Play Lab (Autumn 2024)
Official course description:
Full info last published 15/05-24
Course info
Language:
English
ECTS points:
15
Course code:
KGPLLAB1KU
Participants max:
36
Offered to guest students:
yes
Offered to exchange students:
yes
Offered as a single subject:
yes
Price for EU/EEA citizens (Single Subject):
21250 DKK
Programme
Level:
MSc. Master
Programme:
MSc in Games
Staff
Course semester
Semester
Efterår 2024
Start
26 August 2024
End
24 January 2025
Exam
Exam type
ordinær
Internal/External
ekstern censur
Grade Scale
7-trinsskala
Exam Language
GB
Abstract
This course teaches how to explore technologies for their potential in regards to play.Description
PlayLab is an advanced game design course in which students will engage with specific game design literature and practices with the goal of expanding their creative and intellectual repertoire. The course is structured around reflective practice: students will have to develop playable prototypes as well as reflect upon how their prototypes explore the central topics of the course.
Students will have 3 weeks to create their prototypes, with specific lab-focused sessions dedicated to peer and instructor feedback, as well as to discussions on the readings and topics for the course.
PlayLab 2024 will focus on these three topics: Game Balance, Game Feel, and Procedural Content Generation.
The purpose of PlayLab is to create a space of exploration and reflection through the deliberate practice of game design, focused on specific central aspects of design that demand thoughtful engagement.
Formal prerequisites
PlayLab is an advanced game design course. Experience in designing, developing, and testing games is required.
Intended learning outcomes
After the course, the student should be able to:
- Analyse and discuss the challenges of game balance, game feel, and procedural content generation in the field of game design, using game prototypes as case studies
- Describe the importance of game balance and game feel in diverse player experiences
- Explore the design of balance and feel in game design
- Explore the creative uses of procedural content generation in games
- Design and implement focused prototypes that illustrate and explore key issues in advanced game design topics
- Discuss the importance of procedural content generation in the context of digital game design, digital game business models, and digital game culture
Learning activities
Course Structure
The course is structured around 3 blooks of 4 weeks each. The first week of each block is dedicated to lectures and seminar readings in which the class discusses the main points of the readings, and works on pitching the design of the prototype for that block.
The remaining weeks of each block are focused on production, culminating in a presentation and playtest of each of the prototypes developed.
Course literature
The two main textbooks are:
Schreiber and Romero, Game Balance
Short and Adams (eds.), Procedural Generation in Game Design.
A selection of articles and book chapters will complement these two main readings.
Student Activity Budget
Estimated distribution of learning activities for the typical student- Preparation for lectures and exercises: 20%
- Lectures: 20%
- Assignments: 60%
Ordinary exam
Exam type:C: Submission of written work, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
C11: Submission of written work
Exam submission description:
Written exam. Individually written report of no more than 4000 words. The report should address the intended learning outcomes of the course by using one, two, or all three projects developed for the course. The report should use the projects developed as part of the course as case studies to engage with the mandatory readings.
Written exam. Individually written report of no more than 4000 words. The report should address the intended learning outcomes of the course by using one, two, or all three projects developed for the course. The report should use the projects developed as part of the course as case studies to engage with the mandatory readings.
reexam
Exam type:C: Submission of written work, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
C11: Submission of written work
Exam submission description:
Written exam. Individually written report of no more than 4000 words. The report should address the intended learning outcomes of the course by using one, two, or all three projects developed for the course. The report should use the projects developed as part of the course as case studies to engage with the mandatory readings.
Written exam. Individually written report of no more than 4000 words. The report should address the intended learning outcomes of the course by using one, two, or all three projects developed for the course. The report should use the projects developed as part of the course as case studies to engage with the mandatory readings.