Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative
- 4.6
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Approx. 21 hours to complete
Course Summary
This course explores the principles of interactive media and gaming, covering topics such as game design, development, and marketing.Key Learning Points
- Learn the fundamental principles of game design and development.
- Develop skills in game marketing and monetization.
- Gain an understanding of interactive media and its impact on society.
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop skills in game design and development
- Understand the impact of interactive media on society
- Gain knowledge of game marketing and monetization strategies
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of programming
- Access to a computer with internet connection
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online self-paced course
- Video lectures and quizzes
- Interactive assignments and projects
Similar Courses
- Game Design: Art and Concepts
- Video Game Design and Development
- Game Theory
Related Education Paths
- Master of Science in Computer Science at Northeastern University
- Master of Professional Studies in Digital Media at Northeastern University
Notable People in This Field
- Jane McGonigal
- Jesse Schell
- Ian Bogost
Related Books
Description
Intended for both newcomers who are curious about video games and experienced gamers who want to reflect on their passion, this course will explore what happens to stories, paintings, and films when they become the basis of massively multiplayer online games. The Lord of the Rings trilogy—the novels, films, and video game—are our central example of how “remediation” transforms familiar stories as they move across media.
Outline
- Game on! The History and Theory of MMOs
- Course Introduction
- Games as Culture
- LOTRO Gameplay: Epic Quest Line, Book 1
- Remediation
- Types of Video and Computer Games
- A Brief History of Games
- Juul: Emergence and Progression
- Juul: Rules and Fiction
- Cavafy's "Ithaca"
- Course Overview
- Week 1 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 1 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 1 Standard Quiz and this quiz)
- LOTRO and Tolkien
- Modes of Storytelling
- LOTRO Gameplay: Frodo and the Prancing Pony
- Tolkien's Life and Works
- Tolkien's Popularity
- Themes in Tolkien's Writing
- Quests as Structural Elements of Games
- The Quester and the Quest
- Part 1: Roland's Psyche
- Part 2: Elements of the Quest Romance
- Part 3: The Poem's Lyric Nature
- Week 2 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 2 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 2 Standard Quiz, this quiz, and the Week 2 Peer Review)
- Romance and Realism
- Gameplay: The Chamber of Mazarbul
- Genres of Romance
- The Romance Circle
- Allegory Defined
- Tolkien on Allegory
- Genre and Plot Forms
- Lost in an Episodic Plot
- Wandering and Doubling in Romance
- Issues of Theme and Content
- Flat vs. Round Characters
- Daemonic Characters and Romance Character Systems
- Keats, "La Belle Dame sans Merci" I
- Keats, "La Belle Dame sans Merci" II
- Week 3 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 3 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 3 Standard Quiz and this quiz)
- Space and Time in Three Media
- Mental Models and Cognitive Mapping in Narrative
- Storyworlds
- Spatial Issues in Film
- Gameplay: Spatial Issues in Immersive Games (Stone Trolls)
- Point of View in Novels and Films
- Point of View in Games
- Temporal Order I: Introduction
- Temporal Order II: Film
- Temporal Order III: Painting
- Temporal Order IV: Gaming
- Week 4 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 4 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 4 Standard Quiz, this quiz, and the Week 4 Peer Review)
- Pwning Spenser’s Faerie Queene
- Introduction to Spenser
- Spenser, the Man and the Poet
- The Faerie Queene, Book III, Canto 1, Stanzas 1-7
- The Faerie Queene, Book III, Canto 1, Stanzas 8-19
- The Faerie Queene, Book III, Canto 1, Stanzas 20-40
- The Faerie Queene, Book III, Canto 1, Stanzas 41-67
- Gameplay: Faerie Queene Online
- Week 5 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 5 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 5 Standard Quiz and this quiz)
- The Holy Grail: A Good End Game
- Beginnings, Middles, and Ends I
- Beginnings, Middles, and Ends II
- Fellowship's End
- The Many Ends of The Lord of the Rings I
- The Many Ends of The Lord of the Rings II
- Gameplay: Helm's Deep and the Breaking of Isengard
- Quest's End: Tennyson's "Ulysses" I
- Quest's End: Tennyson's "Ulysses" II
- Optional: Valedictory Video
- Week 6 Standard Quiz (All students complete this quiz)
- Week 6 Honors Quiz (Honors students complete the Week 6 Standard Quiz, this quiz, and the Week 6 Peer Review)
Summary of User Reviews
Read reviews for the Interactive Media & Gaming course on Coursera. Learners have praised the course for its engaging and interactive approach. Many users have found the course to be well-structured and informative, with a good balance of theory and practical work.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
The course is engaging and interactive.Pros from User Reviews
- Well-structured and informative
- Good balance of theory and practical work
- Engaging and interactive approach
- Great for beginners in the field of gaming
- Instructors are knowledgeable and passionate
Cons from User Reviews
- Some learners found the course too basic
- Course materials can be repetitive
- Not enough emphasis on advanced topics
- Some technical issues with the platform
- Limited interaction with other learners
Jay Clayton
4.6 Raiting
Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative
- 4.6
-
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The Lord of the Rings trilogy—the novels, films, and video game—are our central example of how “remediation” transforms familiar stories as they move across media....
Electronic Literature
- 0.0
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Interactive Fiction. Chatterbots. Hypertext and kinetic poetry. Explore these avant garde forms and other new media in this exciting class. Love letters generated by a computer....
