Course Syllabus: Revised 11-09-09
The test for this course is Game Development Essentials: Game Interface Design, by Kevin Saunders and Jeannie Novak. It is REQUIRED. Please obtain a copy from the bookstore or online prior to the start of class.
8/31 (Monday)
Introduction to the course
9/2 (Wednesday)
READ: Text, chapter 1
Discussion: History of Usability
Games:
Classic Commodore games:
9/7 (Mon)
Read: Federoff, M. Compiled List of game heuristics
Discussion: Standards and Heuristics
Games:
XNA Platformer
Group Activity: Design a game that uses standards and heuristics as a gameplay element
9/9 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
9/14 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 2
Discussion: Interfaces as a usability tool, clever interfaces
Games:
Call of Duty 4
Dead Space
Flash Game
IQ
Group Activity: Redesign an interface from a Playstation/N64 era game to utilize modern usability practices including functionality, aesthics, and immersiveness
9/16 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
9/21 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 3
Discussion: Interface Options
Group Activity: Redesign a modern game to use a differnt type of interface.
9/23 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
9/28 (Mon)
MIDTERM Assigned
READ: Text, chapter 4
Discussion: Manual Interfaces
Game: Guitar Hero
Group Activity: Design an innovative new manual interface for one of four games to improve usability
9/30 (Wed)
Download and play Eve Online for at least two hours. COMPLETE THE IN-GAME TUTORIAL!!!
10/5 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 5 at home
10/7 (Wed)
MIDTERM PAPER DUE
Discussion: Eve Online, Genres
10/12 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 6, excerpt from The Design of Everyday Things
Final Assignment Given
Discussion: Control Schemes
Games:
Fable 2
To be announced
Individual Activity: Intrepret a specific use of the user interface using the Seven Stages of Action
10/14 (Wed)
Finish individual activity and present
10/19 (Mon)
Read: Text, chapter 7
FINAL ASSIGNMENT TEAMS AND PROPOSALS DUE
Discussion: Usable Feedback Schemes
Games:
Soul Caliber 4
Metroid Prime 3
Group Activity: Create a usable feedback scheme for a common activity in everyday life that does not provide usable feedback normally.
10/21 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
10/26 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 8, RITE Methodology, Think Aloud Testing
My Own Biome Testing Assignment Given
Discussion: Usability Testing
Group Activity: Pick a game on Addicting Games and conduct Think Aloud Testing
10/28 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
11/2 (Mon)
READ: Text, chapter 9, Usability Metrics, Usability Metrics 2, Discount Usability
Discussion: Prototype Interface Design, Usability Metrics
11/4 (Wed)
MY OWN BIOME ASSIGNMENT DUE
Work in class on Final Project
11/9 (Mon)
READ:
Readings:
David Geer, "Will
Gesture Recognition Technology Point the Way?"
Katie
Hafner, "What Do Women Game Designers Want?"
Tom Tullis, et.al,
"Web Usability and Age:
How Design Changes Can Improve Performance"
Kathleen Harmeyer, "Usability
Concerns for Special Populations"
Discussion: Usability for Special Populations
Games:
TBA Flash Game
IQ
Group Activity: Design an interface for an assigned game to be usable for a specific special population
11/11 (Wed)
Finish group activity and present
11/16 (Mon)
READ:
Shannon Lucas and Denise Fulton, "What We Learned Evaluating the
Usability of a Game" STC
Usability SIG Newsletter
Kalle Jegers, "Usability of Pervasive Games" PERVASIVE
2005 Pervasive Games Defined
Andrea H. Berman, "Using Characters To Engage And Teach Novice Web Users: A Case Study"
Lisa Neal and Kim Van Wormer, "How Do We Know Our Students Are Engaged? A Case Study from Plimoth Plantation"
XEO Designs, "Diner Dash and The People Factor Case Study on Diner Dash"
Discussion: Case Studies
11/18 (Wed)
Work in class on final project
NO MEETINGS 11/23 and 11/25: Happy Thanksgiving
11/30 (Mon)
Work in class on final project
12/2 (Wed)
Usability Testing of peers' games
12/7 (Mon)
Usability Testing of peers' games
12/9 (Wed)
Usability Testing of peers' games presentation
FINAL PAPERS DUE MONDAY, DECEMBER 20
|