Doctoral course - Envisioning Tomorrow's Games: A Dive into Speculative Game Design
Event information
Time
-
Location
Schedule
Wednesday 29.5 Tellus Frost Club from 9am to 15.30pm
Thursday 30.5 Sara and Vanamo (Science Garden meeting rooms, Botanical gardens) from 9am to 15.30pm
Extent
2 ECTS
Abstract
This course introduces speculative game design to participating students. The course will cover basic principles of speculative design and game design, where participants will learn how to analyze of trends and forecasting future gaming landscapes, and craft alternative narratives in traditional and futuristic gaming scenarios. Participants will also investigate the impact of emerging technologies, such as, Generative AI, AR/VR/XR, into speculative gameplay. Hands-on sessions include developing prototypes of game concepts through physical, tangible, and digital tools. Participants will also learn about ideation, mind mapping, development of GDD document, story boarding, level design, game mechanics and animatic.
Course Details
Welcome to "Envisioning Tomorrow's Games: A Dive into Speculative Game Design," an immersive course that delves into the exciting realm of speculative game design. This course begins by laying the foundation through an in-depth exploration of the fundamental principles underlying speculative game design. Participants will gain insights into analyzing current trends while peering into the crystal ball to forecast the future landscapes of gaming. A pivotal aspect of this course involves the art of crafting alternative narratives within both traditional and futuristic gaming scenarios through board games as well as digital games. Participants will traverse the realms of imagination, learning to create captivating storylines and worlds that transcend conventional gaming boundaries.
Moreover, this course will be a frontier for investigating the transformative impact of emerging technologies on speculative gameplay. Through a series of hands-on sessions, participants will engage in the development of prototypes using a diverse array of physical, tangible, and digital tools. From ideation to mind mapping, from the development of game design document to story boarding, level design, game mechanics, and animatic creation, every step will be explored and practiced. The course structure is designed to nurture creativity, providing participants with practical experiences to channel their ideas into tangible game concepts. By fostering an environment of experimentation and learning, this course aims to empower participants to bring their speculative game visions to life. Get ready to explore game design as a tool for research purpose as well as a tool to generate knowledge needed to shape the future of the gaming world.
Note: This course aims to foster creativity, critical thinking, and innovation in game design. Students will delve into uncharted territories of gaming, exploring the boundaries of imagination while considering the ethical, social, and technological implications of their creations. Collaboration and open-mindedness are key to succeeding in this speculative journey into game design.
Course Materials
- Reading materials on speculative design, future studies, and gaming trends.
- Access to game development tools, VR/AR devices, and software for prototyping
- Case studies on successful speculative game designs and their impact
Course (tentative) schedule
May 29th Wednesday
9-11am: Introduction to the seminar and topics
11-12pm: Hands-on practical design session
12-1pm: Lunch break
1-2pm: lecture – analysing trends and crafting future narratives
2-3.30pm: Group work
May 30th Thursday
9-10.30am: Lecture – speculative game design
10.30-12pm: Hands-on practical session on tangible prototype development
12-1pm: Lunch break
1-2.30pm: Hands-on practical design session
2.30-3.30pm: Seminar wrap-up, next steps
Instructor Information
Dr. Charu Monga
Assistant Professor and Founder Media Tech Lab
Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Short Bio
Charu Monga, an Assistant Professor and founder of the Media Tech Lab in department of Design at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, is a pioneering force in design for children, design fiction, filmmaking, animation, speculative game design, graphic narratives and design futures. With a passion for narrative approaches, she explores the convergence of storytelling and communication in new media. Her research delves into virtualization techniques for cultural construction in education. As an expert in both academia and creative realms, Charu shapes futures by melding imaginative design with emerging interactive technologies.