GAD3026 Tabletop Game DesignBahçeşehir UniversityDegree Programs PERFORMING ARTSGeneral Information For StudentsDiploma SupplementErasmus Policy StatementNational QualificationsBologna Commission
PERFORMING ARTS
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code Course Name Semester Theoretical Practical Credit ECTS
GAD3026 Tabletop Game Design Spring
Fall
2 2 3 5
This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction: English
Type of course: Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level: Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Course Coordinator : Dr. Öğr. Üyesi GÜVEN ÇATAK
Course Lecturer(s): Instructor ERTUĞRUL SÜNGÜ
Course Objectives: This course focuses on games played around a table. It essentially aims the students to understand analog game design processes, but also to acquire information on how to integrate game design and create links with all the other aspects of analog game production. It involves the students in various and numerous workshops and group activities.

The course relies on pragmatic reasoning and professional experiences rather than academic informations and ultimately aims to widen prespectives and open a creative mind on the analog game design subject.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
After successful completion of the course, the learned is expected to be able to:
1) Comprehend the scale of use for game mechanics
2) Understanding tabletop game mechanics
3) Using pragmatic reasoning and professional perspective for analog game design
4) Being able to analyze tabletop game making techniques
5) Integrating game design and creativity on all analog projects

Course Content

This course will cover the creation of a game from the very first game idea to the production documents needed by factories, including creating and respecting a policy, brain storming a game, pitching, writing game design documents, writing rules documents, prototyping, playtesting and finalizing documents for production.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Historical approaches to desktop games and design processes
2) Defining the types of games and examining game concepts
3) Game pacing, management of dynamics and mechanics.
4) The formal and dramatic elements of the tabletop games
5) Measuring the tabletop gaming experience and iterative development
6) Concepts of competition, talent and luck in tabletop games
7) Desktop game components: mechanics, narration and dynamics
8) From idea to prototype: playable prototyping
9) Gameplay testing and playability, game analysis
10) Applicable game production and game production stages I
11) Applicable game production and game production stages II
12) Presentation and decision making for projections
13) Final project preperation & revision
14) Final project presentation

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: Oxford History of Board Games, David Parlett, 2009.
The Civilized Guide to Tabletop Gaming: Rules Every Gamer Must Live By, Teri Litorco, 2016
Game Design Workshop – Tracy Fullerton
Fundamentals of Game Design – Ernest Adams & Adam Rolling
Challenges for Game Designers – Brenda Brathwaite & Ian Schreiber
References: "XU, Yan, et al. Chores Are Fun: Understanding Social Play in Board Games for Digital Tabletop Game Design. In: DiGRA Conference. 2011.
WHALEN, Tara. Playing well with others: Applying board game design to tabletop display interfaces. In: ACM symposium on user interface software and technology. New York: ACM Press, 2003.
WIGDOR, Daniel, et al. Under the table interaction. In: Proceedings of the 19th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology. ACM, 2006. p. 259-268."

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Attendance 1 % 10
Presentation 1 % 5
Project 9 % 25
Midterms 1 % 20
Final 1 % 40
Total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 35
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 65
Total % 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities Number of Activities Duration (Hours) Workload
Course Hours 14 1 14
Application 14 3 42
Study Hours Out of Class 8 8 64
Midterms 1 3 3
Final 1 3 3
Total Workload 126

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Low 3 Average 4 High 5 Highest
           
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) They acquire theoretical, historical and aesthetic knowledge specific to their field by using methods and techniques related to performing arts (acting, dance, music, etc.). 2
2) They have knowledge about art culture and aesthetics and they provide the unity of theory and practice in their field. 2
3) They are aware of national and international values in performing arts. 2
4) Abstract and concrete concepts of performing arts; can transform it into creative thinking, innovative and original works. 1
5) They have the sensitivity to run a business successfully in their field. 3
6) Develops the ability to perceive, think, design and implement multidimensional from local to universal. 3
7) They have knowledge about the disciplines that the performing arts field is related to and can evaluate the interaction of the sub-disciplines within their field. 2
8) They develop the ability to perceive, design, and apply multidimensionality by having knowledge about artistic criticism methods. 3
9) They can share original works related to their field with the society and evaluate their results and question their own work by using critical methods. 1
10) They follow English language resources related to their field and can communicate with foreign colleagues in their field. 1
11) By becoming aware of national and international values in the field of performing arts, they can transform abstract and concrete concepts into creative thinking, innovative and original works. 3
12) They can produce original works within the framework of an interdisciplinary understanding of art. 2
13) Within the framework of the Performing Arts Program and the units within it, they become individuals who are equipped to take part in the universal platform in their field. 3
14) Within the Performing Arts Program, according to the field of study; have competent technical knowledge in the field of acting and musical theater. 2
15) They use information and communication technologies together with computer software that is at least at the Advanced Level of the European Computer Use License as required by the field. 3