SG140: Game Analyis and Playability

This course introduces students to the concepts behind the development of games, conceptual reflection, genres, and the determination of what actually defines a game’s playability. During this course, students will play games, investigate code or sample aspects of existing games, and document and critique the effectiveness, efficiency, and aesthetic qualities of the sample games. Upon completion of this course, students should have played several games and documented the playability by critically analyzing the graphics, sound, artificial intelligence, and intended audience.

Game Development Concepts

Development Tools and Software
List of websites from Knowledge.com

GameDev.net
Resources for game development including articles and developer journals

Gaming World
Resources for developers including tutorials, articles, and a developer directory

International Game Developers Association
Forum includes a game development category

AI: Artificial Intelligence

AIWisdom.com
Game articles and research

Artificial Intelligence
From GameDev.net

Artificial Intelligence Depot
News, knowledge, and discussion for AI

Game AI
Website dedicated to the topic of AI in games

Game Analysis

DiGRA
Digital Games Research Association

Playing Research: Methodological Approaches to Game Analysis
Article by Espen Aarseth from the University of Bergen (PDF)

Playability Criteria

Using Heuristics to Evaluate the Playability of Games
Article from the Behaviorisitics usability and playability consulting company site (PDF)

Why Usability/Playability Matters
Includes links to related topics from Behavioristics

Game Genres

Genre and Style Guide
Complete guide of genres and styles used on AllGame.com

Multiplayer Games by Genre
From MPOGD.com, the Multiplayer Online Games Directory

Open Directory Project
Directory of video game websites organized by genre

Additional Sites of Interest

AcademicGamers.com
News, conversation, articles, reviews, and resources for the academic gamer

Blitz
Game creation tools and utilities

BZFlag
Free multiplayer, multiplatform 3D tank battle game

Cakewalk
Music and sound software for Windows

CFXWeb
Demo and game development

CodeProject.com
Free source code and tutorials

CodeSampler.com
3D and OpenGL code samples for game and graphics programming

Cube
Open source multiplayer and singleplayer first person shooter game

Devmaster.net
Source for game development

EA
Fantasy, sports, and strategy videogames

flipcode
Archive of game development news and resources (site is no longer being updated)

Gamasutra
The Art & Science of Making Games

Game Boy
Official site

Game-Culture
Gaming tips, news, and inside comment

Game Developer
Game industry magazine

GameDev.net
Resources for game development

Game Research
Art, business, and science of computer games

Game Revolution
Reviews, previews, screenshots, cheats, and other game resources

GameSpy.com
Multiplayer gaming's home page

Game Studies
International journal of computer game research

GotDotNet
Microsoft .NET framework community

GraphitX
Direct 3D programming

HappyPuppy.com
Latest video game and computer game downloads

How Video Game Systems Work
From Howstuffworks.com

International Game Developers Association
Professional membership organization for issues related to digital game creation

Joystick101.org
Community of gamers, designers, critics, academics, and researchers

Ludology.org
Videogame theory

MadMonkey.net
Independent game network

Nintendo
Official site

Planet Tribes
News, screenshots, previews, reviews, and guides

PlayStation
Official site

Sega
Official site

Sierra Entertainment
One of the largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment software

Universal Videogame List
Online game database

The Video Game Critic
Video game reviews

Video Game Yellow Pages
Comprehensive online directory for every segment of the electronic gaming industry

Xbox
Official site

Yahoo! Games
Video game demos, cheats, reviews, and previews