Video Games: Remaking Reality (CCDP10003)
Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This course is a full overview of Video Games. The great games, the history, the techniques, and the future of this developing medium and industry are explored in 12 weeks. Games have developed from simple electronic entertainment in the 70s to an epic cinematic medium that now is larger than the entire film industry and one of the most popular and complex forms of art and virtual reality in the 21st century.
Games have moved past being shoot and kill spectacles and are becoming a form of expression for millions of people and a new medium of social interaction and technological development that is engaging gamers and non-gamers alike.
As virtual reality becomes a greater part of ‘real life’ this course explores the complex network that makes up the video game world and the emerging group of designers and artists who are exploring new possibilities.
To understand the full picture of video games it is impossible to separate the commercial elements from the artistic and the technological from the social and mental. A wide range of disciplines need to be explored and the connections between them as well as looking at the game industry itself and how it is transforming.
Each week will combine the issues that surround games and an overview of the best and most complex games from multi million dollar blockbusters to the new ‘art games’ and independent games that re-invent the concept of a game.
Guest speakers from the game industry and from the arts, sciences and business will share their perspective on the state of the present and new ideas that will shape the future. Tutorials will present new aspects of current and past games and students will discuss their experience with games and present ideas and new finds each week.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Have a broad understanding of video games and a full overview of the history, development, theory, current industry and possible future directions
- Have developed an appreciation and understanding of the cross discipline nature of Video games and the hybrid creative and technical mix that makes games unique from other forms of expression
- Be cognisant of and sympathetic to a broad range of art forms which have and do influence games within their technological and economic context.
- Understand the technical aspects of developing a game in all of its forms from conception to design to individual and mulitplayer realizations
- Appreciate the collaborative creative process and the aspects necessary for success in the presentation in a variety of media contexts and the social aspects and implications of engaging an international gaming and non gaming community
- To develop a continuing interest in the specialist practices of different disciplines and to be curious about continuing further in-depth discipline specific studies in other courses.
Generic skills
Upon completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Express a high level of knowledge and broad range of artistic influences problem solving and communication in games
- Be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
- Have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to have facility in applying creative problem solving to a range of specialist disciplines and applications both in games and how those issues may influence other innovative ideas
Upon completion of this subject students should be able to:
Last updated: 18 January 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 18 January 2025
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Assessment 1 - Plan and concept*
| Week 6 | 50% |
Assessment 2 - A written work on all aspects of a single game that you choose. A game you are both interested in and contains many of the elements that are cover.
| End of semester | 50% |
Additional details
*Assessment 1
Each student will submit a plan and concept for a new innovative type of video game. The concept should include a direct link to the concepts covered in the first half of the semester and the examples of unique games presented. The concept should be a written outline of the ideas as well as any drawings, sound or video that may be relevant. Although specific technology and application is secondary to the idea a general plan of how the game is played (interactive, physical hardware, virtual reality, innovative interfaces needed, first person, avatar, story etc.. ) should be included. Students can derive ideas from existing games but should be open to being as experimental and idealised as they want. The mid semester mark will be based on:
●depth of the concept 30%
●the inclusion of key ideas already covered in the lecture 30%
●and the clarity of the plan expressed in writing (500 words) 40%.
Last updated: 18 January 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator David Shea Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020
Last updated: 18 January 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 18 January 2025