How to do things with videogames

This course considers videogames as a cultural form. It prepares students to analyze and compare the ways videogames make meaning and participate the social lives of their players. It will introduce students to critical discussions surrounding videogames and some methodologies for interpreting them.  Analyze a videogame with attention to the exchanges between platform, gameplay, narrative, and culture.  Respond to contemporary debates regarding videogaming's cultural relevance and the range of uses to which interactive games are put.  Assess and practice critical heuristics applied to digital games. ASSIGNMENTS Play journal (20%) Students will keep a journal of their experiences playing videogames over the course of the term. Typed entries are due at the beginning of each class meeting. Late journal entries will not be accepted for any reason. Chapter demonstration and discussion (20%) Two times, students will join with a partner to lead class discussion on one of the things Bogost says videoagames do. Their presentation will include the demonstration of two or more of the games Bogost mentions, a short review of the game(s) posted to the course website, and a printed handout of three to five discussion questions. Missing Chapter from How to Do Things with Videogames (20%) Individually or with a partner, students will write a chapter for Bogost's book identifying and describing another thing videogames can do. The essay will be 1250-1500 words and will be due February 28. Let's Play Bioshock, demonstration and video essay (20%) In groups of three or less, students will put together a 10-minute video essay in which they analyze the composition of one of the major areas of Rapture to determine how it contributes to the game's themes and stakes. Also, they will lead kick off class discussion of their area with a demonstration of a key 5-10 minutes of gameplay. Videos are due April 28.