CS39K Final Project Specification: Spring 2013

Class Game Design

During the course of the semester thus far, you have participated in numerous people-to-people strategy games:

Still to come is The Islandia Game--U.S. intervention in a chaotic third world country (based on Somalia and the book/film Black Hawk Down).

Your course project this semester is to design your own game along the lines of those you have played throughout the semester. As you know from your own experience, the games are typically organized around two (or possibly three) opposing forces, each given an initial situation assessment (not necessarily identical or accurate for each). The game evolves through two to three rounds wherein the participants are forced to make some decisions. Then the human facilitator (i.e., your instructor!) assesses the decisions made by the opposing teams and needs to resolve how the strategic situation will evolve for the next round. Some ambiguity in outcomes and next steps are natural and to be expected, but it is useful if you consider the possible outcomes from one round to the next.

You must choose a period and conflict from the 20th Century up to today, and remember that information technologies should play a role in it. I would like you to propose this to me via email by April 2. Your game description and supporting handouts will be due at the last class meeting, on April 30.

Here are some ideas for game topics:

These are only some examples focused on more modern times and technologies, but I am more interested in having you pursue a topic for your game that really excites you intellectually. If you let me know what you are planning to do, I can provide you with some pointers and references to get your research off the ground.