This section contains the required readings, which are also presented by session, and optional readings for the course.
Assigned Readings
Salen, K., and E. Zimmerman. The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology. Cambridge, MA: MIT University Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780262195362.
Frasca, G. "Simulation Versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology." Video Game Theory Reader. Edited by M. Wolf and B. Perron. New York, NY: Routledge, 2003. ISBN: 9780415965781.
Juul, J. "The Game, The Player, The World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness." Level Up: Digital Games Research Conference Proceedings. Edited by M. Copier and J. Raessens. Utrecht, the Netherlands: Utrecht University Press, 2003.
Yee, N. "Motivations of Play in Online Games." CyberPsychology and Behavior 9 (2007): 772-775.
DeVane, B., and K. D. Squire. "The Meanings of Race and Violence in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." Games and Culture. (Forthcoming)
Consalvo, M., ed. "The Cheaters." In Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames. Cambridge, MA: MIT University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780262033657.
Readings by Session
| SES # | TOPICS | READINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course, key assignments. Quick design exercise | |
| 2 | What is a game? What is play? | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 77-81 and 122-155. |
| 3 | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 83-86 and 296-313. | |
| 4 | Rules of play | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 9-13 and 476-502. |
| 5 | Gaming the game | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 9-13 and 728-753. |
| 6 | Player and character | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 27-31 and 642-669. |
| 7 | ||
| 8 | Ludology |
Frasca, G. "Simulation Versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology." Juul, J. "The Game, The Player, The World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness." |
| 9 | Narratology | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 33-36 and 670-689. |
| 10 | Guest lecture | |
| 11 | Midterm exam | |
| 12 | Student presentations | |
| 13 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 14 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 15 | Videogames and learning | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 228-267. |
| 16 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 17 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 18 | Massively multiplayer online games |
Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 754-787. Yee, N. "Motivations of Play in Online Games." |
| 19 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 20 | Race and violence in games | DeVane, B., and K. D. Squire. "The Meanings of Race and Violence in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." |
| 21 | Rules and play revisited | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 28-37 and 116-125. |
| 22 | Student presentations (cont.) | |
| 23 | Rules and play revisited | Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 298-311 and 502-513. |
| 24 | Cheating and gamer culture | Consalvo, M. "The Cheaters." |
| 25 | Final exam review |
Optional Readings
Steinkuehler, C. "Massively Multiplayer Online Video Gaming as Participation in a Discourse." Mind, Culture, and Activity 12 (2006): 38-52.
Williams, D. "The Video Game Lightning Rod: Constructions of a New Media Technology, 1970-2000." Information, Communication and Society 6 (2003): 523-550.