| CODE | IDG5152 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Games and Narrative | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Institute of Digital Games | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit offers a focused engagement with theoretical and critical issues regarding narrative in games. Students will initially be given an introduction to the concepts, techniques and critical apparata of narratological analysis, considering both classical narratology and attempts at developing an interactive narratology. The study-unit will then lead students to apply this critical toolkit to an investigation of various dimensions of narrative as they apply to games - including character, point--of-view, narrative worlds and story and plot structure. The ways these are manifested in game narratives shall be examined by means of an application of relevant critical work in both narratology and game studies to sustained critical analysis of relevant games. The study-unit shall aim to actively engage students in applying the analytical tools and models encountered during the lectures. As such, it shall be strongly focused on an engagement with a set of games carefully chosen to represent the historical development as well as the generic and formal variety of narrative in the medium. Study-unit Aims: - Introduce students to the conceptuality and methodology of narratological analysis; - Familiarize students with contemporary theoretical work and debates surrounding the issue of narrative in games; - Provide students with an overview of the historical development and formal range of narrative structures and approaches in games; - Perform a close narrative analysis of a chosen game. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will: - Be able to demonstrate a solid knowledge of narratological theory and conceptuality; - Have an understanding of the constituent elements and dimensions of narrative; - Have a comprehensive knowledge of the history and development of narrative in games; - Be able to identify and analyze narrative structures, techniques and elements as they apply to games; - Be able to understand the practice and methods of narrative game analysis. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Perform a complete, structured narrative analysis of any game; - Engage in sustained practical analysis and criticism of game narratives; - Apply the toolset of narratological analysis to the study of narratives in other media; - Put their practical knowledge of narrative structure to use in the design of narratives for games; - Participate in, and contribute to, active academic debates surrounding issues of narrative in games. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Rimmon-Kenan, S. 1983. Narrative Fiction. London: Routledge. - Ryan, M.L. 2001. Narrative as Virtual Reality. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. - Ryan, M.L. 2006. Avatars of Story. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Additional papers and book chapters will be provided electronically during the study-unit. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Seminar | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone Daniel Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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