The purpose of tutorials is for students discuss the weekly topics and readings to enrich their understanding. All students are required to participate in tutorial discussion. This means arriving at tutorials having completed set readings and being prepared to discuss issues arising.

The format of tutorials is based around student-led discussions. Your responses to your peers will form the basis of your participation mark.

You will be assessed on four criteria:

• Engagement with the readings

• Engagement with lecture material

• Ability to relate key theoretical ideas to previous readings and/or independent research

• Willingness to contribute to class discussion by asking relevant questions, answering other students questions, treating other students with respect and behaving appropriately (e.g. not talking whilst tutor or other students talking)

 Attendance is not the same as participation. Students receive no marks for simply attending tutorials.

In class exercises using a game creation tool.  For 2014 this is the Kodu game engine. These exercises are designed to test and increase students ability to use this engine.

You will be judged against the following criteria (please also consult the section on unit-level standards):

• Able to implement small game projects, with small elements of design
• demonstrate knowledge of and ability to use the game engine
• Demonstratesome limited ability to apply basic game design concepts such as difficulty progression, challenge hierarchy, player engagement and world coherence

Proposal document for the game that students will submit for their first assignment.  Students will describe the game that they intend to implement. This is intended to focus their thoughts and to allow them to obtain feedback on the suitability of their ideas.  As well as the actual report, students will be required to verbally describe their proposal to the practical demonstrator.

1-2 pages in length

To be submitted via ilearn, but only marked after in-class discussion with practical demonstrator.

You will be judged against the following criteria (please also consult the section on unit-level standards):

• Able to design and document small game projects
• Demonstrate in the game design ability to apply basic game design concepts such as difficulty progression, challenge hierarchy, player engagement and world coherence

Submission of first game and its accompanying design documentation. The game may be anything you choose, with the following limitations

• it must have a fixed camera
• the entire play area must be visible on screen at all times
• it must be implemented in the Kodu Game Engine

Game documentation: 3-4 pages in length

Submission will be via ilearn, but will only be marked after in-class discussion with practical demonstrator.

 You will be judged against the following criteria (please also consult the section on unit-level standards):

• Able to design, implement, discuss and document small game projects
• Demonstrate in the game design/implementations noticeable ability to apply basic game design concepts such as difficulty progression, challenge hierarchy, player engagement and world coherence

Proposal document for the game that students will submit for their first assignment.  Students will describe the game that they intend to implement. This is intended to focus their thoughts and to allow them to obtain feedback on the suitability of their ideas.  As well as the actual report, students will be required to verbally describe their proposal to the practical demonstrator.

1-2 pages in length

To be submitted via ilearn, but only marked after in-class discussion with practical demonstrator.

You will be judged against the following criteria (please also consult the section on unit-level standards):

• Able to design and document small game projects
• Demonstrate in the game design ability to apply basic game design concepts such as difficulty progression, challenge hierarchy, player engagement and world coherence

Submission of first game and its accompanying design documentation. The game may be anything you choose, with the following limitations

• it must be a first or third person game (or one level of such a game)
• it must be implemented in the Kodu Game Engine

Game documentation: 4-6 pages in length

Submission will be via ilearn, but will only be marked after in-class discussion with practical demonstrator.

You will be judged against the following criteria (please also consult the section on unit-level standards):

• Able to design, implement, discuss and document small game projects
• Demonstrate in the game design/implementations noticeable ability to apply basic game design concepts such as difficulty progression, challenge hierarchy, player engagement and world coherence

Task: You will give a 5 minute presentation based upon one of the recommended readings from the unit (you will be assigned a reading and a presentation week in week 2). Your task is to pick one key concept from that reading and explain or demonstrate it to the class. You must not just summarise the reading you must analyse, explain, expand, and contextualise it within its disciplinary framework.

All students must use a visual aid (PowerPoint or compatible equivalent) and slides must be submitted prior to your presentation. Failure to do this will incure late penalties. You cannot have more than 6 slides, including a title slide which must have your full name and student number. You must present using the slide submitted to iLearn.

There is a strict 5 minute time limit. Think very carefully about what information is important and how best to communicate it. You will be assessed on how well you aid your classmates' understanding of the reading.

This task will be assessed on four key criteria:

• Understanding of reading
• Expansion of core concept/s from reading
• Time Management
• Use of Visual Aids

Late penalties for not submitting Powerpoint slides before tutorial, or missing presentation (without special consideration) are 10% per day.

Write a 1500 word essay critically analysing a video game of your choosing (your choice must be approved by your tutor) in context of one the follow key themes from the unit:

• Game Design and Dynamics
• Genre
• The Academic Analysis of Gaming
• Game Essentialism
• The Magic Circle
• The Games Industry (Traditional and New Economic Models)
• Gender
• Politics and Meaning
• Social, Casual, and Mobile Gaming

Identify the key theoretical ideas and assumptions associated with your theme and apply them to your chosen game. Using unit readings and your own research explain how and why your chosen game exemplifies, challenges, or expands upon this theoretical framework.

For example, you could choose to look at how and why Angry Birds became such a successful casual/mobile game, or analyse how gender is represented in the new Tomb Raider game.

Your analysis should be written in a scholarly form (with references), drawing on material covered in the lectures and readings, as well as other sources you have researched. Given this is a relatively short piece of writing, you need to focus on deeper analysis rather than description. You don't need to comprehensively analyse the entire game, it may be preferable that you focus on a particular section or element of the game.

Students must reference at least three academic sources, including at least one from the unit reader/textbook and at least one from their own research.

This task will be assessed on five criteria:

• Understanding of the theoretical contexts of the chosen topic
• Strength and clarity of argument
• Depth of engagement with appropriate academic material
• Referencing
• Style, structure and presentation

To Be Submitted Via iLearn only.

Late Penalties are 10% per day.