Introduction to CMP394: Games and Interactive Media

1. WELCOME TO THE MAGIC
CIRCLE
Games and Interactive Media

2. A Different Kind of Course
 Create your own path to the grade you want
 Failure is an option

3. Quests
 Game Prototypes
 Debates
 Post Mortems
 Research Papers
 Research Presentations
 Show & Tell
 Game Journals
 Good Reads

4. Game Prototypes
 Created in groups of 3-5 people
 Non-digital
 We test and play them in class

5. Post Mortems
 Written after the final playtest of your game
prototype
 Each member is responsible for their own post
mortem
 Details the design process of the game
 Analyzes the good, bad and ugly of the process
 Muses about potential future options

6. Debates
 Against a fellow classmate
 Winner gets bonus insight points
 Topics vary, but are always game related

7. Research Papers
 Persuasive essays written on a given prompt
 Structure
 Intro paragraph
 Argument
 Conclusion
 3 possible outcomes
 Try again
 Average
 Awesome
 Don’t wait until the last minute

8. Research Presentations
 Once you have received an average or awesome
point level for a research paper, you can present it
to the class
 Be creative
 You can’t re-present the same topic, so make it count

9. Show & Tell
 Talking points
 They don’t require a lot of effort

10. Game Journals
 You should play games that you haven’t played
before
 Write about your experience
 If you play it and make some general
comments, you’ll get some points
 If you write something more in depth, you’ll get
more points
 Don’t play games by Hasbro, Parker Brothers, etc.

11. Good Reads & Reading
 It’s a relatively new field and we’re in the digital
age
 Buy Rules of Play if you’re serious about game
design
 I’ll post articles
 You can share articles too, and I’ll give you points
 Don’t post press releases, trivial reviews, etc.

12. So about this “Magic Circle”
 It’s a term we use to describe our willingness to play
within the constraints put on ourselves by a system
 Why do we do it?

13. This course is about meaningful play
 What makes play meaningful?

14. Mafia
 Don’t show your card to anyone, even if you die
 If your card is blank, you are a law abiding citizen
of this town
 If your card has a red dot, you are a member of
the mafia
 Each round, the mafia kills someone at night
 During the day, the towns people kill a suspect
 Last side standing wins

15. Let’s Create Play Groups

16. Questions?
 c.ewing@miami.edu
 Office Hours officially 10-12:30 on Monday
I am in my office more often, feel free to stop by
anytime

17. Up for a debate?