Digital Game Design (English) Preview
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code:

DGD059

Course Name:

Videogames and Cinema

Semester:

Fall

Course Credits:

ECTS

Language of instruction:

English

Course Condition:

Does the Course Require Work Experience?:

Type of course:

Departmental Elective

Course Level:

Bachelor

TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree

QF-EHEA:First Cycle

EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree

Mode of Delivery:

Face to face

Course Coordinator:

Dr. Öğr. Üy. İSMAİL ERGEN

Course Lecturer(s):

Dr. Öğr. Üy. İSMAİL ERGEN

Course Assistants:

Course Objective and Content

Course Objectives:

This course aims to explore the profound impact of modern popular films, predominantly from the 1980s and 1990s, on the evolution of video game narratives, world-building, and artistic and design directions. Through the analysis of influential cinematic works, students will engage in discussions and theoretical explorations, seeking to identify and understand the connections and cross-pollination between the cinematic and video game mediums. This course endeavors to foster a deeper appreciation and critical awareness of the interplay between cinema and video games, offering students a unique perspective on the dynamic relationship between these two forms of entertainment and storytelling.

Course Content:

Students will learn to analyze and draw connections between 12 influential films with various themes and settings, exploring how these cinematic works have shaped and inspired video game narratives, world-building, and artistic and design directions. The course content will include discussions and theoretical explorations that enable students to delve into the impact of these films on the video game industry, both directly and indirectly, fostering a deeper understanding of the cinematic and gaming worlds' interplay and influence on each other.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Students will learn to analyze the motion picture art form and speculate on the reasoning and meaning behind the cultural reality of the images and narratives.
2) Students will learn to draw connections between cinema and videogame productions, and find routes of influence between the two peculiarly similar, yet profoundly distinct media of expression and entertainment.
3) Students will develop the ability to wilfully abandon their usual position as consumption oriented audience, and learn to approach media from a critical and speculatory standpoint.

Course Flow Plan

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Introduction to class. Discussion, meeting, topics, rules, requirements.	Prepare for the course. What is your top 5 films?
2)	Discussion: Your top 5 films. Movie of the week: District 9	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
3)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Raiders of the Lost Ark.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
4)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Blade Runner (1982).	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
5)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Predator.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
6)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Hard Boiled.	Prepare for mid-terms.
7)	Mid-terms.	Mid-term exam.
8)	Discussion: Mid-term exams. Movie of the week: Mad Max: Fury Road.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
9)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: The Thing.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
10)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Ghost in the Shell.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
11)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Terminator 2: Judgement Day.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
12)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Robocop.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
13)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Aliens.	Watch this week's film again and take notes.
14)	Discussion: Last week's film. Movie of the week: Escape from New York.	Prepare for finals.
15)	Finals.	Final exam.

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

Dersin belirli notları veya bir kitabı yoktur. The course has no specific notes or a book.

References:

ScreenPlay: Cinema/Videogames/Interfaces, Krzywinska, T., King, G., Wallflower Press, 2022.

Cultural Analytics, Manovich, L., The MIT Press, 2020.

Every Frame a Painting, YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@everyframeapainting

The Nerdwriter, YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@Nerdwriter1

Patrick (H) Willems, YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@patrickhwillems

Lindsay Ellis, YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayEllisVids

Course - Program Learning Outcome Relationship

Course Learning Outcomes	1	2	3
Program Outcomes
1) Being able to write creatively, imagine, and produce original and inspired fictional scenarios, places, and universes. Being able to produce 2D and 3D visual designs and impressive auditory compositions. Being able to plan all these artistic practices around certain goals and with a focus on design. Being able to design the videogame design process itself.			1
2) Being able to think and produce creative content based on mathematical data. Being able to parametrically design. Being able to quantify art and design practices, such as creative writing, graphical, illustrative, spatial, and character design. Being able to ideate qualitatively and subjectively through quantitative and objective approaches.
3) Being able to work on projects by incorporating various fields of expertise and the content that originates from these fields. Being able to work as part of a team while embracing different ideas and skills. Being able to produce comprehensive and total videogame concepts. Being able to edit, exhibit, present, and defend works in portfolio and presentation formats.	1	2	1
4) Achieving critical thinking literacy on videogame history and theory. Being able to think through and produce academic texts about the philosophical, anthropological, political, and social manifestations of games. Being vigilant about the contemporary problematics of videogame epistemology. Displaying professionalism in accepting criticism.	2	3	2
5) Being informed about the historical accumulation and contemporary productions of the videogame culture and other cultural playgrounds from which videogame culture draws. Being able to tackle, process, and position both aesthetic and technical production and thinking methods as cultural activities.	3	3	3
6) Being knowledgeable about the past, aware of the present, and foresighted about the future potentials of the social and economic realities of videogames. Being able to handle professional relations, create correspondence, and manage production plans. Being a generalist, while also specializing in one or more areas of expertise.	1	1	1
7) Being able to research, filter data, and synthesize both within and outside videogame epistemology at every stage of production. Being able to conduct interdisciplinary research. Being able to create original ideas by remixing content from various sources. Learning to learn.	3	3	3
8) Understanding, learning, and using professional content authoring tools and technologies. Being able to design workflows in service of various production requirements. Being able to use technologies within the workflow besides the usual and intended purposes, and researching, discovering, and putting to use technologies for new purposes.

Course - Learning Outcome Relationship

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Average	3 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	Being able to write creatively, imagine, and produce original and inspired fictional scenarios, places, and universes. Being able to produce 2D and 3D visual designs and impressive auditory compositions. Being able to plan all these artistic practices around certain goals and with a focus on design. Being able to design the videogame design process itself.	1
2)	Being able to think and produce creative content based on mathematical data. Being able to parametrically design. Being able to quantify art and design practices, such as creative writing, graphical, illustrative, spatial, and character design. Being able to ideate qualitatively and subjectively through quantitative and objective approaches.
3)	Being able to work on projects by incorporating various fields of expertise and the content that originates from these fields. Being able to work as part of a team while embracing different ideas and skills. Being able to produce comprehensive and total videogame concepts. Being able to edit, exhibit, present, and defend works in portfolio and presentation formats.	2
4)	Achieving critical thinking literacy on videogame history and theory. Being able to think through and produce academic texts about the philosophical, anthropological, political, and social manifestations of games. Being vigilant about the contemporary problematics of videogame epistemology. Displaying professionalism in accepting criticism.	3
5)	Being informed about the historical accumulation and contemporary productions of the videogame culture and other cultural playgrounds from which videogame culture draws. Being able to tackle, process, and position both aesthetic and technical production and thinking methods as cultural activities.	3
6)	Being knowledgeable about the past, aware of the present, and foresighted about the future potentials of the social and economic realities of videogames. Being able to handle professional relations, create correspondence, and manage production plans. Being a generalist, while also specializing in one or more areas of expertise.	1
7)	Being able to research, filter data, and synthesize both within and outside videogame epistemology at every stage of production. Being able to conduct interdisciplinary research. Being able to create original ideas by remixing content from various sources. Learning to learn.	3
8)	Understanding, learning, and using professional content authoring tools and technologies. Being able to design workflows in service of various production requirements. Being able to use technologies within the workflow besides the usual and intended purposes, and researching, discovering, and putting to use technologies for new purposes.

Assessment & Grading

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Attendance	1	% 10
Midterms	1	% 40
Final	1	% 50
total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 50
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 50
total		% 100

Workload and ECTS Credit Calculation

Activities	Number of Activities	Workload
Course Hours	13	26
Laboratory	13	26
Homework Assignments	12	36
Final	2	8
Total Workload		96