Gaming

For April 28, pairs of students should create a video short that provides a critical analysis of videogames (or virtual worlds like Second Life). You may choose one particular game that you wish to explore in depth, or compare a few games by focusing on a specific aspect. The content of the video should provide an argument about gaming and how this game (or games) functions in regards to some of the concepts we’ve discussed and read about – key ideas you might consider include interfaces, immersion, interactivity, storyworlds, game genres, social gaming, simulation, or any other facets of gaming that you wish to analyze. The key goal is to make an explicit argument about gaming using a detailed case study – see some previous student examples here.

The form of the video should draw primarily from captured game footage, via recording console gameplay, screen-captured PC/Mac games, or games with built-in movie capture. If you wish to use a camera, you may if it would be useful to record footage of gameplay or the environment of gaming, but it should include captured footage as well. You may download gameplay footage from YouTube or other online video sources, but only in moderation – the bulk of the footage should be your own gameplay, not found footage. The rhetoric of the video should convey a convincing argument about the game that is unique to the video form, but feel free to use captions and/or voice-over to convey your ideas.

Students should upload to YouTube and post to the blog following the parameters of the Remix Video assignment. Feel free to use games on reserve for the class, or your own games & consoles. Have fun!

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