Exam #2 is this week:
This week features the second exam at the beginning of the class period. It is worth up to 15 points and covers the material from weeks 4 through 6 (including the required reading sections for those weeks on this web site).
In the lecture track this week, our series on digital game design considerations continues with a look at feedback systems (explicit and implicit; visual, aural, accumulative, emotional, etc.) and various rewards (type, amount, and longevity) afforded to players.
In the lab track, we continue our adventure in Game Maker software by marching through The Platformer Game. This homage to Mario, Sonic, and the like is a very popular departure point for Course Projects.
The link below is the homework assignment due at the beginning of the next class session.
These links feature the supplemental material that you are responsible for knowing before the second exam (that takes place at the beginning of Week 8). Be sure to click on every link in this section!
Article: A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games by Daniel Boutros
This article is very deep on research and well worth studying. However, it is very lengthy, so the link above takes you straight to the last three pages, which are the conclusions. At the very least, you should read the bullet-pointed page this link goes to and you may want to soldier on through the last two pages with the author's Opinions and Closing Thoughts. Real game developers would be fascinated to read the whole article from the beginning, but only the page linked to (above) will be covered in the exam.
Article: Rethinking Carrots: A New Method for Measuring What Players Find Most Rewarding and Motivating About Your Game by Dr. Scott Rigby and Dr. Richard Ryan
Why are we motivated to play games? Dr. Scott Rigby and Dr. Richard Ryan from think tank Immersyve deconstruct the 'carrot on stick' approach to game motivation, analyzing the basic psychological needs that games can satisfy. This is a bit 'heady' and academic, but well worth reading.
Article: Balancing Games with Positive Feedback by Ernest Adams
Positive feedback plays an important role in game design, although you don't hear many designers talking about it. It can gravely harm a game if improperly implemented, but it also has significant benefits. It's an element of game design that every designer needs to understand and learn to use.
Bibliography: General Course References
