During the quarter, the extra credit opportunities are
available to you. Note that extra credit assignments are entirely voluntary; students are
not required to participate in extra credit assignments. Points earned
for extra credit are in addition to the base 200 possible points that can
be earned during this course.
0. Read the Review Sheet prior to class that week. Mark it up with any questions or comments you might have and ask intelligent questions or make thoughtful comments during class. If you impress the instructor, including by answering these questions, you will earn an extra credit point.
1. Attend a game convention / exposition and bring back a convention badge with your name on it. Only a convention badge with your name on it will earn you the 6 extra credit points. The following event(s) qualify (although if you know of any other such conventions, please email me with their information and I can approve them for you on a case-by-case basis).
Strategicon Game
Conventions (Orccon, Gateway, and Gamex): are
held three times per year at the Los Angeles Airport Weston hotel over Presidents
Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Weekends.
These are player's convention where all types of game tournaments and
open gaming are held. In addition, there is a dealer's room, auction, painting
contests, and other activities. Important: When you get to the
convention, ask for convention staffer Norm Carlson or Clyde Brien; they'll
give you the "proof of attendance" you need to bring back for your extra
credit points.
The
Game Developers Conference,
which is usually held each year in early March (sadly, during finals week of
our Winter Quarter) somewhere in the Bay Area. This is the show to
attend if you want to be a game developer! Complete with meetings for artists,
programmers, designers, writers, audio techs, and producers, this show also
boasts the best Job Fair in the industry. It's expensive but well worth it.
Also, there's E3, but that show can be difficult to get into unless you already work in the game business. It's full of sound and fury, but finding significance is difficult. Still, it's the best show for collecting swag. Be sure to bring me some!
Article: How to Network at Game Industry Events by Marc Mencher
Don't just take in the sights when you're there; make some contacts! This article tells you how.
2. Print out these Ancients rules and bring them to class for the Week 2 in-class game lab. Of course, it would be better still if you bothered to read them first, but if you show up with these rules in hand, it will earn you the 2 extra credit points. You'll want to hold on to these as an example of how to write rules for your Graded Course Project Game.
3. Print out and bring to class for the Week 3 in-class game lab a copy of Cold War Naval Battles (just the standard game; you don't need any of the expansions for it). Only a complete copy of the of the game, including all of the cards (printed out on cardstock paper of at least 65-pound quality, cut out and ready to use), rules, and six 6-sided dice will earn you the 6 extra credit points. To get this game, click here, use the "Get the Game" link at the top of the page and then download the Rules, Action Cards, and Ship Cards for Cold War Naval Battles.
4. Be a good playtester during Weeks 9 and 10. If you help others with their games, they can tell me about it and you'll earn an extra credit point or two.
