Theory and Practice of Game Design Class - The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game - page 38

anything. Like their choices or not, these are their choices. It provides them with
a sense of ownership and gives them a stake in the game, even as it may drive
more consistency-minded, aesthetically aware designers, teachers, and players
up the wall. Other than the usual list of offensive words, let them do it. Don t

fight it. Embrace it! Somebody who wants to name her avatar Zombie
Apocalypse should have that privilege.
Players took turns pitching their game premises to the class. Everyone then
voted on which premises they liked the best. The highest five vote-getters
became the games they would design.

'

I asked players to list their choices for which game they would like to work on in
order of preference and to list what roles they would like to play. Listed in Table 4.1
are the guild names they chose and the titles of the games they would be
designing.
And we were off. First, playing Senet ; then crafting an analysis of its gameplay.
Random dice rolls determined who would be responsible for the next class
sessions quests. Much to my surprise, the students not only did not mind this

element of chance, but they accepted it. More than that, they seemed to enjoy it,
commenting on the dice rolls as they would the tricks chance played on them in
games.

'

The first reading quizzes in the guise of surprise attacks by mobs wiped almost
the entire player base.

Table 4.1 Guilds and Games

Guilds Games

Slug Machine BulletWounds

Apocalypse Later City State

Anytime Football TouchdownDice

The Church of Fonz Solar Race

The Shogunate 5 Rings

Magma Volcano