COMM 3330 Interactive Design Syllabus

Spring 2022
Section 01
Time: Wed 17:30 - 20:00
Room: Zoom
Department of Communications
California State University, Bakersfield

Instructor: Jeremy B. Warner

Discord (Preferred): boydensuperstar#0768
Email: jwarner6@csub.edu
Office Phone: 661-654-2696
TEXT ONLY: 3236387649
Office Location: BDC235A
Office Hours: Tues 13:00 - 14:00,
Wed 14:00 - 17:00, Thursday 13:00 - 14:00

Course Description
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of interaction design. Stresses the conceptual, aesthetic,
and technical concerns of interactivity. The course is designed to develop a combination of critical, technical, and
design skills.

Student Learning Objectives*

● Identify interactive elements and theories that fuel concepts of interactive design.
● Compare and contrast interactive elements with traditional passive media elements.
● Demonstrate the ability to produce interactive components in interactive projects.
● Apply concepts of interactive design to creation of projects.
● Analyze interactive works and evaluate the personal response to different interactions.
● Construct a working knowledge of interactive software by completing either mini-projects or a large
project.

Prerequisite
The prerequisite for this course is COMM 2310 Media Arts.
Walking into this course, you are assumed to already know the following concepts from 2310 Media
Arts:
● Video Concepts (cameras, sound, editing)
● Photoshop
● Premiere
● Base Understanding of Source Control
● Unreal Engine Interface
● 3D Modeling Interface (Maya or Blender)
● Differences between Pipeline vs. Workflow
● Basic Concepts of 3D modeling (normals, wireframes, materials, shaders, etc)
● Basic Concepts of video game design
● Game Design Documents
● Game Audio
● Basic Skills such as sharing links via Google Drive

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 Some of you may not remember or may not have covered every single item in 2310 Media Arts if you
had different instructors or if the course was transferred into the school. You may need to do additional
work to refresh the concepts or learn the concepts in addition to the course material.

Texts, Accounts, and Materials

In order to save you money, this course uses Open Educational Resources, course reserves, and items available
for free through the library. The texts used in this course include the following:

● Adams, E., & Dormans, J. (2012). Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design (1st ed.). New
Riders.
● Bye, Kent. Voices of VR Podcasts. Selected Episodes.
● Garrett, J. (2011). The elements of user experience: User-centered design for the Web and beyond
(2nd ed., Voices that matter). Berkeley, CA: New Riders.
● Hoeft, Watson, Kesler, Bettinger, & Reiss. (2008). Gender differences in the mesocorticolimbic
system during computer game-play. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 42(4), 253-258.
● Koepp, M., Gunn, R., Lawrence, A., Cunningham, V., Dagher, A., Jones, T., . . . Grasby, P. (1998).
Evidence for striatal dopamine release during a video game. Nature, 393(6682), 266-268.
● Koster, R. (2013). Theory of Fun for Game Design, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.). O'Reilly Media.
● Manovich, L. (2002). The language of new media (1st MIT Press pbk. ed., Leonardo (Series)
(Cambridge, Mass.)). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
● McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics (First Harper Perennial ed.). New York: Harper Perennial.
● McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions of man (1st ed.]. ed., Frye annotated ; no.
1707). New York: McGraw-Hill.
● Perry, D., & DeMaria, R. (2009). David Perry on game design: A brainstorming toolbox. Boston, MA:
Charles River Media.
● Unreal Engine Manual and Scripting API Documentation

You will need to purchase or acquire the following texts, accounts, and materials.

● Headphones
● 3 Button Mouse (if you don’t have a 3 button mouse, you will not receive assistance during class)
● Unreal Engine Assets (Some free, some aren’t; for projects in-class we use free)
● Google Account
● GitHub Account - Must be connected to your school email (Personal License - Free)
● Unreal Engine 3D Account (Personal License - Free)
● Amazon Developer Account (Free - Credit Card or Debit Card required for sign-up)
● AWS Account (Free- Credit Card or Debit Card required for sign-up)
● Trello (Free Version)
● Discord Account (Free)
● Kahoot App (if you wish to review Kahoots)
● Other Materials as dictated by projects
● Recommend - Portable Hard Drive - Recommendations in Course Resources

Personal Computers, Software, and Recommended Accounts

To see the most up-to-date software and computer requirements, please check under General Course
Information on Canvas. Links to software downloads and requirements should be updated on Canvas.

We will be using several different pieces of software in this course and you will need to have access to a
computer with the minimum following specs:

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 Windows
● Windows 7 or higher
● 64-bit Intel OR AMD minimum quad core processor
● Graphics Card - Nvidia 970 or higher OR a AMD 390x or higher
● Webcam
● 8GB of RAM
● 4GB of free space for software
● Three-button mouse

Mac
● Mac OS X 10.13 or higher
● 64-bit quad core processor or higher
● Maya compatible graphics card
● Webcam
● 8 GB of RAM
● 4 GB of free disk space
● Three-button mouse

The Digital Media program is transitioning from Unity to Unreal Engine. The underlying concepts are the
same, but the surface language and UI are sometimes slightly different. Some of the assignments and online
lectures may still contain information from Unity. If you find a concept from Unity, please alert the instructor.

The following is a list of software and accounts we will be covering in the course:
- Adobe Creative Cloud - ($$) Check Canvas for links to discounted software. Software that may be
covered includes but is not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects, Media Encoder,
Audition, and Lightroom
- Unreal Engine (Free)
- Twinmotion (If using Unreal, request free Student key)
- Microsoft Visual Studio (Free - log in with student email)
- Autodesk Student Login (Free) - Software that may be covered but not limited to includes Maya, Arnold,
Mudbox, Recap Pro (Windows Only), 3D Studio Max (Windows Only), MotionBuilder, SketchBook, and
Flame
- Photogrammetry Software (Varies by operating system and camera - 3D Zephyr recommended - free
student version)
- GitHub Desktop (Free)
- Git Bash (Free)
- PureRef (Free)
- Final Draft - ($$$) Check with Instructor on costs and possible discounts
- Trello - Free
- VLC - Free
- Steam - Free

Please note that we may cover additional software.

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Grade Calculation
This course is designed to give you multiple options, so that you can choose your path to earn your grade. You
get to complete what you want to do.

1. Class Discussions: Participation in the classroom discussions and Kahoots.

2. Interactive Responses: Analyzation of four different interactive projects and written responses outlining
personal attitudes towards the interactive projects.
3. Final Portfolio: Completion of a portfolio outlining course semester projects dependent upon course
option.
4. Interactive Project - Choose one of the following:
a. Design your own Unreal Course Curriculum from Online Unreal Engine and create a small
Unreal Engine Project demonstrating your new skills
b. Create a larger interactive project (e.g. Unreal Engine Game, Unreal Engine App, App, Website,
Broadcast Streaming on Twitch, etc)

Course Grading Policies

This course is designed to give you multiple options, so that you can choose your path to earn your grade. You
get to complete what you want to do as long as you meet the course grade requirements. Since this course is
gamified, you receive an A once you hit 3000 points and have met all of the requirements.

Points may be deducted retroactively. Failure to meet requirements, poor peer evaluations, or other
factors may retroactively affect your grade. Some items are graded by bots and when spot checking, a
bot may have miscalculated something. It is rare for points to retroactively be deducted, and students
who put the time and energy into assignments should have little to worry about.

Academic Dishonesty may result in automatic course failure and being reported to Judicial Affairs.

Course Grade Requirements

For a student to receive the highest grade in the course, each student must meet the requirements or suffer
penalties as follows:
1. Requirement One - No more than two non-participation (absences/texting/computer/disruption) Class
Discussion days over the course of the entire semester (usually class discussion days are on
Tuesdays, but some weeks will have Thursday discussion days).
MISSING MORE THAN TWO CLASS DISCUSSION DAYS WILL RESULT IN THE HIGHEST
COURSE GRADE BEING A C. MISSING MORE THAN THREE DISCUSSION DAYS WILL RESULT
IN COURSE FAILURE.
2. Requirement Two - Completion of four interactive responses. Each response missing will result in a
10% deduction of points.
3. Requirement Three - Completion of ten class discussion assessments. Each assessment missing will
result in a 5% deduction of points.
4. Requirement Four - Completion of course portfolio with project(s) according to the course option.
Failure to submit a portfolio with working links will result in the highest course grade being a C.

Grade Calculation
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Grades are calculated using points. The final calculated grade is based upon which option you choose from
the Course Learning Options. Course Grade Requirements will affect the calculation of points if they are not
met. Be sure to read all stipulations for each option before choosing. A student may not switch the option
after the deadline for submitting Option 2 contracts.

Option 1 has the following stipulations:

- Interactive Responses will be chosen from a list of possible interactive responses.

- Final Portfolio Mini-Projects will be chosen from a list of possible projects. You can do a
maximum of seven projects. You are required to do five projects.
- Meeting all of the Course Grade Requirements AND scoring a 1400 or higher on the Unity
Certified Exam will result in an A for the semester.
- Meeting all of the Course Grade Requirements AND scoring below 1400 on the Unity Certified
Exam will result in a calculation of grade according to the points table below.
- Failure to meet the Course Grade Requirements AND scoring a 1400 or higher on the Unity
Certified Exam will result in point calculations using the stipulations in the Course Grade
Requirements as follows
- Missing three class discussion days would result in a C.
- Missing four class discussion days would result in an F.
- For each interactive response missing is a deduction of 300 points.
- For each assessment missing is a deduction of 30 points.
- For each missing portfolio mini-project is a deduction of 400 points.
- Failure to meet the Course Grade Requirements AND scoring below 1400 on the Unity Certified
Exam will result in point calculations using the stipulations in the Course Grade Requirements
as follows:
- Missing three class discussion days would result in no higher than a C, but would be
calculated.
- Missing four class discussion days would result in an F.
- For each interactive response missing is a deduction of 300 points.
- For each assessment missing is a deduction of 30 points.
- For each missing portfolio mini-project is a deduction of 400 points.

Course Points
Class Discussion Assessments 100 (12 available x 10 points - 10 required)
Interactive Responses 200 (5 available x 50 points - 2 required)
Unreal Engine Tutorials 250
Final Exam 100
Final Project
Interactive Project Proposal & Contract 50
Final Project Evaluation 250
Project Management or Tutorials 250 (5 x 50 points)
Trailer Evaluation 100
Final Portfolio w/ Trailer & Project 200

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 1600

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Grade Points
There are more than 3250 points available in each option. IF the Course Grade Requirements are met, then
the following point values will receive the corresponding grade:

A 1000+
A- 967 - 999

B+ 934 - 966

B 892 - 933

B- 860 - 891

C+ 828 - 859

C 785 - 827

C- 752 - 784

D+ 720 - 751

D 677 - 719

D- 645 - 676

F Below 644

Grading Policies and Feedback

Grades are based upon the sole discretion of the instructor and are based upon the language laid out in the
syllabus and individual assignments. If a student disagrees with a grade, then the student needs to send an
email to the instructor outlining why the grade given was incorrect or miscalculated. Please be specific when
outlining issues.

Students often get caught up in the point gathering aspect of taking a course versus the learning aspect of
taking a course. Grades are solely a way to evaluate the ability of a student in a course. I highly suggest
focusing on learning, which in my experience, usually leads to a grade. Some students mistake the amount of
time spent on coursework as a reason for a higher grade. There is usually a correlation between time spent on
work and grade earned, but a correlation is not causation.

Throughout the course, we will both make mistakes with scoring. Students are free to ask why something was
marked incorrectly during my office hours. Some students get caught up in the habit of arguing every incorrect
answer, which is a waste of class resources. Repeated grade grubbing behavior may result in a lowered grade
for the student, as well as, hurt the class as a whole.

Immediate grade feedback is available on some items on the LMS, such as workbooks and quizzes. Content
created for your portfolios are graded at the midterm and final exam in this course. There will most likely be
minimal content in your midterm portfolio.

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You will submit work for checkpoints throughout the course, but checkpoints are not feedback. Checkpoints
are points solely given for turning in the project on time and they are given to motivate you to stay on schedule.
You will not receive feedback on checkpoints.

Portfolios will receive feedback at midterm and final exam time in the course. We will try to critique in class,
but we will not be able to cover every person for every project. I have found in the past that critiquing a couple
projects after checkpoint submissions result in the best learning atmosphere. If your project is not critiqued in
class, then you may come to my office hours to receive feedback. Positive or negative feedback is often
correlated to the resulting grade, but sometimes the grade may not correlate.

Students are responsible for checking the grades for the first half of the semester by a specified date that is
announced in-class and online. Any assignments that may have the incorrect grade should be submitted to the
instructor in electronic writing via text or email by the specified date. Failure to submit the correction in writing
may result in the grade not being changed.

All missing assignment points or miscalculated grades must be reported to the instructor via written,
electronic communication. Any points missing or miscalculated from the first portion (eight weeks) of the
semester must be in electronic writing to the instructor by midnight at the end of Week 12. All assignments
after week 12 must be in writing before the beginning of final exams.

Incompletes are not given unless dictated by extreme circumstances. Before receiving an incomplete, the
student must arrange in writing with the instructor when the unfinished work will be submitted. Incompletes
are given at the sole discretion of the instructor.

Extra Credit is usually not given in the course. If extra credit is given, it will be announced in class and online.

Deadlines are strictly enforced. Late assignments will not be accepted unless agreed upon in electronic
communication BEFORE the project due date. If a project is due at 23:55 (11:55 pm), and you submit it at
23:56 (11:56), you will fail the assignment. It must be uploaded and submitted by the due date. Exceptions
may apply as defined by law, which usually includes things like hospitalization. Last minute issues due to
technical difficulties, such as power outages or a server down, will not be accepted.

No items may made up unless required by law or in extreme circumstances at the sole discretion of the
instructor. There are more points than needed to receive an A, so exceptions are rare.

If an assignment is due at the beginning of class, you are still responsible for it if you are absent. Absences are
not excuses for late work.

Course Format
This course is gamified and based on game theory, you are awarded for the work that you do. You choose the
projects you want to do, the assessments you want to take, and other work.

Class Discussion Days will usually occur on Tuesdays, where we will meet online and discuss a topic for the
week. Thursdays are work days and when you can receive help from the instructor or course tutor.

Lectures in this course will be in a flipped classroom style. You will watch videos outside of class, complete
workbooks/quizzes based on lectures, and then we will discuss the material in class. In class, we will usually
play Kahoots to review the material and follow it with demos, workshops, or other class activities.

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During the Kahoots or class-time, you are encouraged to ask questions regarding the concepts or material that
you do not understand. Since this is not a traditional lecture format, some people will not like the class. I have
found that approximately 90% of students enjoy this type of course delivery and that there is a higher retention
than a traditional lecture.

This class has a Discord channel. When in doubt, ask on the Discord channel. This is a place for you to
interact with the instructor and your peers. You may also seek help with software or concepts on different
Discord channels. For example, if you’re stuck with a coding issue in Unity, you may want to ask on a developer
channel. I’ve found the response times and feedback on Discord to be outstanding.

Participation Policy
There are two ways to participate in this course:

1. Participate in the live action “voice” version of the course. There will be meetings on a near weekly
basis where we will talk about topic(s), review course assignments, and generally talk about media. We
will review course materials for the week via Kahoots during this time as well.
2. Participate in Discord text discussions. There will be weekly topics, chances to ask questions, and
other items on the 3330-interactive-design channel in the Discord Media Server. You need to participate
at least three times over the course of the week in the text chat. Quality does count on the
participation, meaning it shouldn’t just be “Hi!” If you have questions on quality, feel free to inquire with
the instructor. Text chat in the class will be reviewed at midterm and final exams, so please do not
delete your conversations until after your final grade is received.

Events or other issues may block you from participating in the voice part of the course. I am not planning on
recording the discussions since it potentially violates privacy. If an issue arises that blocks you from
participating in the text portion and the voice portion of the course, then you need to notify the instructor
immediately. Documentation may need to be provided depending on the issue.

Those that participate in the majority of BOTH the text and voice will be considered for grade bumps if their
scores rest near the border of a grade. It is in your best interest to participate in both voice and text. It will not
always be possible, due to items such as tech issues or illness. Communication is key to your participation.

If you miss a voice session, please do not ask me what you missed. It is your responsibility to know what you
missed. You may ask another classmate to help you due to your absence.

Readings
You are expected to obtain a copy of the required texts and fulfill reading assignments by the required due
dates. Readings are to be completed BEFORE you come to class on the week on which the readings are
assigned (besides Week 1). That means if under Week 2, it says READ Chapter 2, then you must READ Chapter
2 BEFORE coming to class that week. Readings are college-level readings and may contain subject matter that
may be different from your point of view. I do not agree with all of the readings and in no way do I expect you
to agree with all of the readings. Readings may contain sensitive subject matters, such as sex, politics,
violence, religion, or other topics that may be offensive. Please complete all readings and approach them as
an academic looking on them as a learning experience.

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Readings not available in the books are available through the links on Canvas. Please be sure to check Canvas
for the readings. If for some reason the link is not working, please contact me immediately. If you show up to
class and say the reading is not available, you are still liable for the reading. If the reading link becomes
unavailable, I may provide a different link or provide a different reading.

You are responsible for the information in assigned readings even if it is not discussed in class.

If there is a topic or subject in the reading that you do not understand, please bring it up during class time.
Some of the readings are difficult and may contain subject matter you have not covered in previous school
work. I’m happy to go over the basics to understand some of the readings, but it is your responsibility to bring
it up in class, during office hours, or via electronic communication.

Screenings and Interactive Media

Screenings and interactive media will contain strong language, nudity, scenes of sexuality, acts of violence,
animal cruelty, and other subjects that may offend some people. You are adults in a college course that is
examining the elements of a medium. I expect you to approach these screenings as analytical documents and
treat it as subject matter from any other course.

You may, and probably will, disagree with viewpoints, acts, events, language, or other aspects of the films or
readings. You are expected to respect the artist and experience the work in full, meaning either watch the film,
interact until the end, or play the game for the specified amount of time.

You are expected to experience media with your undivided attention, and I implore you to not use electronic
devices while viewing films.

When criticizing or debating issues in class, please approach the works with credible academic sources and
arguments. This includes using detailed examples to back up your opinion or using other academic works
from recognized peer-reviewed sources. Some of the articles, readings, and films may be dated and may use
archaic language. The material covered in this course is selected from a wide selection of what many see as
historic stepping stones in the course of film studies. Values change over time and we must keep in mind the
time and place where the works were created.

You are not excused from work in the course, so if you believe you will have an issue with any of these
subjects, please decide whether this is the right course for you before continuing.

As with the readings, if a work is listed under the week in the course schedule then you are to experience the
work BEFORE the first class meeting of the week. If the sources for a film are not working, please contact me
immediately, preferably via text. If I am not notified about an issue with a film or video before the due date, you
will still be responsible for the viewing.

Media may be changed or updated due to availability or other unforeseen reasons. Please pay attention to
LMS for any changes. Assignment Policies & Guidelines

Be sure to read all directions for assignments as listed on the LMS. All assignments will be submitted via the
LMS to reduce paper waste and clutter. If you do not know how to use the LMS, ask me BEFORE the
assignment is due. Most of the submissions will require you to upload to your Google Drive, then submit the
shared project. You may also seek support from student services on how to use the LMS.

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I often alter small items in assignments or deadlines based upon feedback from students in the course to
better help everyone. I use the LMS extensively and strive to keep the most up-to-date guidelines/requirements
for all assignments on the LMS. Please check the LMS, announcements, and email on a regular basis for
possible small alterations or clarifications on assignments.

Spelling, grammar, and mechanics are part of your grade, so be sure you have copyedited your assignments
before submitting. If you need help with writing, please see the Writing Resource Center in Admin East Room
105. Projects with extensive grammatical, mechanical, and/or spelling mistakes will automatically fail.

Since all work is submitted via the LMS, I highly advise you to save a copy on your own computer and make a
backup. If you lose an assignment to a hard drive failure, corruption, or some other technical difficulty, you’ll
need to redo it. You are responsible for your backups.

The project guidelines are usually written in a detailed manner similar to contracts. The guidelines are a
framework for you and your group to apply critical thinking skills demonstrating an understanding of the course
topics. Many students will ask what I “want” or what I am “looking for” in the assignment. I will probably reply
with, I don’t know.

Classroom Policies

Copyright and Fair Use

I encourage you to be mindful of copyright issues while working on your projects. Fair Use may apply in some
cases, but copyright can cause several legal issues hindering people from seeing your projects. If a project is
altered or removed from a streaming service for violation of copyright, then you may fail the project. Some
projects may result in you being sued for copyright violation since the projects may be submitted for public
performance. You and your group are legally responsible and will be responsible for paying all legal fees if you
violate copyright.

Project Content
Academic freedom is an integral part of a learning institution. I believe freedom of speech is part of who we
are. I strive not to limit project content. Unfortunately, there needs to be some regulations set to promote
safety and prevent major disruptions in the learning process. Violating content restrictions may void insurance
policies if you are on campus, thus making you financially liable for your actions.

I reserve the right to limit project content in the class and alter what content is allowed at any time during the
semester. The following content is prohibited:
1. Anything endangering one’s self or another human being. This would be actions such as pulling a real
gun on people, one person’s bodily fluids on another person’s body or orifices, hanging off of tall
buildings without stunt coordinators and proper safety equipment, or pretty much anything that Johnny
Knoxville would do.
2. Illegal activities. This would include underage drinking, partaking of illegal narcotics, or filming
underage nudity. Filming of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.
3. Violations of the Code of Conduct outlined in the University Handbook.

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While capturing your content, please be aware of all legal issues too. On several occasions, I have received
calls from students, parents, or authorities with students doing something that violated legal statutes or
endangered people. For example, do not run through a populated area with a gun chasing people or push
random people into bodies of water.

Controversial content that affronts contemporary community standards may result in the project not being
screened on campus.

Naming Conventions
Due to a large number of assets in this course, you will be required to conform to strict naming conventions.
Information on the naming conventions is listed in detail on the Canvas. Video assets will be named differently
than interactive and gaming assets. Failure to follow the naming conventions may result in a failing
assignment, points deducted, or impact your course grade.

Code of Conduct
This is the CSUB statement on “Civility and Respectful Conduct”: “The classroom is essential for the
achievement of academic freedom, the pursuit of truth, and the development of students. Because of its
importance, students are expected to exhibit respect for the views of others, the professionalism of the
instructor, and the goals of academic freedom whenever they are in the classroom.” (CSUB Catalog)

We are a learning community; it is imperative that we treat one another with civility and respect. This is a film
course which deals with a powerful medium that often influences history, society, and our everyday lives. You
will disagree with the subject matter and others in the course, so you must treat your classmates and instructor
with respect. If your classroom behavior changes from one of respect to one of disrespect, you will be asked
to leave the course. If it happens a second time, then you will not be allowed back into the course until there is
a meeting with the Department Chair and me. Violations will also adversely affect your grade and warning will
not be given.

Expectations
One of the biggest issues with this course is students do not spend the appropriate amount of time working on
their projects. You are expected to spend approximately six to nine hours outside of class each week. As
stated in the 2018 - 2020 Student Catalog on page 60:

Out-of-Class Preparation
Course instructors generally structure their courses so that the “average” student will need to devote two to three hours
outside of class each week for each unit of course credit. In other words, students should expect to spend 6 to 9 hours outside
of class each week for a 3-unit class in completing assigned readings, performing library or internet searches, doing homework
assignments, writing papers or reports, studying for quizzes/exams, etc.

If you are slower than an average student, you may need to spend more than nine hours a week. If you notice
you are taking a longer amount of time to accomplish a project than your peers, then talk to the instructor.
Some students need work with difficult concepts or may be attempting the task wrong. The instructor is there
to assist you when complications arise.

There are times that there will be direct answers in this course, especially when dealing with technical
elements. When dealing with aesthetics and creative elements, answers are not always apparent. Using the
guidelines and aesthetical qualities taught in the course, I will guide you to what I believe is a better approach

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to creative concepts. You may agree or disagree with what I suggest. If you disagree with me, you should be
able to back up your answers with research.

I will not always provide answers to you in the course. I am looking for you to put in your best effort and
develop your own thoughts and approach to understanding and analyzing films. I am here as a guide and I am
not here to hold your hand. Sometimes I will not know the answer and I will say so. It is your job to find the
answer for yourself.

Risks are encouraged, but taking risks does not mean breaking specific requirements. Some requirements are
extremely strict, such as time limits. In the Industry, a Completion Bond guarantees specific delivery
requirements such as duration, rating, and content. Violating the terms of the agreement results in loss of
ownership of the project. Do not violate requirements and if you are not sure, then ask. The gamification of
the course allows you, actually encourages you to take risks with your projects.

This course is the first stepping stone for the Digital Media emphasis in the Department of Communications. I
will teach the course as if all of you are planning on going into the industry. This is part of a training regimen,
and just like training for the gym, you need to keep practicing and working on a consistent basis. You will
sometimes be frustrated, upset, flustered, lost, or other emotions that we don’t like to feel. That’s okay, and in
my opinion, it’s a good thing. I try to make this class as fun as possible while still reaching our training goals.
My advice is don’t be afraid of taking risks that may result in failure and have fun while you work.

General Course Policies

The Instructor has the right to change or alter the syllabus based on analysis of class progress or scheduling
difficulties. Always refer to Titanium for the updated schedule.

Services for Students with Disabilities

“To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Office of Services for Students
with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible. Their office is located in SA 140, and they may be reached at
661-654-3360 (voice), or 661-654-6288 (TDD). If you have an accommodations letter from the SSD Office
documenting that you have a disability, please present the letter to me during my office hours as soon as
possible so we can discuss the specific accommodations that you might need in this class.”

Academic Dishonesty
“The principles of truth and integrity are recognized as fundamental to a community of teachers and scholars.
The University expects that both faculty and students will honor these principles and in so doing will protect the
integrity of all academic work and student grades. Students are expected to do all work assigned to them
without unauthorized assistance and without giving unauthorized assistance.” For a complete statement on the
University’s policy on academic honesty, go to
http://www.csub.edu/osrr/_files/Academic%20Integrity%20Policy.pdf

Emergency Preparedness
Students should familiarize themselves with the “Campus Emergency Preparedness” information:
http://www.csub.edu/bas/police/ermergency/preparedness/

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Safe Zone and Diversity
I consider this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect, and I welcome individuals of all
ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national origins,
religious affiliations, sexual orientations, ability – and other visible and nonvisible differences. All members of
this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming and inclusive environment for every other
member of the class.

I am a member of a Safe Zone Ally community network, and I am available to listen and support you in a safe
and confidential manner. As a Safe Zone Ally, I can help you connect with resources on campus to address
problems you may face that interfere with your academic and social success on campus as it relates to issues
surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity. My goal is to help you be successful and to maintain a safe
and equitable campus.

I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of
this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.

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List of Assignments & Exams
Additional guidelines, requirements, and grading regimen are located on the LMS. If there is a discrepancy
between the syllabus and the LMS regarding an assignment, then you should meet the requirements listed on
the LMS.

Final Exam

The final exam is cumulative and may have questions from all of the lectures, viewings, and readings.
The final will be similar to the Unity Certified Associate exam.

Final Project

You will design your own final project and path for the course. This is the bulk of your learning and you
are responsible for it. This will include a contract, project management, tutorials, and final delivery.

Assignments
The following fall under assignments portion of the weighted grade:

Classroom Participation

Students need to be present and active in class. Classroom participation includes being present,
on time, and willing to participate in class. This includes the group activities in class. Activities
that may deduct from the assignment's score include being absent without, surfing the internet
during class, texting, class disruptions, negative attitudes and other elements that create a
negative atmosphere in the classroom.

Quizzes

Most quizzes will be given online and will cover flipped classroom lectures, software
demonstrations, readings, and viewings.

Interactive Responses

This includes written responses and critiques of media works, which may include screenings,
games, interactive media, and other forms of media.

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Schedule
Each week will have a list of topics, lecture reading, assigned reading, view, and what is due. If an "Assigned
Reading" is listed under Week 2, it means that it is due Week 2 by the time you come to class. If an assignment
is listed under Week 2's "Due," then that assignment is due by the time you arrive to class on Week 2. "Lecture
Readings" are not required readings and exist to provide written information for those who seek it. "Assigned
Readings" are readings that are required before you come to class, and often before you finish the weekly
workbook. "View" refers to viewings you are required to watch outside of class, usually for the workbook or
quiz. Quizzes and workbooks are not listed in the syllabus, but are due almost weekly and listed in the LMS.

Week 01 Course Introduction and GitHub Review

Topics
● Review of Syllabus
● Course Option Choice

Due
● Assessment 1

Week 02 User Experience & Controllers

Topics
● User Experience
● Controllers

Reading
● Chapter 1 & 2. Garrett, J. (2011). The elements of user experience: User-centered design for
the Web and beyond (2nd ed., Voices that matter). Berkeley, CA: New Riders.

Due
● Assessment 2
● IP Contracts due by Thursday of Week 2

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Week 3 Hot vs. Cold Media
Topics

● McLuhan - Hot vs Cold Media

Readings
● Chapter 2. McLuhan, Marshall. “Media Hot and Cold.” Understanding Media: The
Extensions of Man. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001.
● Gartler, Mark. Rhizome. https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/rhizome/
● Chapter 5. Perry, D., & DeMaria, R. (2009). David Perry on game design: A brainstorming toolbox.
Boston, MA: Charles River Media.
● Chapter 1. Adams, E., & Dormans, J. (2012). Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design (1st ed.).
New Riders.

Due

● Assessment 3
● Response 1

Week 4 Video Game Language

Topics

● Game Art - Concept, Environment, and Character

● Unity Editor Interface

Readings
● Chapter 5. Perry, D., & DeMaria, R. (2009). David Perry on game design: A brainstorming toolbox.
Boston, MA: Charles River Media.
● Chapter 1. Adams, E., & Dormans, J. (2012). Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design (1st ed.).
New Riders.
● Chapter 3. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. Scott McCloud. 1994.

Experience
● What Games are Like for Someone Who Doesn’t Play Games - https://youtu.be/ax7f3JZJHSw

Due

● Assessment 4
● IP Check-in 1

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Week 5 Character Design
Topics

●
● Asset Management - Default Game Objects, Prefabs, Scenes, Audio Clips and Sprite Editor
● Project Management - Layers, Tags, Transform, and Components

Readings
● Hoeft, Watson, Kesler, Bettinger, & Reiss. (2008). Gender differences in the mesocorticolimbic
system during computer game-play. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 42(4), 253-258.

Due
● Assessment 5
● Response 2

Week 6 Theories of Fun

Topics

● Game Theory
● Materials - Standard Shaders
● Effects - Image Effects
● Particle System - Emitters

Readings
● Chapter 3 & 4. Koster, R. (2013). Theory of Fun for Game Design, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.).
O'Reilly Media.

Due
● Assessment 6
● IP Check-in 2

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Week 7 Hooked
Topics

● Rewards and Hooks

Readings
● Session 1 & 2. Eyal, Nir. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products Video Course. 2014.

Due

● Assessment 7
● Response 3

Week 8 UI
Topics

● Systems - Fun makes the rules of the games

● Programming -Object Oriented Programming, Scripts, Components, Variables,

Readings
● Quintans, Desi. “Game UI By Example: A Crash Course in the Good and the Bad.” January 22,
2013.
https://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/tutorials/game-ui-by-example-a-crash-course-in-the-goo
d-and-the-bad--gamedev-3943

Readings
● Alger, Mike and Kent Bye. Voices of VR #276: VR Interface Design Insights from Mike Alger.
January 12, 2016. http://voicesofvr.com/276-vr-interface-design-insights-from-mike-alger/

Due

● Assessment 8
● IP Check-in 3

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Week 9 Voice User Interface
Topics

● Voice User Interface

Readings
● Chapter 7 & 8. Koster, R. (2013). Theory of Fun for Game Design, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.).
O'Reilly Media.
● Scripting Overview Section - https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/ScriptingConcepts.html

Due

● Assessment 9
● Response 4

Week 10 Web Design

Topics

● Web Design

Readings
● Chapter 9 & 10. Koster, R. (2013). Theory of Fun for Game Design, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.).
O'Reilly Media.

Experience
● Session 5. Eyal, Nir. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products Video Course. 2014.

Due
● Assessment 10

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Week 11 VR & Presence
Topics

● VR & Presence

Readings
● Chapter 11 & 12. Koster, R. (2013). Theory of Fun for Game Design, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.).
O'Reilly Media.

Experience
● Rob Morgan on Narrative Design for VR #125: Rob Morgan on Narrative Design in VR & escaping
the uncanny valley via interactive social behaviors in NPCs

Due
● Assessment 11
● Response 5
● IP Check-in 4

Week 12 AI Design
Topics
● Immersive Narrative Design
● Audio - Audio Mixer, Reverb Zones, Audio Sources

Readings
● Amershi, Saleema, et al. "Guidelines for human-AI interaction." Proceedings of the 2019 CHI
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM, 2019.

Due
● Assessment 12

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Week 13 Workshop
Topics

● Workshop

Week 14 Navigation, Pathfinding - AI interactive Drama

Topics
● Workshop

Due

● IP Check-in 5

Week 15 Services, Industry Awareness, Employment, and Workshop

Topics
● Workshop

Due

● UCE Mini Project 4

Final Exam
FINAL EXAM Time TBA
Unity Certified Exam.

DUE - Final Portfolio/Sprint 7

*Schedule may change and be revised as the semester progresses.

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