Kursusbasen

Kursusoversigt

Kursusbeskrivelse

Kursusnavn (dansk):	Spilteori
Kursusnavn (engelsk):	Game Theory
Semester:	Efterår 2007
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:	25
Maks. antal deltagere:	40
Formelle forudsætninger:	The course approaches games from several theoretical and critical perspectives; however, no special theoretical background or prior training is needed to take the course. To have had a broad practical experience with and basic knowledge of games is a distinct advantage, as is an interest in theoretical and analytical issues.
Læringsmål:	The course will prepare the student to: - Evaluate various methodological approaches to the academic study of computer games. - Understand and discuss computer games from a theoretical perspective (What are the components of a game? Of game play and player experience? Are there any specificities to the medium?) - Assess and discuss game concepts and the use of games in various contexts. - Reflectively engage with the scholarly literature in the field. - Apply various theoretical perspectives to games and related issues & critically evaluate them. - Formulate analytical questions on the subject of computer games, prepare and carry out an analysis.
Fagligt indhold:	Video games (games played on computers as well as on consoles) are an increasingly popular genre of digital entertainment. They drive the evolution of new hardware and form the locus where simulation, graphical art, interface design and programming merge par excellence. The course contains two main perspectives: - A theoretical perspective, with a focus on what games are, what they can and can't do, how they relate to other genres such as novels and movies, etc. - A practical perspective, with a focus on game analysis and knowledge of concrete games and game genres. The main topics of the course can include: ¿ Introduction to games, game culture, and game definitions ¿ Methods for game research and study ¿ Video games as medium, games vs. video games ¿ Game genres and game history ¿ Game analysis ¿ Games vs. stories ¿ Games and fiction ¿ Games, politics, ethics and ideology ¿ Games as art form ¿ Games as research field ¿ Theories about players and player psychology ¿ Games and distribution channels, independent games
Læringsaktiviteter:	14 ugers undervisning bestående af forelæsninger og øvelser The format of the course will be lectures, presentations, group work, discussions and exercises. You are expected to actively participate in the lectures, which have ample room for discussion. ---------- During the intro week (week 35) this class will be held on its regular day but from 10.00-12.00 (and exercises are cancelled). ---------- Information om studiestruktur / Information about study structure MTG-DA Dette kursus er en del af MTG¿s backbone, som du kan finde beskrevet her: MTG studiestruktur For at blive cand.it. i MTG skal du bestå MTG¿s backbonekurser, og desuden gennemføre en 22,5 ECTS specialisering samt to 7,5 ECTS valgfag. This course is part of the MTG backbone ¿ find it described here: MTG study structure In order to graduate as a MSc in MTG, you need to pass the MTG backbone courses, and also take a 22,5 ECTS specialization and two 7,5 ECTS electives.
Eksamensform og -beskrivelse:	X. experimental examination form (7-scale; external exam), 7-trins-skala, Ekstern censur
Litteratur udover forskningsartikler:	Relevant games may include: ¿ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ¿ World of Warcraft ¿ Animal Crossing ¿ Sims 2 ¿ New Super Mario Bros ¿ Nintendogs ¿ Counter-strike ¿ September 12 ¿ Zuma ¿ Luxor ¿ Chu Chu Rocket ¿ Dance Dance Revolution ¿ Guitar Hero ¿ Bejeweled ¿ Da Vinci Code ¿ America's Army ¿ Under Ash ¿ Halo 2 Theoretical curriculum (some changes might occur): ¿ Aarseth, Espen, "Quest Games as Post-Narrative Discourse" in Marie-Laure Ryan (ed.) Narrative Across Media. University of Nebraska Press (in Press). ¿ Aarseth, Espen "Playing Research: Methodological approaches to game analysis" http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/dac/papers/Aarseth.pdf ¿ Bartle, Richard (1996): "HEARTS, CLUBS, DIAMONDS, SPADES: PLAYERS WHO SUIT MUDS." http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm ¿ Bringsjord, Selmer: "Is It Possible to Build Dramatically Compelling Interactive Digital Entertainment" http://gamestudies.org/0101/bringsjord/ ¿ Bryant, Dave: "The Uncanny Valley". 2006. http://www.arclight.net/~pdb/nonfiction/uncanny-valley.html ¿ Caillois, Roger: "The Classification of Games" in Man, Play and Games, p. 11-36. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2001 [1958]. ¿ Castronova, Edward (2002): "Virtual Worlds: A First-Hand Account of Market and Society on the Cyberian Frontier" http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=%3Cbr%3E294828 ¿ Culin, Stewart. "Mancala, the National game of Africa". In: Avedon, Elliott M. and Sutton-Smith, Brian: The Study of Games. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 1971, p.94-108. [1894] http://www.gamesmuseum.uwaterloo.ca/Archives/Culin/Mancla1894/index.html ¿ Eskelinen, Markku: "The Gaming Situation" http://gamestudies.org/0101/eskelinen/ ¿ Falstein, Noah: "Natural Funativity". Gamasutra, 2004. http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20041110/falstein_01.shtml ¿ Frasca, Gonzalo: "SIMULATION 101: Simulation versus Representation" http://www.jacaranda.org/frasca/weblog/articles/sim1/simulation101.html ¿ Friedman, Ted: "Making Sense of Software: Computer Games and Interactive Textuality" ¿ Jenkins, Henry: Voices from the combat zone: Game Girlz Talk Back ¿ Jenkins, Henry: "Complete freedom of movement: Video Games as Gendered Play Spaces" http://web.mit.edu/cms/People/henry3/pub/complete.html ¿ Juul, Jesper: "Games Telling stories" A brief note on games and narratives". 2001 http://gamestudies.org/0101/juul-gts/ ¿ Juul, Jesper. "The Game, the Player, the World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness." 2003 http://www.jesperjuul.net/text/gameplayerworld/ ¿ Juul, Jesper. "Introduction". From Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press 2006. ¿ Juul, Jesper. "Swap Adjacent Gems to Make Sets of Three: A History of Matching Tile Games" 2006 ¿ Koster. Raph. From A Theory of Fun. Scottsdale, Arizona: Paraglyph Press 2005. ¿ Reynolds, Ren: "Playing a "Good" Game: A Philosophical Approach to Understanding the Morality of Games" http://www.igda.org/Endeavors/Articles/rreynolds_intro.htm ¿ Malone, Thomas W. "What makes things fun to learn? Heuristics for Designing Instructional Computer Games". ACM 1980. ¿ Mori, Masahiro: "The Uncanny Valley". Energy, 7(4), pp. 33-35. 1970. http://www.androidscience.com/theuncannyvalley/proceedings2005/uncannyvalley.html ¿ Salen, Katie and Zimmerman, Eric: "Unit 4: Culture" in Rules of Play, 502-587. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2004. ¿ Taylor, T.L.: "Beyond Management: Considering Participatory Design and Governance in Player Culture". First Monday, October 2006. http://firstmonday.org/issues/special11_9//taylor/ ¿ Sutton-Smith, Brian: "Play and Ambiguity". In The Ambiguity of Play, p. 1-17. Cambridge: Harvard University Press 1997. ¿ Tronstad, Ragnhild (2001): "Semiotic and Non-Semiotic MUD Performance" http://www.cosignconference.org/cosign2001/papers/Tronstad.pdf ¿ Varney, Alex. "Attack of the Parasites". The Escapist, 34. 2006. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/34/3

Afholdelse (tid og sted)

Kurset afholdes på følgende tid og sted:

Ugedag	Tidspunkt	Forelæsning/Øvelser	Sted	Lokale
Mandag	10.00-12.00	Forelæsning	ITU	3A14
Mandag	13.00-15.00	Øvelser	ITU	Gamelab
Onsdag	10.00-12.00	Forelæsning	ITU	3A14
Onsdag	13.00-15.00	Øvelser	ITU	Gamelab

Eksamen afholdes på følgende tid og sted:

Eksamensdato	Tidspunkt	Eksamenstype	Sted	Lokale
2007-12-19	Written works to be handed in no later than 15:00	Skriftlige arbejder	ITU	Eksamenskontoret
2008-01-08	Kontakt underviser for tidspunkt	Mundtlig eksamen	ITU	0A27 (GameLab)
2008-01-09	Kontakt underviser for tidspunkt	Mundtlig eksamen	ITU	0A27 (GameLab)
2008-01-10	Kontakt underviser for tidspunkt	Mundtlig eksamen	ITU	0A27 (GameLab)