PLEASE NOTE: INTERNATIONALS ARE WELCOME, MOST CLASSES, AS WELL AS PROJECT COACHINGS AND SLIDES ARE IN ENGLISH.
However, some talks will still be in German.
Lecturers: Prof. Eric Jannot & Kolja Bopp
Room: Gameslab, Finkenau 31
Sessions are typically on Thursday from 8:30 to 12:00, read below for exceptions.
Please note that we will be working regularly with miro. Use this link to join the course board.
To pass the course, students must submit their own completed project as a wiki page with a download or itch.io link, as well as seven research contributions (see Seminar Structure below).
Final submission will be made digitally via this course page (link to your Wiki project page) by the 17th of July, 23:59.
Components of the game project submission:
• Game: A download link to a playable prototype. Quality over quantity applies here: better to submit a small, working prototype than a larger, non-functional one. The prototype should convey the core concept (a testable scenario). A gameplay capture video with sound would also be a great addition to the Wiki page.
• Game Design Document (GDD): All relevant aspects should be addressed briefly but clearly, including: short description, story, aesthetics, mechanics, and technology (refer to the GDD template). Depending on the nature of the game, these sections can range from a few sentences to several paragraphs. It is important that the intended message in relation to the course theme is clearly articulated.
• Project Documentation: What did you accomplish? What is still missing? How many hours did each team member contribute, and in which areas? How did the original plan compare to reality? What were your lessons learned? What are your next steps?
• Ongoing Submissions: Seven contributions focused on LGBTIQ+ topics have to be posted on Miro. Details are outlined in the Seminar Structure.
Procedure:
For 7 out of the 14 sessions, you will create contributions on Miro addressing the seminar theme. The goal is to generate relevant, personal knowledge, engage in open exchange, and reflect the diversity of possible knowledge and its sources. For this reason, the seminar does not provide additional content prompts beyond this Wiki.
Each contribution should take approximately 2 hours and be published on Miro. A good submission reflects genuine interest and was produced with care and thorough research. You are free to take either an artistic or empirical approach:
• The artistic approach focuses on subjective experiences. Knowledge is generated through emotional and aesthetic exploration.
• The empirical approach draws on classical research methods: careful source evaluation, proper citation, and formal presentation, similar to what you’re familiar with from academic writing.
Examples of past contributions can be found on this Miro board focused on the theme Death, Dying, and Video Games.
Formats
toThe possible formats are numerous; the following list is merely a set of examples:
Possible Subjects
• History → e.g., A Brief History of Gamergate, The Origins of Christopher Street Day (CSD)
• Media Artifacts (film, series, comics, advertisements, books) → e.g., Spongebob and Queerness, Queerbaiting in Disney, Bury Your Gays trope
• People → e.g., Anna Anthropy, Robert Yang
• Personal Experiences
• Problems / Solutions
• Viewpoints
• Society / Politics
• Law
• Community
Session Structure
• Review and comment on newly submitted research contributions
• Instructor input/exercises
• Free work time and group coaching sessions
| Milestone | Datum | Nr. | Titel | Inhalt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konzeption (GDD) + Prototyp |
10.04 | 1 | Introduction |
Guest: Nikole Bauer Teambuilding / First Brainstorming |
| 17.04 | 2 | How to Test |
How to review Test results RITE Modell of iterative design |
|
| 24.04 | 3 | Projektpitches / Proof of Fun |
Short Project Presentation (each Team 5-8 Min)
Fun & Videogames |
|
| Feiertag - KEINE SITZUNG | ||||
|
08.05 (Online) |
5 |
Let's Play (Kolja)
|
Short insight into the field of game analysis Wir schauen uns gemeinsam ein oder zwei Spiele mit Seminarbezug an und besprechen diese. Online: Media Design 1 Sprachchat im HAW Hamburg (DMI) Discord (Einladungslink) |
|
|
Projektentwicklung / erweiterte Grundlagen Milestone: spielbares Level |
15.05 GamesLab |
6 | Level Design (Kolja) | Level Design, Pacing & Dramaturgy |
|
22.05 (Online) |
7 | Emotional Design (Kolja) | Emotionale Aspekte in Darstellung & Spielmechaniken | |
| Feiertag - KEINE SITZUNG | ||||
|
04.06 (WEDNESDAY GAMELAB) |
9 | Testsession | Playtesting Session zusammen mit MGD2/MGD3 Alle Gruppen haben Rechner mit allem notwendigen Material aufgebaut und vorbereitet. Externe Gäste sind willkommen! |
|
| Projektfinalisierung |
12.06 (ONLINE) |
10 | Auswertung der Testsession | Wie lief die Testsession? Was sind die Lessons Learned? Welchen Einfluss haben diese auf das Projekt? |
| 19.06 | 11 | Prozedurale Rhetorik |
Wie Spielmechaniken wirklichkeit modellieren und uns beeinflussen. Let's Play Paper's Please. |
|
| 26.06 | 12 | Eigenarbeit | ||
|
03.07 (Online) |
13 | Ludonarrative Dissonanz / Konsonanz (Kolja) |
Das Zusammenspiel von Story und Spielmechaniken Gut gemeint statt gut gemacht |
|
| 09.07 | Playtesting |
|
||
| 10.07 | 14 | Präsentationen |
Präsentation von ca. 10 Minuten pro Gruppe.
|
| Team Name & Student Names | Working title (Link to your wiki page) | Genre / Short description | Engine | Pitch (pdf) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felix, Francesco, Lio, Loan. | emulsion | 3D Casual Story game | Unity | |
| Julie, Alessandro, Lars, Afa | True Shapes | 2D Story Game | Unity | Pitch |
| Tyler, Marcus, Maik, Marco | Shaping myself | 2D Game, Inspiration: Binding of Isaac | Godot | Pitch |
| Ai, Cengiz, Emma, Michelle | Enola | 2D Cozy Narrative Adventure | Unity | Powerpoint |
| Miriam | Bittersweet Broughlike | Broughlike | (JavaScript) | |
| Siavash, Ronja, Safia | The Brighton Byte | 2D Visual Novel Game | RenPy | Canva Link |
| Caro, Nikolai | Silent Hearts | 2D Puzzle Game | Godot | Pitch |
| Ann-Katrin, Michelle | Lilac Love | 2D Story Game | Godot | Pitch |
| Erik, Stefan, Juan, Stebastian | Atlantis | 2D Rogue like | Godot | |
| Name | My expertise | My idea |
|---|---|---|
Have a look at those lovely Indie Games in the Queer Games Bundle.
Here are some introductory Books and Videos.
Anna Anthropy is one of the most famous trans Game Designers. Play some of her amazing (and free) games.
A good interview about representation of trans people in Video Games (German)
Nicht nur Spiele über, sondern für LGBTIQ+ Menschen
If you stomach an incels opionion, have look at this list of games that are “too woke”
Participation and Code of Conduct
Participation in this seminar requires an open-minded attitude towards the topic; no prior knowledge is expected.
Respectful interaction is expected at all times, including in situations where opinions differ.
Any form of discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, ethnic background, age, religion, or social status.
“Am I being discriminatory just because I didn’t use gender-neutral language?”
This seminar is not about assigning guilt. Rather, it is about encouraging self-reflection and fostering awareness and positive practices—both individually and within teams—toward, with, or as members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Ideally, by the end of this seminar, you will have sharpened your awareness and sensitivity in terms of inclusive language—if you haven’t already :)
This seminar is intended to be a safe space for people with LGBTIQ+ backgrounds to realize projects and share ideas freely.