{"id":856,"date":"2023-01-12T20:12:28","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T20:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mycours.es\/gamestudio2019\/?page_id=856"},"modified":"2026-04-01T22:43:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T22:43:24","slug":"syllabus-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/","title":{"rendered":"Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Experimental Game Design: Postgaming is an intensive game-making class focused on rapid prototyping and creative risk-taking. The course examines a game industry in the midst of transformation (and possible implosion) while tackling crucial questions in contemporary game-making.
\n<\/span>In the first half of the semester, students will create a new game prototype every two weeks, each one responding to a provocative prompt. This phase builds on the established practices of game jams and serial experimentation in independent development.
\nTopics include streaming culture, the attention economy and market saturation, viral marketing on social media, the rise of generative AI, and more.
\n<\/span>In the second half of the semester, the most promising prototypes will be iterated, playtested, and refined into complete projects.
\n<\/span>The course is format-agnostic and encourages \u201cout of the box\u201d solutions: you may use any engine or programming language, and rely on as much \u201cvibe coding\u201d as you like. Mods, tabletop and physical games, interactive performances, and other playful experiences are all welcome.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carnegie Mellon University School of Art
\nTerm:<\/strong> Spring 2026
\nCourse number:<\/strong> 60418
\nClassroom:<\/strong> CFA 310
\nDays \/ time: <\/strong>Friday 10:00AM – 12:50AM and 2:00PM – 4:50PM
\nProfessor:<\/strong> Paolo Pedercini – paolop [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu
\nGA:<\/strong> Sarah Al-Sarraj – ssaraj
\nOffice:<\/strong> School of art 419A – 4th Floor
\nOffice hours:<\/strong> By appointment<\/p>\n

LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h2>\n

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

> Understand key concepts in game design
\n> Tackle critical issues in a rapidly changing field
\n> Scope a project according to limited time and resources
\n> Identify promising concepts and accept failures and dead ends
\n> Contextualize your own work within contemporary cultural practices
\n> Work in teams on interactive projects
\n> Develop your personal style and artistic identity
\n> Research subjects and translate them into playable systems
\n> Add at least one piece to your creative portfolio<\/p>\n

UNITS<\/h1>\n

Play the World<\/h3>\n

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

Assignment: <\/strong>Create 7 non-digital games, one every day, that can be played with little or no props, and can be described with a concise ruleset (less than 100 words).<\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> games vs play, Fluxus scores, new games movement, urban games, psychogeography, flash mobs, parlor games, playground games.<\/p>\n

Readings:
\n<\/strong>What\u2019s the Point If We Can\u2019t Have Fun? by David Graeber
\nPlay is by Miguel Sicart (from play Matters)<\/p>\n

Updating the Classics<\/h3>\n

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

Assignment: <\/strong>Redesign a classic board game, making it shorter, more modern, and more relevant to the world we live in.<\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> Skill vs chance, 4 elements of play, theme and gameplay, depth, perfect and imperfect information, targeted interaction, competition vs cooperation, tactility, paper prototyping.<\/p>\n

Reading:<\/strong> The Personal, Political Art of Board-Game Design by Matthew Hutson<\/p>\n

Bootleg Game<\/h3>\n

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

Assignment:<\/strong> 1) Analyze an assigned arcade game and recreate it through “vibe coding”. 2) Develop an experimental variant responding to a prompt. You must not use original assets.<\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> agency, meaningful play \/ meaningful choices, scope, learning curve, flow, game feel, originality, plagiarism, AI.<\/p>\n

Reading:<\/strong> Game design is simple, actually by Raph Koster<\/p>\n

Post Games<\/h3>\n

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

Assignment:<\/strong> A series of brainstorming sessions to develop proposals and then a prototype responding to contemporary issues in the game industry\/culture.
\nA game for one person
\nGame as content
\nNon standard game
\nPlaything<\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> streaming culture, attention economy, indiepocalypse, alt-interfaces, art games.<\/p>\n

Final project<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Determine the most successful prototype, expand and polish it into a finished game.<\/span><\/p>\n

Topics:<\/strong> scoping, style, polishing, branding, QA, self-publishing.<\/span><\/p>\n

SCHEDULE<\/h1>\n

A week by week schedule can be found here<\/a>. Changes of plans announced on discord will override the schedule.<\/p>\n

GRADING<\/h1>\n

Qualitative feedback during in-class critiques is the most important form of evaluation, but we live in a quantified society so grades need to happen.
\nYou will be evaluated differently in the two part of the class.<\/p>\n

Fast prototyping phase<\/strong><\/p>\n

A – The prototype has all the core functionalities, an aesthetic direction, and attempts to do something innovative
\n<\/span>B – The prototype has all the core functionalities, and an aesthetic direction
\n<\/span>C – The prototype doesn\u2019t have all the core functionalities, and\/or an aesthetic direction.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>It is not possible to evaluate its potential.
\n<\/span>D – no delivery
\n<\/span>F – no show<\/span><\/p>\n

Final project phase
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

A. Outstanding concept and implementation. The project can be published and added to your portfolio.
\nB. The project is original and complete, all the core components are functional, but it feel unpolished and not ready to “ship”.
\nC. The game is incomplete and\/or the idea is derivative.
\nD. The\u00a0game doesn\u2019t work, it has major bugs or is incomplete to a point that is impossible to get a clear idea of the user experience.
\nE. The student failed to deliver the assignment.<\/p>\n

Making (and teaching) games is hard because there different dimension of success and failure.
\nIdeally your game:<\/p>\n

Works as artwork – does something innovative, it\u2019s in dialogue with contemporary artmaking, it tackles complex issues.
\nWorks as experience –<\/strong> the player understands what to do, it\u2019s aesthetically polished, it\u2019s well presented and enticing, the difficulty level and learning curve are adequate for the intended audience.
\nWorks as game – <\/strong>the gameplay is not broken, there are no dominant strategies, the gameplay succeeds in its own terms (a roguelike is replayable, an exploration game makes you want to explore, a match 3 game is addictive).
\nWorks as software (if digital) – <\/strong>it runs, the features are complete, it doesn\u2019t crash, there are no bugs.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Final grade composition<\/strong>
\n10% 7 microgames
\n20% Updating the classics
\n20% Bootleg game
\n30% Final Project
\n20% Class Participation<\/p>\n

REQUIRED MATERIAL<\/h2>\n

-A laptop. You don\u2019t need a powerful gaming computer but consider we won\u2019t be working in a computer lab.
\n-The charger is not optional.
\n-Software: all the programs used in this class are free or provided by the school.<\/p>\n

POLICIES<\/b><\/h1>\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 (4 sessions) 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 cause a drop of one letter grade and may trigger a check from my academic advisor, the university\u2019s health services, or disability resources.
\nI 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, i.e. 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 or other social media.<\/p>\n

*Assignments
\n<\/b>I will negotiate late assignment submissions with the professor at least 24 hours before the deadline.
\nI 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 generative AI tools such as ChatGPT in the creation of the assigned projects, unless previously negotiated with the professor, or when they are embedded in the assigned tools (e.g. AI for upscaling or stabilizing video).
\nI\u2019m aware that any unauthorized use of text, video, and sound generated by AI may be considered plagiarism and treated as such.
\nI will transparently account for authorized uses of AI, citing all the tools and processes.
\nWhen using generative AI for research, text editing and manipulation, I will assume all responsibility for inaccuracies, biases and hallucinations, and take extra care to verify the output.<\/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

<\/div>\n

INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT<\/span><\/p>\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.
\nI 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.
\nDebate 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.<\/p>\n

Official 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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":"

Experimental Game Design: Postgaming is an intensive game-making class focused on rapid prototyping and creative risk-taking. The course examines a game industry in the midst of transformation (and possible implosion) while tackling crucial questions in contemporary game-making. In the first half of the semester, students will create a new game prototype every two weeks, each … Continue reading “Syllabus”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":28,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-856","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=856"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/856\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1244,"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/856\/revisions\/1244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mycours.es\/postgaming\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}