Readings

[CGD] = Buy at Amazon Brathwaite, Brenda, and Ian Schreiber. Challenges for Game Designers: Non­digital Exercises for Video Game Designers. Cengage Learning, 2008. ISBN: 9781584505808. [Preview with Google Books]

[GDW] = Buy at Amazon Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. 2nd ed. CRC Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780240809748. [Preview with Google Books]

Note: This section focuses only on the readings assigned for the course. Not every class session has assigned readings. A full listing of all the course components, including these readings, can be found in the Calendar section.

SES # TOPICS & ACTIVITIES READINGS
1

Course Introduction & Overview

What is a Game?

[CGD] Chapter 1: "The Basics."
2

Meaningful Decisions, Visibility

Buy at Amazon Norman, Donald. "The Psychopathology of Everyday Things." In The Design of Everyday Things. Basic Books, 2002. ISBN: 9780465067107. [Preview with Google Books]
3

Prototyping

[GDW] "Prototyping" and "Playtesting"
4 Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics: The MDA Framework Hunicke, Robin, Marc LeBlanc, and Robert Zubek. This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research (PDF). 2004.
5

Imperfect Information and Dice

Buy at Amazon Partlett, David. "The Role of Dice." In The Oxford History of Board Games. Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 9780192129987.
6

Constraints and Usability

Buy at Amazon Norman, Donald. "Knowing What To Do." In The Design of Everyday Things. Basic Books, 2002. ISBN: 9780465067107. [Preview with Google Books]
8 Assignment 1 report and changelog due [CGD] Chapter 2: "Game Design Atoms."
9 Randomness and Player Choice Buy at Amazon Kaufeld, John. "Randomness, Player Choice, and Player Experience." In This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.Tabletop Analog Game Design (PDF - 5.4MB). Lulu.com, 2011. ISBN: 9781257870608. [Preview with Google Books]
10 History of American Board Games Buy at Amazon Orbanes, Philip. "Learning the Game 1898-1910." In The Game Makers: The History of Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit. Harvard Business Review Press, 2003. ISBN: 9781591392699. [Preview with Google Books]
11

Game, Play, Sport–Definitions

Buy at Amazon Partlett, David. "Welcome Aboard." In The Oxford History of Board Games." Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 9780192129987.
12 Game Lab Buy at MIT Press Buy at Amazon Salen, Katie, and Eric Zimmerman. "Games as Systems of Information." In Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780262240451. [Preview with Google Books]
13 Cybernetics and Multiplayer Buy at Amazon Costikyan, Greg, and Drew Davidson, eds. "The 3 Player Problem." In This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.Tabletop Analog Game Design (PDF - 5.4MB). Lulu.com, 2011. ISBN: 9781257870608. [Preview with Google Books]
14 Adding and Cutting Mechanics [CGD] Chapter 14: "Adding and Subtracting Mechanics."
16 Simulation and Assignment 3 Frasca, Gonzala. "Simulation 101: Simulation vs Representation." ludology.org. 2001.
19

Space Control

Buy at Amazon Partlett, David. "Space Control" and "Corner Your Fauna." In The Oxford History of Board Games." Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 9780192129987.
20 Cooperative Game GoogleTechTalks. "Cooperation and Engagement: What can board games teach us?" April 30, 2008. YouTube. Accessed August 22, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=cdTVcFo2EQw
21 Social Play Buy at MIT Press Buy at Amazon Salen, Katie, and Eric Zimmerman. "Games as Social Play." In Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780262240451.
22 Changing Rules Buy at Amazon Olotka, Peter. "Fair Isn’t Funny: The Design of Cosmic Encounter." In This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.Tabletop Analog Game Design (PDF - 5.4MB). Lulu.com, 2011. ISBN: 9781257870608.
23 Dekoven Buy at MIT Press Buy at Amazon De Koven, Bernard. "Changing the Game." In The Well-Played Game: A Player's Philosophy. MIT Press, 2013. ISBN: 9780262019170. [Preview with Google Books]