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

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code: NMC008
Course Name: Game Studies
Semester: Fall
Course Credits:
ECTS
5
Language of instruction: English
Course Condition:
Does the Course Require Work Experience?: No
Type of course: University Elective
Course Level:
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree QF-EHEA:First Cycle EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree
Mode of Delivery: E-Learning
Course Coordinator: Öğr. Gör. ZEYNEP BURCU KAYA ALPAN
Course Lecturer(s): Zeynep Burcu Kaya Alpan
Course Assistants:

Course Objective and Content

Course Objectives: This course will introduce key areas of game studies to students, enabling them to explore and research academic areas of game studies on their own.
Course Content: Within the scope of the course, the basic concepts of game studies, preliminary academics and their texts are introduced.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Defines and critically discusses key areas of game studies.
2) Introduces students with a dynamic and interdisciplinary field of the academia and its preliminary researchers.
3) Encourages students to independently discuss games and game studies in their everyday lives.
4) Empower them with the necessary lexicon to critique digital games and game cultures.

Course Flow Plan

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Introduction to game studies and exploring the syllabus.
2) Defining Games, Rules and Play
3) A Brief History of Game Studies
4) Digital Games as an Art Form
5) Representation and Identity in Games and Game Cultures
6) Games for Change
7) Overview of previous lectures.
8) Midterm Exam
9) Digital Game Design Processes
10) Production, Marketing and Labor in Digital Games
11) Game Criticism and Game Journalism
12) Examining selected games regarding previous lectures.
13) Overview of the lectures.
14) Final exam 

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: An Introduction To Game Studies: Games In Culture, Frans Mäyrä, SAGE Publications, 2008.
Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman, The MIT Press, 2004.
The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies, Mark J.P. Wolf, Bernard Perron, Routledge, 2013.
References: Man, Play and Games, Roger Caillois, 2001.
The Video Game Debate: Unravelling The Physical, Social, And Psychological Effects Of Video Games, Rachel Kowert, Thorsten Quandt, Routledge, 2015.

Course - Program Learning Outcome Relationship

Course Learning Outcomes

1

2

3

4

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Midterms 1 % 40
Final 1 % 60
total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 40
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 60
total % 100

Workload and ECTS Credit Calculation

Activities Number of Activities Preparation for the Activity Spent for the Activity Itself Completing the Activity Requirements Workload
Course Hours 14 0 0
Homework Assignments 1 0 0
Midterms 3 0 0
Final 3 0 0
Total Workload 0