International Game Developers Association

Games Education
Course

Contents 1 Teachers 1.1 Instructors 2 Course Background Information 2.1 Location 2.2 Time periods 2.3 Aim 2.4 Section 2 Academic Rationale 2.5 Section 3 Reference Points Used 2.6 Requirements of Professional Institutions 2.7 Section 4 Programme Levels and learning Outcomes 2.8 Section 5 Curriculum Rationale 2.8.1 Summary of modules 2.8.2 Full-time route 2.8.3 Part-time route 2.9 Section 6: Strategy for Learning and Teaching 2.10 Section 7 Strategy for Assessment 2.11 Section 8 Student Support and Guidance 2.12 Section 9 Learning Resources 2.13 Section 10 Quality Enhancement 2.14 Section 11 Other factors involved in supporting student achievement of the learning outcomes 2.15 References

Teachers

Instructors

• Dr Tanya Krzywinska

Course Background Information

Location

Brunel University

Time periods

October 2006

Aim

Over the past 30 years digital games have moved from being a cottage industry to become core to some of the largest businesses in the world. Digital games¹ are now a new and significant element of popular culture. In response to this, a new academic discipline in the analysis of digital games has recently blossomed and is attracting the interest of a large number of scholars from a wide variety of disciplines. For these reasons it is the perfect time to bring to the market a Master of Arts programme focused on theoretical and design aspects of digital games.

This MA is aimed at graduates and industry professionals who wish to explore fully the forms, design and socio-cultural implications of digital games through theoretical and practical perspectives (it should be noted that this MA is not a games programming degree [see the Approval in Principle document for a fuller explanation of the rationale behind this]). It will support the industry by engaging students with design principles and modes of thinking about the capabilities and cultural implications of those principles. The programme focuses on the interface between theory and conceptual design, conducted through a range of practice-based projects and theoretical analyses of both existing games and games designed by students. The development of critical reflection of a sophisticated level is core to aim of this MA; students are expected to be able to evaluate the conceptual design and values of their designs and existing games, as well as creating innovative game designs. On completion of the programme graduates will be able to work in the games industry in range of possible capacities, or continue to research digital games within an academic context.

¹Digital games can be defined as those games that are produced and delivered using computational devices – they might be played using a PC, a console (such as an X-box or PlayStation), or handheld device such as a mobile phone or games dedicated devices such as the Nintendo DS or GameBoy. These differ therefore to board games, card games using paper cards or table-top role-playing games.

Section 2 Academic Rationale

In accordance with the University’s mission ‘to be a research-led university, which creates new understanding and high quality graduates of benefit to the region, nation and the international community’, this MA is formulated to facilitate the development of innovative and theoretically informed game designs for digital platforms. The MA brings together a variety of approaches to the study and conceptual design of games, as well as addressing issues that arise from socio-cultural contexts in which games are made and played.

In the current market context digital games have solidified remarkably quickly into a limited number of genres and formats, often focused for example on virtual violence; the industry is, however, keen to bring in new players looking for game experiences that are not necessarily accommodated by existing titles. In linking theoretical and critical approaches to design, it will be possible for students to create innovative game designs that appeal to a broader audience potentially. As a consequence the programme will produce high quality graduates who are able to bring to the digital games industry new ideas and knowledge and who will be capable of broadening the scope of the industry through designs that can appeal to new markets.

In order to accomplish this, students will be required to have a comprehensive knowledge of the current range of digital games available, those designed for niche as well as popular markets, as well as the constraints and economics of the industry (both in technical and commercial arenas). The ability to conduct critical evaluations of existing games, of the current field of scholarship in the analysis of digital games, and of their own designs, is central to the development of new forms of digital games that appeal beyond the current core markets and it is this that provides the programme with its academic rigour. A range of methodologies for the analysis and design of digital games will provide students with the necessary tools for such critical and evaluative analysis These include those that focus on the aesthetic and formal aspects of games, as well sociologically-based, structural, ludological and interpretative analysis. Such theories and approaches will also be deployed in the analysis of what it is that makes for ‘good’ and engaging game-play and in so doing students will be required to engage with key debates that are current within game studies, necessary to become next generation game designers and commentators.

This MA is designed to produce students who will be able to take up employment in the games industry, but a range of other skills that will be useful in a more general work and life context are also developed. Communication, creative and critical skills are central to the learning and teaching ethos of the programme. As well as creating innovative designs in collaboration with others to deadlines, students need to be able to present their ideas effectively in oral and written form effectively and they are assessed on their abilities to reflect on games critically through the frame of theoretical concepts. These features involve a range of cognitive skills, and an ability to research their topics rigorously. These are skills that the Dearing report identifies as key to the success of graduates in employment as well as becoming informed contributors to the cultural arena. It also accords with the mission of Brunel to produce graduates of high quality. In addition the programme is designed in accordance with the International Games Development Association (IGDA) guidelines on what is required of graduates to become employed in the games industry. (see Requirements of Professional below for a fuller explanation of these guidelines).

The curriculum of this MA is designed to enable students to develop their skills in a progressive way, enabling them to link together conceptual and theoretical components with practical work. The two theory-based modules engage students with advanced theory and complex methodologies, while the two practice-based modules require students to bring theory to their ideas for game designs. The dissertation module requires students to plan their work thoroughly, identifying their major aims and how these will be achieved, to ensure that the project can be completed. In addition students are required to produce innovation and show independent thought through in both a design context and in their written analysis.

This MA has been designed to allow students to acquire the skills required for a theoretical understanding of the cultural, social and formal/design features of games, engage with and explore a range of design practices within the medium of digital- and non-digital based games and to gain an understanding through a range of design-based exercises of what makes a ‘good’ game in terms of ‘playability’, gameplay parameters and platform specificity.

The programme of study has been organized to attract students who have an interest in developing advanced skills in a reflective and critically informed way. Students will engage in a range of practical exercises in game design that provides material for critical analysis and evaluation (these exercises can be realized in a number of media to accommodate the different interests and skill-sets of students). The curriculum is also structured to provide students with a range of methodological tools through which to consider game design, play and gaming. The principle of thinking through the practice of game design in analytical terms on which the MA is based aims to promote a high level of independent thinking and initiative, equal to that expected of M level work by the QAA. The subject team’s expertise in the analysis and design of digital games provides the supporting framework for a critical approach to practical design work.

The MA is organized around the integration of critical, analytical thought and practical design exercises. A range of game designers working within the industry will be invited to give master-classes to students over the course of the MA, in addition an internationally known game-designer will visit regularly to advise students on design issues and entrepreneurship. There will be a number of self-directed assessed design projects that build in a practical sense on these inputs. Building on the reputation of members of the subject team, who have played a role in pioneering digital game studies as an academic discipline, the MA will provide critical engagement with a range of game types, genres and styles. A back-to-basic-principles approach (often advocated by key industry figures) means that students will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles of creating enjoyable, challenging and innovative games, rather than focusing solely on technical issues and software creation, as occurs in many MScs focused on interactive media. In order to achieve this, students are required to appraise critically theories and debates relevant to game structure/form, play and pleasure.

The MA is designed to build on the existing teaching and research expertise of the subject team and it is intended to construct an environment in which to pursue the interrelationship between teaching and research at postgraduate level. Tanya Krzywinska and Geoff King have an established reputation within the analysis of digital games, having edited ScreenPlay: cinema/videogames/interfaces and co-written Tomb Raiders and Space Invaders: videogames forms and contexts. Tanya Krzywinska has also co-edited Videogame/Player/Text, is currently writing a book on ‘fantasy worlds’, and is the editor of ‘hardcore’, a column designed to promote dialogue between games’ academics published monthly on the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) website, of which she is Vice President. She is also on the editorial board for a number of games-focused journals (Intersections; Games and Culture; Games Studies). Other members of the team have also published work on digital games (Leon Hunt on the remediation of Hong Kong action cinema into digital game format, Paul Ward on the relationships between games and more traditional forms of animation). It is intended to make a further appointment to supplement the team, for which we would be looking for someone with a research record in the analysis of videogames and who has some practical game design experience. In addition, Steve Jackson – a game designer of repute and high standing and who sits on the board of Lionhead studios – will teach much of the practical design elements of the module; he has asked lead designers working for that company, including Peter Molyneux, to act as guest speakers and to run various workshops. The team also has experience of supervising postgraduate research on tabletop RPG games and digital games. The relation between the MA and the research expertise of the team will create a highly dynamic and innovative context for postgraduate level study. The MA may also produce students who wish to continue their studies at PGR level in this area, thereby increasing the numbers of PGR students in the School.

In summary, the programme seeks therefore to engage students with sophisticated theory and progressively complex design projects so that they will become designers, team leaders, or researchers in the area of digital games.

Section 3 Reference Points Used

In the process of developing this programme, guidelines and requirements set by the following were used:

• Subject benchmarks for media and multimedia
• International Games Developers Association (IGDA) Curriculum framework (feb2003 v.2.3 beta) [industry body]
• Brunel mission statement
• Brunel Learning and Teaching Strategy
• QAA descriptors for M level work
• People Consulted: David Surman (convener of the game design undergraduate programme at University of Wales/Newport); students on the videogames undergraduate programme at Newport. Steve Jackson (credentials noted above).

Requirements of Professional Institutions

IGDA guidelines on Core Topics for courses focused on digital games states the following:

We strongly advocate a cross-disciplinary approach to game-related education. For us this means an educational approach that respects what established fields bring to games but that also pays attention to new realms of study that games make possible. The set of Core Topics reflects this approach. Some Core Topics are derived directly from existing disciplines like Computer Science. Others combine disciplines or synthesize new ones. We acknowledge there are other ways to organize these overlapping fields of knowledge. However, we feel that the set of Core Topics listed below intuitively address the unique practical and theoretical concerns of gaming. As a whole, the Core Topics provides a birds-eye view of the immense landscape of games related education....

IGDA suggest that not every category is required for individual programmes – but certain topics can be chosen from their list geared towards the particular aims and objectives of a given programme. The list is as follows:

• Critical Game Studies: criticism and history of electronic games and non-electronic games***
• Games and Society: Understanding how games reflect and construct individuals and groups***
• Game Design: Principles and methodologies behind the rules and play of games***
• Game Programming: Traditional computer science – modified to address technical aspects of gaming*
• Visual Design – Designing, creating and analyzing the visual components of games**
• Audio Design – Designing and creating sound and sound environments**
• Interactive Storytelling – Traditional storytelling and the challenges of interactive narrative***
• Game Production – Practical challenges of managing the development of games*
• Business of Gaming – Economic, legal and policy aspects of games**

NB Asterisks demonstrate the way that this MA programme relates to these Core Topics:

*** Core component
** Present but less central component
* Weaker presence, adjunct or optional depending on student’s individual focus

Section 4 Programme Levels and learning Outcomes

Masters Degree
The student should demonstrate advanced critical understanding of digital game as ludic objects and the issues they raise as socio-cultural artefacts. The student will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate: the design of existing and their own games, existing research, scholarship and methodologies in the study and design of digital games. They will be able to design, execute and deliver game projects and demonstrate innovation in approach. A minimum of 180 credits passed with an average of 50% for modules taken across the programme; as per Senate Ordinance 3.

Postgraduate Diploma
The student should demonstrate critical understanding of advanced theoretical work and the principles involved in the design of a game. A minimum of 120 credits passed.

Postgraduate Certificate
The student should demonstrate critical understanding of advanced theoretical work and the principles involved in the design of a game. A minimum of 60 credits passed (one theory and one practice module).

Section 5 Curriculum Rationale

The programme starts with two 30 credit modules running in parallel, one focused on design principles and techniques (Game Design I) and the other focused on critical approaches to the study of digital games (Critical Approaches). The former module presents students with design problems and students will work in groups to solve these problems, often involving figuring out a basic game structure and thinking through its ludic potentials. The latter module engages students with the range of methodologies that have been used in the academic analysis of digital and other forms of games: from mid-twentieth century theories of play and pleasure through to contemporary debates, for example, about the values of using narratological, ludological, textual and sociological approaches to the analysis of games. These two modules run throughout the first term, with a number of assessments throughout the modules designed to encourage progressive learning. Students are expected to cross-apply knowledge from the two modules, encouraged by the types of assessment used. As we expect to draw students from a fairly diverse range of backgrounds each of these modules will ensure that students have a robust ‘tool-kit’ of theories and techniques required for the advanced study and design of digital games and that they are thoroughly grounded in the practice of critical reflection of their own and others work. Students will be encouraged to play a wide range of games in order to understand the scope of the current market, and to share game playing experiences in playing together in a massively multiplayer online game. In addition students will each contribute to discussion forums, the MA’s own as well as to the guild forum for the online game. Critical evaluation for their own game designs will be conducted in the seminars of the Game Design module, as preparation for part of the assessment for that module.

Term 2 modules are designed to develop directly the work conducted in term 1. Game Design II engages students with creating increasingly sophisticated game designs, taking into account a wider set of parameters and offering scope for more innovative and independent work. Those wishing to do so can realise their design documents, plans and level designs using 3D modelling tools and existing game engines, but this is optional; thereby the curriculum caters for the different backgrounds of the student cohort (this MA is not therefore designed to be simply a software training programme but to engage students with the principles behind game design and its critical analysis). The module Socio-Cultural Contexts runs in parallel with Game Design II. Socio-Cultural Contexts engages students with the social, cultural and political issues arising from existing forms and design of digital games; in particular students will engage with the debates around the predominance of violence in games, the gendering of games – including games that seek to attract a female audience - the difference between popular and experimental/politically motivated games, and the industrial implications of the present games market (for example the predominance of movie tie-ins). Again students will be expected to cross-apply their learning across the two parallel modules. Part-time students will do one module per term, while they will not take modules in parallel, they will nonetheless be able in the longer term to make connections between modules.

In the dissertation module (worth 60 credits and required for the award of an MA), students develop the skills required for an in-depth engagement with a specific area of game studies; they must collate, evaluate and interpret the data collected and design and plan a project that is achievable and which demonstrates innovation and independent thought. Students are expected to show originality in their application and evaluation of existing knowledge – either through creating and evaluating a game design or through an extended written project. Support for the planning and execution of the dissertation will be provided by an individually allocated supervisor.

Each module has a minimum of four contact hours per week (based on 12 week terms); in addition individual tutorials will be offered to all students on demand as well as a tutorial on each of the marked assessments (see module proformas for hourage ratios). Students will also be expected to meet virtually, along with tutors, for collective playing experience.

Summary of modules

Game Design I (term 1, 30 credits)
Principles behind the rules and play of games. Detailed study of how games function to create experiences, including rule design, play, mechanics/structure, game balancing, social game interaction and the integration of textual strategies to create the gaming experience. A range of paper-based and/or digitally rendered designs trial ideas and provide the focus for an evaluative case study, which is also presented orally.

Critical Approaches (term 1, 30 credits)
Criticism and analysis of games. Detailed study of the different methodological approaches used in the study of games/videogames. Students engage with issues of constructing a vocabulary used to evaluate critically the aesthetics of videogames and their relation to and distinction from other media. Case studies on particular games as objects of critical study.

Game Design II (term 2, 30 credits)
Building on work in Game Design I, develop individually a design for a game for a particular platform (phone; PC; handheld, console etc). The game can be delivered in digital format for those with technical skills or as storyboard, character profiles, visual ‘mood board’/style palette, sound-effects/music profiling. The project will demonstrate practical application of ideas explored in Critical Approaches to show a deep understanding of concepts of pleasure, genre, core game-play principles and values, structure and rules. In addition there will be lectures on Entrepreneurialism in relation to the games industry.

Socio-cultural Contexts (term 2, 30 credits)
Analysis of how games reflect and construct individuals and groups. Detailed study of work conducted on the social-cultural implications of games from across a range of disciplines (qualitative and quantative). In light of these knowledges/findings/theories, a focused case study of an existing MMoRPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) in terms of online economies, community building, fan cultures and creative reworkings of game content, the role of culture in shaping games and the way that games might shape culture.

Dissertation (term 3, 60 credits)
Either 12,000-18,000 words or 8,000 words with practical component – delivered in either digital format or as a design document.

Full-time route

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Game Design I (30 credits)	Game Design II (30 credits)	Dissertation (60 credits)
Critical Approaches (30 credits)	Socio-cultural Contexts (30 credits)

Part-time route

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Game Design I (30 credits)	Socio-cultural Contexts (30 credits)
Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Critical Approaches (30 credits)	Game Design II (30 credits)	Dissertation (60 credits)

Section 6: Strategy for Learning and Teaching

Acquisition of learning outcomes is achieved through a range of different methods. Teaching from the basis of strong and innovative research accords with the University’s teaching and learning strategy, as well as consonant with the QAA’s M level requirement that study is at the forefront of a discipline. Many of the tutors have and are conducting research that has helped define digital game studies as an academic discipline; students will engage with the issues and problems that these tutors are also investigating. In addition, a range of guest speakers working in the industry will be invited to speak to students on a regular basis to ensure that students are aware of standards of professional practice, the types of issues and problems encountered in the design of a game in commercial context and constraints on commercial games production.

The learning and teaching strategies employed on the MA are informed by our commitment to: independent learning; the exercise of initiative; the development of skills of effective self-management; mobile/flexible approach to problem-solving; development of the ability to investigate the terms and conditions of ‘problems’; encouraging critical reflection on practice. These principles are a distinctive learning and teaching feature of our undergraduate programme and we build on this with MA. A range of learning and teaching approaches will be used, including workshops, lectures, student-led seminars and presentations, practical exercises in class and self-directed projects (with guidance from tutors). The teaching team will create a learning environment which encourages creative, independent and critical thinking and a non-prescriptive approach will help to ensure that students begin to develop their own intellectual and creative ‘voices’. Time and effort will be spent on ensuring that students are encouraged to gain confidence in their own abilities and that they are able to test out and evaluate critically their own ideas as well as those of others in a supportive environment. The rationale that underlines the range of ways that the curriculum will be delivered and assessed is to promote self-direction, innovation and creativity in accordance with the QAA descriptors of M level work, as well as the emphasis placed on independence, originality and creativity in the university’s learning and teaching strategy.

One-to-one tutorials with members of the team are structured into the programme at various points, but should students require tutorial guidance the team will be available in ‘surgery’ hours every week in term time. This is supplemented by an online forum designed to enable students and staff to share issues, problems or more general thoughts in a group context remotely. Seminars will provide the opportunity for collective class discussion before and during the preparation and execution of projects; some practical exercises and play-testing will also be undertaken in seminars. Central to the learning and teaching strategy is to encourage students to share ideas with their peers, share resources and play-test game designs. Many of the practical exercises will involve group work and require groups to organize themselves to ensure that the workload is shared equally, fits the brief and is delivered in a timely way. This will develop skills relevant to those who wish to go into the digital games industry as project managers or in other capacities. The learning pathway and the style of teaching are designed to help students develop the range of skills, including personal responsibility, initiative and ability to make plan and decisions under complex conditions, required for a career within the digital games industry, as well as dovetailing with M level descriptors and the university’s learning and teaching strategy.

Section 7 Strategy for Assessment

The programme employs a range of different assessment types each designed to suit the learning outcomes of the MA and its individual modules. These include written assignments, evaluative and research-based, a range of design tasks and oral presentations, each of which are designed to test the design, research and presentation skills requisite to the learning outcomes of the MA. Listed below are the assessment types for each module (full-time route cited):

• Game Design I (term 1, 30 credits)
  • 1 x practical group design project (small) with development diary (45%)
  • One written evaluation of the design project x 2000 words (40%)
  • One assessed oral presentation (15%)
• Critical Approaches (term 1, 30 credits)
  • 1 x 3000 word essay (50%)
  • 1 x 3000 word essay (50%)
• Game Design II (term 2, 30 credits)
  • 1 x practical design project tailored to a specific platform (large), including development diary (40%)
  • 1 x written evaluative case study of design project - 3000 words (40%)
  • One assessed presentation (20%)
• Socio-cultural Contexts (term 2, 30 credits)
  • 1 x 3000 word essay (50%)
  • 1 x 3000 word essay (50%)
• Dissertation (term 3, 60 credits)
  • either 12,000-18,000 words or 8,000 words with practical component – delivered in either digital format or as a design document (80%)
  • 1 x plan (10%)
  • 1 x oral presentation (10%)

Section 8 Student Support and Guidance

Academic support for this programme is provided in a range ways to support the students’ learning experience. Tutorials and feedback on essays from tutors are designed to give students robust support requisite to the development of their engagement with design and theory. Tutor feedback in seminars and workshops has a similar function, developing constructively students’ knowledge and encouraging the development of communication and evaluative skills. Seminar dialogues further provide students with the opportunity to clarify their understanding of the programme content and encourage learning from each other as well as from tutors. Lectures provide overviews of particular areas, in which interaction through Q&A sessions with the lecturer is encouraged. Workshops run by industry professionals also acquaint students with the particularities of working within a commercial context (as explained above). Tutors will also engage in collective playing with students, providing a ‘live’ and informal forum for discussions about any particular theoretical or design questions that playing that game might raise.

Each module has a set of documentation, including module guides, and further support further material will also be provided (particularly on the design focused modules). Alongside the MA handbook, manuals and software guides will be provided for those who want to realize their game designs in digital format.

Student representatives are members of the MA’s Staff Student Consultative Committee which sits in each term to discuss issues arising from the MA and which are also attended by module leaders and the course convener. This particular forum allows students to express their views and reflect evaluatively on the success or drawback of the way the programme facilitates effective learning. Students are able to raise any concerns or issues with teaching and assessment. Students also feedback their experience of individual modules to staff through module questionnaires.

A specially written handbook will be given to every student that outlines important information. This will include information on the legal status copyright and the University’s definition of plagiarism The postgraduate office of the School and the programme team also provide additional support, and each student is allocated a personal tutor. A special notice board devoted to the MA will display information relevant to the programme.

Section 9 Learning Resources

The programme team is a key resource for this MA. The programme is lead by an experienced games researcher, who has supervised a number of MPhils and PhDs focused on digital and non-digital games. In addition to the staff expertise outlined in Section One above, the programme will also be taught by Steve Jackson, a very experienced game designer, who is on the board of Lionhead Studios, set up the Games Workshop chain of shops, has written a number of acclaimed interactive fictions, as well as having designed a number of commercially successful and innovative games. He will lead the design modules. His experience in the industry will prove invaluable to students and his standing in the industry means that he is well-positioned to invite industry professionals as guest speakers. In order to support learning, students will learn of the particular expertise of tutors so that they can consult on relevant issues.

The MA is supported by the School of Arts multimedia laboratory which is equipped with hardware and software requisite to the tasks of creating games; computers will also be loaded with a number of PC-based games. Both Macs and PCs are available. Although it is not required that students learn 3D modeling skills, support will be available, either provided by Electrical Engineering or by the School technician. Journals, books, DVDs, videos, game software will be made available by the library and the tutors.

Section 10 Quality Enhancement

The progamme will use the standard practices established within the University for Quality Enhancement. This includes an annual evaluative report written by the course convener, based on the module evaluations written by module leaders and using the questionnaires provided by students and on the discussions held in the Staff Student Consultative Committee.

Section 11 Other factors involved in supporting student achievement of the learning outcomes

International students will be encouraged to join cultural networks and gain any help needed with written English. The aim of which is to make their life at Brunel more relaxed and enjoyable. Students will also be able to take advantage of the range of support offered by the Graduate School. A prize for the best dissertation and game design will be awarded.

References

• Brunel University Strategic Plan 2002-2007
• Brunel University Learning and Teaching Strategy 2002-2005
• IGDA Academic Guidelines (Feb2003 v.2.3 beta)
• Dearing R. Higher Education in the Learning Society, Report of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education. London, HMSO 1997.
• Eric Zimmeman and Katie Salen, The Rules of Play MIT Press, 2004.
• FHEQ QAA level descriptors.