Hw for the 22nd

This week, your assignment is to get into an argument about a video game. Pick a video game you think is good, find someone else that thinks it is good, and take the position that the video game is bad. What kind of criticism did you use? What did they think of your argument? How did their perception of the game change? How did yours?

HW for november 15th

First off yes we will be holding class. 2 part assignment this time.

The first part is to write a review of a gaming community. Explain what your scoring system is, and why you chose your specific style of review.

Second is to come up with what we will hold for our extra class. Be ready to propose suggestions tomorrow.

hw for novemer 8th

sorry for the late post this week, the hw is to take a tragedy media other then a game (film, play, ect) and explain how you would turn it into a comedy game. What style of game would it be? How would the mechanics fit in? Be creative with this one.

hw for november 2nd

A bit of a change up this week for you guys, no write up required. Instead, take 3 pictures, one of something familiar, one uncanny, and one absurd. Follow the definitions discussed in class. No captions required. The absurd picture can be staged, and the familiar one as well, but i strong you suggest you find something familiar on your own. The uncanny cannot be staged and must be found. With Halloween coming up, this should be fun.

HW for october 25th

Make an argument for how the video game market in a country or region SHOULD change and why, if in an effort to reflect a positive cultural change. Try to avoid obvious stuff. Instead address cultural issues that aren't ever(or very rarely) discussed in the political arena.

For example, I might argue(not that I would) that American games should experiment with the idea of strategically sharing resources with NPCs (non-player characters). The NPCs could then influence the outcome of the game by some degree dependent on the player's interaction with them. This aims at a game experience that emphasizes cautious collectivism and teamwork with others toward a common goal.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!:
Some of you have missed a couple assignments, or received poor marks on some assignments-- the result is that a few of you are in danger of not passing. If you would like to know where you stand in the class, email videogamedecal@gmail.com with your name and we will reply with your current score out of the total.

Hw for october 18th

Analyze what you would consider to be the worst controls in a game. Explain why it was bad. How did these controls work (or not) in the context of the game. Try to develop specific ideas of why the CONTROLS were bad and not the game itself.

hw for 10/4

First, read Barthe's The Death of the Author (http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/barthes06.htm)

Second, choose one of the two prompts to write on.

-Analyze Barthe's voice and message in The Death of the Author. Then, analyze the text's voice and message. How do these two contrast?

-With what we learned about narrative, theorize a game with the following plot, "Kill the Scientist." Describe why this is compelling, how it fits in to the story, and how you will use the game play medium to tell it.

Long assignments this weekend, but i think you are up to it.

Hw and movie for 9/27

This week you have 3 options for homework:
1. Play a game, analyze a specific segment and describe how the level design struck you as memorable for being good or bad.

2. Watch the new movie Drive, and explain what the mise-en-scene shows in one particularly violent and one non-violent scene. Also, what decade did the movie portray? What was some of the clash in this portrayal?

3. Come to shattuck cinema at 510 on saturday, see drive with the instructors, and discuss the questions there.

hw due 9/20

In the spirit of the borderline game discussion, play a flash game called "Extremeliest Catch." This can be found on newgrounds or other such flash portal sites. Play it, and write a page on if it is a game. Does it fit the theoretical ideal of game? What is its primary purpose?

Homework due 9/13

For those that couldn't stay for the end or make it, here is the homework for the "what is art" class.

As a bit of practice for the final, take a piece of art and explain why it is and is not art. Make one point in favor and one point against, and please support your claim with an art definition theory that shows understanding of the material.

More make up!

Hey guys, i know some of you still have make up assignments to do, so heres one i thought up while doing some research for a paper.

One of the main issues today in online media is the idea of fair use. Recently alot of small companies are creating retro copies of old games, such as the sonic and mario world remakes. Mostly, these are taken down by the original companies that own the IP, even if the game is non-profit. What are the various interests at stake? should a company be able to take down any project that looks like theirs? what about if its just a copy with increased graphics? how does this relate to the idea of parody and satire?

If you cant get this or the other assignments in before tuesday, email and well be accepting assignments all through deadweek.

OFFICIAL FINAL INSTRUCTIONS THREAD/FREE COOKIES

OK, this is the official thread for the final presentation. For those of you who needs the info, the final is:

You will join a group. This group will chose a game. You must decide whether you are going to show that the game IS art or that the game is NOT art. Your presentation will be comprised of three components-

1. AUDIBLE. You will present your argument in a way that people can hear. You can speak, use recording devices, sing a song, etc. If anyone in this class is deaf, they will be missing out, but that's just the way things go; maybe you should have tried harder.

2. VISUAL. You will present visual ques to help strengthen/explain/make pretty your argument. Visual ques can range from power-point presentations, hand drawn pictures, collages, ice statues, etc. Please do not make them shitty.

3. EDIBLE. You will bring a food item that relates to your game. For instance, if you were doing Super Mario World, you could bring cookies in the shape of mushrooms, or bring stuffed mushrooms, or bring cupcakes decorated like mushrooms, or something that doesn't have to do with mushrooms- its your choice. DO NOT BRING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. I'll repeat that: DO NOT BRING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. Also don't be shitty about this either; last semester we had like five groups bring in chips and claim they were from vending machines in various games. Everyone just ate chips. Don't be the group that just brings in chips. We'll make fun of you for not being creative, and make making fun of you for not being creative count as an extra-credit assignment.

One group should be the drink group, but that doesn't give you free reign to just bring coke. Last time, we had a group do Half Life, and they brought in a green concoction that looked like acid. It was cool.

OK EVERYONE, TIME TO BE PROACTIVE: The final group info I have is not up to date, so YOU are going to have to post IN THIS POST your final presentation group. Please say your game, your group name, your members. If you don't have a group, say so. Posting your contact info would also be a good idea if you're looking for a group.

Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaaADNu1a9Y

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man

You might have guessed by the title of this blog post that the homework for Public Perception of Video Games/Gaming Communities is to watch the Big Lebowski and report on it.

...

Yes. Yes it is.

However, there is also an alternate homework you can do: Write about an online community you are apart of (HINT: If you really only do use the internet for Facebook and porn, Facebook is an online community), how you fit within that online community, what the public perception of that online community is, why you think that is and your own opinion about whether its a good or bad thing that its perceived as such.

One more thing, just to warn anyone who is thinking about writing a paper on the Big Lebowski: I have seen the movie over 100 times. This is not an exaggeration. Bullshit the paper and I will know, and if you dare defile what is unquestionably the 5th wonder of the world (oh, whats that you say? 'Actually, the 5th wonder of the world is the Tomb of Mausolus'? Kiddy bullshit, it doesn't even have Philip Seymour Hoffman as a minor character), I'm not only going to fail you-

I will purge you.

Keep it surreal, dude

Here it is, the Surrealist manifesto!

Read this with your eyes, comprehend it with your mind, and we will speak about it in class with our mouths.

Dude, that all just came out of my head...

Make up assignments

Doh ho ho, its that time of the year again, isn't it folks! The time when you all go "awwwwww shit, i only have 3 assignments turned in, time to cram on make up!" That is, unless you actually did your work this semester. Lets be honest though, if your actually caught up, your studying for other finals and not frantically checking our blog for make up assignments. (even though we totally load the blog up with all kinds of interesting articles and sales and stuff to make this place fun for EVERYONE)

To celebrate this time of year, starting today ill be posting make up assignments thrice a week. These will be graded on level of effort and and synthesis, and wont simply be pass/no pass like the other assignments have been. If we find your assignments lacking, we will return them and instruct you on how to improve.

ASSIGNMENT: One of the topics we hit on this semester is the idea of high art versus low art. Originally brought up in my Horror Lecture, previously this week we also heard the argument being made by Ebert on the difference between film and game. For your first assignment, I want you to analyze the classificatory power of high art versus low art. What are the benefits of a system that stratifies the two instead of simply having one "Art"? What are the detriments? Most importantly, what is the importance of being classified as art, high art, and low art? Why do we care?

Think about the lectures Remy and I have been giving, try to bring it all together.

Have fun, see you Tuesday!

LOL SO RANDUM xD

The DADA manifesto, for your reading pleasure!

http://www.mariabuszek.com/kcai/DadaSurrealism/DadaSurrReadings/TzaraD1.pdf

U SAD BRO?

Arightykins, I'm a bit late posting the homework for the Drama/Tragedy class because I've had a lot of work watching every episode of Doctor Who. However, the Daleks have been transported to a new dimension and the Weeping Angels were tricked into looking into their own eyes, so I can finally get back to work.

There are three homework assignments for you all to chose from. Hell, do more than one and have them count as other homework assignments! Aren't I freaking nice? You can thank me in cash.

FIRST ASSIGNMENT: Play a game with tragic elements. Discuss why one would want to play a game that makes people feel negative emotions.

SECOND ASSIGNMENT: Play Galatea by Emily Short three times; discuss how the game attempts to create an emotional connection between the player and the character. Explain your answer by referencing your playthroughs. LINK HERE: http://nickm.com/if/emshort/galatea.html

THIRD ASSIGNMENT: Play Digital: A Love Story by Christine Love; since I will be playing the game along with you guys, simply explain your experience playing the game. LINK HERE: http://www.scoutshonour.com/digital/

This post smells funny

Your homework for the comedy class is:

PLAY A FUNNY GAME. Explain why its funny.

Do not simply tell me that there are jokes- why are the jokes funny? What does it being a game have to do with the jokes? How does it involve the player?

As well, I've extended this homework to include games that are funny. This means if you find it heeeeeeeeelarious to play the Sims and find ways to torture your peoples, then you can explain that as well.

sup bros, i heard you like work during break, so i put some homework in your homework so you can work while you work

Hey guys, sorry for the late post, thought this was already up but apparently my phone is a liar. A dirty, filthy liar. Your homework assignment is to play a game with horror elements. Now this can be either a "horror" game or a non "horror" game, but either way you have to be able to point out exactly what elements are horror. I want you to then analyze these elements and compare them to what we've talked about over the semester, and argue weather these make it more or less artistic.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO VIDEO GAMES, because you prefer to spend your breaks outside and with the company of the opposite sex (losers), then I have an alternate assignment for you. We discussed at the end of class how the different character roles relate to the level of niche scare, i.e. if the character is well developed, the scare will have to be more general since you don't possess the same capacity to assert your own fears into the role of the character. I would like you to watch the movie Buried (2010) with Ryan Reynolds, and talk about the level of characterization compared to the level of niche scare. Is being buried alive a niche scare? Is his character well developed? Does his level of characterization clash?

If you cant do either cause you're trapped in the woods, then fight some kind of monster (could be real like a bear/shark, or mythical like the Wendigo), and write a haiku about your battle in it's blood. This particular form will count as 2 homework assignments.

Have a wonderful break all!

The homework of the future- today!

http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/T4PM/futurist-manifesto.html

That link right there is to the Futurist Manifesto, our first step into the avant-garde! Please read this in between drinking copious amounts of alchohol and not doing the rest of the homework due after break.

Meanwhile, I just finished my 11th dive since arriving on the island. The sharks swim right up to ya, like they were dogs. Awesome stuff.

Hope you all are having fun on your spring break! See you all on Tuesday!

The Work of Fart in the Age of Mechyaaawnical Reproboring

Here it is, the long awaited text! Please read it by the next class.

http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm

I've got an itch to Scratch

Scratch film screening at the MRC this Saturday!

There will be two film screenings, one at 2PM and one at 6PM. Head over to the Free Speech Cafe at either of those times and come see the best documentary about Turntabilism there is!

The Cult of Ure

Your homework assignment for the Culture class is:

Play a game. Explain how the game relates to the culture it was made in, the culture it is played in, and the way you play the game.

Say jello to Liz Hickok!

Liz Hickok will be speaking to our class today, Wednesday the 2nd, at 6 pm. Come to 300 Wheeler and meet the artist yourself!

I would like to stress that this is a very important event: we really appreciate our lecturers, and want them to feel welcome. Please come to show your support for Liz Hickok!

Videogame Mechanique

Your homework for this week is:

Play a game. Explain how the mechanics of the game relate to the overall gameplay experience. Remember, mechanics are a number of aspects; how do you 'play' the game? What are the objectives? How do you receive information from the game? How do you interact with the game? How do the controls add to the game experience? If you have the room, theorize how the use of other sensory input (haptics) would alter the gameplay experience.

QUAKE 2: A LOVE STORY

The homework for Narrative is:

Play a game. Discuss how the game tells the story: how do the mechanics, setting, level design convey the narrative? What role does player interaction have? Does the game allow for player driven narrative? If you are feeling adventurous, compare the game with another story from a different medium that has a similar theme and explain how the two mediums create the same narrative and how they are different (this is a complicated step to take, so don't undergo it unless you're up for the challenge!)

L.H.O.O.Q

FILM SCREENING TOMORROW on THURSDAY the 24TH! Meet up at the Free Speech Cafe at 6 PM and come see this awesome documentary on Leonardo Da Ninja Turtle.

It'll steal your heart!

FILM SCREENING TOMORROW ON WEDNESDAY, THE 16TH!

The Art of the Steal will be screened for all the loverly students of the Video Games as an Artistic Medium class! Aint you lucky?

We meet up outside the Free Speech Movement Cafe, which is located near Moffitt. Here, open your MAP screen and find it!

The filming will start at 6 PM, so come a bit earlier so you aren't left behind.

Its not difficult to see the pun

MIGHTY JILL OFF! Its a game where the difficulty of it is used for a specific effect! I wont explain what that is though- you'll have to play it to find out.

How about I give you some incentive to play it? As a make-up assignment, you can analyze this game (just as you would a text) and explain how the difficulty functions within it. Otherwise, its a fun game that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

http://mightyjilloff.dessgeega.com/

I'm on a whole nother level, man!

YOUR HOMEWORK FOR THE LEVEL DESIGN CLASS IS:

Play a game. Discuss how the level design of the game functions along side the ways the game plays, the tone of the game, the narrative, etc. Provide specific examples of in-game levels for your argument. If you wish, you can explain how you would design your own level in that game!

Now do it; I want more homeworks to grade.

While you're taking orders, go pick up the reader at University Copy. I think that I posted the directions somewhere on this blog, too! Aren't I so nice?

Its all in the perspective: try squinting and tilt your head to the left

Your homework for the Perspective class is-

Play a game! Discuss the perspective of the game: how does it affect the way the game is played? How does it allow you to access information? How would the game experience or mechanics change if the game were seen in another perspective?

If you need examples of games, feel free to drop me a line as a comment; I'll give you a few links to free games that you might find useful.

As well, although there is no reading for the Art Theory section of class due next week, I urge you all to pick up your copy of the reader at University Copy. It should be ready by Monday, and if it isn't, I'll kill the guy who lied to me there.

Free* Massage With Purchase!!!

The reader for the class that contains Marshal McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage will be available in a few days at University Copy. Address is linked here

Please buy this reader! Or, if you can, buy the book! Or, if you can, read the book!

Answers must be in the form of a question

The reading for next week is right here- Foucault's What is an Author?
http://www.generation-online.org/p/fp_foucault12.htm

As well, the homework for this week is thus-
You are a member of the artworld. Chose one of these three borderline cases and describe why or why not they are art.

Duchamp's Fountain
http://www.beatmuseum.org/duchamp/images/fountain.jpg
John Cage's 4'33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN2zcLBr_VM
Robert Barry's Closed Gallery, which was him holding an exhibit of his work and locking the doors of the galleries while they were hung.

Horace Cain, Author of this Blog Post

For those of you looking to learn some more about post structuralism (or to make up a homework assignment you may have miiiiiissed!), I introduce to you two works by Jorge Borges that deal with many of the subjects brought up in the Death of the Author text.

Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote
http://www.coldbacon.com/writing/borges-quixote.html
The Library of Babel
http://jubal.westnet.com/hyperdiscordia/library_of_babel.html

If you were looking for a way to make up the missed homework assignment, you can write a response to one of these stories and the ideas presented within them. Otherwise theyre a fantastic read.

Not a secret level in Left 4 Dead 2 (yet)

Death of the Author, by Roland Barthes, in all its glory! Read this by next week and get fun prizes (in that you need to read this by next week so do it).

http://www.ubu.com/aspen/aspen5and6/threeEssays.html#barthes

As well, here is your homework assignment:
Introduce yourself by discussing an experience in both art and video games that has left an impression on you.

For instance, I could talk about how emotional it was for me when I needed to save Lucca's mother in Chrono Trigger, and then explain how haunting The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp was seeing it for the first time. Have fun with this one, its almost a freebie!