Assignments

Game Assessment

Assigned: Session 5

Due: Session 7

Play one of the games from the serious games list, and write a 2 page assessment using the criteria described in the Mitgutsch (PDF - 3.0MB) article. Along with preparing your assessment paper, please come to class prepared to speak for about 5 minutes about your assessment. In your paper you should factor in all the criteria of the assessment framework, but for your presentation, just be prepared to talk about one or two salient criteria of the frameworks by which your game either succeeded or failed.

Reflection on Prototype Experience

Assigned: Session 10

Due: Session 11

Write a paper (4–5 pages) reflecting on your experience creating a prototype.

Please include all of the following:

1. Discussion of game's intent, how you thought your game would accomplish your goals.
2. Description of the design process, what different stages the design went through.
3. What were the biggest obstacles you encountered?
4. Description of final version.
5. What you learned about the design from play testing, how that changes your thinking.
6. Where you would go with the game were you to keep working on it?

Alpha Presentation

Session 18 in-class

Presentation of your project's alpha version. Be prepared to discuss user testing as part of your presentation.

Final Paper

Due: Session 26

A 10–15 page discussion of how you think games can (or cannot) be used to promote social change. This should not be purely theoretical, but should call on your experiences this semester, emphasizing what you've learned through the combination of readings and projects, using those experiences as part of your evidence. You should also feel free to tap into other experiences or research that may be relevant to your argument.