Multiplayer Game Design
COSC 418 Section SG1
Tues /Thurs 11:00 to 12:20

Course Description

This course will explore the games of the future in which we now live: virtual worlds in which one can go online and take on another identity, connect with a virtual bot, band with elves battling through the land of Warcraft, or join a chat community with people from around the world -- people who may or may not be what they seem. These are the realities of the Internet Age, in which cyberpunk visions extend into new digital narratives, out of which new myths have materialized: The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, Minority Report, and many more, appearing both in popular culture and on the Internet.

We will survey the terrain of virtual world gaming, in both its current form and in the imagination of storytellers, as we confront the questions of designing the next stage. We'll look at the history of collaborative and competitive play in gaming systems throughout the digital age, and study the design challenges and methods for multiplayer games.

Instructor and Contact Information

Instructor: Anastasia Salter
Email: anastasia.salter@ubalt.edu
Office Hours: 12:30-1:30 Tuesdays and by appointment

Assignments will include short group presentations, response papers to class readings, an in class midterm exam and a final group design project. Grading is broken down as follows: 20% participation and in-class exercises; 20% short writing assignments; 20% midterm examination; 40% final project.

Each response paper will be a short, two to three page paper drawn from the assigned readings of the day and particular virtual world stimuli. All page standards are set for standard Times 12, double spaced.

Plagiarism, persistent absence (upwards of 3) or continual lateness are all grounds for failure.

Group Project

The final group project for the semester is based upon completion of a design proposal for an online multiplayer game. After studying the historic and current trends in multiplayer gaming, you will work in small groups to create your own concept and develop it through the design process. It is important to show throughout the project that you are both taking into account existing game markets and considering the needs of a unique user market.

The recommended tool for the group project is QuestNet, which allows the design of text-based games in the tradition of Multi-User Dungeons. Quest is available for download at the Quest website. Depending on your own design and programming goals and experience, you can choose to instead pursue a Flash based or other more programming intensive mockup. The focus is not on creating a fully functional game; the prototype must demonstrate understanding of multiplayer game interactions and mastery of the challenges unique to this format of play.

The group project consists of:

• Character concepts for player roles
• Environment mockups (at least 3)
• Game Narrative Summary (3-5 pages)
• Game Mechanics and Rules
• A multiplayer prototype developed in Quest or another approved tool
• A website encompassing these elements advertising the game to the target community

Required Readings

Bartle, Richard A. Designing Virtual Worlds.
Castronova, Edward. Synthetic Worlds.
Chaplin, Heather and Aaron Ruby. Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution.

Recommended Texts:

Salen, Katie and Eric Zimmerman. Rules of Play.

It is suggested that you purchase the Zimmerman volume, but for those who choose not to copies of the relevant readings will be available.

Readings to be announced

Week One: January 29th and January 31st

Introduction to Multiplayer Games
Syllabus Overview
What makes a multiplayer game "fun"?
Response Paper 1 Due February 5th--Analyze the in-class play experience. Does this game translate to a digital format? What makes this game fun to play? Why is this game still on the market today?

Back When Doom Was Cool: Early Multiplayer Gaming

Dwarves, Elves, Orcs...and Rabbit Slaying: Massive Multiplayer Gaming

Who'd Play That?: A Look at Players

The Rules of the Game

Story and Meaning

Midterm Exam March 25th!

Creating a World

A Question of Character

Refining the Concept

Creating a Following

Putting it Together

Final Presentations!