MIT3663-
MIT3663-
CS3334b, #11
2010
Bringing everything together
Course objectives
To be able to identify, describe, and distinguish
core concepts, issues, principles, conceptualizations, and
frameworks
involved in the design of digital games
To learn
the fundamentals of thinking and motivation
To understand
how digital games are related to and engage human thought
processes and motivation
To be able to
design digital games that promote higher-order thinking
Cannot cover everything in game design, because it is a very broad field.
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Key concepts and words
Action verbs for you
identify, describe, distinguish, learn fundamentals,
understand how, and design
What the verbs apply to
core concepts, issues, principles, conceptualizations,
frameworks, fundamentals of thinking and
motivation, relationship between games and thinking
and motivation, and design of epistemic games
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What we said at the beginning of the course
This course is about game design
It is about design of meaningful play with a focus on
the human mind
It looks at games from the cognitive design
perspective
It is a theoretical course
It is an applied, practical course
It is NOT about Second Life, latest fancy games,
and currently popular video games
It is MOSTLY about puzzle-like game activities that
people have enjoyed for thousands of years
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A concept map of the course
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Main branches
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Topics: covered and not covered
We focused on design, but also learned a tool to
be able to apply our knowledge
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Core concepts
We did all the core concepts
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Frameworks
Used a conceptual framework to study, analyze,
and create digital games + prescriptive steps
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Games as systems
Studied games as hierarchically embedded
systems
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Sub--systems
Sub
Studied the 2 main sub-systems of games
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Conceptual framework
Primary and secondary schemas
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Primary schemas
Rules
Play
Culture
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Primary schemas: rules
Studied how we can use rules to design new
games
Also the relationship between rules and
epistemic patterns and utility of games
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Primary schemas: play
Studied play and how to create interactive experiences that
lead to flow and models of motivation
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Secondary schemas
Studied how games can be seen as different
systems of rules and different types of play
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Design
Viewed design as two main aspects
Usability design epistemic utility
Experience design gameplay experience
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Epistemic utility: thinking
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Epistemic utility: epistemic patterns
Briefly discussed how patterns arise in the
context of different cognitive toys and how many
games can be based on these patterns
Also their relationship to each other, rules,
thinking, and epistemic games
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Experience design
Studied the core mechanisms, factors, and
elements of experience design
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All in all
You have been exposed to a wide array of
concepts, ideas, and techniques that give you a
solid foundational understanding of how to design
digital games that provide enjoyable gameplay
experiences as well as have value for the mind
But you need to continue your studies in this area
This is just a beginning
Digital games are extremely complex design
spaces and you need a solid multidisciplinary
background to become good designers
But if you follow the framework of this course, you will be
able to design very innovative, useful games
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The end game
Final exam
April 17, 7pm (Double-check this)
Covers everything from beginning to end
You are allowed to bring a cheat sheet
Peer evaluation will be done at that time
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Cheat sheet
To support your understanding
Specifications
One 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper
Font size 12+ point
Must be typed
Cannot be written in small, microscopic handwriting
Not to just copy ideas from it without
understanding
Students who understand the material usually do not
need their cheat sheets
Cheat sheets will be submitted with your final
exam booklet with your name on it
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How to study for the final
Do not just memorize
Knowing terms is important, but not to just
repeat memorized definitions
You need to understand the concepts and relate
them together in a framework
This is an applied course
You need to understand theory and know how to
apply to design of tools
Simple memorization is of no benefit
Concepts need to be linked together
You need to take time and THINK deeply about the
concepts
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How to study for the final
Ask a lot of questions from the material
What is this?
How is this related to the other concept?
How should this be applied? When?
What is the implication of this concept or principle?
Why is this discussed in the course? Why is it
important?
Readings repeat some concepts several times
Those are the fundamental concepts, not the
examples used
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The final report
Title page
Project title
Course number
Date
List of group members alphabetically (names)
Introduction
Executive summary of the project
This should probably be no more than a page
Hit the high points
You have two goals in the report
document & explain what you have designed
demonstrate that you have applied the concepts in the course
The report should be no more than 8 pages (see outline for
details)
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Deliverable on a CD
5 deliverables
proposal,
activity design
digital game
Executable + project files of GameMaker
final report
final PowerPoint presentation
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