Digital Storytelling

Course Syllabus Excerpt

Course Number: DIG 2430

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: None

Course Description: The use of narrative forms in interactive media and other new technologies is the focus of this course. Games, theme park rides, DVDs and other technologies will be used as examples.

Course Objectives:

1. Define the role narrative structure plays in interactive media
2. Explore emerging technologies and be able to research trends in technology
3. Understand current marketing for emerging technologies
4. Create a proposal for an interactive media
5. Create a digital media project.

Digital Storytelling, Why is it important?

Digital Storytelling = Common Storytelling + Interactivity

Media Entertainment

• Video games
• Theater
• Movie
• Broadcast

New Media

• Holo deck –future concept
• Virtual Reality
• Interactive Cinema
• DVD-Rom/Website

What you will learn in Digital Storytellng class

• A brief history lesson
• Interactivity
• Characters & Plots
• Project Development
• Video Games
• Game Analysis
• Internet
• Movies & TV
• Other forms; New forms
• Work/ The Market

Assignment: Game Analysis

This assignment involves the students playing games from three different platforms: GameCube, PS2, and X-Box. After playing the games, students must answer questions such as:

1. What genre is the game?
2. What is the structure for this game?
3. What is the rating?
4. Does this rating seem appropriate?
   
   Also Rating these factors on a scale from 1 to 10:
   
   
5. Easy to learn to play
6. Engaging, fun to play
7. Good characters
8. Clear goals/objectives
9. Unique, different from other games
10. Overall