Game Mechanics - Interim 2024

Course Information

Description

In this course, we will explore many different board game mechanisms (e.g., push your luck, social deduction, and worker placement) through learning and playing a wide variety of board games. Every day, each group will learn and play a different game exhibiting a specific mechanism, and students will maintain a journal of their reflections on each mechanim.

Goals

This course provides students with an opportunity to be creative and to learn things on their own, motivated by what they need to play the games as assigned. While we will be available to help them problem-solve as they encounter issues, students will take responsibility for their own learning. Each student will be required to teach several games and to keep a journal of their responses to the game mechanisms that they’ve seen.

Grades

Your grade for the course will be Honors/Pass/Unsatisfactory.

You will be allowed at most one unexcused absence during the month.

There will be 17 total “play” days, 3 of which you will be required to teach.

You will receive 1⁄2 point for each day that you play, but you will not receive this if you are consistently distracted or uninvested in the game (e.g., not paying attention to the rules, unaware of events outside of your turn, unaware when your turn comes up, etc.). We do not expect you to enjoy every game; the point of this course is to try a multitude of games, which means there will certainly be games that a particular student does not like. But you are expected to be attentive and invested during each play, regardless of whether you like the game. Failure to do so will take away the enjoyment from your teammates, and that is unacceptable. Every game you will play is widely agreed to be a “good” game by the community, and each one deserves your consideration.

You will receive up to 3 points on the days that you teach the game (where the number of points is dependent on how clearly and correctly you explain the game and manage it as the others play it). The faculty will rate your teaching on a 3-point scale (0=complete unfamiliarity, 1=multiple errors or confusion, 2=very few errors, 3=clear and concise explanation).

You must also keep a journal of your reflections about each game and mechanism that you encounter. For each entry, you must name and describe the mechanism under consideration, briefly summarize the game that used it, and provide your opinions on both the mechanism and its use within the game. These reflections are due at the end of each week and may not be submitted later for credit. The weekly reflections will be scored on a 5-point scale.

Artifact Points Possible
Player (14 days) 7
Teacher (3 days) 9
Reflections (4 weeks) 20
Total 36

A passing grade will be earned by all students who receive at least 24 total points in the course. At the faculty’s discretion, a grade of Honors may be awarded to students who exceed expectations on all reflections and enthusiastically participate in their group activities.

Policies

Attendance

You are expected to attend class meetings and come to class prepared. Refer to the General Policy Regarding Attendance in the Wofford College Student Handbook. The policy makes you responsible for catching up on missed classes. If you must be absent for class, please email me in advance to let me know.

A student is allowed at most one unexcused absence during the term.

Assignment Deadlines

Late assignments will not be accepted for any reason. All assignments are expected to be submitted by 11:55p ET on the posted deadline.

Academic Integrity

The Honor Code requires faculty, staff, and students to maintain a high standard of individual honor and integrity. While I may specify some assignments as collaborative, work represented as your own must be your own. If you have any doubt about what is appropriate for a given assignment, you should contact me for clarification.

Accommodations

If you have a disability that requires assistance or accommodation, or if you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please contact Dean Beth Wallace by telephone at (864) 597-4371 or in person by visiting the Hugh R. Black Infirmary. You must arrange accommodations during the first week of classes.

Tentative Schedule

On days listed as CROSSCUT, the groups will be reorganized so that each crosscut group is composed of one member from each of the other groups. On those days, the assigned teacher will choose a game that they played previously and will teach it to the remixed group.

On days listed as GROUP CHOICE, groups will choose the game they want to play (which may be a new game or a replay of a previous game). They are responsible for learning/teaching the game if necessary, but the teaching will be ungraded.

Meeting Mechanism
08 Jan Drafting
09 Jan Push Your Luck
10 Jan Auction/Bidding
11 Jan Trick Taking
12 Jan CROSSCUT
16 Jan Set Collection
17 Jan Deck Building
18 Jan Cooperative
19 Jan CROSSCUT
22 Jan Social Deduction
23 Jan Worker Placement
24 Jan Area Control
25 Jan Route Building
26 Jan CROSSCUT
29 Jan CROSSCUT
30 Jan CROSSCUT
31 Jan GROUP CHOICE
01 Feb GROUP CHOICE

Note: This syllabus is subject to change with notice.