Theory and Practice of Game Design Syllabi - The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game - page 26

Multiplayer Classroom Syllabus
Now, let

s have a look at the syllabus I wrote for the same class in the fall of
2009 (see Figure 3.2). The content in the course would remain the same. But
this document would be the students

'

' first detailed look at the multiplayer

classroom.

To prepare them for what was to come, I stated simply, “ This class is designed

as a multiplayer game. But what could I adapt from the earlier syllabus, and

what should remain the same? It was going to be a two-headed horse whatever
I did, but I knew I wanted to grab students immediately with the game
material.

�

First of all, the “ Description � section of the class had no reason to change. It was

the “ Format and Grading Procedure � sections that would require the most

thought.

I wanted to retain the listing of topics for discussion in the semester, but it
wouldn t fit with the game jargon I would be using in the section, so I moved it

to the end, right before the Reading List. Then I jettisoned everything else.

'

I still held back from descending entirely into gamer jargon. The word
“ And I offered

translations so they could see how the jargon would map to actions they
would normally be expected to perform in class. While all students in the class
had played video games, they had played a wide variety of types and not all
students were hardcore gamers. Even so, as you can see from what follows,
things began to change dramatically.

monsters, � for example, would more properly be “ mobs. �

Taking quizzes and the midterm exam became “ defeating monsters. � Writing

papers became “ crafting. � Class presentations where students presented the day ' s

reading assignment became “ quests. �

All students were still required to do their reading homework, and five pop
quizzes tested that they had done so. The class presentations took the place of
my lectures on the reading. Depending upon the length of a reading selection, an
individual student (solo quest), two students not in the same guild (pick-up
group), or an entire guild would be responsible for presenting the material. As
you ll see when we move to the next level in this topic, this idea would need

some massaging.

'