{"id":5,"date":"2017-11-27T15:55:39","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T15:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory2018\/?page_id=5"},"modified":"2024-11-14T16:52:23","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T16:52:23","slug":"syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/","title":{"rendered":"Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fall 2024<\/strong>
\nProfessor: Paolo Pedercini
\nCourse number: 60359\u00a0– Carnegie Mellon University \u2013 School of Art
\nClassroom: CFA 303
\nTime:\u00a0 Monday + Wednesday 02:00PM – 04:50PM
\nOffice hours: By appointment
\nEmail address: paolop [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu<\/p>\n

This hybrid seminar course combines games studies, game criticism, and research-based art to examine the history, contexts, and frontiers of play. Digital and analog games will be approached through a variety of lenses: games as culture, systems, technologies, commodities, etc. While not geared toward the technical development of videogames, the coursework will include creative projects beyond writing and discussion. The goal is to provide conceptual tools to enrich your design\/art practice and tackle a variety of academic topics in a playful but rigorous way.<\/p>\n

LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h1>\n

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:<\/p>\n

* Situate games in their cultural and technological context.<\/p>\n

* Critically analyze games and their aesthetic, formal, and ideological features.<\/p>\n

* Design games with a better understanding of the historical, industrial, and artistic discourse in the field.<\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER<\/h1>\n

* Being passionate about games might help but please keep in mind this is not a class for sharing our love for video games. We\u2019ll try to approach the subject critically.<\/p>\n

* Although the focus is academic, you will be expected to produce some creative responses to the subject matter (see “assignments” below).<\/p>\n

* If you are only interested in making games, consider taking my game design classes\u00a0 instead.<\/p>\n

UNITS<\/h1>\n

The tentative week by week plan is here<\/a>.
\nThings may change, the announcements on canvas or discord will supersede this schedule.<\/p>\n

We’ll have a different structured activity or assessment<\/strong> for each set of readings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The assignments<\/strong> are creative but related to the theoretical material.<\/p>\n

Screenings and lectures<\/strong> will happen mostly in class.<\/p>\n

Games and Play<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> Introductions, defining games and play.<\/p>\n

Readings:<\/strong>
\nHomo Ludens for the People by Mattie Brice
\nWhat\u2019s the point if we can\u2019t have fun by David Graeber
\nPlay is from Play Matters by Miguel Sicart<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nAsk chatGPT to write a response essay that draws a relationship between the three assigned texts. Afterwards, make a personal essay that does the same without using any AI tools. Post both of them in a shared doc and let\u2019s see if we can guess which one is \u201creal\u201d.<\/p>\n

Subversive Play<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> game boundaries, challenges, mods, online game interventions.<\/p>\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
\nVarious from subversive play lecture<\/p>\n

Assignment:<\/strong>
\nMis-play a game of your choice by acting against the intentions of the designer or by exploring the limits of its systems. It must have a point: try to achieve an aesthetic effect or provide insights on the game itself. Make a video documentation of your project.<\/p>\n

Tech demo:<\/strong> video capture.<\/p>\n

Video Games and Labor<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> game industry, crunch, layoffs, exploitation, free labor, unionization.<\/p>\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
\nHow Game Publishers Buy Crunch Overseas by PMG
\nDouble Fine PsychOdyssey \u00b7 EP16: \u201cWritten into a Corner\u201d<\/p>\n

Readings pt.1:<\/strong>
\nWelcome to the Club by Anne Krueger
\nImmaterial Labor from Games of the Empire by Nick Dyer-Witheford and Greig De Peuter<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nSubmit the PDF of Immaterial labor with your margin notes.<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nI will ask a random student an open ended question regarding the assigned texts. If they answer in a way that shows they\u2019ve read the text, they are \u201cchecked\u201d and don\u2019t have to answer any more questions. If they don\u2019t, somebody else can volunteer. Repeat until they are all \u201cchecked\u201d or I run out of questions.<\/p>\n

Readings pt. 2:<\/strong>
\nYou Can Sleep Here All Night: Video Games and Labor, Ian Williams
\nVideo game company layoffs are creating an industry crisis by Nicole Carpenter
\nThe rise of the video game union by Nicole Carpenter
\nIf you don\u2019t like the game, Change the rules by Marie LeBlanc Flanagan<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nFishbowl discussion: there are 2 chairs in the middle of the classroom, the entire class forms a circle around them. The class will have a discussion, but students can only speak if they are sitting in one of the four chairs in the middle. Everyone outside of the chairs must listen.
\nIf a student wants to join the discussion, they can tap a student\u2019s shoulder sitting in a chair, and as soon as that student is finished speaking, they must vacate the chair and let in the newcomer.<\/p>\n

Game Histories<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> History of games, preservation, analog games.<\/p>\n

Readings:<\/strong>
\nBoard Games from Critical Play by Mary Flanagan
\nVarious game preservation readings
\nGame Preservation and the quest for Immortality – by Seva Kritskiy – Game Historian<\/p>\n

In class exercise: <\/strong>Board game archeology<\/p>\n

Assessment: short paper at the beginning of the class on the assigned texts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Game Aesthetics<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Readings
\n<\/strong>Games as an Aesthetic Form from The Beauty of Games by Frank Lantz
\nThe Squalid Grace of Flappy Bird by Ian Bogost<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nBullsh*t detection. Given a series of formally correct but untruthful statements about the reading, explain in what ways they are wrong.<\/p>\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
\nEverything But the Clouds by Patrick Lemieux
\nWho gets to be a Civilization by Kyle Kallgren
\nThe Style of Bayonetta by eurothug4000
\nLet’s Play – Lifespan and The Dolphin’s Rune (feat. John O’Neill)<\/p>\n

Assignment:<\/strong>
\nFind a game from before the year you were born. It can be digital or analog, it can be a sport or a less formalized form of play. Research its history and the cultural context that created it.
\nPresent your findings and analysis, it can be about one specific aspect of the game.
\nTry to present something that we don\u2019t already know.<\/p>\n

Format: Pecha Kucha slide presentation – 20 slides 20 seconds each. You can also prepare a 6 min video and present over it. Teams of 1 or 2.<\/p>\n

Tech demo:<\/strong> emulation.<\/p>\n

Games and addiction<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> gambling, F2P, exploitationware. Rivers Casino field trip?<\/p>\n

Readings:<\/strong>
\nMapping the Machine Zone from Addiction by Design by Natasha Dow Sch\u00fcll<\/p>\n

Chasing the Whale: Examining the ethics of free-to-play games by Mike Rose
\nInside the rehab clinics treating gaming addiction disorder by Phil Iwaniuk
\nMake Sports Betting Taboo Again by Clark Randall<\/p>\n

Loot Boxes Are Designed To Exploit Us by Heather Alexandra
\nUsing Psychology and Loot Boxes to Destroy Video Games: A Fun and Practical Guide by Jamie Madigan
\nFor Many Players, Lootboxes Are a Crisis That\u2019s Already Here by Ellen McGrody<\/p>\n

Assignment:<\/strong>
\nprepare for the debate: gambling, free to play, loot boxes: moral panic or not? You\u2019ll be divided in two groups (you might end up arguing a position you do not personally agree with).<\/p>\n

Game Communities<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> Communities of play, online worlds, escapism, esports, representation.<\/p>\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
\nTED: Gaming can make a better world by Jane McGonigal
\nTropes vs Women in Video games by Feminist Frequency part. 1<\/p>\n

Readings:<\/strong>
\nEverything is Gamergate by various
\nWe Have To Talk (Again) About How War Games Depict The Middle East by Alyssa Mercante
\nThe Natural: The Trouble Portraying Blackness in Video Games by Evan Narcisse
\nCam Girls who stream on Twitch by Merritt Kopas
\nThe Digital Ruins of a Forgotten Future by Leslie Jamison<\/p>\n

Assessment:<\/strong>
\nBring one question for each of the texts. They can be open ended or quiz style. They will be asked to the whole class.<\/p>\n

Video Essay<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Assignment: <\/strong>
\nProduce a video essay. It can be nonfiction, creative, performative, machinima, personal, etcetera.<\/p>\n

The video has to be between 5 and 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

It can be centered on a game, a topic that relates to many games, or a phenomenon related to gaming and play, both digital and nondigital.<\/p>\n

It should answer a research question.<\/p>\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
\nGoodbye Uncanny Valley by Alan Warburton
\nThe Hardest Mario Ever by Jaiden Animations
\nThe Color of Corruption by Razbuten<\/span>
\nInto the Black: On Videogame Exploration by Electron Dance
\nGames, Schools, and Worlds Designed for Violence by Jacob Geller
\nHow Game Designers Protect Players From Themselves by Game Maker’s Tookit
\n+ various<\/p>\n

GRADING<\/h1>\n

45% Reading discussion and participation (about 5% each)
\n15% Subversive Play
\n10% Game Analysis
\n30% Video Essay<\/p>\n

POLICIES<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ll ask you to read and sign a little contract. We will discuss it and amend it on the first day of class.<\/p>\n

* Absences:
\n<\/b>I will inform the professor and my teammate of my absences via email at least one hour before class.
\nI\u2019m entitled to a total of 4 absences over the course of the semester.
\nThis class doesn\u2019t differentiate between justified and unjustified absences.
\nI am not required to give my professor any justification nor explanation for my absences.
\nI am aware that more than 4 absences will trigger a check from my academic advisor, the university\u2019s health services, or disability resources.
\nIf the extra absences are not validated, they will produce one letter grade drop on my final grade.
\n<\/b>I am responsible to catch up with the class, and to look into the material that I have missed.
\nI understand my assessment method may different if I miss a critique or a discussion.
\nI will not expect any online or hybrid accommodation if I\u2019m not able to attend class.<\/p>\n

* COVID 19<\/strong>
\nI will comply with\u00a0CMU<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0CDC coronavirus policies<\/a>\u00a0regarding isolation and quarantine.
\nI understand absences due to COVID may have to be validated by the university.<\/p>\n

* Tardiness
\n<\/b>Arriving over 15 minutes after the scheduled start time will count as absence.<\/b><\/p>\n

* Participation
\n<\/b>I will\u00a0engage actively in discussions and critiques.
\nI expect the professor to adopt a variety of critique formats to account for different personality types.<\/p>\n

* Net addiction
\n<\/b>I value face-to-face interaction, so I commit to not use phones and computers during lectures, critiques, and discussions, ie. any time somebody is presenting to the class, except for taking notes.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Communications
\n<\/strong>I will use the class Discord to keep up with asynchronous communications, announcements, and questions that could be of general interest.
\nTo keep a proper record, I will use the CMU email for personal communication with the professor.
\nI will never DM the professor through Discord.<\/p>\n

*Assignments
\n<\/b>I will negotiate late assignment submissions with the professor at least 24 hours before the deadline. I understand it will have to be justified and will not be automatically granted.
\nI will be present and I will participate to critiques even if I don\u2019t have my assignment.<\/p>\n

*Office hours<\/strong>
\nI am entitled to a one-to-one meeting with the professor for feedback and general check-in every semester.<\/p>\n

*Plagiarism and \u201ccollaborations\u201d
\n<\/b>I acknowledge that\u00a0the concept of plagiarism is somewhat elusive in digital media as we working with open source tools and libraries, remixing and building upon the work of a multitude of people.
\nI will credit all the work and components that I use according to the licenses applied to them.
\nI will not outsource the class work to other people nor plagiarize assignments and exercises from my classmates.<\/p>\n

*Generative AI<\/strong>
\nI will not use large language models such as chatGPT in the production of response papers, research, documentation, and correspondence.<\/p>\n

*Community agreements<\/strong>
\nThese statement apply to both student and instructors: We will speak from our own experiences (make \u2018I\u2019 statements).
\nWe will respect differences; we\u2019re all privileged in some ways.
\nWe agree to critique ideas, not people.
\nWe will not assume the identity of others, nor ask individuals to speak for their perceived social group.
\nWe will hold this as a\u00a0brave space<\/em>, where we take risks, be vulnerable and hold each accountable with love and respect.
\nWe agree to have only \u2018one mic\u2019: we will listen respectfully without interrupting.
\nWe agree to practice active listening: when someone is speaking, we will listen without also thinking about how we are going to respond\/rebut.
\nWe may share what we learn but will keep others\u2019 stories and personal experiences in confidence.
\nWe will \u2018move up, move up\u2019: those who tend to speak a lot will \u2018move up\u2019 their listening; those who tend to hold back and listen will \u2018move up\u2019 their speaking.<\/p>\n

INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT<\/h1>\n

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present activities that accommodate and value a diversity of gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. I will gladly honor your request to address you by your preferred name and gender pronoun. I commit to make individual arrangements to address disabilities or religious needs (e.g. religious events in conflict with class meetings). Please advise me of these preferences and needs early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my plans and records. Debate and free exchange of ideas is encouraged but I will not tolerate harassment, i.e. a pattern of behavior directed against a particular individual with the intent of humiliating or intimidating.<\/p>\n

CONTENT\/TRIGGER WARNINGS<\/h1>\n

Being in an art school, you should expect to be exposed to content that challenges your moral, ethical, and aesthetic values. In case of extremely graphic content I will warn the class in advance, but if you have a history of PTSD please let me know privately if there are types of content that are known to act as trauma triggers for you.<\/p>\n

STRESS CULTURE<\/h1>\n

Collaborative work and projects also fulfilling other classes\u2019 requirements are encouraged as long as it makes sense, and the other professors agree.\u00a0Official university language:<\/em>\u00a0Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress. All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful. If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at\u00a0http:\/\/www.cmu.edu\/counseling\/<\/a>. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fall 2024 Professor: Paolo Pedercini Course number: 60359\u00a0– Carnegie Mellon University \u2013 School of Art Classroom: CFA 303 Time:\u00a0 Monday + Wednesday 02:00PM – 04:50PM Office hours: By appointment Email address: paolop [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu This hybrid seminar course combines games studies, game criticism, and research-based art to examine the history, contexts, … Continue reading “Syllabus”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":12,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1522,"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5\/revisions\/1522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/playfultheory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}