SeeingtheGameWorldProcedurally

Oursecondprojectisdesignedtodrawyoufurtherintovideogameworldsbyaskingyouto procedurallyanalyzeagameofyourchoosing.Itmustbeagametheyhaveplayedand/orcanaccess. Youwillberequiredtowriteapaperthatinterrogatesavideogameinsearchoftherhetoricalelements ofthegameinquestionincludingananalysisofthenatureandfunctionofthechosengameasanartifact. Youmightasksuchquestionsas:Whatsystemsdoestheplayerparticipatein?Whatstructuredoesthe gamefollow?Whatgenreisitpartofandwhatelementsofthegenrearebeingrepresentedhere,andto whatrhetoricaleffect?HowdoesagamelikeCivilizationrepresentsocialgrowthandsystems,and whydoesthatmatter?Thepurposeofthisprojectwillbetoseegamesastextswhichfunctionand expressthemselvesprocedurallyinadditiontosimplyanengaginggameplayexperience.Thiswillbethe primaryresearchcomponentofthecourse,requiringyoutoseekoutinformationfromourreadingsin additiontolookingforscholarlysourcesonhowgamesfunctionprocedurallyinadditiontobasic searchesforinformationonthegames,developers,publishers,genres,andotherelementsofgames, gameplay,anddesigninquestion.

Whatarewedoing?Forthisproject,youllbeprocedurallyanalyzingagameof
yourchoosing.Itcanbeanygameyousodesire,aslongasitisoneyouarefamiliarwithit,haveaccess toit,andcanplaythroughitagainforthisprojectnogoingbasedonmemoryforthisone.Im expectingcloseanalysishere,andthatsnotsomethingIexpectyoutoattempttodofrommemory alone.

Howarewedoingit?
Inshort,youll1.)chooseagametoanalyze,2.)analyzethegamesprocessesthrough Bogostsprocedurality,3.)bringinatleast4externalsourcesforsupportofyourclaims (includingBogost)4.)takeandcarefullyselectscreenshotstohelpillustrateyourpoints5.) analyzethegameinquestionprocedurallyusingtheresearchconducted.

WhatIsExpected?Myexpectationfromthisprojectisforyoutodothefollowing
thingssuccessfully.Doingexceptionallywellatthesethingswillmostlikelyleadtoanstronggradeon thisproject: 1. Setupthehistoryofthegame(developer,genre,platform,history) 2. BringinBogostsnotionofproceduralitytoanalyzethegameinquestioninawaythat makessenseforthekindofgameyoureworkingwith. 3. Provideplentyofdetailsandscreenshotsofthegameinquestion. 4. Makeconnectionsbetweentheoryandthegameitselftoshowrhetorical/procedural systemsatworkwithinthegameyouvechosen. 5. Bringeverythingtogetherintheendtoshowwhyandhowthegameyouvechosenis rhetorical/procedural,andwhyitmatters. NOTE:AnyconcernsIhaveaboutyourprojectwillbeaddressedbothduringourconferences andwhenyoureceiveyourprojectback.NothingguaranteesanAonmypapers,butanything thatkeepsyoufromanAIwilltomakeclearuponreturningpapers.Feelfreetoaskifyoustill havequestions.

WhyAreWeDoingThisProject?Alltoooften,weplaygameswithout
thinkingaboutthem.Sure,videogamesareallaboutafun,challenging,and/orimmersiveexperience,but videogamesarebuiltoncomputercode,andthatcodeconstrainswhatispossibleinavideogame. Gamesalsocontainallsortsofsystemseconomies,gameplaymechanics,storyelements,andfar more.Thisprojectisintendedtohelpyouseesomeoftheunderlyingsystemsatworkwithinthegames youloveandthegamesyouplay.Thatsaid,Idontwantthistobe,become,orseemlikeaproject designedtomakeyouhatevideogames.Imnotaskingyoutotearthemtobits,andyoudonot,and shouldnot,hateagametomakethepointsyouremakinganalysisdoesnothavetomeanrippingto shreds,norshouldit.Youshouldbeengagingthoughtfullywithagame(maybeevenoneyoutrulylove) andexaminingtheunderlyingrhetoric/processesinit.

Logistics
Youwillcompletethreedrafts(thefirstandthirdofwhichwewillworkshopinclass,thesecondyou willbringtomeinconferences),followedbyafinaldraft.All(4)willbeduetomeonthefinaldue date. Requirements: 2,000wordminimumforthewrittencomponent. Thisisahardlineminimum.Notmeetingtherequired2,000words(whichdoes notincludeheadersormarginalia)willresultinsteeppenaltiestoyourprojects grade. NOTE:Successfulprojectswillbecloserto810pages Formatting(VERYIMPORTANT): TimesNewRomanfont 12pointsize MLAheader Doublespaced

GradeBreakdown
This course focuses on process writing, and therefore, your final product will be graded as well as the progress you have made as a writer throughout this project. You will be expected to show meaningful signs of improvement with each draft. Your process grade will be determined by your growth as a writer in addition to a Process Memo we will fill out before this assignment is due where you assess yourowngrowthasawriter. FinalText:75%(150pts.) 50Points:ProceduralAnalysisofaVideogame 35Points:Research(effectiveintegration,choiceofsources,numberused,andeffort) 25Points:Proposalthecontentyoullbebringingtoourconference 25Points:UseofVisualElements(Screenshots,Images,Information) 15Points:Grammar/Proofreading/Polish Process:25%(50pts.) 12Points:Workshops&Participation 8Points:Completefinalpaperportfoliowithalldrafts&processmemo 30Points:Therelativequalityoftheimprovementsyoumadethroughthedrafts.

DraftsandDueDates
Proposal(orFirstDraft)DueforConferences:TuesdayFridayOctober8th11th SecondDraftWorkshop:Thursday,October17th ThirdDraftWorkshop:Thursday,October24th FINALDRAFTANDALLPREVIOUSDRAFTSDUE:Tuesday,October29th