ESA206 Computer Games - RPG & Strategy

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2005
Extent and Intensity
0/2. 4 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. David Filip, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Osolsobě, Ph.D.
Department of Aesthetics – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Petr Osolsobě, Ph.D.
Timetable
Wed 8:20–9:55 49
Prerequisites
fair passive English
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Computer Game (CG) as a cultural phenomenon. Meditations on function of and on the responses of the contemporary society to CGs. Defence of CG as a "new pulp". Analysis of mimetic strategies of CGs based on concrete examples from Role Playing (RPG) and Strategy Games.
Syllabus
  • 1. CG as a phenomenon of the contemporary culture. Complex multimedia structures. Fan & Player communities. Comparison of CG Playing with other Cultural Activities as Reading Books, Watching TV (or other media at home), Going to Cinema/Theatre, Shopping, Eating in Expensive Restaurants, Partaking in Public Cultural Ocassions etc.

    2. What is or could be the function of a good CG in the contemporary Society. Is it that bad to become a Player?

    3. Are the CGs "new pulp"? Is the Playership worth of a Defence? Comparison with the famous succesful Defences of trashy or pulp fiction (Arthur Conan Doyle, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Jack London, Josef Váchal, Karel apek, Witold Gombrowicz; Stanisaw Lem, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark etc.)

    4. Model & Reality in Science, Fiction and Gaming. Mimetic Strategies & Systems. Credibility of Story in Fiction & Gaming. First & Third Person Perspective.

    5. The Developmnet of Sid Meier's Civilization (I-III, IV?, other Sid Meier's Games Colonization, Alpha Centauri, Call to Power). The influence of global political developmnets (War against Terrorism & Political Correctness) on Changing Basic Concepts of the Game. Comparison with other round-based Strategies in different settings.

    6. Cyber (& Cypher) Punk & Post-Catastrophic in Gaming. Fallout I, II, and Tactics. CG as a Gesamtkunstwerk. Artists Participating in Gaming (musicians, actors, designers).

    7. The idea of Role Playing (RP) in the Real World and Gaming. The semantic theory of Properties & Roles. Role & the individual. Different media in RP: Board Game, Game Book, Small/Big Comunity Based RP, Computer & Net Based RP.

    8. Games based on Moovies and Fiction. Moovies & based on Games, why are they so bad? (Mortal Combat, D&D, Warhammer.) Are games based on moovies and books any better? (Dune I, II, Star Wars Wing Commander, Battelfield etc.) Criteria for good adaptation in the areas connected with gaming.

    9. Real time tactical & strategic Games. The value and price of real time in gaming. (Age of Empires, Command & Conquer, Pharaoh.) Real Time & Net Based in RPGs (Diablo). The role of perspective (3D First Person, Third Person Oblique Parallel Projection). What is the optimal shaping of Tactical Missions? (UFO, X-COM).

    10. On the Relation of Rules to Settings. Is there any significant Relation between the mathematical Structure of Modelling the Interaction and the Setting. Other "accidental" properties of CGs, graphical design, music & mood, bugs & patches, concepts of saving & reloading.

    11. Good & Evil in CGs. The Development of axilogical schemes in CGs. Killing in CGs. Political corectness & language filters in Gaming. Emotions while Playing. Moving Stories in Gaming. Transfer and identification with Characters.

    12. The intelligence of opponents, "random" accidents, unfair rules & the flexibility of Story in CGs. To achieve the Victory, satisfaction or frustration. The video bonuses in Games. Halls of Fame. Gaming Communities. CG as a common topic & principle of self-affirmation.

    13. Closing Essay.
Literature
  • Interplay Productions Inc.: Fallout, A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game [program pro PC], Š 1997, revize 1998 [citováno 17.11.2004].
  • Interplay Productions Inc.: Fallout, A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game [the official website], Š 1996-1997, revize 1998 [citováno 17.11.2004], http://www.nma-fallout.com/fallout1/official_site/.
  • Interplay Productions Inc.: Fallout 2, A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game [program pro PC], Š 1998, revize 1999 [citováno 17.11.2004].
  • Meier, Sid: Civilization, A Microprose Presentation, Designed by Sid Meier with Bruce Shelley [program pro PC], Š 1990 USA [citováno 17.11.2004]. Empire Building Strategy Game.
  • Microprose Software Inc.: Civilization II [program pro PC], Š 1995 USA [citováno 17.11.2004]. Empire Building Strategy Game.
  • Interplay Productions: Fallout 2, A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game [the official website], Š 1998, revize 30.5. 2003 [citováno 17.11.2004], http://www.nma-fallout.com/fallout2/official_site/index.shtml.
  • Odin & Obsidian: No Mutants Allowed [online], Š 1997-2004, revize 16.11. 2004 [citováno 17.11. 2004], http://www.nma-fallout.com/. An unofficial Site for the Fallout Series of Post Nuclear RPGs.
  • Interplay Productions Inc.: Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, A Post Nuclear Tactical Combat Game [program pro PC], Š 2001, revize 2002 [citováno 17.11.2004].
  • [zmiované poítaové hry]
  • Interplay Productions Inc.: Fallout Tactics, A Post Nuclear Tactical Combat Game [the official website], Š 2001, revize 13.3. 2002 [citováno 17.11.2004], http://www.nma-fallout.com/fallout_tactics/official_site/.
  • Atari Inc., Firaxis Games Inc.: Sid Meiers Civilization III [the official Civilization III website], Š 2001, revize 28.9. 2004 [citováno 17.11.2004], http://www.civ3.com/.
  • Adamec, Jan: Civilization [online], Š 2001, revize 23.7. 2003 [citováno 17.11.2004], http://civ2.webpark.cz/.
  • Firaxis Games Inc.: Sid Meiers Civilization III [program pro PC], Š 1997, 1998 USA [citováno 17.11.2004]. Empire Building Strategy Game.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
General note: Předmět je vhodný pro všechny oboru MU !.
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