780.413 (23S) Selected Topics in Game Engineering focussing on Issues in Gender Studies: Mechanics of Identity
Overview
- Lecturer
- Tutor/Tutors
- Course title german 4.1 Selected Topics in Game Engineering focussing on Issues in Gender Studies: Mechanics of Identity
- Type Seminar (continuous assessment course )
- Course model Attendance-based course
- Hours per Week 2.0
- ECTS credits 4.0
- Registrations 23 (35 max.)
- Organisational unit
- Language of instruction Englisch
- Course begins on 06.03.2023
- eLearning Go to Moodle course
Time and place
Course Information
Intended learning outcomes
This class will show you and help you understand the importance and challenges of expressing and representing identities in videogame design.
We will learn what identity is by examining and thinking about ourselves, and by discussing key works focusing on aspects such as gender, sexuality, class, or other personal backgrounds. We will critically examine up-to-date topics of political relevance to game design and game studies by focusing on issues of representation, hegemony, toxicity, and awareness. Furthermore, we will explore ways of communicating identity via dialogue and narrative, mechanics and related attributes.
Show what you learned about identity in videogames by creating, documenting, and presenting a relevant prototype.
By the end of the semester, you will be able to understand and communicate facets of personal, human identity, be sensitive to concerns related to identity representation, and able to express your knowledge in well-founded, reflective game design choices.
Teaching methodology
Reading of given texts done individually as homework.
Analytical and discussion sessions in class.
Game design workshop separately.
Course content
The seminar situates students in a critically aware and theoretically founded frame-of-mind regarding issues of identity. It enhances interpersonal and communication abilities, as well as a knowledge of game mechanics that allow to convey complex identities in videogames in sensitive manner.
For that purpose, students are going to read relevant key texts, partake in moderated discussions of relevant sample games, and will eventually create their own student project.
Literature
The seminar draws from various artistic and intellectual sources. Shorter texts, mostly in the shape of theoretical secondary reading, will be provided on Moodle.
Foundational works for the seminar are:
- Woodward, Kathryn: Identity and Difference
- Cassell, Justine, and Henry Jenkins (eds.): From Barbie to Mortal Kombat
- Kafai, Yasmin B., et al. (eds.): Beyond Barbie & Mortal Kombat
- Connell, Raewyn: Masculinities
- Wysocki, Matthew, and Evan W. Lauteria (eds.): Rated M for Mature
As part of the seminar’s practical game design workshop, students are encouraged to work with the Ren’Py engine (www.renpy.org), so they are recommended to familiarise themselves with the engine before the seminar.
Examination information
Examination methodology
The seminar features three central pillars of assessment that together form the final grade. Students must
- participate actively throughout the seminar, including contributions to discussions in class (30%).
- participate in the game design workshop and develop and present a prototype there (30%).
- individually develop a short videogame prototype focusing on identity, which presents what they learned in the class, and write a short seminar paper about it (40%).
A negative assessment in any of the three pillars of assessment results in a negative overall grade.
Examination topic(s)
Active Participation (30% of the final grade): Students are expected to participate in class sessions regularly and punctually, come prepared by having read and worked through the materials provided, participate actively and productively in discussions and debates, and engage with all theoretical and practical input critically and actively. Students will be provided with theoretical chapters and articles dealing with questions of identity, gender, and sexuality as pertaining to videogames, online, for guided self-study. Then they are expected to formulate one question per text to start a discussion and to participate actively in all discussions.
Game Design Workshop (30% of the final grade): Students will participate in a game design workshop regarding mechanics of identity in their own video game design ideas. The workshop will take place on a weekend and attendance is mandatory. The engine of choice for the workshop is Ren'Py, but others are allowed as well. At the end of the workshop, students have to present their results and reflect on what they learned. Prototypes created can be expanded upon for the final submission.
Game Prototype and Seminar Paper (40% of the final grade): Students will conclude the seminar with a prototype game project. This means that theoretical and practical seminar content must be adapted into an interactive artwork. The final project must be accompanied by an analytical reflection paper of 2000 words, providing insights into the theoretical framework used and how it was applied to the design, the development process, and any additional research dedicated to the project’s specific approach to identity discourses.
Assessment criteria / Standards of assessment for examinations
- Preparedness
- Structure of work
- Understanding of the lecture and source material
- Correct understanding of key terminology
- Formal requirements for academic work and academic writing
- Critical reflection
- Attendance
- Portrayed application of knowledge regarding key mechanics of identity
- Insight into supplementary research material
- Correct citation of sources in CMoS17AD format
General remark on our code of conduct and plagiarism policy:
Provide properly cited sources (latest Chicago Manual of Style format) on all your assignments.
Have a look at the departmental policy: (https://www.aau.at/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/anti-plagiarism-declaration_english-department.pdf). Students caught plagiarising will be removed from class immediately.
Read the Code of Conduct on our departmental homepage (https://www.aau.at/en/english/study/code-ofconduct/). Violation of this code will result in your immediate removal from class.
Grading
85-100% Sehr Gut A1
75%-84% Gut B2
60%-74% Befriedigend C3
50%-59% Genügend D4
<50% Nicht Genügend F5 (Fail Grade)
Grading scheme
Grade / Grade grading schemePosition in the curriculum
- Master's degree programme Game Studies and Engineering
(SKZ: 992, Version: 17W.2)
-
Subject: Gebundenes Wahlfach (19W)
(Compulsory elective)
-
4.1 Selected Topics in Game Engineering focussing on Issues in Gender Studies (
0.0h SE / 4.0 ECTS)
- 780.413 Selected Topics in Game Engineering focussing on Issues in Gender Studies: Mechanics of Identity (2.0h SE / 4.0 ECTS) Absolvierung im 1., 2., 3. Semester empfohlen
-
4.1 Selected Topics in Game Engineering focussing on Issues in Gender Studies (
0.0h SE / 4.0 ECTS)
-
Subject: Gebundenes Wahlfach (19W)
(Compulsory elective)