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This talk provides an overview of the background, early programs, curriculum, current issues, emerging truths, and future directions in the field of game studies. It explores the history of game studies, early programs at MIT and CMU, the development of game studies curriculum, and various career paths within the field.
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Game Studies: Rolling Your Own Issues, Trends, & Lessons Learned
Talk Overview • Background • Early Programs • Curriculum • Program Design • Current Issues • Emerging Truths • Future Directions
Game Studies Background
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)
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
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
Background • Game Studies • H. Jenkins & J. Cassell • From Barbie to Mortal Combat • R. Rouse • Game Design, Theory and Practice
Game Studies Early Programs
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.”
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.
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
Game Studies Curriculum
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
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
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
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
Game Studies Curriculum: Core Topics
Curriculum: Core Topics • Ten Topics • Three Major Areas • Humanistic Study • Game Technology • Game Business • Overview follows • Details in online document
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
Curriculum : Core Topics • Technical Study • Game Design • Game Programming • Visual Design • Audio Design • Interactive Storytelling
Curriculum: Core Topics • Process & Management • Game Production • Practical challenges of managing the development of games • Game Business • Economic, legal and policy aspects of games
Game Studies Curriculum: Career Paths
Curriculum: Career Paths • Scholarly/Academic • Game Studies Scholar/Educator • Game Technology Educator • Game Journalist • Applied • Game Artist/Programmer • Game Designer • Game Producer
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
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
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
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
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
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
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility • Curiosity
Curriculum: Our Bias • Universal Skills • Procedural Thinking • Communication • Group Work • Creativity • Flexibility • Curiosity • Will Wright:city planning, ants and people
Game Studies Program Design
Program Design • Major Considerations • Foundation: Your Institution • Scope: Your Program • Roots: Your Core Instructors • Focus: Your Methodology • Relationships: Your Allies
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
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
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
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
Program Design • Relationships • Inter-departmental • Local Universities • Local Industry & Alumnae • Major Publishers • DARPA, NSF, NEH, NEA
Game Studies Current Issues
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.
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
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
Game Studies Emerging Truths
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)