FIT2073 Game design and narrative - Semester 1, 2014

This unit provides a foundation in the theoretical and practical principles of game design and game narrative structures in the games development process. Utilising the principles taught in this unit, students will be given the opportunity to consider innovative games design applications together with a narrative structure and implement the consequences of their decisions as working game prototypes.

The combination of theory and practice in this unit is geared to equip students with analytical skills to assess the future capabilities of the computer game industry both commercially and for wider research purposes. The unit provides knowledge and skills which students can apply within their game development projects in the third year studio project/s (FIT3039 and FIT3040) and across all subsequent units.

Mode of Delivery

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

• Two hours of lectures
• One 2-hour tutorial

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

• A minimum of 2-3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading, assignment and exam expectations.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

FIT2048

Prerequisites

Completion of 24 points of FIT units

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Based on student evaluation and feedback, the previous technical aspects of this subject (as evaluated through group submission of a level created in the Unreal Engine) have been realigned to focus on the key theoretical and design considerations behind game creation, narrative design and the evaluation and critical review of these core learning outcomes.

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• an understanding of the key principles of game design;
• an understanding of critical factors that serve to balance game design and playability;
• an understanding of implementation techniques for narrative structures in interactive environments;
• developed attitudes that enable them to be aware of the ethical issues involved with games development;
• developed attitudes that enable them to appreciate effective forms of narrative construction employed in a game environment, such as embedded and emergent game narratives and the mapping of plotlines and interactive story structures;
• developed attitudes that enable them to explore new directions in the rapidly emerging discipline of game creation;
• developed the skills to prototype a game level and implement balancing techniques to eliminate design flaws and improve player experience;
• developed the skills to analyse, identify and implement key elements in game design and narrative structures;
• demonstrated the teamwork skills necessary to develop group working skills as a member of a project team.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

Assessment Summary

Examination (2 hours): 40%; In-semester assessment: 60%

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  Game Narrative Design Concept

  Description:

  This assignment gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of game narrative through the design and creation of an original game story concept. The written game narrative summary will need to address the game's setting and genre, and the motivations, goals and backgrounds of key archetypal characters. 
  
  Visual documentation will include rough sketches of the characters (with provided templates) and an annotated game world map that lists key locations in the game narrative.

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Game Narrative Concept Originality 

  Communication of Setting/Genre/Key Characters

  Communication of Game Map and Visual Documentation 

  Research and References

  Due date:

  Week 6

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Game Level Design Document

  Description:

  Building upon the exploration of game narrative design in Assignment 1, this assignment requires students to demonstrate their understanding of game challenges and mechanics through the creation of an original game level concept within the constraints of a supplied theme. The assignment components include a background document, level map and detailed game level guide (module). 

  Weighting:

  25%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Communication of Game Level Background and Game Level Map

  Communication of Challenge Type, Structure and Balancing in Game Level Guide

  Originality of Game Level Concept against supplied theme

  Research and References

  Due date:

  Week 12

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  Weekly Game Study Assessments

  Description:

  Each week, beginning on Week 2, your tutor will give you a game study assessment, or task, to be completed and returned by the following week. 7 tasks will be worth 1%, 1 task will be worth 2% and 2 tasks will be worth 3%. A total of 10 tasks will need to be submitted from Week 3 to Week 12 (task value will be outlined each week).

  Weighting:

  15% total (value of weekly task will be specified in task description)

  Criteria for assessment:

  Work will be assessed on creativity, stated expression of game design theory, and adherence to assessment guidelines.

  Due date:

  Progressively from Week 3 to Week 12

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting:

  40%

  Length:

  2 hours

  Type (open/closed book):

  Closed book

  Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

  None

Learning resources

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Recommended Resources

There are no recommended texts for this unit, though links to online publications and PDFs and books relating to weekly material will be provided in the lecture and tutorial notes.

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Other

Students may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.