Faculty of: Arts, Business and Law School: Communication and Creative Industries Teaching Session: Semester 2 Year: 2017 Course Coordinator: Collen Stieler-Hunt Phone No: 07 5456 5380 Email: Cstieler@usc.edu.au Course outline Code: SGD210 Title: Serious Video Game Design 1. What is this course about? 1.1 Course description This course builds on SGD100 - Playcentric Game Design. In this course you will learn about game design, theory related to designing games, the games industry, and how to work as part of a serious game development team. You will apply your newly gained skills and knowledge to develop a vertical slice of a serious video game. 1.2 Course content Working as a team Process of developing digital games Communicating digital game designs Diversity of games Designing for mobile and pervasive games Game design lenses Level Design Understanding the Digital Games Industry 2. Unit value 12 units
Page 2 3. How does this course contribute to my learning? Specific Learning Outcomes Assessment Tasks Graduate Qualities On successful completion of this course you should be able to: You will be assessed on the learning outcome in task/s: Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming: Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to iteratively design and develop a serious digital game accounting for game design theory, game structure, and social impact. Analyse how elements of games work together to create engagement, fun and specific user experiences. Communicate your game design to a lay audience and a professional audience. 1, 2 and 3 Creative and critical thinkers. Empowered. 1 and 2 Creative and critical thinkers. Empowered. 1, 2 and 3 Knowledgeable Empowered 4. Am I eligible to enrol in this course? Refer to the Coursework Programs and Awards - Academic Policy for definitions of pre-requisites, corequisites and anti-requisites 4.1 Enrolment restrictions Nil 4.2 Pre-requisites SGD100 4.3 Co-requisites Nil 4.4 Anti-requisites SGD103 4.5 Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills You need to be computer literate, have experience in online research and have skills in using editing and presentation software. 5. How am I going to be assessed? 5.1 Grading scale Standard High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL)
Page 3 5.2 Assessment tasks Task Assessment No. Tasks 1 Modifying existing games 2 Serious game design and development Individual or Group Group with individual component Group with individual component Weighting % 20% (10% group, 10% individual) 45% (15% group, 30% individual) What is the duration / length? When should I submit? 1,000 words 4pm on day of Week 2 & Week 5 tutorial 3,000 words Fortnightly mentor consultations & journals Weeks 5 13 during class Where should I submit it? SafeAssign In-person Blackboard Safe Assign Project plan and game design: Friday, Week 8 3 Serious video game slice and pitch presentation Individual 35% Digital prototype, 15 minute presentation 100% Play-test reports: Tuesday, First week of exam block Second week of exam block In-person Game presented on USC stick Assessment Task 1: Modifying existing games Goal: To modify an existing game for a new player experience goal and evaluate its success through playtesting. Product: Analysis, game overview, and playtest report Format: Templates for each part of the report will be provided on Blackboard. Criteria Critically analysed existing games Demonstrated their capacity to contribute to a team Modified existing games to meet new user experience goals Made suggestions for further game refinements based on play-testing results. Generic skill assessed Skill assessment level Problem Solving Collaboration
Page 4 Assessment Task 2: Serious game design and development Goal: Product: Format: To work in multidisciplinary teams to design and produce a playable slice of a serious video game. In-class discussion and online journal entries, serious game design document and project plan, and play test reports. Groups will meet with your tutor every two weeks during workshops between weeks 5 and 13, to discuss the progress of the game plan and video game prototype. Prior to this meeting each student will submit a weekly changelog entry via Blackboard that summarises their contribution for the two weeks. Each meeting will be worth 5% of the total course marks. Only the 3 best meetings will be used, allowing for occasional absence. Templates for the serious game design document and project plan, and play-test report will be available on Blackboard. Criteria Collaborated with other team members in a professional manner. Demonstrated an organised and ongoing individual contribution to the project Planned the game design project to meet its deadlines and quality goals Demonstrated understanding of key game and serious game design concepts Used appropriate communication, structure, games and references Designed a game suitable for the target audience and target purpose Demonstrated the outcomes of play-testing on the game Generic skill assessed Skill assessment level Collaboration Communication Assessment Task 3: Serious video game slice and pitch presentation Goal: To work in a team to create a serious video game slice. To prepare and give a pitch presentation for your serious video game. Product: Digital prototype, 15-minute pitch presentation, game sell sheet, project reflections Format: The serious video game slice will be a digital file (or collection of files) that will be submitted in-person via USB stick or CD/DVD. It must include all instructions required to install and play the game. The pitch presentation will be given in-person and will include marketing materials such as a sell sheet. Project reflections template will be available on Blackboard Criteria Developed a serious video game slice suitable for demonstrating the key features of the Serious Game Designed a game suitable for the target audience and target purpose Delivered and designed pitch presentation and associated materials. Demonstrated an organised and ongoing individual contribution to the project. Generic skill assessed Skill assessment level Collaboration Communication
Page 5 5.3 Additional assessment requirements Plagiarism In order to minimise incidents of plagiarism and collusion, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Blackboard, are electronically checked through SafeAssign. This software allows for comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work that SafeAssign has access to. Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale c) You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct 5.4 Submission penalties Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate: 5% (of the assessment task s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 10% (of the assessment task s identified value) for the third day 20% (of the assessment task s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome. 6. How is the course offered? 6.1 Directed study hours On campus workshop: 3 hours per week 6.2 Teaching semester/session(s) offered Semester 2
Page 6 6.3 Course activities Teaching What key concepts/content will I Week / learn? Module What activities will I engage in to learn the concepts/content? Directed Study Activities Independent Study Activities 1 Team Structures Group game design & play-test activity 2 Schell s Lenses Part 1. Group game design activity. Modifying existing game practice task due 3 Digital Prototyping Peer marking of group Formative feedback: peer marking game design & play-test and discussion in workshop Play-test game 4 Stages and Methods of Games Play-test game. Development 5 Communicating your designs and serious game design 6 Designing for mobile and pervasive games 7 Agile project planning and game features Form groups for assessment items 2 & 3. Brainstorm ideas for game. Commence journaling game progress. Modify existing game activity due. Finalise serious game concept & game-play overview. Commence development of Serious game prototype. 8 Level Design Continue development of Serious game prototype. Game design document and project plan due. 9 Schell s Lenses Part 2. Play-test Serious game prototype. 10 Monday, Understanding the new games industry Mid Semester Break, play-testing and making iterative changes to their game. Read chapter 12 of Readings as outlined on Blackboard Read chapter 8 of Read chapter 13 of Read chapter 14 of Readings as outlined on Blackboard Readings as outlined on Blackboard Readings as outlined on Blackboard Read chapter 15 of
Page 7 2 nd October, Queen s Birthday Public Holiday 11 Selling Yourself and Your Ideas to the Game Industry Game analysis due., play-testing and making iterative changes to game. 12 Game Development Workshop, play-testing and making iterative changes to their game. 13 Game Development Workshop Preparing for presenting their final game. Play-test reports due. Please note that the course activities may be subject to variation. Read chapter 16 of 7. What resources do I need to undertake this course? 7.1 Prescribed (s) Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below: Author Year Title Publisher Fullerton, T. 2014 Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games Schell, J. 2014 The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, Second Edition Taylor & Francis Group A K Peters/CRC Press 7.2 Required and recommended readings Lists of required and recommended readings may be found for this course on its Blackboard site. These materials/readings will assist you in preparing for tutorials and assignments, and will provide further information regarding particular aspects of your course. 7.3 Specific requirements N/A 7.4 Risk management Health and safety risks have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to research and understand risks of specific courses and to review the USC s health and safety principles by viewing the online induction training for students. 8. How can I obtain help with my studies? In the first instance you should contact your tutor, then the Course Coordinator. Additional assistance is provided to all students through Peer Advisors and Academic Skills Advisors. You can drop in or book an appointment. To book: Tel: +61 7 5430 2890 or Email: student central@usc.edu.au 9. Links to relevant University policies and procedures For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including: Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
Page 8 Review of Assessment and Final Grades Supplementary Assessment Administration of Central Examinations Deferred Examinations Student Academic Misconduct Students with a Disability http://www.usc.edu.au/university/governance-and-executive/policies-and-procedures#academic-learningand-teaching 10. General enquiries In person: Sippy Downs - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C USC SouthBank - Student Central, Building B, Ground floor (level 1) USC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie USC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Building A Tel: +61 7 5430 2890 Email: studentcentral@usc.edu.au