Introduction
COMP 585/585H/185H:
SERIOUS GAMES
TODAY’S AGENDA
Course Differences
 Who’s in the class?
 Class structure
 Introduction to content

COURSE DIFFERENCES
COMP 585
Base course
 Counts toward the BA or BS
 Includes team development of a game for an
external client

 More
about this later
COMP 585H

Additional requirement



Research on how games can apply to a technology or how a
technology can be applied to games
Software development and/or paper
Additional meeting on Friday



Who should take it?



Need the H to stay in the honors program
Want to do the research
Who should not?


External speakers
Project reports
You think that’s the only way to get into this course
Eligibility: honors program or 3.0
COMP 185H
Does not count toward the COMP SCI major
 Intended to bring different perspectives
 Expected top contribute to the development but
not at the same level

 That’s

the honors part
Eligibility: honors program or 3.0
SIGN UP SHEETS

If you are registered
 Course

change or initial
If not
 Course
you want to be in
 Class that needs to be swapped out
WHO’S IN THE CLASS
TELL US
Name
 When you graduate
 Major
 Your favorite game or piece about games

CLASS STRUCTURE
ASSIGNMENTS
Game Critique
 30 Minute Presentation
 Game Development
 Take Home Final Exam

 paper
design
GAME CRITIQUE

Everyone critiques a serious game
 No
duplication
 List of potential games
 Additions welcome

6 bazaars
 Short
presentation
 Written critique
 Time for classmates to come and test it out
 Must
be able to play it!
RESEARCH PRESENTATION
Topic of interest related to games
 2 person teams
 30 minute presentation
 Sample topics

 last
year's calendar
GAME DEVELOPMENT






Client Proposals
4-person teams (1 185, 3 585)
Preferred platform is Unity but not all appropriate
Teams meet with instructor every week
Work with client
Range of projects (partial list)





Augmented reality games
Individual and cooperative games
Frameworks and standalones
…
Presented at final game fest
THE BUSINESS OF GAMES
GAMES ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS

2009 US revenue $19.7B ($21.4B ‘08)




Software $10.5B
Hardware $9.2B
Movies: $10B
Subscribers


World of Warcraft: 12.5M subscriptions
Second Life: 1B hrs Sept 2009
MMOGS
WHAT IS A GAME?
TYPES OF GAMES
Computer games
Board games
Card games
Parlor games
Sports games
Miniatures games
Role-playing games
Alternative reality games
TOY
PUZZLE
GAME
PLAY
GOAL
RULES
GAMES VS. TOYS

What’s the difference?



Children


Games: restrictive rules, limit-testing strategies
Toys: fantasy and free play.
captivated by versatility of toys
Adults


lose interest in toys
Create games around toys
 tactics, strategies, results
(Schiesel 2008)
GAMES…
are an activity
provide no material gain
have rules
are voluntary
have conflict
have uncertain outcome
have goals
are a representation
involve decision making
are make believe
are artificial
are inefficient
are safe
have closed systems
are outside ordinary life
are a form of art
WHAT IS A GAME?

Play


Pretend


The Magic Circle (Huizinga)
Goal



“work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and …
play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.”
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Challenges
Win, Loss, Termination
Rules

Meanings, gameplay, sequence of play, goals, metarules
SERIOUS GAMES ARE

games with a serious purpose beyond
entertainment


built for serious purpose
used for serious purpose
WHAT IS A SERIOUS PURPOSE?








Education
Training
Social change
Health education
Pain control
Rehabilitation
Business
Art
WHO IS A GAMER?

Online gamers



middle income ($35,000-$75,000)
age 25-44
Casual gamers
 76%
female
 71% 40 or older (47% 50 or older)
 46% college graduates (14% adv degree)
 53% income $50,000 or more
 67% married (53% at least one child )
MOST POPULAR GENRES
44%:
card, puzzle, arcade, word games
25%:
family-oriented games
19%:
RPGs, MMOGs
CAVEAT: lots of contradictory stats