Computer Games Theory and Practice 2007

- fill out questionnaire
- introductions
- curriculum
- expectations
- blog
- resources
- Andy: Personal History of Video Games
- assignment (see separate posting)

1. Read: "Games - The Extensions of Man", Marshall McLuhan. Blog summary of main points. Discuss in class on Monday, September 10. Download reading
2. Prepare 15 min presentation on own work for class on Monday, September 10.

- Any issues with blogging?
- Student work presentations - 5 mins each
- Discuss - "Games the Extensions of Man"
- Class Resources and Themes
- Andy Cox - Personal History of Video Games - Part 1
- Show and Tell Assignment

Blog a short paragraph on one of the following:
- reference to an interesting article or fact about video games plus brief summary
- recent personal experience with video games
- response or comment to anything from class

Please make sure to provide links and/or attriubtion to any images or quotes.

- Comments on McLuhan blogs

- Show and Tell items

- Andy's Show and Tell: http://www.gizmoz.com

- Andy: Personal History of Video Games Part II

- Class plays classic arcade games using MAME32
Download ROMs here: http://www.twcdc.com/games/2006/09/roms_for_use_with_mame32.html

- Requirements for mid-term project

- Assignments: reading and blog idea for mid term project

- Plan for Monday's class

- Once a game has been selected and double-clicked, Mame32 will produce two information screens and then it will run the game. Since Mame32 is emulating the original hardware, the software thinks it’s still in an arcade and is starting up for the first time in the morning. Initial diagnostic screens are run through, as well as possibly some accounting information presented to the arcade owner.

- The game should now be running its demo/attract mode. Insert a coin with the [5] key on the keyboard, the mappings for coin inserts are: player 1 [5], player 2 [6], player 3 [7], player 4 [8]. Now that a coin has been inserted, start the game with the [1] key on the keyboard. Game start mappings are player 1 [1], player 2 [2], player 3 [3], player 4 [4].

- Mame32’s default control scheme is to use the inverted T arrow keys on the keyboard for directional controls, and the left [CTRL] key as the primary action button.

- While in a game within Mame32, the internal configuration menu system can be activated by pressing the [TAB] key. This will bring up the control options. These options allow remapping Mame32 controls to whatever keys are desired. The Input (general) area controls the global settings, and the Input (this game) are the controls for the game selected. To change the mapping, select the control to change by arrowing down to it, hit the [ENTER] key and then the new desired control. Hit the [ESC] key to exit the [TAB] menu back to the game.

Read Abstraction in the Video Game by Mark J. P. Wolf. Download reading Discuss one of the arcade games we played in class (or another classic game you know) in relation to this article. Blog your discussion.

Blog your idea for the game you will play for your mid-term presentation.

- Assignments and blogging

- Gaming Consoles

Magnavox Odyssey, 1972

Nintendo Famicon, 1983

Nintendo 64, 1996

Nintendo Wii, 2006

- Nintendo and Shigeru Myamoto

- Use MAME to play Donkey Kong from 1981.
Download ROM here

- Then use Project64 to play Donkey Kong consol version from 1999.
Download ROM here

- Discuss games in relation to reading: "Abstraction in the Video Game"

- Interview with Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari

- Demos of games from last week (if possible / time available): Grand Theft Auto, Myst, Doom, Half Life

Monday, September 24

- Game Developer's Conference - The Future of Game Design by Will Wright

- Andy: The Evolution of the First Person Shooter

- Play Half Life 2. Take at least one screehshot and upload to your blog with your impressions of the game. The image should be no wider than 480 pixels. Cropping the screenshot is OK.

Wednesday, September 26

- Review class expectations

- Review requirements for mid-term projects

- Students present show and tell items

- Andy: introduction to war and video games

- Complete America's Army basic training

Read Introduction to From Sun Tzu to Xbox - War and Video Games by Ed Halter.
Download reading.

Do you think that military use of computer games increases or decreases the likelihood of armed conflict? Blog your answer.

Download PowerPoint slide