Official course description:

Basic info last published 7/11-18
Course info
Language:
English
ECTS points:
7.5
Course code:
KGPLMED1KU
Offered to guest students:
-
Offered to exchange students:
Offered as a single subject:
-
Programme
Level:
MSc. Master
Programme:
M.Sc. in IT, Games
Staff
Course semester
Semester
Forår 2019
Start
28 January 2019
End
31 May 2019
Exam
Abstract

This course is designed to introduce students to Play Design as a Critical Technical Practice. The goal is to give students theoretical and practical knowledge about play that they can use in different subject areas, from game design and interaction design to software development.

Description

This course leverages the knowledge about game design, programming, and culture that students have acquired in previous semesters, and applies it to the domain of designing playable experiences for different kind of media. It is a an application of games and play design to domains beyond games.

Students will gain 4 things:

  1. An understanding of Critical Technical Practice as a method for designing, developing, and analyzing interactive media from the perspective of play.
  2. Design methods and tools to create digital interactive playable experiences, such as games, toys, or playable interfaces.
  3. Development methods for creating and testing playable digital experiences.
  4. Media theory that allows students to identify new trends in technology and design, and develop new concepts for those trends.

Play design, interaction design, game design, media theory.

Formal prerequisites
Students from all ITU programs are welcome to join this course. If prospective students are not familiar with play design and its theories, they must familiarize themselves with the topic by reading the mandatory reading Play Matters. Students from the ITU's design programs are expected to be proficient in design research writing, prototyping, and practical design. Students from the ITU's software development programs are expected to be proficient in programming and prototyping. Programming knowledge is an advantage, but not a requirement.
Intended learning outcomes

After the course, the student should be able to:

  • Analyse and discuss the cultural importance of play as a form of expression.
  • Describe how play is used in the development of interactive services and games.
  • Explore and account for how play can be evoked from design practices and principles.
  • Describe the possible uses of play as an instrument or effect of the design of interactive services.
  • Explore the creative and expressive potential of play as a design approach.
  • Design and implement play experiences on digital environments.