Assignment 2 - Serious Game Design Concept (25%)
Assignment Requirements
Form. a group of 3 students by the end of your seminar in Week 4. This will be facilitated by your tutor but you are responsible for ensuring that you are in a group for this assignment.
In your tutorial in week 6, you will have an opportunity to 'pitch' your serious game concept in the tutorial, providing an opportunity for early feedback from your tutor.
Submit a 3,000 - 3,500 word report by 16.9.2024, 23:59pm.
Please see word counts below:
For groups of 2: Part one - 1250 written words and 2-3 images, Part two - 1250 words (2000-2500 words and 2-3 images in total)
For groups of 3: Part one - 1750 written words and 2-3 images, Part two - 1500 words (approx 3250 words and 2-3 images)
For groups of 4: Part one - 2250 written words and 2-3 images, Part two - 2000 words (approx 4250 words and 2-3 images)
Assignment Guidelines
In groups of three, you develop a concept for a serious game, taking into consideration both the theoretical approaches discussed in class, and the landscape of the interactive entertainment and game markets. Your design should critically engage with ideas discussed in class and topical issues. Your group must be within your tutorial.
Your assignment should be written as a report and should include visual aids such as screen mockups, sketches or storyboards. The report should also contain an analysis of your game concept using at least 2-3 of the theoretical ideas that you have encountered in the seminars and readings, or relevant ideas from outside the course. The suggested structure is as follows:
Part 1 (approx. 1750 WRITTEN words, and 2-3 original storyboard, concept art, mockup etc images.)
What’s your pitch? Describe your concept in one-two pages.
Background, Audience, Client/relevant organisations, Competitors & Technical Feasibility. Are there any precedents for this concept?
Significance and Innovation. What makes your concept different? For example, how does it leverage the affordances of the devices it is made for (PC, Mobile, VR?)? Why will it be successful?
Part 2 Analysis (approx. 1500 words).
Analysis: This section needs to provide an analysis of the project that draws from 2-3 of the weekly readings to add conceptual depth to your project. You should also draw broadly from the ideas covered in the lectures, tutorials and readings, as well as your own independent research.
You need to think through the game play and the player’s experience. You should analyse the potential strengths and weaknesses of your proposal and identify any challenges. Describe exactly what it is that your game is teaching. How is this learning embedded into the playing of the game?
There will be in-class activities, such as brainstorming sessions, that will help you in the development of your concept throughout the semester.
You are encouraged to draw on your personal networks and experiences to identify a problem or opportunity for a unique concept. Your concept does not have to be the next billion dollar idea; a thoughtful and critically analysed concept for a niche market (such as USyd students, or the elderly, or persuading Americans to wear masks) would be perfectly suitable.
Assignment Rubric
Criteria Evaluation (1-5)
Part One Game Concept and Description (50%)
Overall assessment of the idea: the overall coherence of its learning outcomes, player experience, design and the quality and clarity of the description of the game.
Suitability of serious purpose. Are the learning outcomes and client clear? Is the choice suitable and justified for the game described? Are the learning outcomes embedded in the play of the game?
Effective visual design and appropriate use of text, images and sound to describe the game and convey the intended experience to the author.
Creativity: Could be via a novel gameplay experience/mechanic or the creative application of existing mechanics/ideas to their learning context.
Part Two Game Analysis (50%)
Overall assessment of the game analysis: does the analysis demonstrate intellectual engagement and a depth of analysis, and the integration of learning outcomes with theoretical ideas from the unit (or beyond) about games and gameplay?
Integration with academic concepts and theories from class, and beyond.
Is there evidence of research (of both academic and non-academic sources)?
Are key design decisions justified and situated within theoretical frameworks, or argued for in reasonable and logical ways?
Clarity of writing and scholarship: is there an effective and logical structure? Are there clear arguments that are well supported by evidence? Do they draw on research and evidence? Is the writing and expression clear and easy to read?