History, Culture and Foundation of Games (9751.3)

Please note these are the 2019 details for this unit
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History, Culture and Foundation of Games
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Arts And Communications Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit provides the key components to understand how the games industry has evolved and currently operates. This will be achieved through an analysis of the history of video games and the role games play in society. Core to this understanding is knowledge of areas such as existing works, genres, job roles, key studios and influential designers.

This unit aims to give students the theoretical and practical knowledge required to participate in the games industry. Participants will gain insight into the games industry including its history, role in society and structure. This will be achieved through a study of key contemporary and historical influential designers, studios, game franchises and genres.


Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify and review the history of console, arcade and computer games and how they impact on our society and aspects where society has influenced computer games;

2. Identify and interpret key concepts of games through the review and analysis of established games literature;
3. Discover and engage with the games industry Identifying its dialogue, context and culture;
4. Summarise games and the games industry; including key factors such as games genres, major influential games franchises, job roles, key studios and influential designers; and
5. Employ written and oral communication skills in a professional and academic context.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings


Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None

Equivalent units

None

Assumed knowledge

None.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
Not available

Required texts

  • DeMaria, Rusel, and Johnny L. Wilson. High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2004.
  • Dietz, Tracy L. An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games:Implications for gender socialization and aggressive behavior. Sex roles 38, no. 5-6 (1998): 425-442.
  • Harris, Blake J., and Seth Rogen. Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation.
  • Lule, Jack. Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Edition, 2014.
  • Michael, David. Serious Games Games That Educate, Train and Inform. Boston, Mass.: Thomson Course Technology, 2006.
  • Novak, Jeannie. Game Development Essentials: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar, 2012.
  • Novak, Jeannie, and Michael E. Moore. Game Development Essentials: Game Industry Career Guide. Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar Learning; 2009.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

Students should endeavour to maintain at least 80% attendance for all lectures and tutorials. Lectures and tutorials are designed to scaffold student learning and assist students to complete their Assignment tasks. If there is a legitimate reason for an absence, then the lecturer should be emailed as a courtesy to explain the absence.

Additionally, students are expected to engage in an additional 4-7hrs of work per week for the unit, which excludes the lectures and tutorials (approximately 80hrs over a semester).

Required IT skills

This unit assumes IT and media production skills in line with the prerequisite units. Students should be comfortable designing, developing and producing digital media in a range of forms.

Work placement, internships or practicums

Not Applicable