Overview
Games Design as Play Design
Parsons School of Design
Spring 2021, January 20 – May 05, Wednesdays 9AM-11:40AM EST
Zoom Link
Slack Link
Instructors
Jonathan Beilin (jon.beilin@newschool.edu)
TA: Allie Xiao (xiaos157@newschool.edu)
Schedule
Abbreviations: GDP (Games, Design, and Play); RoP (Rules of Play)
The linked slides were created by the authors of Games, Design, and Play, Colleen Macklin and John Sharp, and follow the text very closely. I have made a handful of edits for clarity.
For each journal, play a game of your choice for at least 1-2 hours then write about it according to the prompt. Ask in Slack if you want a recommendation. Please submit journals by noon the day before class so I can compile questions & references for the class discussion.
Class recordings are archived on Google Drive.
| Date | Class Summary | Journal | Homework |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 1 - Game Elements Activity: Game Analysis |
Game Elements; Game Design Tools | Read GDP Ch. 2, part 1 |
| Jan 27 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 2 - Basic Game Design Tools Activity: Game Analysis |
What if #1 | Read GDP Ch. 2, part 2 |
| Feb 03 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 2 - Basic Game Design Tools Activity: Writing Rules |
What if #2 | Read GDP Ch. 3 |
| Feb 10 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 3 - Kinds of Play |
Action Theory Analysis | Read GDP Ch. 4 |
| Feb 17 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 4 - Player Experience Activity: Game Analysis |
Design Values | Read GDP Ch. 6 |
| Feb 24 | Discussion: GDP Ch. 6 - Design Values; Games & Justice Activity: Game Design Lightning Round |
Game #1 Part I Read GDP Ch. 9 |
|
| March 03 | Activity: Present game proposals | - | Game #1 Part II |
| March 10 | Meetings | Game #1 Part III Read GDP Chs. 10, 11, 12 |
|
| March 17 | Spring Break | - | - |
| March 24 | Activity: Q & A | - | Game #1 Parts III & IV |
| March 31 | Discussion: Playtest Reflection | Game #2 Part I Read GDP. Ch 13 |
|
| April 07 | Activity: Meetings | Game #2 Part II | |
| April 14 | Activity: Present game proposal | - | Game #2 Part III |
| April 21 | Activity: Prototype Meetings | Reflect on Playtest #1 | Game#2 Part IV schedule playtest between 4/21-4/27 Add proposal slides to shared deck |
| April 28 | Activity: Playtest Reflection | Reflect on Playtest #2 | Document game, playtests, and iterations |
| May 05 | Activity: Present game & design, testing, & iteration process | :) | :) |
Course Description
This class is for students who are interested in game design and the creation of interactive experiences. The class focuses on game design and prototyping computer games and other types of games through structured game design problems, exercises, lectures, and reading. The emphasis will be on an iterative design methodology, playtesting, user experience, and clear concept development. The goal of the class is to explore how design systems (in this case, games) support interactivity through meaningful play. This class focuses on the design of games and playful experiences, and will not focus on specific game programming techniques.
In this class, we will evaluate different aspects of games and play: structural (systems/formal), aesthetic (visual, aural, experiential), affective (emotional response), social (engagement with others), and political (implications for and impact on society).
Learning Outcomes
By the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the relationship between games and play.
- Design games and other play-based activities from a play-centric perspective.
- Plan and run diagnostic playtests.
- Consider play design as a broad creative discipline.
- Collaboratively conceptualize, prototype, playtest, and evaluate play experiences.