Critique Assignment
The assignment is to critique a
serious game. Ideas for games may come from knowledge that you
have, games referred to in papers, or ones that you find in the catalogue on the course web
site.
The critique will consist of
two
parts:
- Class presentation. The purpose
of the presentation is to
present the game to the class, provide your view of the game, and
gather additional comments, opinions and observations. Critiques
will be given during the class period indicated on the course calendar.
- Written critique. This is due one
week after the
presentation and should follow the topics described below.
Class Presentation (15 minutes)
Primary components of the
class presentation are:
- Synopsis of the game and how you would classify it
- Historical context: when was this game built and how does
it relate to other games of the time
- Demo
- Why you thought it was valuable for the class to see and discuss
- The key aspects that you thought were good and bad and why.
Depending on the game, consider the following design aspects:
gameplay, the game world created, character development, the use of
narrative and storytelling, the use of sound and music, and the choice
of graphics.
Written Critique (1 week after
presentation)
Length: minimum 2 pages, double spaced (most likely will be
longer). To be written as an essay, not
as a series of questions and answers.
A critique is a critical review or commentary. To be critical, the
review should be characterized by careful evaluation and
judgment. The critique should include background information
about the game that is valuable for evaluation. Background
information should include
- type of game
- synopsis
- when it was developed
- platform
- purpose of the game
The evaluation should be done from
two perspectives: the design and the implementation. The
following lists of questions should be seen as guidelines and
potential ideas. You do not need to answer questions that are not
relevant to the game you are critiquing. If there are other
aspects that are relevant to your game, address them. Do not feel
obligated to give equal time to each of the components. Focus on
those aspects of the game that are the most interesting.
From a design perspective, questions of interest are:
- Does the game present a
cohesive system?
- What is the core mechanism of
the game?
- Does it present meaningful play?
- Is feedback discernible and
effective?
- Does the narrative add value to
the game?
- Is there a component of social
play?
- Is there an appropriate game
world presented?
- Are characters well enough
deeloped?
- Is the use of sound and music
appropriate?
- Is the graphics style
appropriate?
From the development point of view,
questions to consider are:
- Is the game moddable?
- Are artificial intelligence
components used appropriately?
- Does the networking design
provide adequate performance?
- Are the Human-Computer
Interface (HCI) components
appropriate?