Course Overview: Playing the Class
Syllabus overview; class introduction; creating your character and the first mission
The New Social
Reading
-
Shirky, Cognitive Surplus.
1-30.
Writing
- Mission One Deadline
LOLcats, Memes, and other social acts
Reading
-
Shirky, Cognitive Surplus.
31-64.
Writing
- Mission Two Deadline
Collective Farms and Angry Birds
Reading
-
Anderson, Feed.
Part 1 and 2.
Writing
- Mission Three Deadline
Tweets in the Crowd
Reading
-
Anderson, Feed.
Part 3 and 4.
Writing
- Mission Four Deadline
Clicking Cows, or, Gamification: Not (Just) a Dirty Word
Reading
Writing
- Mission Five Deadline
"Amateur" Productions
Reading
-
Shirky, Cognitive Surplus.
65-130. -
Kane, Transhumanism at Play.
Writing
- Mission Six Deadline
Groupwork
- Midterm Review: In Class Game
Midterm Mission
During the week of the midterm mission, players will be given a series of collaborative and solo tasks. Players who have achieved a high rank in the class game by this stage will be rewarded with bonuses for the mission.
There will be no in-person class meeting this week!
Spring Break
Midterm Debriefing
Reading
-
Shirky, Cognitive Surplus.
131-182. -
Williams, Groups and Goblins.
Groupwork
- Midterm Mission Deadline
Gameful-ness
Reading
-
Shirky, Cognitive Surplus.
183-213. -
McGonigal, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World.
PDF.
Writing
- Mission Seven Deadline
ARGs and other experiments
Reading
-
Andersen, The Year in ARGs.
Writing
- Mission Eight Deadline
Final Project Briefing
Each team must schedule a meeting to review their progress to date. Be prepared to show evidence of your collaboration and make sure your team has been posting regularly to your group space. Teams will be given the opportunity to schedule meeting times in the order of their collective game rank.
The Future of "Social" Games
Final Wrap-Up
Presentation
- Team Presentations
Each team will present their final projects for group feedback.
