Game Studies: Rolling Your Own

1
Game Studies Rolling Your
Own

• Issues, Trends, Lessons Learned

2
Talk Overview

• Background
• Early Programs
• Curriculum
• Program Design
• Current Issues
• Emerging Truths
• Future Directions

3
Game Studies

• Background

4
Background

• Me
• 1991 Computer Science
• 1995 Interactive Narrative
• 1997 Graduate Studies AI
• 1999 AI Video Games
• 2000 IGDA Education Committee
• Detailed Game Studies Curriculum
• Education Summit 2002, 2003
• Bibliography (in progress)

5
Background

• Games
• 1962 Spacewar for the DEC PDP-1
• 1972 Pong, Magnivox Odessy
• 1985 Nintendo
• 1990 3D (First Person Shooters)
• 2000 Games
• Over 30 million consoles in homes
• Over 20 million PC gamers

6
Background

• Game Studies
• J. Huizinga
• Homo Ludens
• E. Avedon R. Sutton Smith
• The Study of Games,
• The Ambiguity of Play
• S. Sackson
• A Gamut of Games

7
Background

• Game Studies
• H. Jenkins J. Cassell
• From Barbie to Mortal Combat
• R. Rouse
• Game Design, Theory and Practice

8
Game Studies

• Early Programs

9
Early Programs

• MIT
• Comparative Media Studies
• 1984 Film Media Studies Concentration
• 1998 CMS graduate program
• 2001 Jenkins MS Research
• Games to Teach
• Fall 2003 Full Undergrad Major in CMS
• Humanistic Focus
• Increasingly CMS courses are designed to teach
  students about the forms of media, as well as the
  text.

10
Early Programs

• CMU
• Entertainment Technology Center
• Randy Pausch Don Marinelli
• 1999 Pilot Class 8 seniors
• 25 new students per year, 50 total
• 2 year Masters program (MET)
• Focus on Placement
• Industrial Light and Magic (ILM),
• Angel Studios
• Universal Studios
• MERL Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab.

11
Early Programs

• Most Major Universities
• Game Courses in CS Departments
• Video games in the Humanities
• Sociology of Games
• Gender Studies
• Game Violence
• Children and Play
• Education

12
Game Studies

• Curriculum

13
Curriculum

• 2000 IGDA Education Committee
• Panel of Academics Developers
• Goals
• Bridge gap between communities
• Create opportunities for communication and
  collaboration
• Create a unified curriculum for Game Studies
  Programs

14
Curriculum

• 2000 IGDA Education Committee
• Panel of Academics Developers
• Goals
• Bridge gap between communities
• Create opportunities for communication and
  collaboration
• Create a unified curriculum for Game Studies
  Programs
• ? HARDER THAN WE EXPECTED

15
Curriculum

• Many different flavors of Institution, Goals
  Concerns
• Curriculum Framework
• Overview of the Field
• Details on each Discipline
• Outline Several Possible Careers
• Guide Program Designs

16
Curriculum

• Many different flavors of Institution, Goals
  Concerns
• Curriculum Framework
• Overview of the Field
• Details on each Discipline
• Outline Several Possible Careers
• Guide Program Designs
• ?NOT DICTATING FORM/CONTENT

17
Game Studies

• Curriculum Core Topics

18
Curriculum Core Topics

• Ten Topics
• Three Major Areas
• Humanistic Study
• Game Technology
• Game Business
• Overview follows
• Details in online document

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Curriculum Core Topics

• Humanistic Study
• Critical Game Studies
• Criticism, Analysis and History of electronic and
  non-electronic games
• Games and Society
• Understanding how games reflect and construct
  individuals and groups

20
Curriculum Core Topics

• Technical Study
• Game Design
• Game Programming
• Visual Design
• Audio Design
• Interactive Storytelling

21
Curriculum Core Topics

• Process Management
• Game Production
• Practical challenges of managing the development
  of games
• Game Business
• Economic, legal and policy aspects of games

22
Game Studies

• Curriculum Career Paths

23
Curriculum Career Paths

• Scholarly/Academic
• Game Studies Scholar/Educator
• Game Technology Educator
• Game Journalist
• Applied
• Game Artist/Programmer
• Game Designer
• Game Producer

24
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Studies Scholar and Educator
• Trained in History, Analysis, Criticism
• Experienced Gamer
• Knows Genres, Designs
• Understands Technology
• Familiar with Industry
• Understands Dev. Process
• Knows gist of Business Legal

25
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Technology Educator
• Trained in Design and Development
• Experienced Programmer
• Knows Mechanics, Dynamics
• Hardware Strengths Limitations
• Emphasizes Good Process
• Software Dev. Best Worst Practices
• Group Work, Creativity Management

26
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Journalist
• Trained in Design, Analysis, Criticism
• Expert Communicator
• Investigator of Game Culture
• Non-Digital, PC, Console, Online
• Visual Aesthetics, Narrative Theory
• Social Issues (Gender, Violence)
• Technical trends, research, novel implementations

27
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Programmer/Artist
• Trained in Design, Analysis, Tech
• Experienced Procedural Thinker
• Specialization Expert
• Graphics Programming
• Audio Design Implementation
• Concept Art, 3D design Rendering
• Level Design and Game Mechanics
• Character Design, Behavior, Artificial
  Intelligence

28
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Designer
• Trained in Design, Analysis, Tech
• Experienced Procedural Thinker
• Expert Communicator
• Narrative and Experience goals
• Visual Audio Aesthetics
• Practical Nuts Bolts
• Example Thief

29
Curriculum Career Paths

• Game Producer
• Trained in Biz Management
• Experienced Procedural Thinker
• Expert Communicator
• Team structure and goals
• Time, Budget and Design constraints
• Markets, Promotion, Publication
• Legal issues

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Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills

31
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking

32
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication

33
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication
• Group Work

34
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication
• Group Work
• Creativity

35
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication
• Group Work
• Creativity
• Flexibility

36
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication
• Group Work
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Curiosity

37
Curriculum Our Bias

• Universal Skills
• Procedural Thinking
• Communication
• Group Work
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Curiosity
• Will Wrightcity planning, ants and people

38
Game Studies

• Program Design

39
Program Design

• Major Considerations
• Foundation Your Institution
• Scope Your Program
• Roots Your Core Instructors
• Focus Your Methodology
• Relationships Your Allies

40
Program Design

• Foundation
• University, College, Vocational?
• Collection of Schools or Disciplines
• Working together to create a tent
• Finding instructors
• Funding your efforts
• Advertising to students
• Advertising to the rest of the world

41
Program Design

• Scope
• Course, Concentration, Certificate, Major or
  Advanced Degree?
• Strengths Weaknesses
• Numbers Where is the labor?
• Expertise Where is the know-how?
• Fame Where will it shine?
• Buy-in Who wants it?
• Critical Mass
• Pilot courses, Student Groups

42
Program Design

• Roots
• Technical Computer Science, Material Sciences,
  Engineering
• Humanistic Media Studies, Cultural Theory,
  Sociology, Psychology
• Fine Art Art Theory and Practice, Design, RTVF,
  Animation and Film

43
Program Design

• Focus
• How to teach the material
• Methods of Analysis and Critique
• What to teach with
• Software, Hardware, Bibliography
• Finally, What to teach
• Fundamentals of Design
• Basics of Implementation
• Production, Biz, Legal

44
Program Design

• Relationships
• Inter-departmental
• Local Universities
• Local Industry Alumnae
• Major Publishers
• DARPA, NSF, NEH, NEA

45
Game Studies

• Current Issues

46
Current Issues

• IGDA Academic Summit 2003
• Game Developers Conference
• Working Meeting
• 140 Academics, 10 Developers
• Global interest
• Several approaches shared and discussed all
  available on line.

47
Current Issues

• Major topics Highlights
• Attracting integrating developers into the
  classroom
• Facilitating exchange between departments
  disciplines
• Structuring funding conferences, journals, and
  on-line resources
• Facilitating tech transfer, sharing of dev. tools
  information

48
Current Issues

• Major themes
• Procedural Literacy
• DIY Change your attitude, not theirs
• Leveraging current academic funding and
  publication structures
• Avoid bleeding edge technology
• Modify existing tech/games
• Look for low-hanging fruit
• Bruce Gooch NPR

49
Game Studies

• Emerging Truths

50
Emerging Truths

• Academic
• Integrated programs
• Leverage strengths
• Promote collaboration between groups and
  departments
• Georgia Tech Hodges, Mateas
• Relationships with developers
• Assets (code, art, designs)
• Time (not money)

51
Emerging Truths

• Industry
• Research
• Important
• difficult on tight budgets and schedules
• Internships
• can be valuable and cost effective
• Standardized vocabulary essential
• Discussing skills, careers
• Critiquing games themselves
• Critical to the success of collaboration

52
Game Studies

• Future Directions

53
Future Directions

• Technology
• Recent Online Gaming
• Next Wireless
• Soon Next Generation Consoles
• ??? Convergence

54
Future Directions

• Markets
• Women
• girls, ladies, grandmas
• Baby Boomers
• Communities of Creation
• Matchmaking and other services

55
Future Directions

• Culture
• Trans-media
• crossovers, sequels
• Connectivity
• SMS, GPS and Persistence
• Identity and Representation
• Avatars, Gender, Sexuality and Age

56
For More Information

• Resources
• www.igda.org
• www.gamasutra.com
• Journalism
• www.edgeonline.com
• www.gamegirladvance.com

57
Contact Information

• Robin Hunicke
• hunicke_at_cs.northwestern.edu
• www.cs.northwestern.edu/hunicke/
• www.cs.northwestern.edu/groups/ieg/