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Readings

This section contains the required readings, which are also presented by session, and optional readings for the course.

Assigned Readings

Buy at Amazon Salen, K., and E. Zimmerman. The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology. Cambridge, MA: MIT University Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780262195362.

Buy at Amazon Frasca, G. "Simulation Versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology." Video Game Theory Reader. Edited by M. Wolf and B. Perron. New York, NY: Routledge, 2003. ISBN: 9780415965781.

Juul, J. "The Game, The Player, The World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness." Level Up: Digital Games Research Conference Proceedings. Edited by M. Copier and J. Raessens. Utrecht, the Netherlands: Utrecht University Press, 2003.

Yee, N. "Motivations of Play in Online Games." CyberPsychology and Behavior 9 (2007): 772-775.

DeVane, B., and K. D. Squire. "The Meanings of Race and Violence in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." Games and Culture. (Forthcoming)

Buy at Amazon Consalvo, M., ed. "The Cheaters." In Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames. Cambridge, MA: MIT University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780262033657.

Readings by Session

SES # TOPICS READINGS
1 Introduction to the course, key assignments. Quick design exercise  
2 What is a game? What is play? Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 77-81 and 122-155.
3 Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 83-86 and 296-313.
4 Rules of play Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 9-13 and 476-502.
5 Gaming the game Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 9-13 and 728-753.
6 Player and character Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 27-31 and 642-669.
7  
8 Ludology

Frasca, G. "Simulation Versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology."

Juul, J. "The Game, The Player, The World: Looking for a Heart of Gameness."
9

Narratology

 Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 33-36 and 670-689.
10 Guest lecture  
11 Midterm exam  
12 Student presentations  
13 Student presentations (cont.)  
14 Student presentations (cont.)  
15 Videogames and learning Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 228-267.
16 Student presentations (cont.)  
17 Student presentations (cont.)  
18 Massively multiplayer online games

Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 754-787.

Yee, N. "Motivations of Play in Online Games."
19 Student presentations (cont.)  
20 Race and violence in games DeVane, B., and K. D. Squire. "The Meanings of Race and Violence in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
21 Rules and play revisited Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 28-37 and 116-125.
22 Student presentations (cont.)  
23 Rules and play revisited Salen & Zimmerman. pp. 298-311 and 502-513.
24 Cheating and gamer culture Consalvo, M. "The Cheaters."
25 Final exam review  

 

Optional Readings

Steinkuehler, C. "Massively Multiplayer Online Video Gaming as Participation in a Discourse." Mind, Culture, and Activity 12 (2006): 38-52.

Williams, D. "The Video Game Lightning Rod: Constructions of a New Media Technology, 1970-2000." Information, Communication and Society 6 (2003): 523-550.