Course detail

Applied game studies – research and design

FaVU-1AHS-LAcad. year: 2020/2021

During the course students will acquire knowledge applicable not only to the academic sphere but also to the professional environment. Lecture topics are structured into several thematic blocks, divided into use of games in research, industry research and game audience analysis. Students will acquire both the theoretical knowledge necessary for a deeper understanding of games and game culture as well as selected methods by which these topics can be explored.

Guarantor

doc. Mgr. Jana Horáková, Ph.D.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Ability to prepare the design of applied research, including presentable materials.

Prerequisites

Ability to read texts in English. Rich knowledge of game genres is an advantage.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Literature

AARSETH, Espen. Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature. JHU Press. 1997.
AARSETH, Espen. Introduction to Gamestudies. 2001. Dostupné z: http://www.gamestudies.org/0101/editorial.html
BARTLE, Richard. Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players who suits MUDs. 1996. Dostupné z: http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm
BOGOST, Ian. Persuasive games: the expressive power of videogames. London: MIT Press. c2007.
DOSTÁL, Jiří. Výukový software a počítačové hry - nástroje moderního vzdělávání. In Časopis pro technickou a informační výchovu. 2009.
ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION. Essential Facts: About the computer and videogame industry - 2013. Dostupné z: http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2013.pdf
GEE, James Paul. What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Palgrave. 2003.
HUNICK, LEBLANC & ZUBEK. MDA: A formal approach to game design and game research. Discovery. 3 2004, Sv. 83. Dostupné z: http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/MDA.pdf
JENKINS, Henry. Convergence culture: where old and new media collide. 1. vyd. New York: New York University Press, 2006, xi, 308 s. ISBN 978-081-4742-952.
JUUL, Jesper. Half-real :video games between real rules and fictional worlds. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2005.
LEVY, Luis, NOVAK, Jeannie. Game Development Essentials: Game QA & Testing. Cengage Learning. 2009.
MÄYRÄ, Frans. An introduction to game studies :games in culture. 1st ed. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, 2008
MCALLISTER, Graham. The difference between focus testing and player testing. Edge [online]. 2012. Dostupné z: http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-difference-between-focus-testing-and-player-testinghttp://www.edge-online.com/features/the-difference-between-focus-testing-and-player-testing
SCHNELL, Jesse. The Art of Game Design. The Book of Lenses. CRC Press. 2008.
SCHULTZ, Charles, BRYANT, Robert. Game Testing Mercury Learning & Information. 2011.
WOLF, Mark J.P.; PERRON, Bernard, eds. The Video Game Theory Reader. 2003.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures, reading, active participation in lectures (discussion), proposal of applied research and its consultation.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Students are required to fulfill partial tasks assigned during the semester and to present a final paper (a proposal of applied research);
- intermediate tasks = 40 % of the evaluation
- final paper = 60% of the evaluation.

Language of instruction

Czech

Work placements

Not applicable.

Course curriculum

1. Formal analysis of a (digital) game
2. Methodology and scientific paradigms of game studies
3. Game genres
4. Game industry and game journalism
5. Semiotics, Cybertext
6. Narrative, discourse analysis
7. Reading week
8. Players as an audience
9. Virtual worlds as an ethnographic field
10. Playbour and link to game mechanics
11. Crowdresearch and game telemetry
12. Design of applied research

Aims

The aim of the course is to deepen the knowledge of game studies and to present methods and techniques by which the digital games, their industry and the audience can be explored.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Compulsory attendance (how many lessons can be missed will be specified in the beginning of the semester).

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme VUB Bachelor's

    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective

  • Programme IT-BC-3 Bachelor's

    branch BIT , 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective

  • Programme BIT Bachelor's, 1. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective

  • Programme VUB Bachelor's

    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 3. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-D , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-VT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 4. year of study, summer semester, 3 credits, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jana Horáková, Ph.D.

Seminar

13 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jana Horáková, Ph.D.