Course Syllabus

Looking for the game you are supposed to teach? Go here.

Professor Edward Castronova castro@indiana.edu
Office Hours: MW 12:10 - 1:10pm Office 030H Franklin

Don't contact the professor about things like attendance, assignments, etc. Talk to the TA first.

TA: Johnathan Anderson jsa10@iu.edu. Office Hours: T 3:30-5:30 Franklin Hall Commons. 

Hi and welcome to C210 Introduction to Games. It is a survey course that teaches a ton of general concepts about what games are, how they are made, and how they fit into society. The teaching method combines lectures, readings, and homeworks with in-class playing of board games. This is similar to a cinema class where the professor lectures for awhile and then shows a movie. Instead of the movie, you get a game. The board games are our main source of examples for the concepts talked about in lectures, homeworks, and readings. 

Before we get started, an important announcement: 

ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A MANDATORY GAME LAB ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11 FROM 8AM TO 2PM.

In the game lab we play a massive virus outbreak simulation that involves all 80 students. We need everybody for it to work. If you cannot make this event, you will have to drop the course. More information will be provided in class.

Your main guide to this class is the calendar. Just look on the calendar to see what is coming up in terms of quizzes, games, etc. 

GRADING

400 points graded in the usual 90 A - 80 B - 70 C scale. 

Attendance: 100 Points
Teach a Game: 100 Points
Quizzes: 100 Points
Homeworks: 100 Points

ATTENDANCE (100 pts)

Attendance is taken at the start and end of the class. First 2 absences are free, after that it is -25 points per absence.

TEACH A GAME (100 pts)

You teach one of the board games to other students. See 'Assignments.' Find the game you are teaching here.

QUIZZES (100 points)

At the end of each class, 10 minutes are reserved for a 10-point quiz. There are 13 quizzes; we will drop the lowest three.

HOMEWORKS (100 points)

After each class you get a short written assignment. The assignment is due at 11:59 pm on the day of class. You can do them earlier if you want, but most students just go home after class and do the homework, while the ideas are fresh. Each assignment is worth 10 points, but there are 13 assignments. The bottom three will be dropped.  

COURSE POLICIES

All students must join the Slack workspace for the BSc Game Design program. The Slack channel #c-210 is the official communications channel for this class. Students are expected to check the Slack channel once every 24 hours. Join at https://iu-games.slack.com/signup/ (Links to an external site.) using your IU email address.

Late assignments
Late work loses one full grade for each day past the deadline.

Grading philosophy
On rubric-based assignments, performance that is normal for an IU student will receive the second-highest score. The highest score is reserved for truly exceptional achievement and effort. The default grade for any percent-based assignment is 90%.

No phones
Unless expressly permitted by the instructor for class work, smartphones and laptops are not to be used. If a phone or laptop is observed to be in use, the instructor may look at the screen and tap on the student's  shoulder as a reminder of this policy. Repeated violations: The instructor will take the device and keep it on the lectern until the end of class. Breaking this rule can result in points being deducted from the overall grade, or failing the course.

Academic integrity
As a student at IU, you are expected to adhere to the standards detailed in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Links to an external site.) (Code). Academic misconduct is defined as any activity that tends to undermine the academic integrity of the institution. Violations include: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, interference, violation of course rules, selling notes, and facilitating academic dishonesty. When you submit an assignment with your name on it, you are signifying that the work contained therein is yours, unless otherwise cited or referenced. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged. All suspected violations of the Code will be reported to the Dean of Students and handled according to University policies. Sanctions for academic misconduct may include a failing grade on the assignment, reduction in your final course grade, and a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam, be sure to seek clarification from your instructor in advance.