GD2S04 - Further exploration in Games 01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: GD2S04
Module Title: Further exploration in Games
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Games and Design
Faculty Sub Group: Games
Module Leader: Simon Reed
Module Team: Elizabeth McMeekin, Gareth Pugh, Daniel Birt, Andrew Davies, Mark Griffiths, Anna Williams, Charlotte Grose, Emma Marshman, Aaron Leslie
First Intended Intake: SEP 2022 Final Year of Intake: 2027
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

Explore the relationships between theory and practice, providing effective frameworks for formal and informal critical debate related to contemporary themes within in gaming culture.
Prepare students to undertake a piece of independent research, responding to student interests, staff expertise and contemporary discourse within Games Studies.
Provide an outline of a practical and/ or theoretical topic for further academic inquiry.

Content Summary

Throughout the module students are introduced to the range of research practices within Game Studies and the specific research interests and strengths of staff who can advise them about further independent research.
This module is organised around thematic ‘case studies’, each of which touches on ideas that have been subject to critical debate and discussion. The intention is not to teach a dogmatic account of a ‘correct’ way to approach the study of artefacts but to show a range and variety of approaches.
Each student will be expected to follow either a Game Art or Game Design topic(s), which allows for a more specialised knowledge set within their personal study.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 8
Seminar 2
Tutorial 12
Project supervision 14
Independent Study 144
Formative Assessment - Scheduled 10
Interdisciplinary work 10
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Analyse key work, genres and themes in a deeper fashion and with context to current projects.
LO2 Demonstrate a critical understanding of a range of scholarly materials, relevant to the study of games art and design.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Literature/book/paper review 1 A review of academic literature/book/papers/games and other relevant artefacts. Drawing out the relevance, of academic theories that can be developed and applied to future work. 0 2000 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Essay 1 A written paper, typically based upon existing literature that sustains a coherent argument. 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Literature/book/paper review 1
Essay 1

Reading List

DiGRA Digital Library: http://www.digra.org/digital-library/

Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals
by Katie Salen (Author), Eric Zimmerman

Game Studies: http://gamestudies.org/1702

Oliver, P.,
Teach Yourself: Writing Essay & Reports. Hodder & Stoughton.

Video Game Design - Principles and Practices from the Ground Up
By: Michael Salmond

Games and Culture: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/gac

GDC Vault: https://www.gdcvault.com/

Henry Jenkins ‘Game Design as Narrative Architecture | Electronic Book Review.’

Wardrip-Fruin, N. and Harrigan, P. First person: new media as story, performance, and game. Cambridge, Mass: MIT.

Wardrip-Fruin, N. and Harrigan, P. Second person: role-playing and story in games and playable media. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Harrigan, P. and Wardrip-Fruin, N. Third person: authoring and exploring vast narratives. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Tekinbas¸, K. S. and Zimmerman, E. Rules of play: game design fundamentals. Cambridge, Mass: MIT.