The Art, Science and Business of Games

OVERVIEW
This course examines the interplay of art, science, and commerce in the production, marketing, distribution, and consumption of historical and contemporary videogames. It combines perspectives on media industries and systems with an examination of the creative process, the audience, and trends shaping content. There will be invited discussions with industry leaders in various subject areas. Creating a prototype and marketing program will illustrate the challenges of producing videogames in a professional context. Meets with CMS.922 but assignments differ.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The past thirty years have changed the media environment markedly. Smaller, more powerful microprocessors and graphics chips, coupled with a wide variety of related transmission technologies and input devices have changed the way that many consumers now choose to spend their leisure time. The choices available today compared to just one or two generations ago are dramatic and only promise to increase in the years ahead. The focus of this course is on the most rapidly growing segment of new media—videogames. The sales of videogames now exceeds the domestic Box Office for Hollywood movies. What is the videogames industry and how does it operate? What creative processes and business decisions go into shaping the development of a commercially successful game? How do industry insiders handle the mix of art, science and business necessary to make commercially successful games?

This class will look at the history, people, and seminal programs of the games industry as well as examine the societal implications of videogames. Student will also develop a critical appreciation of the creative process, developmental requirements, and marketing of videogames domestically and internationally.

There will be guest lectures by media leaders intimately involved in the videogames industry where students will have a unique opportunity to learn from, and interact with, some of the most important people in the industry today—from designers and programmers to publishers and musicians.