Untitled Document

Interested in computer games? Thinking about postgraduate study?

The playing club is an extra-curricula seminar designed for undergraduates interested in games studies. The format is simple: 12 weeks, 12 games; you play, we discuss.

Each week you will be given a key computer game from across the spectrum of genres and the history of the medium. Alongside this, a research theme or topic. After a weeks’ play, we get together and talk, developing an understanding of the central themes of games research and preparing you for entering postgraduate study in this exciting new field, including the proposed MA in Computer Games Studies (please note that this course has yet to be approved and validated).

We’ll provide the games, topics and access to internationally published games researchers and developers working right here in the University. You provide the commitment to twelve weeks of critical play and discussion.

The draft topics and games are as follows:

Rules, configuration and gameplay structures	Wipeout / Starcraft
The comparative media approach to game studies	Max Payne / Planescape Torment
Ludology	Ico / Shadow of the Colussus
Time and Space	Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Immersion	Silent Hill
Play and players	X3
Fun	Myst
Story	S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Cultures and economies	Civilisation 2
Social and political dimensions	Tomb Raider
Anthropology and ethnography	The Sims
Expanded models of gaming	t.b.c.

Rules, regulations and how it's all going to work:

This is an extra-curricula seminar series that will operate outside normal teaching hours (the proposed timeslot is 4pm-6pm on a Wednesday) throughout semester 2.
There is no assessment and it will not contribute towards your grades or credits.
You will, however, be expected to commit fully to the project. Non-attendance, or lack of contribution will result in you being replaced with one of the reserve list participants. This only works if everyone is actively attending and contributing.
Each week you will receive a copy of a game. It is your responsibility to take care of this game. If it is lost or damaged you will be required to replace it.
You will be expected to be running hardware of a reasonable standard. We cannot supply any PC hardware. There may be occasions where we will supply console hardware – the same responsibility for care and replacement is expected of you in these cases. If games require special patches or emulators for older titles, we will supply and check these applications.
If you fail to replace or return items supplied by the due date, you will not be able to graduate.

How to apply:

Click here to download the application form. Fill it out and email it to dan.pinchbeck@port.ac.uk by Friday 30th November