104231 - INTERACTIVE SCREENPLAY

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Maddalena Fedele

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 6

Interactive Script focuses the learning of the degree on new forms of digital narrative expression: specifically in video games and interactive documentary.

In this sense, on the one hand, the contents approach the history of the video game industry, its current ecosystem and its narrative potential. In addition, the student will learn to design and write eminently narrative video games, through theoretical knowledge, the writing of industry documents.

On the other hand, the syllabus also focuses on the study, design, production and production of interactive documentaries or multimedia documentaries. The student will learn to identify and master the potential of non-linear and / or participatory narrative applied to the documentary genre.

· Acquire advanced knowledge and demonstrate full understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects and working methodology in the relevant fields of study.

· Be able, through arguments, to apply their knowledge, their understanding and their problem-solving abilities in complex or professional and specialized work areas that require the use of creative and innovative ideas.

· Have the ability to collect and interpret data and information on which to base their conclusions including, where appropriate, reflection on matters of a social, scientific or ethical nature within their field of study.

· Design, plan and write a GDD (Game Design Document) of practical application for the design and production of a video game, preferably of the Graphic Adventure genre.

· Acquire knowledge and the ability to write the main professional documents that are part of video game design.

· Design, plan and write an interactive documentary, from the idea and synopsis of the project to its realization and distribution, designing the level of interactivity and multimodality following criteria of usability and accessibility, and going through the phases of pre-production, production, and post-production.

The subject combines theoretical classes (LARGE GROUP), practical classes (SMALL GROUP) and hours of autonomous learning (AUTONOMOUS LEARNING).

The theoretical classes (LARGE GROUP) consist both of expository classes, with the explanation of the contents of the subject and applied activities, as well as discussion seminars, case studies and presentations of topics by the students. Some of these activities can be carried out without prior notice and may be necessary for the subsequent development of the evaluable works, the exams and the practices of the subject.

The practical classes (SMALL GROUP) consist of the practical realization of evaluable individual and / or group activities. Attendance at the practical classes is essential, compulsory and necessary for their approval. In addition, internships are used to foster transversal competence in working in an interdisciplinary team.

The hours of autonomous learning (AUTONOMOUS LEARNING) consist of the individual study work of each student, which can be completed both in the learning of content and in the production of both individual and group work, both theoretical and practical. These hours include case studies, research and critical reading of articles and materials proposed by the teaching staff.

Also, the work methodology includes the use of:

· Video capsules: Use of YouTube and online material to exemplify concepts present in the syllabus.

· Presentations: Projections of presentations of GDC, GameLab and similar where some interesting subject or concept is related and related to the subject that is being taught in class.

· Debates and forums: Students must constantly dialogue in an orderly manner and discuss different aspects of the analysis and design of interactive video games and documentaries, always looking for constructive criticism, professional communication and ego evasion.

· Case study: With papers and postmortems from different portals, students and teachers will go through different concepts of the agenda based on specific interactive video games and documentaries and the documented experiences of their creators.

· Problem solving: students will have at their disposal rounds of questions, doubts and problems after each topic or concept that is prone to confusion or ambiguity.

· Guided activities: throughout the theoretical sessions, some activities in small groups will be included, in which it will be deepened on concepts treated during the sessions. These activities will be assisted by the teacher and will not be evaluable.

· Research and critical reading of informative and research articles: It will be a constant practice to take as specific references for a class, specific cases of analysis of the media and the community of different aspects of the world of video games and interactive documentaries.

1. Introduction to the video game.

1.1. What is a game? Why do we play?

1.2. The video game and non-digital gaming ecosystem: publishers, platforms and media.

1.3. Brief history of the video game.

1.4. Who is who in the development studio.

1.5. The roles of the narrative designer and the Game Writer.

1.6. Genres of games.

1.7. Glossaries.

2. Mechanics, dynamics and game experience.

2.1. The dimensions of the game: the chosen MDE.

2.1.1. The mechanics.

2.1.2. The dynamics.

2.1.3. Mechanics, dynamics and challenges.

2.1.4. Gaming experience and end user.

2.2. Narratology Vs. Ludology.

2.3. Narrative Vs. worlds of fiction.

2.4. The game-fiction worlds of the video game.

3. Elements of a narrative video game: design and documentation.

3.1. Backstory, Story, Setting.

3.2. The character: roles and main documentation.

3.3. Space: point of view, fragmentation and scenarios.

3.4. Narrative progression: structures and puzzles.

3.5. The temporality in the video game.

3.6. Nonlinear dialogues: documentation and software.

3.7. The figure of the narrator.

4. Current narrative models.

4.1. Embedded narration. From F2P games to playable movies.

4.2. Emerging narrative. Simulators and MMORPGs.

4.3. Alternative narratives. Paper please, Journey, The Stanley Parable o Gone Home.

4.4. Narration in non-fiction games: abstract, serious games.

5. Definition and basic concepts of the interactive documentary.

5.1. Distinction between linear documentary and interactive documentary.

5.2. The representation of reality.

5.3. Timelessness.

5.4. Points of view.

6. Interactivity and multimodality in interactive documentary.

6.1. The participatory non-fiction narrative.

6.2. User experience. Immersion and expansion.

6.3. Multimodality of navigation and interaction.

6.4. Horizons, limits and possibilities.

  No. of the activity Sessions Title of the practice Evaluation weight

               1 2 Analysis of Video Games (practice-theory) 10%

2 3 Video games - GDD (practice) 15%

              3 1 Video games - Pitching (theory) 10%

             4 2 Analysis of Interactive Documentary (practice-theory) 10%

             5 3 Interactive Documentary - Bible (practice) 15%

             6 1 Interactive Documentary - Pitching (theory) 10%

             7 - Final Exam (theory) 30%

General criteria of the activities.

· All internships will be done in groups of 5-6 students, no more and no less. Students will be able to organize freely at the beginning of the course. In the case of lack of consensus the teacher will decide the formation of the groups.

· The late delivery of any practice automatically involves a 0 or a penalty to be determined by the teacher. In the same way, it is the responsibility of the student that the documents can be opened without problems. Plagiarism will also be penalized with a 0, which can lead to regulatory consequences such as failing the course or the entire term.

· These regulations may be specified in a larger document if applicable. In the event of a conflict with the Degree's own regulations, the one established by the Directorate of Studies will prevail.

· Although not mandatory, all groups are invited to fully or partially implement their interactive documentary project on a website or video game project on a game engine. As an incentive, those groups that develop a playable demo of their video game designed at the documentary level or that fully or partially implement their documentary project on a website can receive a bonus of up to 2 points in the final grade of the part practice of the subject.

Activity 1 – Analysis of video games.

Group activity. Students will analyze the video game The Curse of Monkey Island from the perspective of the MDA model (mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics), genre theory and narrative design. It will be necessary to apply the concepts that have been explained in class, and to fill in a video game sheet where each group will have to answer a series of questions proposed by the teacher. The activity will be carried out in two sessions: one of practices to play the game and one of theory to fill in the corresponding form. The PDF document will be delivered via Virtual Campus through a task. This activity will suppose 10% of the note of the theoretical part of the asignatura.

Activity 2 – Video games. Creation of a GDD.

Group activity. Students will begin to design a game, preferably of the graphic adventure genre, of which they will have to submit a complete dossier (GDD) that includes the sections mentioned in the practical sessions, proposing a backstory, storyline, setting, the cards of characters, a description of the mechanics, a puzzle document (if applicable) and a sample of nonlinear dialogues. The activity will be carried out in three practical sessions during which the teacher will monitor the evolution of each project. The final PDF document will be delivered via Virtual Campus through a task. This activity will suppose 15% of the note of the practical part of the asignatura.

Activity 3 – Video games. Pitching.

Group activity. The students will make a Game Concept Presentation of their GDD where they will present their project to the rest of the class. The activity will be carried out in a theory session. The document with the presentation will be delivered via Campus Virtual through an assignment. This activity will account for 10% of the grade for the theoretical part of the subject.

Activity 4 – Analysis of an interactive documentary.

Group activity. Students will analyze an interactive documentary of their choice taking into account the concepts explained in class, and will make a presentation to the rest of the class. This analysis will make visible certain aspects and characteristics of the interactive documentary, deal with the different interactive modalities and their relationship with users. The activity will be carried out in two sessions: one of practices to watch the documentary and one of theory to make the corresponding presentations. The document with the presentation will be delivered via Virtual Campus through a task. This activity will suppose 10% of the note of the theoretical part of the asignatura.

Activity 5 – Interactive Documentary. Creation of a Bible.

Group activity. The students will begin to design an original interactive or transmedia documentary, of which they will have to deliver a complete dossier (Bible), which includes the sections mentioned in the practical sessions. The Bible must include a description of the project, a synopsis, a transmedia implementation plan and the appropriate sections. The activity will be carried out in three practical sessions during which the teacher will monitor the progress of each project. The final PDF document will be delivered via Campus Virtual via an assignment. This practice will account for 15% of the grade for the practical part of the subject.

Activity 6 – Interactive Documentary. Pitching.

Group activity. The students will make a pitch where they will present their interactive documentary project to the rest of the class. The activity will be carried out in a theory session. The document with the presentation will be delivered via Campus Virtual through an assignment. This activity will account for 10% of the grade for the theoretical part of the subject.

Activity 7 - Final Exam.

Individual activity. Test type exam. This activity will take place on the date set according to the academic calendar. This activity will account for 30% of the grade for the theoretical part of the subject.

The subject consists of a theoretical part and a practical one.

The mark of the theoretical part of the subject corresponds to 70% of the final mark of the subject, and is the result of:

Activity 1 - Analysis of Video Games (10%)

Activity 3 - GDD Pitching (10%)

Activity 4 - Analysis of Interactive Documentary (10%)

Activity 6 - Pitching the Interactive Documentary (10%)

Activity 7 - Final Exam (30%)

The mark of the practical part of the subject corresponds to the remaining 30% of the final mark of the subject, and is the result of:

Activity 2 - Creation of a GDD (15%)

Activity 5 - Creation of an Interactive Documentary Bible (15%)

You must pass the internship to enjoy the continuous assessment and pass the subject. It is necessary to attend at least 80% of the practical sessions in order to enjoy the continuous assessment. A maximum of two excused absences will be accepted.

An exam with a grade lower than 5 out of 10, regardless of the rest of the grades for the activities, means that the student will have to retake the subject. In recovery, the grade will be calculated taking into account the rest of the activities according to the percentages mentioned above. If the subject is suspended, the exam is retaken in the period established by the Head of Studies. A 5 out of 10 must also be obtained in the recovery exam in order to pass the subject.

If you fail either the theoretical part or the practical part, the subject is automatically suspended. In the make-up exam, the theoretical and practical parts of the subject can be made up.

About misspellings and proofreading.

En el context universitari i d'educació superior la redacció i la qüestió formal en els lliurables en llengua catalana i castellana són objecte d'avaluació. Spelling errors are penalized at 0,25 per error, not including duplications. Serious inaccuracies in the writing or the impossibility of understanding the text can also be penalized, without limit in terms of the grade. The writing in English must be appropriate and correct, although specific errors will not be taken into account at the evaluation level (repetition or serious errors will not be considered).

About plagiarism.

It is the responsibility of the student to prevent plagiarism in all its forms. In the case of detecting a plagiarism, regardless of its scope, the deliverable in question and all the activity that is part of it will automatically have a grade of 0. In addition, the teacher will inform the Head of Studies the situation so that the applicable measures in the matter of sanctioning regime are taken.

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Aranda, Daniel; Gómez, Salvador; Navarro, Víctor and Planells, Antonio José (2015). "Game & Play. Design and analysis of the game, the player and the play system." Editorial UOC. Barcelona.

Walton, Marek & Suckling, Maurice (2012). "Video Game Writing: From Macro to Micro". Mercury Learning and Information. Dulles.

Gifreu, Arnau (2013). “The interactive documentary. Evolution, characterization and development perspectives ”. UOC. Barcelona.

Murray, Janet (1999). "Hamlet on the Holocaust: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace." Paidós. Barcelona

Sheldon, Lee (2014). "Character development and storytelling for games" (2nd Edition). Course Technology. Boston.

Marx, Christy (2007). "Writing for animation, comics & games". Taylor & Francis. London.

Heussner, Tobias; Finley, Toya; Hepler, Jennifer & Lemay, Ann (2015). "The Game Narrative Toolbox". CRC Press. Abingdon.

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