[game_edu] suggestions for readings?

[Kim Gregson]

that's one of the big problems with the class - coming up with definitions
for basic terms, definitions clear enough to distinguish between terms like
fun and play and trying to decide if one thing is a prereq for another
thing. If anyone has any ideas on how to approach that - I have the same
questions as David on this topic.

As the reading suggestions have pointed out - lots of folks have been
thinking and writing on the topic without nailing it down completely. I kind
of want the students to see that thought process at work, to see that not
everything is cut and dried and that even professionals disagree sometimes.
There is an article in Rules of Play (books at home, I'm at school, not sure
who the authors are) I've had students read before that lays out a variety
of definitions of game and then the authors stake out their definition as
kind of a reaction to the other definitions. I think I might like the
students to tackle that as an early writing project.

The reading suggestions have been great. I already had a lot of hte books
but hadn't considered them for my non-game-major classes like this senior
seminar. Good to see I can use them in lots of different classes and expose
more students to the game ideas.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 10:58 AM, David Thomas <david at buzzcut.com> wrote:


> Can I complicate this one step further?

> Any one have any thoughts on clear wrangling with the concept of play and

> fun?

>

> For instance, Sutton-Smith trips through the topic in "The Ambiguity of

> Play", but leaves the patience cut open on the table without much of a

> remedy to the question.

>

> Thoughts?

>

> David

>

> On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 9:52 PM, Jesse Schell <jschell at andrew.cmu.edu>wrote:

>

>> Of course I'm going to plug my book and game design cards:

>> http://www.artofgamedesign.com

>>

>> :)

>>

>> But also, I think a lot of Steve Swink's new book: "Game Feel", and the

>> 2nd edition of Tracy Fullerton's "Game Design Workshop"

>>

>> and I'll second others that Greg Costikyan's "I have no words... " is a

>> great way to get students thinking.

>>

>> I also like to have them read chapter 2 of "Understanding Comics" by Scott

>> McCloud, and discuss how it relates to videogames.

>>

>> On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 11:19 AM, Kim Gregson <kimatiu at gmail.com> wrote:

>>

>>> Hi everybody,

>>>

>>> I"m putting together a seminar (for senior undergrad students) called

>>> "Fun and Games" for the spring semester - I want us to study the concept of

>>> "fun" and apply it to videogames. Here's my blog post with initial ideas -

>>> http://profkim.blogspot.com/2008/11/ideas-for-fun-games-senior-seminar.html

>>>

>>> What I'm looking for is suggestions of readings - I think we're going to

>>> read Raph Koster's _A theory of fun for game design_ but would like some

>>> other things to consider. Any ideas?

>>>

>>> And we hope to involve other folks in our conversations - with online

>>> discussions and video responses to some of our basic questions. If you would

>>> like to be involved (or your class), let me know and I"ll be sure to send

>>> you a formal invite after the holidays.

>>>

>>> Thanks...Kim Gregson (Ithaca College)

>>>

>>> _______________________________________________

>>> game_edu mailing list

>>> game_edu at igda.org

>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_edu

>>>

>>>

>>

>>

>> --

>> -Jesse Schell

>> Asst. Prof. of Entertainment Technology, Carnegie Mellon University (

>> www.etc.cmu.edu)

>> CEO, Schell Games (www.schellgames.com)

>> Design Director, Sim Ops Studios (www.simopsstudios.com)

>> Phone: (412) 303-0885

>>

>> _______________________________________________

>> game_edu mailing list

>> game_edu at igda.org

>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_edu

>>

>>

>

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