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Kursusbeskrivelse
Kursusnavn (dansk):Spildesign 
Kursusnavn (engelsk):Game Design 
Semester:Efterår 2011 
Udbydes under:cand.it., medieteknologi og spil (mtg) 
Omfang i ECTS:15,00 
Kursussprog:Engelsk 
Kursushjemmeside:https://learnit.itu.dk 
Min. antal deltagere:15 
Forventet antal deltagere:41 
Maks. antal deltagere:80 
Formelle forudsætninger:This is an introductory course, but it is an advantage to be aware of different computer- and video game genres, as well as board games and other non-digital games. A wide knowledge of games is desirable but not required.

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Information about study structure

This course is part of the mandatory modules om Games.
MTG study structure 
Læringsmål:After the course, the student should be able to:

- Conceptualize, prototype, develop and test a digital game.
- Reflect on the relation between game design and interaction design, as well as other design disciplines, and how they can inform the design activity.
- Reflect on the role of the designer in the production of a game, from concept development to testing, with focus on decision making, responsibilities, group-and-schedule management, and creativity.
- Reflect on the relation between design choices and player experiences, as a central element for making innovative and engaging computer games.
- Reflect on their individual contribution to a team-oriented game development process, using the appropriate design terminology and examples.
- Evaluate the originality of a game concept based on design theories and game history.
- Evaluate game concepts through playtesting and usability methods.
- Structure the process from concept development to testing, from board to digital game.
- Practice different concept development methods.
- Practice different usability and playtesting methods.
- Perform basic programming, art, project management and/or design activities, applied to computer game development.
- Perform the basics of sketching, prototyping, iterative design and development methods applied to computer game development. 
Fagligt indhold:The course is centered on the concept development, design, implementation and testing of a computer game prototype, as well as on the critical reflection on the design process and the role of game developers as reflective practitioners.

The game can be anything from a casual game to an Alternative Reality Game, to a Facebook game. The student is free to chose genre, style, platform and technology.

We want to encourage students to create innovative, experimental games. Innovation and experimentation are understood in a broad sense: an experimental game can be defined as any game that uses either the technology, the platform, or the presence of players in a way that challenges game design conventions, explores new expressive means, addresses new mechanics or design types, or introduces input or output devices previously unused in game development. The students will have the help of the course manager in deciding on the appropriateness of a concept for the course.

The course has two areas of relevance:
- Theoretical: this course will explore the relations between game design theory and practice, and design theory and practice. To do so, students will be required to familiarize themselves with a wide selection of texts, ranging from interaction design to usability and industrial design. The goal is for the student to understand how game design as a discipline relates to the design of other media and objects.

- Practical: this course is oriented to the development of critical practice skills, that is, the capacity of creating and reflecting upon what is created. Students will have to develop a game prototype. The prototype will be developed in self-selected groups of no more than 5 people.

Besides the game prototype, students will be asked to create different types of objects, from board games to game concepts, based on key notions explored in the lectures.

The course will give the students:
- A basic understanding of game design and design methodologies, from concept development to user experience testing and evaluation.
- A familiarity with essential game design and design literature.
- The tools for developing reflective practitioner skills, and the capacity to adapt them to different creative contexts.
- The ability to improve a game design based on prototyping and testing on actual users.
- Skills on a number of game development platforms, methods, and tools.

To achieve these goals, the students will have to:
- Read and familiarize themselves with the selected design and game design literature.
- Make balanced development groups, with representation of different skills and goals.
- Create a game prototype, from concept to user testing.

All student groups will be paired with another, to maximize peer-to-peer feedback. 
Læringsaktiviteter:14 ugers undervisning bestående af forelæsninger og øvelser

The course consists of 14 weeks of teaching. Teaching is here understood as a wide array of activities:

- Lectures: lectures are typically given in the first two hours of classes. They are focused on one set of related game design issues. They are typically teacher-centric lectures, but students participation is highly encouraged.

- Practical exercises: exercises are typically conducted in the last 2 hours of class. There are two types: short exercises are performed during the first hour, and discussed and evaluated during the second. Long exercises are often proposed before a weekend, and evaluated the first day of classes afterwards, using two hours. There are also shorter exercises as part of the lectures.

- Seminars: seminars are typically conducted in the last 2 hours of class. Seminars are used to discuss in group clusters of readings from the course pensum. They are student-guided: some students will be leading the discussion, but all students are encouraged to participate.

- Group supervisions: group supervision take place in the last two months of the course, and are focused on direct interaction between the teacher and the groups developing a game, with the goal of providing early feedback on the production. Group supervisions are voluntary.

- External talks: external talks are often one hour long, and given by industry representatives, on topics that are either not addressed in class, or only superficially touched upon, and that are external to the core pensum of the course.

Students are expected to attend lectures and participate in the exercises. Seminars and group supervision are strictly voluntary. 

Eksamensform og -beskrivelse:X. experimental examination form (7-scale; external exam), 7-trins-skala, Intern censur


Please note that the evaluation form for this course may change.  

Litteratur udover forskningsartikler:The main books of the course are:
Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop. A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games (Gama Network Series). 2nd edition. Morgan Kaufmann, 2008.

Norman, Donald A. The Design of Everyday Things. Basic Books, 2002.

Juul, Jesper. Half-Real. Videogames Between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds. The MIT Press, 2005 (only for T students) 
 
Afholdelse (tid og sted)
Kurset afholdes på følgende tid og sted:
UgedagTidspunktForelæsning/ØvelserStedLokale
Mandag 08.00-09.50 Forelæsning ITU Aud 2 (GameLab available)
Mandag 10.00-11.50 Øvelser ITU Aud 2 (GameLab available)
Onsdag 08.00-09.50 Forelæsning ITU Aud 2 (GameLab available)
Onsdag 10.00-11.50 Øvelser ITU Aud 2 (GameLab available)

Eksamen afholdes på følgende tid og sted:
EksamensdatoTidspunktEksamenstypeStedLokale
2011-12-14 09:00-15:00 Skriftlige arbejder ITU Eksamenskontoret (2E)