Here the class will be divided into groups and must choose a game to play and analyze we will discuss your answers on Thursday. Non re-familiarize yourself with the texts covered in class so far 5. When Games Go Digital We will look at how the computer changes games as they go from analog to digital. In-class activity: We will discuss what happens when games go digital and the appropriate terminology + each group must hold a 5 minute presentation explaining the systems of their game from our visit to Bastard Café. Adams, Fundamentals of Game Design, pages (Conventional Games Versus Video Games) and pages (Key Componens of Video Games + The Structure of Video Games) Date TBA: No Class, Core Course Week Date TBA: No Class, Core Course Week How do we play, use and understand games 6. Social Games Cooperation and Collaboration In traditional game theory, games fall into two basic categories: competitive or cooperative. A third category has been increasingly popular in recent years - collaborative games. Collaboration as a team differs from cooperation among individuals in that cooperative players may have different goals and payoffs, where collaborative players have only one goal and share the rewards or penalties of their decisions. In-class activity: We will play some games and discuss what makes them collaborative Zagal (2006): Collaborative Games: Lessons learned from board games (15 pages) 7. Game Genres and Player Types The digital media has resulted in games expanding into several different categories and genres; some games are only for one player, some are for a handful of players, and others are for hundreds and

7 7 thousands of players. Furthermore, these games have different challenges and objectives that divide them into genres that may appeal to some players more than others. In-class activity: Students will present their findings on their assigned genres and we will discuss how these genres may fit different players. Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith & Tosca, Understanding Video Games, pages (What is a game: Pragmatic Definitions & The issue of genre) Bartle s Taxonomy video by Extra Credits, 6:30 minutes Yee, 2006 Motivations for Play in Online Games (3 pages) 8. Flow, engagement, immersion and presence The great allure of games Why are games so alluring? How do players respond when playing a game? Studies in game experiences have identified different types of user experience stages known as flow, engagement, immersion and presence. Chen (2007): Flow in Games (and everything else) (4 pages) Brown & Cairns (2004): A Grounded Investigation of Game Immersion (4 pages) McMahan (2003): Immersion, Engagement, and Presence a Method for Analyzing 3-D Video Games (17 pages) Date TBA Field Study 9. Games and Narratives: Beyond points and winning Games are no longer just about high scores and beating a level. As games have grown with the technological development, games have begun to encompass vivid worlds and stories, and winning is a matter of experiencing and feeling more than anything else. In-class activity: We will look at several examples of relevant games. Ryan (2008): Interactive Narrative, Plot Types, and Interpersonal Relations (7 pages) Campbell (2013): Gaming s New Frontier: Cancer, Depression, Suicide 10. Games are about Interaction The debate between ludology and narratology is the fight between games as systems or stories. While the debate has died down, it has influenced a trend in games about how much interactivity a narrative can afford its players. In-class activity: We will play an interactive narrative and discuss it together

8 8 Riedl & Bulitko, 2012: Interactive Narrative: An Intelligent Systems Approach Watch the video Dragon Age: Inquisition's writer on "deceiving players" In the gaming lounge, play the demo for Life is Strange on Playstation 4 before class 11. Persuasive Games and Procedural Rhetoric Games are not just for fun. Instead, some of them are focusing on teaching its players about important issues in society or around the world by using the elements of gaming to get their points across. Rather than telling us, we learn through game mechanics. In-class activity: We will play a variety of persuasive games, (eg. Kabul Kaboom! and September 12th) and discuss how these games convey their messages. PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOPS FOR THIS CLASS! Bogost (2008): The Rhetoric of Video Games (required reading 17 pages please note that pages 7-9 (the subchapter Rhetoric) and pages (the subchapter Learning from Procedural Rhetoric) are not mandatory to read!) Frasca (2003): Simulation versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology (11 pages) Date TBA - No Class, Travel Break 1 Date TBA - No Class, Travel Break Games as a Serious Business - Guest Lecture TBA 13. Characters and the Self What is an avatar? How do players construct (and customize) and relate to their created avatars. Do we view these characters differently than pre-designed characters? We will discuss the meaning of the constructed self in both virtual worlds and single player games. Trepte & Reinecke (2010): Avatar Creation and Video Game Enjoyment (12 pages) Shaw (2011): He could be a bunny rabbit for all I care : Exploring identification in digital games (12 pages) 14. Representation of gender, ethnicity and sexuality in games Are everyone represented equally? Games have long had the reputation of being made by men, for men and mainly catering to the white young male rather than anyone else. We will take a look at gender, minority and sexuality in games and discuss how game characters are represented, how they are changing, and what it may mean for players. Williams et al (2009): The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games (17 pages) David Gaider (2013): Sex in Video Games (video, 48 minutes long)

9 9 15. GamerGate and the harassment of women Gamergate is a movement that allegedly runs under the banner of advocating for ethics in game journalism and the gamer identity. However, with the movement came also a wave of harassment towards female game developers and critics such as Zoe Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian. In-class activity: We will watch GTFO: the movie Williams (2012): When Gaming Goes Bad: An Exploration of Video Game Harassment Towards Female Gamers (8 pages) Date TBA No Class, Travel Break 2 Date TBA No Class, Travel Break GamerGate and the harassment of women cont. We will discuss the movie we watched together with the required readings. We will also go over the final project assignments on how to make a Game Design Document and a storyboard. Dill, Brown & Collins (2008): Effects of exposure to sex-stereotyped video game characters on tolerance of sexual harassment (7 pages) Designing Your Own Game 17. Creation Week The iterative process of game design We will begin our final project assignment. Either with a group or on your own, you will create a game universe and write a design document for it inspired by the semester s topics and readings. 18. Continued game development and the art of playtesting What is optimal playtesting? Today we play each other s prototypes and give feedback using the vocabulary and terms we ve learned through the course. We will also prepare for a final pitch session. Date TBA - 13:00-17:00 - Field Trip Games of the North 19. Going Indie in Denmark guest lecture TBA What is it like going indie in a small country like Denmark? No readings for this class

10 Games and Cultural Distinctions Is there such thing as a Nordic voice? Denmark inhabits several small game studios, including, KnapNok Games, Investigate North and PlayDead. Sweden and Iceland have also made their mark on the gaming industry by producing Minecraft, Amnesia and EVE Online. Are games developed in the Nordic countries unique? Are there any differences in the games developed in the Nordic countries compared to other regions of the world (for instance, the US and Japan)? We will meet in the game room! In-class activity: We will play various Nordic games while discussing if they have cultural distinctions and how they relate to the field study and guest lecture. Readings: Marklund: Game Development, Education and Incubation A brief overview of Scandinavian game development, markets, education, and support structures (14 pages) Date TBA No Class, Travel Break Violent Games and Game Ethics Is there a problem with so many video games being about violence? Do first person shooters or fighting games affect the players and should we be worried? We will debate this fairly old question and talk about the game Hatred that sparked a big controversy for being all about killing innocents. In-class activity: We will watch some gameplay trailers and clips and discuss the ethics of violent games. Readings: Carnagey, Anderson & Bushman, The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence (7 pages) Markey & Markey, Vulnerability to Violent Video Games: A Review and Integration of Personality Research (9 pages) 22. The New Gaming Revolution: Virtual and Augmented Reality Making games more real for the future The technology of computers is hastily evolving, and a new trend that is trying to emerge is virtual reality and, to some extent, augmented reality. Several companies are fighting to get out their VR head displays, such as the Oculus Rift, the Microsoft Hololens and Sony s Project Morpheus. We will discuss how this new technology may affect games and how they may be used in the future. In-class activity: We will see examples of how companies are trying to make games and virtual experiences become more real and immersive through HMD and specialized setups. Readings: Watch the Tedx Talk by Ryan McMahan: Bringing Virtual Reality Home 23. Pitching your game The final class!

11 11 Today we go out with a bang! Each group will have prepared a presentation to sell their game from the Creation Week. How do you convey what your game is about, who it is for and why we should play it? Readings: None Date TBA - End of Semester Showcase Here you will show off the game you made in class note that the grade for the Game Design assignment will be redacted if one is absent without a valid excuse. More information will be provided closer to the date