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Exercises: Analysing Critical Videogames - Details
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Lehrveranstaltung wird online/digital abgehalten.

General information

Semester SS 2021
Current number of participants 15
maximum number of participants 25
Home institute Englische Literaturwissenschaft
participating institutes ZZZ_Literaturwissenschaft (Anglistik/Amerikanistik)
Courses type Exercises in category Teaching
First date Wed , 14.04.2021 16:15 - 17:45
Online/Digitale Veranstaltung Veranstaltung wird online/digital abgehalten.
Hauptunterrichtssprache englisch
ECTS points 2-4

Course location / Course dates

n.a Wednesday: 16:15 - 17:45, weekly

Module assignments

Comment/Description

This course is an introduction to analyzing video games with a critical message. We’ll examine how video games craft particular arguments and create meaning in exchange with the player. Since video games are a multi-layered medium, we won’t limit ourselves to their narrative or visual level, but will also include game mechanics as processes. They for the so-called procedural rhetoric, i.e., video games’ particular mode of representation.
The focus will be especially on those games that convey a critical message. This doesn’t mean that we’re only dealing with particular forms of video games that are supposed to convey a particular message or teach values (like serious games or propaganda games). Rather, we focus on games as a form of art that tries to convey an argument (be it merely implicitly or explicitly).
The particular topic these games address are videogames and their surrounding issues. They are self-critical. This self-criticism can refer to the aesthetic (e.g., conventions and culture) as well as to the social dimension, (e.g., production and community) or its technology (e.g., hardware and software). This will be discussed on the basis of relevant examples from the medium of video games.
After a short introduction to game studies and critical games, we’ll mostly focus on the games themselves and their (self-critical) rhetoric.
The following games we’ll discuss (however, there might be some additions in the final course)
• Manual Samuel
• Superhot
• The Magic Circle
• Death Stranding

Admission settings

The course is part of admission "ELW/ALW/NELK: Aufbaumodul BA/LA: Cultural Studies".
Settings for unsubscribe:
  • This setting is active from 01.03.2021 08:00 to 05.04.2021 20:00
    It is allowed to enrol to max. 1 courses in this admission.
  • The enrolment is possible from 01.03.2021, 08:00 to 05.04.2021, 20:00.
  • A defined number of seats will be assigned to these courses.
    The seats in these courses will be assigned at 07.04.2021, 08:00. Addional seats may be added to a wait list.
Assignment of courses: