Media Design

2010
Trimester 2

COURSE OUTLINE
DSDN 232
2D GAME DESIGN

GENERAL

Elective; Trimester Two; 20 points

ASSESSMENT

100% internal by assignment

CLASSTIMES AND LOCATIONS

STUDIO/
LECTURE: Wednesday 1:40pm to 5:40pm Room: Wigan 4.01 Lab

COORDINATOR AND TUTORS

Coordinator Tutors
Kah Chan Room: 3.02
Room: 4.07 Office Hours: to be confirmed with tutors
Phone: 463-6278
Office Hours: by appointment Ben Jack
Email: kah.chan@vuw .ac.nz Email: [email protected]

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COURSE SYNOPSIS

DSDN 232 is a production and theory course, w ith a focus on understanding the w ider significance of
computer gaming, and the game prototyping techniques of smaller-scale “ indie” or independent game
development. Independent study and self-motivation are key components to this course: students w ill be
creating their ow n concept briefs, prototyping schedule, and necessary production stages en route to
making their ow n games.

As gaming becomes the dominant force in the entertainment industry, it also cements its position as a valid
new communication paradigm that is just as pervasive as the television w as.

It is important that students attempt experimental approaches that leverage this communicative strength
and creative latitude inherent in gaming to build new methods of interacting, entertaining and/or delivering
an argument.

AIMS OF THE COURSE

The course aims to develop the visual and t echnical vocabulary necessary for game designers and to pursue
and demonstrate individual research into different aspects of game development. Students w ill have the
opportunity to complete a series of exercises in analyzing and evaluating game projects, and to present their
research concepts and designs. Simultaneously, students are encouraged to consider the w ider implications
of our incerasingly pervasive gaming culture, and to critically examine, analyse and engage w ith this new
paradigm in a creative manner.

These skills combined w ith the unique challenge of w orking in group assignment that is reflective of
industry practice w ill give students a good overview of the skills and tasks necessary of smaller-scale
“ indie” or independent game development.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Knowledge
By the end of the course, students will have learned to:

A improved media literacy and the ability to apply critical thinking to contemporary gaming;
To develop basic game development skills and best practises;
To explore gaming as a dynamic medium by trying to understand how games have evolved to encompass
such a large part of our social lexicon;
To understand the role of the designer in communicating to an audience, and the larger social role that
comes with the ability to communicate to a large audience;
Skills in communication, creative & critical thinking and self-driven study;
To demonstrate strong presentation skills that will form a basis for professional presentations;
To develop group management skills and experience working in groups with a variety of talents and
abilities;
To learn how to teach yourself future skills through the exploration of software such as Photoshop,
Illustrator, and Flash

In addition to the above-mentioned learning objectives the learning outcomes for this course have been mapped
against the three principal generic VUW Graduate Attributes of Communication, Creative & Critical Thinking, and
Leadership as follows:

Creative & Critical Thinking

By the end of the course, students will have learned to:
respond to a series of design briefs by resolving formal, critical and functional demands
reinforce design explorations with ideas/precedents and foundations that build up complexity
acquire a firm understanding of the problems and needs of game design challenges and the manners

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 in which they may be addressed
use innovation, imagination and lateral thinking to translate/analyse critical design issues (character /
level design, aesthetics, user identity, game playability, perception, sensitivity to larger context) into
digital game concepts and executions
have a wider critical understanding of gaming and its increasing role in influencing our social fabric
demonstrate and self-evaluate well-considered proofs of concepts that can enhance and validate a
design idea and its impact

Communication
By the end of the course, students will have learned to:
convincingly communicate initial design concepts in analogue and digital formats
engage game design-specific knowledge
present personal design concepts and ideas with confidence
engage game and media literacy theory vocabulary
speak to personal design ideas with confidence and present ideas in a structured & convincing way
respond to design questions with clarity and insight
articulate in writing or visually an argument and focused design position

Leadership
By the end of the course, students will have learned to:
have an evolving yet firm commitment towards design, and to demonstrate that commitment through a
willingness to explore design concepts, develop design skills, and produce coherent and expressive
design products
incorporate digital media design–specific pragmatic factors (structural, technical, human, contextual)
into a poetic, sensitive, aesthetic design response
understand the responsibilities of the profession, and the potential these afford for creative design,
innovative problem-solving, and the poetic expression of personal convictions

COURSE CONTENT

Also see course blog: http://blogs.mediazone.co.nz/2010-dsdn232/

DSDN 232 is the first opportunity in the MDDN curriculum to engage in, analyse, and subsequently
deconstruct the social phenomena of video games in order to critique their history and evolution, their
cultural and social roles, and envisage games‟ future roles in contemporary society. As gaming becomes the
dominant force in entertainment, it is fast becoming an invaluable communication platform that can be used
to explore larger concerns, such as environmental issues like energy conservation, or social concerns like
excessive alcohol consumption.

The course also aims to develop the visual and technical vocabulary necessary for game designers and to
pursue and demonstrate individual research into different aspects of game development. Students w ill
complete a series of exercises in analyzing and evaluating game projects, and to present their research
concepts and designs.

These skills combined w ith the unique challenge of w orking in group assignment that is reflective of
industry practice w ill give students a good overview of the skills and tasks necessary of smaller-scale
“ indie” or independent game development

This course pushes students to challenge popular preconceptions of w hat games should be, by imagining
and visualizing w hat games could be.

COURSE DELIVERY

The single class session per week will include lectures as well as practical tutorials, group critiques and individual
mentoring. Students are expected to attend all weekly sessions. This is a tightly packed course, so any absences
could potentially be a large setback. Any absences should be informed to the course coordinator via e-mail

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 whenever possible. Additionally, students may seek assistance from the course coordinator and tutors during
office hours or by making appointments.

ASSIGNMENTS / PROJECTS
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Project 1: Responsible By Design (30%, Hand-in August 11 )

Character designs – (Jack, Rimmer, Willmott ,Yee)

Games now have the opportunity move beyond entertainment and move tow ards addressing w ider
concerns w ith its persuasive capabilities. Considering the environmental concerns currently facing us, w ith
daily decisions such as energy conservation methods to responsibly farmed food, how can gaming, or more
specifically, character design serve as a communicative tool?

Your challenge is to design a character that can serve as communication tool to persuade an audience to
make smarter choices about energy conservation. This character is more than an educational tool – it is a
provocative design piece that incites us to ask questions, of our habits and ourselves.

Using an available Flash game engine build a simple casual game to serves to illustrate your chosen point
and educate a specific audience. To go w ith your character, design a small level to further emphasize your
argument.

Hand-in requirements for Project 1:

Development sketches displaying a breadth of ideas
Refined sketches in multiple perspectives (front, side and perspective)
Print production-quality stills (e.g. A4 @300dpi; it‟s easier to scale down for the screen but not up for
printing)
Game files (all .fla and art assets (.ai, .psd, .pdf or .jpg) required to reproduce your game)
Final Flash game file embedded into a HTML page

All documentation on should be on your blog for assessment. All hand-ins should also be attached to your blog.
Attendance is mandatory unless there is prior consultation with the course coordinator.

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 th
Project 2: Projection (20%, Hand-in September 8 )

Aranalog – (Steven Lam)

Gaming, far from being a niche form of entertainment, has entered into our contemporary vernacular as
potentially the new dominant form of entertainment, and as E.O. Wilson declared: “ games are the future
in education” , and goes on to assert that education w ill be leaving print behind.

Based on your observations on current trends in the effects of gaming on society supported by relevant
academic texts and industry insights, make a prediction of the future of gaming 25 years in the future.
Consider the w ider context of gaming – socially, academically, culturally, the contemporary responsibility
and position of gaming. Select a specific niche of gaming rather than a w idespread blanket prediction.
Look for a small yet meaningful w ay that gaming w ould become entrenched in our lifestyle in an
unexpected manner.

Option 1: Using appropriately referenced material, you w ill submit a 2500-w ord (minimum) essay in PDF
format, using the APA style of referencing.

OR

Option 2: Using appropriately referenced material, you w ill create a series of illustrations that projects the
future of gaming w ith the same considerations as the essay. These illustrations (minimum of 3, minimum
size of A3 @300dpi) w ill be accompanied by a short 500 w ord designers‟ statement.
OR

Option 3: You w ill create a small, “ interactive narrative” that explores the same concepts of the influence
of gaming on the future. Using appropriate precedents and references. Your game has to be available
online and accompanied by a short 500 w ord designers‟ statement.

You w ill need to discuss your preferred option of submission/exploration and topic w ith your course co-
ordinator by the 20th of August.

Wilson, E.O., Wright, W.. Ant Lovers Unite! An Open Mic Discussion Of Life And Games. Available online at
http://w w w .npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId= 112203095

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 th th
Project 3: Symbiosis: Game Development Groups (50%, Presentation October 13 , Hand-in October 15 )

Barnyard Battle (Willmott

Professional game design, from w ell-know n companies in the industry, to experimental indie games and
serious games, is inherently a group-w ork activity. Working in a team allow s the individuals in a group to
function symbiotically as a larger organism. This organism has the potential to achieve far more than the
best efforts of the individual. Much of this is due to the division of labor and the creative benefits of
developing ideas w ithin a team dynamic. Capitalizing on these same strengths, w hile also providing a
professional model of instruction, this final project w ill have students w ork in groups. As a team you w ill
design, document, and present a complete 2D game and environment concept. You w ill then proceed to
implement a proof of concept that illustrates your game w ith selected details explored in depth.

Game concept proposals w ill be presented in class for review .

Selected w inners w ill be chosen and teams w ill be formed around these proposals.
Teams w ill design and present a project plan and game design document.
Teams w ill w ork on creating a game based off of the project plan and design document.
Progress critiques w ill review early game development.
Beta tests w ill be review ed for assessing game development.
Final presentations of games w ill be show n in class.
Post production, packaging and distribution.

Groups will be self-assembled based on the chosen individual concepts previously presented. All groups are
subject to final approval of the course coordinators. You will expand the original individual proposal into a game
design document, which:
Outlines roles and responsibilities for each team member in as much detail as practical
Outline the scope of the proof of concept
Set game requirements, and consider priorities
Outline game narrative and gameplay

Your team should have a blog documenting the progress of the project. This is essential for individual evaluations
and will be used in conjunction with the group assessments of each individual.

Hand-in requirements:
Game design proposal
Game design document (group)
Individual blogs for assessment
Development sketches
Refined sketches for level and character design
High quality in game screen shots (aim for print quality (300dpi) where possible)
Game files (all .fla and art assets (.ai, .psd, .pdf or .jpg) required to reproduce your game)
Final Flash game file embedded into a HTML page

The 50% assessment is split into:

15% of which is based on overall group output (final game);
10% on your initial game proposal
25% on individual documentation and group feedback/review. It is your responsibility to document,
explain and expand on your contribution to the group and to present all the relevant files in a
coherent fashion for submission. Your work should be of professional presentation quality.

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 th
Your final presentation will be on the 13 of October, and final submission of all relevant files will be prior to
th
5pm October 15 . Attendance is mandatory unless there is prior consultation with the course coordinator.
ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

The Assessment Criteria of the individual projects and the overall completion of the course are:

The creativity with which the assignment was met

The mastery of the technical challenges of the project
The idea – and the degree to which it engages its audience
The consistent documentation of concept and production development, both individually and as a
group
The coherence of the design concept and realisation
The design concepts divergence and evolutions that were explored to arrive at the result
Participation in the group effort
The degree of immersion, degree of completion and professional polish of the final project
The professionalism of the presentation of all the projects

DESN 385 is internally assessed by assignment w ork in the form of 3 projects. The projects are each
assessed and graded A+ , A, A-, B+ , B, B-, C+ , C, D, E, (w here C is a PASS). Grades only are issued to
students. The final grade for the course is based on the aggregation of the percentage marks for each of
the projects, and a final grade of C or better is required to pass the course. The 3 submissions contribute
tow ards the final course grade as follow s:

Project 1 „RESPONSIBLE BY DESIGN‟ 5 weeks: due August 11 30%

Project 2 „PROJECTION‟ 3 weeks: due September 8 20%
Project 3 „SYMBIOSIS‟ 6 weeks: due October 13 50%
Total: 100%

Your work will be reviewed on the basis of the degree to which it meets the assessment criteria. Although visitors
may be involved in some of the reviews, the assessment of the course is carried out by the course coordinator in
consultation with the tutors.

The School has a long tradition of providing critical review of student work as it progresses especially in design
projects. This is part of feed-back for learning purposes. Such reviews must not be misunderstood as indicators of
standards and they are different from assessment. Students have a responsibility to attend critical reviews at the
appointed time as part of the learning process. Review panels are often composed of internal and external
members for the appointed times and cannot be re-composed to consider late submissions. Consequently late
work will not receive a critical review, though it will be assessed subject to any penalties as set out below.

Critical Review: May take place during the development phases of a project as well as at the time of the final
submission. Its purpose is to identify strengths and weaknesses in the work and to offer suggestions to
generally encourage the student. An encouraging critical review does not necessarily mean a good
assessment result.
Assessment: May take place at a stage in a project or on final submission (or both). Its purpose is to value
the work in terms of the objectives stated in the handout and to express this as a grade. Moderation of all
assessment in design is undertaken at the end of the Trimester after critical reviews, involving a wider group
of staff than the immediate lecturers in the course. This process ensures fairness.

All grades posted during this course are only provisional results until confirmed by the School Examiners
Committee which meets after the examination period.

GROUP WORK

Collaborative work is essential in the field of design; and group work will take place during course projects. This is
a core component of DSDN232, and will be assessed through a combination of group assessment of the
individuals, individual documentation of their contribution, the overall strength of the group output and the
cohesion of the group. The individual is responsible for his/her own accountability in all group work assessment.

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ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Attendance and participation is an important aspect of the learning process, and you are required to attend all the
lectures and tutorials. See Mandatory Course Requirements.

Projects operate on 4 levels of instruction: class instruction through lectures, critiques, tutorial software demos,
and individual mentoring of work. The studio thus involves both collective and individual participation from
individuals in the group. Tutors will be in the studio at all scheduled times undertaking group and individual
instruction and reviewing project work. Ongoing discussion will be critical to the development of your design work.

Therefore, for the studio to operate effectively, students are expected to arrive on time, to be present for the whole
studio session, (unless there are reasons why they cannot) and to actively participate in group and one-to-one
discussions with your tutor. It is also expected that students will bring to the studio sessions the appropriate
equipment and supplies needed to work productively on the design projects and to complete this project work on
time. The intensity and regularity of participation in the studio is unerringly reflected in the understanding and
quality expressed in the resulting work.

If extraordinary circumstances arise that require you to be absent from some class sessions, you should discuss
the situation with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible.

COURSE EXPECTED WORKLOAD

You should expect to spend a total of around 200 hours on this course, including both scheduled class time and
independent study. Typically this involves around 12-14 hours per week during the twelve teaching weeks, with
the balance during the mid trimester break, study week and examination period.
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about_victoria/avcacademic/publications/assessment-handbook.pdf

READINGS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL

Please refer to the list enclosed at the end of this document.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Required:
USB memory stick or comparable digital storage medium,
blog space,
pen and notepad / notebook / sketchbook.

Desirable: Laptop, external disc drive (highly recommended), headphones, digital photo camera
Additional Costs: Variable.

Students will need to provide all materials and equipment as necessary for the completion of required work.

It is recommended that you purchase a laptop although computer facilities are available at the School. If you are
purchasing a laptop and would like information on the minimum requirements please contact the Student
Administration Office. While digital cameras are available at the school, it is also recommended that students
consider purchasing a simple digital camera (3.2mpxl minimum). Note: The Student Loan, administered by
StudyLink, allows students to claim up to $1000 for course related costs for each year of study.

RECORDING OF WORK AND PORTFOLIO

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 You are strongly encouraged to respect and care for your work, making and recording a visual summary of each
project in this course. This may be in digital and/or hard copy. The principal purpose of this is to maintain a
record of your work for incorporation into your own personal „Design Portfolio‟. Recording a summary of your
work also means it is available if needed for you or the School to exhibit or publish.

SUBMISSION OF WORK

Each student is responsible for ensuring their work is submitted to their course tutor on time and in the required
format.

Late submissions will be penalised as set out below, unless an extension is approved by the Course Coordinator.

EXTENSIONS

In the event of illness or other extraordinary circumstances that prevent you from submitting a piece of work on
time, or that you feel adversely affect the quality of the work you submit, it is important that you discuss your
circumstances with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements may be made.
You should complete an Application for Extension form (available from the Faculty Office) for the Course
Coordinator to approve. You will also need to provide suitable evidence of your illness or other circumstances. In
an emergency, or if you are unable to contact the Course Coordinator, you should advise the Faculty Office of
your situation. Work submitted late must be submitted to the Course Coordinator.

PENALTIES

Students are required to personally present their work on time at all scheduled reviews and in the location and
specified format as set out in project outlines. Failure to personally present work at any scheduled graded
review will result in an automatic failing grade of E for the work being reviewed, unless an extension has been
approved in writing in advance by the course coordinator.

Late submissions will not be penalised in the event of illness or other extraordinary circumstances provided
students have requested an extension of time in writing in advance of the scheduled review, and the course
coordinator has similarly approved this in writing (see the Student Administration Office for an Application for
Extension form). Work submitted late without the prior agreement of the course coordinator will be penalised
by a failing grade of E.

Work submitted late must be submitted directly to the relevant tutor or course coordinator. Any project work
left on the project shelves or elsewhere will be entered on the grade sheet as a no-submission.

MANDATORY COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In addition to achieving an average of at least „C‟ across all assessments, in order to pass the course you must
also satisfy the following mandatory course requirements:
Attend and present your project work at all scheduled critical reviews
Achieve a grade of „C” or higher in all assignments
Document and present all progression work in a satisfactory manner

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

The Faculty of Architecture and Design operates a system of Class Representatives in 100-level courses, and
Year Representatives in each of the professional disciplines. Student Representatives are elected during a class
session in the first week of teaching. All student representatives will be listed on the STUDiO notice board in the
Atrium, and the relevant Representatives are also listed on studio notice boards. Student Representatives have a
role in liaising between staff and students to represent the interests of students to the lecturers, and also in
providing students with a communication channel to STUDiO and VUWSA.

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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM

Academic integrity means that University staff and students, in their teaching and learning are expected to treat
others honestly, fairly and with respect at all times. It is not acceptable to mistreat academic, intellectual or
creative work that has been done by other people by representing it as your own original work.

Academic integrity is important because it is the core value in which the University‟‟s learning, teaching and
research activities are based. Victoria University‟s reputation for academic integrity adds value to your
qualification.

The University defines plagiarism as presenting someone else‟s work as if it were your own, whether you mean to
or not. „Someone else‟s work‟ means anything that is not your own idea. Even if it is presented in your own style,
you must acknowledge your sources fully and appropriately. This includes:

Material from books, journals or any other printed source

The work of other students or students or staff
Information from the internet
Software programs and other electronic material
Designs and ideas
The organisation or structuring of any such material

Find out more about plagiarism, how to avoid it and penalties, on the University‟s website:
www.victoria.ac.nz/home/studying/plagiarism.html

USE OF TURNITIN

Student work provided for assessment in this course may be checked for academic integrity by the electronic
search engine http://www.turnitin.com. Turnitin is an online plagiarism prevention tool which compares submitted
work with a very large database of existing material. At the discretion of the Head of School, handwritten work
may be copy-typed by the School and subject to checking by Turnitin. Turnitin will retain a copy of submitted
material on behalf of the University for detection of future plagiarism, but access to the full text of submissions is
not made available to any other party.

COMMUNICATION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The course is set up on blackboard. Any changes or additions to this Course Outline will be discussed and agreed
with the class, and conveyed through blackboard to all students enrolled in the course.

GENERAL UNIVERSITY POLICIES & STATUTES

Students should familiarise themselves with the University‟s policies and statutes, particularly the Assessment
Statute, the Personal Courses of Study Statute, the Statute on Student Conduct and any statutes relating to the
particular qualifications being studied; see the Victoria University Calendar or the University‟s policy website
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/policy

Student and staff conduct

The Statute on Student Conduct together with the Policy on Staff Conduct ensure that members of the University
community are able to work, learn, study and participate in the academic and social aspects of the University‟s life
in an atmosphere of safety and respect. The Statute on Student Conduct contains information on what conduct is
prohibited and what steps are to be taken if there is a complaint. For information about complaint procedures
under the Statute on Student Conduct, contact the Facilitator and Disputes Advisor or refer to the statute on the
Victoria policy website at: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/policy

The Policy on Staff Conduct can also be found at: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/policy

Academic grievances

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 If you have any academic problems with your course you should talk to the tutor or lecturer concerned; class
representatives may be able to help you in this. If you are not satisfied with the result of that meeting, see the
Head of School or the relevant Associate Dean; The VUWSA Student Advocate is available to assist in this
process. If, after trying the above channels, you are still unsatisfied, formal grievance procedures can be invoked.
These are set out in the Academic Grievance Policy which is published on the Victoria website at:
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/policy

There is also a leaflet explaining the grievance process available from the AVC (Academic) website at:
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about_victoria/avcacademic/Publications.aspx#grievances

Students with Impairments

Refer to the Meeting the Needs of Students with Impairments Policy, available on the University’s policy website
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/policy

The University has a policy of reasonable accommodation of the needs of students with impairments. The policy
aims to give students with disabilities the same opportunity as other students to demonstrate their abilities. If you
have a disability, impairment or chronic medical condition (temporary, permanent or recurring) that may impact on
your ability to participate, learn and/or achieve in lectures and tutorials or in meeting the course requirements,
please contact the course coordinator as early in the course as possible. Alternatively, you may wish to approach
a Student Adviser from Disability Support Services (DSS) to discuss your individual needs and the available
options and support on a confidential basis. DSS are located on Level 1, Robert Stout Building: telephone 463-
6070 email: [email protected]

Martin Hanley is the Disability Liaison Person for the Faculty of Architecture and Design: telephone 463 6280
email. [email protected]

Student Support
Staff at Victoria want students to have positive learning experiences at the University. There are a number of
support services available to help you directly if your academic progress is causing concern or if there are
elements in your life that are affecting your ability to study. These include:
Your course coordinator or programme director;
Staff in your Faculty Student Administration Office Student Dedicated learning support through Student
Learning Support Service; Kaiwawao Māori ;Maanaki Pihiphipinga; Disability Support Services and Victoria
International;
Wider holistic support through the Health Service; Counselling Service; Financial Support and Advice;
Accommodation Service and Career Development and Employment. Find out more at
www.victoria.ac.nz/st_services/ or email [email protected];
VUWSA employs a Student Advocate who deals with academic problems and provides support, advice
and advocacy services, as well as training and supporting class representatives and faculty delegates.
The Education Office is located on the ground floor, Student Union Building. Email
[email protected] or tel. 463-6716 or 463-6984.

TE ARO CAMPUS BUILDING RULES AND FACILITIES

Students on the Te Aro Campus are required to comply with the Faculty Guidelines relating to the safe use,
access and care of the Architecture and Design technical resources and building facilities. These are available on
the School website, and in the following documents available from the student R drive: R:\Student Health and
Safety Information

FAD Health & Safety Handbook – available to all students, covering:

Workshop and campus safety
Safety training and safety precautions for the workshops
FAD Hazard Register
Te Aro Campus floor plans

FAD Technical Services and Facilities Handbook – issued to all staff and available to all students on the
student R drive, covering various local practices, including information on:
Information for new staff and students
Access and booking of teaching / studio spaces, and technical resources

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 Studio etiquette and rules pertaining to exhibitions, critiques and storage of models/drawings
Housekeeping/cleaning within the studios and workshops
Information on Te Aro IT systems and support
Te Aro campus floor plans

General information on Faculty/School Technical Facilities including technical staff and their associated areas -
http://w w w .vuw .ac.nz/architecture/facilities/index.aspx

WHERE TO GET HELP

Vivian Street Wing – Faculty of Architecture and Design Student Administration Office
The Faculty‟s Student Administration Office is located on the first floor of the Vivian Street Wing. The first floor
counter is the first point of contact for general enquiries and FAD forms. Student Administration Advisors are
available to discuss course status and give further advice about FAD qualifications. To check for opening hours
call the Faculty Student Administration Office on (04) 463 6200.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Students are reminded that they must comply with any health and safety instructions given by staff members in
charge of work places and instructions and signs posted around the campus. All students should familiarise
themselves with the FAD Health & Safety Manual and Notices around the Workshops and Laboratories.
Students are advised to refer to the Student R drive for safety and other relevant information.
R:\Student Health and Safety Information

WITHDRAWAL DATES

Information on withdrawals and refunds can be found at:

http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/admisenrol/payments/withdrawlsrefunds.aspx

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SCHEDULE OF SESSIONS & ASSESSMENTS
Students must be seated in class no later than 5 minutes prior to the start of lectures. Mobile phones must be
turned off. Reminders for important dates appear on the DSDN232 blog calendar.

Week day date item location time comments

month

w eek 29 M 12 Trimester 2 Begins

July TU 13
W 14 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to Intro P1
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 15
F 16
w eek 30 M 19
July TU 20
W 21 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 22
F 23
w eek 31 M 26
July TU 27
W 28 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 29
F 30
w eek 32 M 2
August TU 3
W 4 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 5
F 6
w eek 33 M 9
August TU 10
W 11 Lecture + Student Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to P1 submission /
Presentations 5.30pm presentation
Intro P2 and P3
TH 12
F 13
w eek 34 M 16
August TU 17
W 18 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 19
F 20
w eek 35 M 23 Mid Trimester Break
August TU 24
W 25
TH 26
F 27
w eek 36 M 30
August TU 31
W 1
TH 2
F 3
w eek 37 M 6 Trimester 2 Continues
September TU 7

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 W 8 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to P2 Submission
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 9
F 10
w eek 38 M 13
September TU 14
W 15 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 16
F 17
w eek 39 M 20
September TU 21
W 22 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 23
F 24
w eek 40 M 27
September TU 28
W 29 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 30
F 1
w eek 41 M 4
October TU 5
W 6 Lecture + Technical Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to
Presentation 5.30pm
TH 7
F 8
w eek 42 M 11
October TU 12
W 13 Student Presentations Wigan 4.01 1.30pm to P3 Presentations
5.30pm
TH 14
F 15 P3 final submissions
w eek 43 M 18 Study Break Begins
October TU 19
W 20
TH 21
F 22
w eek 44 M 25 Labour Day
October T 26
W 27
TH 28
F 29
w eek 45 M 1
November TU 2
W 3
TH 4
F 5
w eek 46 M 8
November TU 9
W 10
TH 11
F 12 Exams End Sat 13 Nov
w eek 47 M 15
November TU 16

14
W 17
TH 18
F 19

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READINGS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
The following readings are also recommended for this course:

Author Title Publishers Call No. Related lecture / course

section

Allison, A. (2006). Millennial Monsters: Berkeley: GN635 J2 Interesting character

Japanese toys and the University of A438 M development background from
global imagination. California a toys / cultural perspective
Press.
Bogost, I. (2007). Persuasive Gaming: the Cambridge: GV1469.34 Lists the potential for
expressive power of MIT Press. S52 B674 P videogames to influence
videogames. contemporary culture in a
socially responsible manner
Burnham, V. (2003). Supercade: a visual Cambridge: GV1469.3 Beautiful book documenting the
history of the videogame MIT Press. B966 S early days of videogames
age, 1971 - 1984.

Compton, S. (Ed.) Gamers: writers, artists Brooklyn: Soft GV1469.34 The specific influences of
(2004). and programmers on Skull Press. S52 G192 videogames on the creative
the pleasures of pixels. industry

ßIsbister, K. (2006). Better Game Characters San Fransisco: QA76.76 Character design fundamentals
by Design: a Morgan C672 I76 B – covers social roles, character
psychological approach. Kaufmann aesthetics, game characters
Publishers. and non-playable characters

Jesper, J. (2005). Half-Real: video games Cambridge: GV1469.3 Introduction to game theory and
between real rules and MIT Press. J96 H its relevance as new media
fictional worlds. (http://www.half-real.net)

Kelman, N. (2005). Video Game Art. New York: GV1469.3 Good overview of video game
Assouline K299 V arts and development
Publishing.

Salen, K. and Rules of Play: game Cambridge: QA76.76 Must read book for budding
Zimmerman, E. design fundamentals. MIT Press. C672 S163 game designers.
(2004). R

Salen, K. and The Game Design Cambridge: QA76.76 Has 2 chapters as required
Zimmerman, E. Reader: a rules of play MIT Press. C672 G192 reading for this course.
(Eds). (2006). anthology.

Wolf, M. J. P., (Ed). The Video Game Westport: GV1469.34 Video games‟ contemporary
(2008). Explosion: a history from Greenwood S52 V652 history
Pong to Playstation and Press.
beyond.

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 This is a truncated list. A longer, constantly updated list is on http://blogs.mediazone.co.nz/2010-
dsdn232/resources

General Design interest:

BoingBoing http://www.boingboing.net
CGTalk http://www.cgtalk.com
Drawn http:/www.drawn.ca
Experimental Gameplay http://www.experimentalgameplay.com/blog/
Fingergaming http://fingergaming.com/
Fresh Characters http://www.freshcharacters.com
Fubiz http://www.fubiz.com
Gamasutra http://www.gamasutra.com
Game Studies http://www.gamestudies.org
Game Theory in Video http://www.youtube.com/user/JimBobJenkins - g/c/102B69CCA6049B6C
Indiegames http://indiegames.com/blog/index.php
Kloonigames http://www.kloonigames.com
MocoLoco http://www.mocoloco.com
Offworld http://offworld.com
OnlyaGame http://onlyagame.typepad.com/only_a_game/
Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu/
TechCrunch http://www.techcrunch.com
TechMeme http://www.techmeme.com
Wired http://www.wired.com

Tutorials and technical material (This list will grow at http://blogs.mediazone.co.nz/2010-

dsdn232/resources)

Flash Game Engine #1: http://pushbuttonengine.com/

Flash Game Engine #2: http://www.box2d.org/
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/business/features/gameinaweek/ – it can be done.
Building a team (reading for P3) - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3788/building_a_great_team_.php
Good collection of tutorials for the Adobe Creative Suite.
A community for sharing flash sources, including games and physics: http://www.ffiles.com/
AS Gamer tutorials for newbies: http://asgamer.com/2009/flash-game-design-basics-adding-library-objects-to-
stage-with-as3
Great resource for game developers – http://www.gamedev.net/
Is to AS3 what W3C is to HTML / CSS – http://wonderfl.net/
Game design document specification: http://w w w .gamedev.net/reference/articles/article243.asp
Gamasutra tips on w riting a http://w w w .gamasutra.com/features/19970912/design_doc.htm

Fun links:
John Maeda‟s Shadow Monsters: http://www.worthersoriginal.com/viki/#page=shadowmonsters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8k3w7dzTFI&feature=related

NOTE

 Please consider the environment before printing this document. If printing is required please
set print properties to ‘black and white’ and ‘2 sided print’.

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