Image: Monsterhearts 2, by Avery Alder
Queer and Trans Games
Professor micha cárdenas, michacardenas@ucsc.edu
ARTG 129, Spring 2020, UC Santa Cruz
2:40-5:05 PM, Online
Office hours: Tuesdays from 1:15-2:15pm, online.
DRAFT SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO REVISION
“The place where queerness meets games is a site of radical potential. At this intersection stands the invitation to radically reimagine games and play: their forms, their meanings, their politics, and their place within the world.”
- “Not Gay as in Happy: Queer Resistance and Video Games”, Bo Ruberg and Amanda Phillips
Course Description
In this class, students will study, and make, queer and trans games. We will consider how gender and sexuality are systems of rules often assumed in game design, and how those rules can be subverted to create novel and experimental games. Readings will be from the Queer Game Studies Anthology edited by Bo Ruberg and Adrienne Shaw. Projects will focus on text based games, paper prototypes and lo-fi approaches such as Twine. By identifying and resisting cisnormativity and heteronormativity, we will create unique and original game concepts, using a critical, intersectional approach that understands that race is a constitutive element of both gender and sexuality.
Learning objectives
Students in this course will:
– Learn to design queer and trans games using narrative writing and digital technologies.
– Learn to create games to engage with complex social issues.
– Learn how artists have engaged critically with issues of gender, sexuality, race and ability through games.
Relevant AGPM Program Objectives
- Demonstrate understanding of the connections between technical commitments and game system design, on one hand, and player experience and cultural communication goals, on the other.
- Define, develop, and communicate artistically innovative game ideas—situated historically and employing the methods of multiple art practices.
- Use knowledge of game history and interpretation sufficient to do independent research on a topic, identify relevant games and secondary literature, think critically about a particular games-related topic, and make a convincing, research-based argument about games.
Community Guidelines
– Move up, move back
– One diva, one mic (don’t interrupt)
– Radical speaking order
– Constructive, discuss the ideas not the people
– We don’t need toxicity
– Don’t expect closure
– Build on the discussion, both/and not either/or
Projects
Challenge One – Game Prototype: Text or Paper, and self assessment
Challenge Two – Final Game in Digital Format
Challenge Three – Reflection paper and self assessment
Grades will be determined by you, in your self assessment papers, with some small possible adjustments from me, only if I deem adjustment necessary.
Required Texts
Queer Game Studies, Bo Ruberg and Adrienne Shaw, Editors
Optional Text
Game Design Workshop, Tracy Fullerton
https://ucsc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CDL_SCR_INST/1jiojor/alma991024894863404876
Assignments
Game Draft – Week 5
Write a draft of your game! The draft game and game description must include:
- Citations from at least three in class readings or other academic works that support your project concept.
- A character map, showing relationships between characters, describe the emotional goals of the game, and describe the core mechanic of the game.
Present the draft to the rest of the class for feedback on zoom.
Final Game – Week 10
Create a project using Twine, or another technology we’ve learned in class, that engages social issues of gender, sexuality, race and/or ability. Play the game online with other students in class and get their written feedback. Come up with specific questions to ask them for feedback.
Final Reflection – Week 11
Write a 2-3 page (500-750 word) paper reflecting on how well your work in the course met the learning objectives of the course. Keep in mind that your learning is your responsibility, and my responsibility is to provide a structure and a space for you to do your best work. Include links to any photo and video documentation of your process of developing the game.
Contents
Schedule
Week 1
Monday
Course overview, how to use Zoom and Discord.
Wednesday
Play Queers in Love at the End of the World
https://w.itch.io/end-of-the-world
Post in the discussion board your own idea for a ten second game, riffing off of Anthropy’s game.
Week 2
Monday
Read “Introduction: Imagining Queer Game Studies” by Bo Ruberg and Adrienne Shaw, pg.ix-xxxiii in Queer Game Studies
Discussion on Zoom
Wednesday
Play a game by Porpentine and post about it in discussion forum
http://slimedaughter.com/games/
Week 3
Monday
Read “Not Gay as in Happy: Queer Resistance and Video Games (Introduction)”
http://gamestudies.org/1803/articles/phillips_ruberg
Discussion on Zoom
Wednesday
Read Monsterhearts 2 and post in discussion board to find a group to play with and a person to run the game.
Week 4
Monday
Play Monsterhearts 2 in Zoom Breakout Rooms
Wednesday
Play Gone Home and post about the experience in discussion forum.
Week 5
Monday
Read “On Gone Home” by Merritt Kopas, p. 145-149, in Queer Game Studies
Discussion board: Post about the essay and post your response to this exercise:
Character map exercise – Make a map of your characters, and their relationships. This can be in any form, hand drawn, a spreadsheet, a list. Discuss the different characters in your story. Optionally, try role playing the characters to flesh out their stories and their relationships to other characters.
For examples of this, see The Art of Game Design, Schell, Jesse, Ch. 20, pg. 355
https://ucsc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CDL_SCR_INST/ojisf2/crc_bk9781351803649
Wednesday
Present game drafts to class on Zoom
Week 6
Monday
Intro to Twine
Play Triad and “Ant the Robot Horse You Rode In On” by Anna Anthropy
Meet on Zoom
Wednesday
Play anything from the Electronic Literature Collection Volume Three and post about it in the discussion forum.
https://collection.eliterature.org/3/
Week 7
Monday
Studio day, work on games on Zoom
Wednesday
Read “What is Queerness in Games Anyway”, Naomi Clark, pg. 3-14, Queer Game Studies
Post in discussion forum.
Week 8
Monday
Playtest prototypes on Zoom
Wednesday
Read “The Trouble with Communities” by Adrienne Shaw, pg. 153-161 in Queer Game Studies
Week 9
Monday
Studio day, work on games on Zoom
Wednesday
Read “Time and Reparative Game Design” by Kara Stone
http://gamestudies.org/1803/articles/stone
Post in discussion forum.
Week 10
Monday
Read “Forty Eight Hour Utopia” by Bo Ruberg, pg. 267-274 in Queer Game Studies
Wednesday
Playtesting on Zoom
Week 11, Finals Week
Monday, Final reflection papers due
Meeting to debrief and celebrate
Policies
Principles of Community
The University of California, Santa Cruz is committed to promoting and protecting an environment that values and supports every person in an atmosphere of civility, honesty, cooperation, professionalism and fairness.
UC Santa Cruz expects that every campus member will practice these Principles of Community.
We strive to be:
Diverse: We embrace diversity in all its forms and we strive for an inclusive community that fosters an open, enlightened and productive environment.
Open: We believe free exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences.
Purposeful: We are a participatory community united by shared commitments to: service to society; preservation and advancement of knowledge; and innovative teaching and learning.
Caring: We promote mutual respect, trust and support to foster bonds that strengthen the community.
Just: We are committed to due process, respect for individual dignity and equitable access to resources, recognition and rewards.
Disciplined: We seek to advance common goals through reasonable and realistic practices, procedures and expectations.
Celebrative: We celebrate the heritage, achievements and diversity of the community and the uniqueness and contributions of our members.
We accept the responsibility to pursue these principles in an atmosphere of personal and intellectual freedom, security, respect, civility and mutual support.
UC Santa Cruz is committed to enforcement of policies that promote the fulfillment of our principles of community. These policies include but are not limited to: University of California Personnel Policies for Staff Members; applicable University Collective Bargaining Agreements; Academic Personnel Manual O15-University of California Policy on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline; UC Santa Cruz Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline; UC Santa Cruz Policy on Sexual Assault and UC Policy on Sexual Harassment; UC Santa Cruz Hate Bias Incident Policy. For further information or inquiries, contact the Directors of Academic Personnel and Staff Human Resources; Director of EEO/Affirmative Action Office; Director, Student Judicial Affairs; Title IX Officer; and Campus Ombudsman.
https://www.ucsc.edu/about/principles-community.html
Accommodations for Disabilities
UC Santa Cruz is committed to creating an academic environment that supports its diverse student body. If you are a student with a disability who requires accommodations to achieve equal access in this course, please submit your Accommodation Authorization Letter from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) to me privately during my office hours or by appointment, preferably within the first two weeks of the quarter. At this time, I would also like us to discuss ways we can ensure your full participation in the course. I encourage all students who may benefit from learning more about DRC services to contact DRC by phone at 831-459-2089 or by email at drc@ucsc.edu
or on the web at https://drc.ucsc.edu
Late Work
Try to get your work in on time. I cannot guarantee feedback on assignments handed in more than a few days late.
Attendance
A major part of a transformative education is learning to work with your peers, face to face, in a professional manner, to generate knowledge together. A university education is about more than facts and data, it is also about learning the social skills involved in having a conversation about challenging issues in a way that allows everyone to be heard. Your participation in class and section is essential. Try to make it to zoom and be prepared to participate on video, if at all possible.
I do not answer email on the weekend. I will respond to any email sent to me within two business days of receiving them.
Academic Integrity
Do not use anyone else’s work other than your own. You are responsible for clearly citing any ideas, words or images in your work that are not your own.
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of a university education. Academic dishonesty diminishes the university as an institution and all members of the university community. It tarnishes the value of a UCSC degree.
All members of the UCSC community have an explicit responsibility to foster an environment of trust, honesty, fairness, respect, and responsibility. All members of the university community are expected to present as their original work only that which is truly their own. All members of the community are expected to report observed instances of cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty in order to ensure that the integrity of scholarship is valued and preserved at UCSC.
In the event a student is found in violation of the UCSC Academic Integrity policy, he or she may face both academic sanctions imposed by the instructor of record and disciplinary sanctions imposed either by the provost of his or her college or the Academic Tribunal convened to hear the case. Violations of the Academic Integrity policy can result in dismissal from the university and a permanent notation on a student’s transcript.
For the full policy and disciplinary procedures on academic dishonesty, students and instructors should refer to the Academic Integrity page at the Division of Undergraduate Education
https://ue.ucsc.edu/academic-misconduct.html
Title IX Statement
Title IX prohibits gender discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If you have experienced sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can receive confidential support and advocacy at the Campus Advocacy Resources & Education (CARE) Office by calling (831) 502-2273. In addition, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) can provide confidential, counseling support, (831) 459-2628. You can also report gender discrimination directly to the University’s Title IX Office, (831) 459-2462. Reports to law enforcement can be made to UCPD, (831) 459-2231 ext. 1. For emergencies call 911.
Faculty and Teaching Assistants are required under the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment to inform the Title IX Office should they become aware that you or any other student has experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment.
Resources
All Gender Restrooms at UCSC:
https://maps.ucsc.edu/sites/default/files/GIF-Master-LIst-Final-091916.pdf
Lactation Rooms: https://maps.ucsc.edu/sites/default/files/lactation_room_map_6-18.pdf
Childcare: https://childcare.ucsc.edu/
Prayer Rooms: ISB-475, http://ucscmsa.wixsite.com/home
For Veterans: https://stars.ucsc.edu/veteran/
Undocumented Student Services: https://eop.ucsc.edu/undocumented_student_services/index.html
Support for Survivors of Assault: https://care.ucsc.edu/resources/support-survivors.html
Slug Support, including Food Support
https://basicneeds.ucsc.edu/crisis-resolution/Slug%20Support%20Program.html
Writing Centers: https://lss.ucsc.edu/programs/writing-support/index.html
Counseling & Psychological Services: https://caps.ucsc.edu/index.html