ALW251 - Writing for Games: Designing Quests and Characters
Unit details
| Year | 2018 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit chair: | Nic Velissaris |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Contact hours: | Campus: 1 x 2 hour Seminar per week Cloud (online): Learning experiences are via CloudDeakin |
Content
What is the role of the writer in digital storytelling? In this age of “gamification,” what are the new constraints and opportunities presented to writers or storytellers by digital narratives? This unit invites students to explore how gaming culture involves the telling of stories in both ancient and innovative ways. Learning about the narrative pattern of the fantasy quest and the enduring importance of character, students will explore various fantasy games to identify how the quest narrative and characterisation play structural roles. They will also use basic software to design their own quest narrative, working in teams to develop an appreciation of the cross-modal and collaborative practice of games writers. (No coding experience necessary.)
Assessment
1 x research essay on case studies, 1600 words, 40%
1 x text-based quest narrative (program provided), equivalent 1600 words, 40%
1 x evaluative report on games writing industry, 800 words, 20%