This page is a tentative schedule for what we’re doing this semester.

Weeks 1 – 3 (August 27 – September 14)

Approaches to videogame ontology and a history of games.

Text

  • Chapters 1 – 4 of Understanding Video Games
  • Kocurek, Carly A. “The Agony and the Exidy: A History of Video Game Violence and the Legacy of Death Race.” Game Studies, vol. 12, no. 1, Sept. 2012. Game Studieshttp://gamestudies.org/1201/articles/carly_kocurek.
  • Nooney, Laine. “A Pedestal, A Table, A Love Letter: Archaeologies of Gender in Videogame History.” Game Studies, vol. 13, no. 2, Dec. 2013. Game Studieshttp://gamestudies.org/1302/articles/nooney.

Games

Project #1: Commercial is due at the beginning of class on Friday, September 14.


Weeks 4 – 5 (September 17 – 28)

Analyzing Video Games 

Text

  • Carr, Diane. “Textual Analysis, Digital Games, Zombies.” Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory. Proceedings of DiGRA 2009, 2009. 
  • Montfort, Nick. “Combat in Context.” Game Studies, vol. 6, no. 1, Dec. 2006, http://gamestudies.org/0601/articles/montfort.

Games

Project #2: Close Playing is due Friday, September 28.


Weeks 6 – 7 (October 1 – 12)

Learning from Cultural Studies.

Text

Games


Weeks 8 – 10 (October 15 – November 2)

Doing videogame criticism.

Weeks 11 – 12 (November 5 – 16)

Another game, in-depth.

Weeks 13 – 15 (November 19 – December 7)

Other games — avant-garde, political, experimental.

Finals Week

Finish projects and present to the class.