History of Games
GAM 206 (601)

Marcus Schaefer

Syllabus

• GAM 206 consists of 4 main units; each unit will consist of 4 sessions: a history session, a game session, a play session, and a source session.

Week 1	Introduction: Games, History and Gameplay
Week 2-3	Unit 1: Egypt and Race Games
Week 4-5	Unit 2: Chess in Medieval Europe
Week 6-7	Unit 3: Gambling in America

Week 8-9

Unit 4: Japanese video games: games as mass culture

Week 10

Conclusion

• detailed schedule with reading list  (subject to change)

Research Paper

Schedule:

  4/9: pick game

  4/23: preliminary bibliography

  5/5: game analysis

  5/14: annotated bibliography

  5/28: thesis statement

  6/11: final paper

Readings, Supplies and Links

• there is not textbook, required readings will be based on hardcopies or online materials
• for Unit 4 you need to purchase a deck of Pokemon Trading Cards, available at large retailers (or amazon); Pokemon group leaders need the decks earlier
• readings can be found as part of the detailed schedule (tba)
• this course is a COL course, that is you'll be able to watch recordings of the class lectures; log in at colweb
• references (for readings and additional material)
• links page for movies, fictions, etc. related to games. If you come across anything interesting, let me know and I will add it.

Classes and office hours

The class meets MW 1:30-3:00pm , Lewis 1108.

My office hours are MW 12:30-1:15. 

During that time you can find me in the CS&TC building, room 749.

If you want to set up an appointment at another time, or simply ask a question,

send email to mschaefer@cdm.depaul.edu.

Grading and Assessment

Quizzes: 20% (best 10 out of 13),
Gameplay Leader: 25%,
Participation: 15%,
Research project: 40% (preliminary bibliography: 5%, annotated bibliography, 10%, game analysis paper: 10%, final paper: 15%)

Attendance and active participation are important in this class, in particular in the game playing sessions. Non-attendance of a game playing session will result in no credit for the respective unit. More than two unexcused absences will result in a 50% reduction of the participation grade. More that 4 will result in no participation credit.

Gameplay leader credit requires your presence at the gameplay leader session (4/7) and the gameplay and discussion sections of your unit. Sign-up for gameplay leader will start first day.

Each student will complete a research project on a game of their choice (a game not covered in class). The game must date from before 1960. There will be several parts to this project, including a bibliography (preliminary and annotated), an analysis of the game play, and the final paper. Details will be given later in the quarter.

I will use the following grading scheme:

For general information, see the class syllabus.

The central U. P. learning goal is to help you become literate about the past and the methods used to understand the past. DePaul considers that this learning goal is achieved if you are able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes in your written work, exams, and/or contributions to class discussions:

Academic Honesty

• The course adheres to the university guideline on Academic Integrity Policy:
  • Cheating is any action that violates university norms or instructor's guidelines for the preparation and submission of assignments. This includes but is not limited to unauthorized access to examination materials prior to the examination itself; use or possession of unauthorized materials during the examination or quiz; having someone take an examination in one's place; copying from another student; unauthorized assistance to another student; or acceptance of such assistance.
  • Plagiarism is a major form of academic dishonesty involving the presentation of the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following: 
    • The direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or part, without proper acknowledgment that it is someone else's. 
    • Copying of any source in whole or part with only minor changes in wording or syntax, even with acknowledgment. 
    • Submitting as one's own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment that has been prepared by someone else. This includes research papers purchased from any other person or agency. 
    • The paraphrasing of another's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment.
• A charge of cheating and/or plagiarism is always a serious matter.  If proven, it can result in an automatic F in the course and possible expulsion.
• The use of others' web/publication content (text, graphics, codes) is regarded as plagiarism without giving credit (see the above description of plagiarism). 
• When you directly quote someone's work, you must put it in quotation marks. Without such quotations and reference, it is regarded as an act of plagiarism (see the above description of plagiarism).
• Using materials that the student prepared for other purposes (e.g., another course or for his/her work) needs the course instructor's prior permission.

Incomplete

An incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as a death in the family, a serious illness, etc. Any such reason must be documented. Any incomplete request must be made at least two weeks before the final, and approved by the Dean of the School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems. Any consequences resulting from a poor grade for the course will not be considered as valid reasons for such a request.