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Art and Design: Games and Playable Media

2017-18 General Catalog

Digital Arts Research Center
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http://games.arts.ucsc.edu

Course Descriptions

Program Description

The Art and Design: Games and Playable Media (AGPM) Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at UCSC focuses on the creation of novel game systems, spaces, and configurations that can produce broad ranges of player experiences, for a wide variety of purposes. It does this through:

courses in related theory, history, and critical interpretation;
courses that take a practice-based approach to experimental game creation;
courses that provide a foundation in working with game media forms;
courses that provide a foundation in working with game technical materials.

This degree complements the Computer Science: Computer Game Design (CGD) Bachelor of Science (B.S.), which focuses particularly on the technical materials. The B.A. focuses more on experience design (in particular) as well as on history, theory, and media creation—while still taking advantage of courses developed for the B.S. and creating a shared community with those students.

Students in the AGPM major learn to understand game design as an art in and of itself, positioned within the context of a number of more disciplinary approaches. Furthermore, students understand game design as a practice of creation, within a much larger and deeper social and historical context.

The AGPM B.A. in the Arts Division ensures that students have the needed programming skills, and equally importantly, that they meld such technical skills with critical and historical understanding, which is essential for the production of socially conscious, inclusive, and emotionally engaging games.

Upper-division studio courses require coursework to be completed on computers. All students in the B.A. program are strongly encouraged to own a laptop computer. This expense is separate from the cost of tuition and other fees.

While pursuing coursework in the major, all students are to encouraged to build portfolios that showcase their growing body of work, with an emphasis on material from courses such as ARTG 80I, CMPM 80K, and ARTG 120, and CMPM 120.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)

Students who earn a B.A. in Art and Design: Games and Playable Media gain the skills, knowledge, and understanding that enable them to:

Program Learning Outcome (PLO) 1: Demonstrate understanding of the connections between technical commitments and game system design, on one hand, and player experience and cultural communication goals, on the other.

Examples: Choosing very responsive hardware (e.g., mouse, not Kinect) for an experience meant to give players a feeling of detailed control. Choosing a simulation game system (not an action game system) for a game meant to address issues of deforestation.

PLO 2: Demonstrate the ability to define, develop, and communicate artistically innovative game ideas—situated historically and employing the methods of multiple art practices.

Examples: Using storyboards or prototypes to describe a new type of in-game communication between players, intended to model and provide opportunities to reflect upon types of physical communication used under circumstances of surveillance, and compared with previous innovative uses of communication between players (e.g., Journey). Describing how the final game would use visual, musical, and voice-over narrative approaches to situate and reinforce the experience created through the communication and game systems.

PLO 3: Demonstrate the ability to design and build a technical system in response to an artistic goal for audience experience that employs a fundamental understanding of algorithms and data structures.

Examples: Considering appropriate algorithmic approaches to achieving a behavior for a game. Understanding the abstractions involved in representing information about a game so that it can be effectively manipulated by the system during play.

PLO 4: Demonstrate an understanding of game history and interpretation sufficient to do independent research on a topic, identify relevant games and secondary literature, think critically about a particular games-related topic, and make a convincing, research-based argument about games.

Examples: Making a strong argument about how Braid does and doesn't break with the mechanics and gender representation conventions of previous generations of platforming games. Making a strong argument about how Twine games and the Twine authoring community both recapitulate and break from earlier hypertext authoring arguments and movements.

PLO 5: Demonstrate the ability to collaboratively plan, organize, and execute complex, team-oriented projects, using appropriate communication and coordination techniques.

Examples: Realistic goal and task breakdown in post-greenlight planning process in ARTG 170. Effectively using Scrum and other communication techniques in ARTG 171.

PLO 6: Demonstrate the ability to effectively use techniques for understanding how players experience a game system, and to compare this with a project's artistic goals—then successfully iterate and revise project shape, scope, and function based on external feedback and personal/team constraints.

Examples: Using techniques from playtesting, human-computer interaction, and studio critique to understand what is and isn't working about an in-process game, then finding realistic ways to guide next steps that will be more likely to achieve project's artistic goals or discover compelling new directions.

Declaration of the Major

Prior to declaring the AGPM major, students must complete the following four Major Qualification courses with a grade of C or better:

ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)
ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)
CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design
CMPS 12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Laboratory

Note: CMPS 12B/M has computer science and mathematics prerequisites.

Students can take any of the different prerequisite pathways for CMPS 12B/M to qualify for the AGPM major.

Grades in these prerequisite courses for CMPS 12B/M are not considered in the major declaration process because they are not major qualification courses.

Students need to complete the Major Qualification courses early in their studies so that the petition to major status is accomplished by the end of their sophomore year.

Students receiving a C-, D+, D, D-, F or NP in one of the major qualification courses or associated labs may only declare once they have passed the same or equivalent course or lab with a grade of C or better.

Students who receive more than one grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F or NP in the major qualification courses can only declare the major through the portfolio appeal process.

Major Qualification by Portfolio Appeal

The program faculty will conduct a quarterly review of portfolios for students who have passed the four major qualification courses, and wish to enter the major, but have not met the requirement with a grade of C or better across all classes.

The portfolio consists of a written statement and a link to an online portfolio of supporting materials, sent via email to the AGPM undergraduate adviser.

The written statement should answer the following questions:

Why do you want to pursue this major, specifically?
What kinds of games have inspired you?
What kinds of games do you wish to make?
How does your work demonstrate this intent?

The online portfolio may include:

Samples of fine art drawing and painting of characters, environments and objects for game design ideas
Storyboards that communicate a narrative or user experience flow
Prototypes (paper or digital) that demonstrate knowledge of how games are constructed and how game designs work
Completed games (digital or non-digital) that can be experienced directly

The objective of the review is to admit students who demonstrate, as evidenced in their portfolio and statement, that their intentions and achievements are most compatible with the mission, standards, goals, and specializations of the AGPM B.A. The faculty is looking for vitality, commitment, resilience and skill, or signs of potential for the development of these things.

Remaining courses and concerns about time to degree are also taken into consideration.

Within 15 days of this review, the faculty will notify the students, the Arts Division, college, and the Office of the Registrar of their decision.

Major Requirements

The AGPM major requires a minimum of six lower-division and 13 upper-division courses in residence and satisfaction of the senior comprehensive requirement.

1. Major Qualification Courses

Complete the following four courses:

ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)

ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)

CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design

CMPS 12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Laboratory

Note: CMPS 12B/M has Computer Science and Mathematics prerequisites.

2. Arts Requirements and Electives

Check with course home departments and General Catalog for availability, prerequisites, or enrollment restrictions.

Complete this one Film and Digital Media course:

FILM 80V, Video Games as Visual Culture (PE-T)

Complete one History of Art and Visual Culture course from the following:

HAVC 30, Introduction to European Visual Culture (IM)

HAVC 41, Modern Art in Context (IM)

HAVC 43, History of Modern Architecture (IM)

HAVC 44, Designing California: Architecture, Design, and Environment (PE-E)

HAVC 45, Photography Now (IM)

HAVC 46, Intro. to U.S. Art and Visual Culture (ER)

HAVC 49, A Short History of the Digital(PE-T)

HAVC 118, Art of the Contemporary African Diaspora (ER)

HAVC 124E, Southeast Asian-American Visual Culture (ER)

HAVC 135B, German Art, 1905–1945 (IM)

HAVC 135H, Topics in European and Euro-American Visual Culture (IM)

HAVC 140A, America in Art (IM)

HAVC 140C, Race and American Visual Arts (ER)

HAVC 140D, Chicano/Chicana Art: 1970–Present (ER)

HAVC 140P, Pop Culture as High Art (IM)

HAVC 141A, Modern Art: Realism to Cubism (IM)

HAVC 141B, Death, Desire, and Modernity (formerly Modern Art: Cubism to Pop) (IM)

HAVC 141C, Modern Art: Pop to Present (IM)

HAVC 141E, Histories of Photography (IM)

HAVC 141F, The Camera and the Body (IM)

HAVC 141H, Media History and Theory (IM)

HAVC 141I, Environments, Installations, Sites (IM)

HAVC 141J, Critical Issues in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture (IM)

HAVC 141K, Activist Art Since 1960: Art, Technology, Activism (IM)

HAVC 141M, Contemporary Documentary Art(PE-T

HAVC 141N, Deconstructing Data (PE-T)

HAVC 142, Contemporary Art and Ecology (PE-T)

HAVC 143B, History of Urban Design (IM)

HAVC 143C, Latin American Modern Architecture (CC)

HAVC 143E, History of Design: The Objects of Technology, 1850–Present (PE-T)

HAVC 143G, After Utopia: Architecture and the City, 1968–Present (PE-E)

Complete one lower-division course from the following:

Check with Art department and catalog for restrictions or prerequisites on ART courses.

ART 10D, 2D Foundation (IM)

ART 10E, 3D Foundation (IM)

ART 10F, 4D Foundation (IM)

ARTG 80G, Visual Communication and Interaction Design (IM)

MUSC 1C, University Concert Choir (PR-E)

MUSC 2, University Orchestra (PR-E)

MUSC 3, Large Jazz Ensemble

MUSC 5A, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Beginning (PR-C)

MUSC 5B, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Intermediate (PR-C)

MUSC 5C, West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble: Advanced (PR-C)

MUSC 8A, Beginning Balinese Gamelan (PR-C)

MUSC 9, Wind Ensemble (PR-C)

MUSC 10, Eurasian Ensemble (PR-C)

THEA 14, Drawing (PR-C)

THEA 15, Special Topics in Textiles (PR-C)

THEA 17, Costume Construction (PR-C)

THEA 18, Drafting for Theatrical Production

THEA 19, Design Studio: Lighting Studio A (PR-C)

THEA 20, Introductory Studies in Acting (IM)

THEA 21A, Acting Studio IA: Psychological Realism

THEA 21B, Acting Studio IB: Actors’ Physicality

THEA 22, Indonesian Dance and Drama (CC—Cross Cultural)

THEA 30, Introduction to Dance Theory and Technique (PR-C)

THEA 31C, The Dance Experience (PR-C)

THEA 33C, Dance Studio I

THEA 36, Introduction to Dance Composition (PR-C)

THEA 37, African Dance (PR-C)

THEA 40, Introduction to Directing (IM)

THEA 50, Fundamentals of Theater Production

THEA 80Z, Indian Dance (CC)

3. Game Design Requirements

Complete all of the following courses:

CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E—Practice: Collaborative Endeavor)

ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)

ARTG 170, Game Design Studio I (DC)

ARTG 171, Game Design Studio II (7 credits)

ARTG 172, Game Design Studio III (7 credits)

4. Media Creation Electives

Check with course home departments and catalog for availability, prerequisites, or enrollment restrictions. ART courses may have restrictions or prerequisites. FILM courses have prerequisites and/or require an application, and are generally restricted to Film and Digital Media majors. MUSC courses are restricted to electronic music minors.

Complete three courses from the following:

ART 101, Introduction to Computer Programming for the Arts

ART 102, Interactive Arts

ART 103, Physical Computing: Installation and Sculpture

ART 104, Digital Video

ART 106A, Introduction to 2D Animation

ART 106E, Introduction to 3D Modeling and Animation

ART 108, New Media and Social Practice Artmaking

ARTG 118, Digital Drawing and Painting for Game Design (may be repeated for credit)

ARTG 129, Special Topics in Game Design (may be repeated for credit)

DANM 140, Introduction to 3D Printing, Laser-cutting and More (PR-C, also offered as Art 105)

FILM 170A, Introduction to Digital Media Production (PR-C) *

FILM 171D, Social Information Spaces**

FILM 173, Narrative Digital Media Workshop**

FILM 177, Digital Media Workshop, Computer as Medium**

FILM 179A, Special Topics in Animation***

FILM 179B, Documentary Animation Workshop***

FILM 189, Advanced Topics in Digital and Electronic Media Studies*

MUSC 123, Electronic Sound Synthesis

MUSC 124, Intermediate Electronic Sound Synthesis

MUSC 125, Advanced Electronic Sound Synthesis

MUSC 167, Workshop in Electronic Music

THEA 104, Multimedia Authoring

THEA 106, Digital Illustration

THEA 114, Design Studio: Sound (PR-C)

THEA 157, Playwriting

THEA 159, Advanced Playwriting

*Prerequisite is FILM 20C or Computer Science 101 or Computer Science 109

**Prerequisite is FILM 170A

***By application. Recommended prerequisite is FILM 170A

5. Game Design/Human-Computer Interaction Electives

Complete four of the following:

CMPM 131, User Experience for Interactive Media

CMPM 146, Game AI

CMPM 148, Interactive Storytelling

CMPM 176, Game Systems

CMPM 177, Creative Strategies for Designing Interactive Media

CMPM 178, Human-Centered Design Research (PR-C)

CMPM 179, Game Design Practicum (PR-C, also offered as ARTG 179, may be repeated for credit)

CMPS 121, Mobile Applications

CMPS 183, Web Applications

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division disciplinary communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in Art and Design: Games and Playable Media is satisfied by completing ARTG 170.

Comprehensive Requirement

Students satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement by receiving a passing grade in all three courses of the game design studio sequence (ARTG 170, 171, and 172). This sequence will meet in collaboration with CMPM 170, 171, and 172.

Art and Design: Games and Playable Media Major Planner

The following is a recommended academic plan for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the AGPM major.

Art and Design: Games and Playable Media B.A.

	Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
Year One (Frosh)	ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)	CMPS 5J, Introduction to Programming: Java (MF)	CMPS 11, Intermediate Programming (MF)
	College Core (C1)	CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design (IM)
	^MATH 3, Precalculus (MF); or Elective	College Core (C1)	General Ed (SI—Scientific Inquiry)
Year Two (Soph)	CMPS 12B/M, Data Structures/Lab (MF)	FILM 80V, Video Games as Visual Culture (PE-T)	*CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E)	*CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E)
	Lower-Division Arts Elective (Suggested: ARTG 80G**)(IM)	General Ed (C2)	*ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)	*ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)
	ART 80H, History of Digital Games	Elective	General Ed (TA—Textual Analysis)

^ The prerequisite for CMPS 11 can be satisfied in any of the following ways: successfully passing MATH 3, MATH 11A, MATH 19A, AMS 3, AMS 11A, ECON 11A, or a score of 400 or higher on the mathmatics placement examination.
* ARTG 120 and CMPM 120 May be taken in spring or summer quarter (if offered in summer).
**ARTG 80G, while not a requirement for the AGPM BA, is recommended for providing useful knowledge for the major.

Transfer Students

In preparation for transfer to AGPM, students are advised to:

Complete programming courses equivalent to UCSC’s CMPS 12B/M at their community college as it will allow students to follow the two-year plan shown below.
Take art, design, and game design courses to be able to submit a portfolio that demonstrates the ability to succeed within the major.
Complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to satisfy freshman/sophomore level general education requirements before transferring.

Students must apply to the program in April of the year before coming to UCSC. The mechanism for acceptance to the degree program is to develop a comprehensive proposal packet including an application form, a portfolio, unofficial transcript(s), and an artist’s statement, with optional letters of recommendation. We do not admit junior transfers mid-year; students must enter in fall of their junior year. Complete information on the Junior Transfer application process is available at the program website.

Because of the number of credits required in the B.A., it may take junior transfers longer to complete all major requirements; however, summer session courses and/or additional courses over the academic year may allow a student who does not have recommended courses upon transfer to still graduate within two years. There are no foreign language requirements.

Transfer students are strongly advised to attend a UCSC Summer Orientation session for transfer students. Transfer students must consult with an AGPM academic adviser prior to enrolling in classes to determine their status and to begin the declaration of major process as soon as possible.

The following is a recommended academic plan for junior transfer students:

	Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
Year Three (Junior)	Lower Division Arts Elective (Suggested: ARTG 80G (IM))	CMPM 80K, Foundations of Video Game Design (IM)	*CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E)	*CMPM 120, Game Development Experience (PR-E)
	ARTG 80H, History of Digital Games (PE-T)	FILM 80V, Video Games as Visual Culture (PE-T)	*ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)	*ARTG 120, Game Design Experience (PR-E)
	ARTG 80I, Foundations of Play (PE-H)	GD/HCI Elective 1	GD/HCI Elective 2
Year Four (Senior)	ARTG 170 (DC), Game Design Studio I	ARTG 171, Game Design Studio II	ARTG 172, Game Design Studio III
	Media Creation Elective 1	Media Creation Elective 2	Media Creation Elective 3
	HAVC Elective	GD/HCI Elective 3	GD/HCI Elective 4

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement. The DC Requirement in art and design: games and playable media is satisfied by completing ARTG 170.

Comprehensive Requirement

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Revised: 09/01/17