This document outlines the course structure and requirements for a games and interactive media course. Students can choose from a variety of quests to complete, including creating game prototypes in groups, writing post-mortems to analyze prototype designs, participating in debates on game-related topics, writing research papers on prompts with different grading outcomes, doing research presentations, show-and-tell discussions, keeping game journals, reading articles and books, and participating in games like Mafia to explore concepts like meaningful play. The course aims to create an interactive learning environment focused on games and play.

1. WELCOME TO THE MAGIC
CIRCLE
Games and Interactive Media

2. A Different Kind of Course
 Create your own path to the grade you want
 Failure is an option

3. Quests
 Game Prototypes
 Debates
 Post Mortems
 Research Papers
 Research Presentations
 Show & Tell
 Game Journals
 Good Reads

4. Game Prototypes
 Created in groups of 3-5 people
 Non-digital
 We test and play them in class

5. Post Mortems
 Written after the final playtest of your game
prototype
 Each member is responsible for their own post
mortem
 Details the design process of the game
 Analyzes the good, bad and ugly of the process
 Muses about potential future options

6. Debates
 Against a fellow classmate
 Winner gets bonus insight points
 Topics vary, but are always game related

7. Research Papers
 Persuasive essays written on a given prompt
 Structure
 Intro paragraph
 Argument
 Conclusion
 3 possible outcomes
 Try again
 Average
 Awesome
 Don’t wait until the last minute

8. Research Presentations
 Once you have received an average or awesome
point level for a research paper, you can present it
to the class
 Be creative
 You can’t re-present the same topic, so make it count

9. Show & Tell
 Talking points
 They don’t require a lot of effort

10. Game Journals
 You should play games that you haven’t played
before
 Write about your experience
 If you play it and make some general
comments, you’ll get some points
 If you write something more in depth, you’ll get
more points
 Don’t play games by Hasbro, Parker Brothers, etc.

11. Good Reads & Reading
 It’s a relatively new field and we’re in the digital
age
 Buy Rules of Play if you’re serious about game
design
 I’ll post articles
 You can share articles too, and I’ll give you points
 Don’t post press releases, trivial reviews, etc.

12. So about this “Magic Circle”
 It’s a term we use to describe our willingness to play
within the constraints put on ourselves by a system
 Why do we do it?

13. This course is about meaningful play
 What makes play meaningful?

14. Mafia
 Don’t show your card to anyone, even if you die
 If your card is blank, you are a law abiding citizen
of this town
 If your card has a red dot, you are a member of
the mafia
 Each round, the mafia kills someone at night
 During the day, the towns people kill a suspect
 Last side standing wins

15. Let’s Create Play Groups

16. Questions?
 c.ewing@miami.edu
 Office Hours officially 10-12:30 on Monday
I am in my office more often, feel free to stop by
anytime

17. Up for a debate?