Post Mortem for Wave: A Rhapsody in Cantando

You are a jellyfish, an outsider to your tribe. Sunken ruins call to you with a haunting song. You alone wonder what could lie waiting in this place of music.

You cannot understand why others of your tribe cannot hear its need. You feel compelled to return it to its glory. Therefore you leave your tribe in search of the city that pulls your spirit. What awaits you, you can only imagine.

I was the 2D artist (among other roles within a four person team) for this ambitious, experience driven game project in Brian Winn's TC455 class.  This was my first opportunity to push the limits of what my 2D skills could accomplish in a 3D game engine.

Read more to find out my game art and design lessons from Version 1 of one of the most ambitious game projects I've tackled yet at Michigan State.  Better yet, play WaRiC!

2010-2011, Achievements and Goals

 From my 2010-11 MSU Progress Report

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Over the past year, I have attacked the goals set in my initial goals statement with zeal.  Due to gaps in my skills and theoretical knowledge of game design, I have pursued each course taken as an opportunity to build my knowledge in these deficit areas.  Due to the excellent instructional methods of Dr. Wei Peng and Dr. Carrie Heeter, I am confident in my background in design research and theories of serious games. I also am able to reach out into other disciplines in order to substantiate research and design.  In addition, I have had the opportunity collaborate with other students in the design of two substantial serious games, “Shades of Shakespeare” and “Pardon of the Sun”.  Each game was a lesson in game design and content design, that demonstrated the challenges inherent in creating games with meaningful play.

Developing a Framework/Process for M.A. Project Planning

This morning I've been doing so of the more boring work for an M.A. project:  coordinating research on best practices for planning and implementing media and education products.  I recognize, that what I am working on my be beneficial to everyone else, so I am sharing my top planning resources and approach.  Actually, following this approach will largely get me to the proposal submission phase, rather than final project (I hope). 

First off, frameworks:

1)  Backwards Design

Backwards Design (Wiggin) is an educational planning practice where you start with your objectives and evaluation and then ultimately plan your learning experience.  Although not user centered, it is objective driven, and I recognize combined with user centered principles can create a meaningful structure that provides positive outcomes.