Introduction to Transformative Game Design

About Course

Welcome to Introduction to Transformative Game Design! We are delighted that you are joining us on this journey into exploring the use of role-playing games as vehicles for personal and social change. This course explores foundational concepts and practices to consider when designing for transformative games.

Course Content

Course Information
Welcome to Introduction to Transformative Game Design!

Unit 1: Introduction to Transformative Game Design
This course explores foundational concepts and practices to consider when designing for transformative impacts.

Unit 2: Transformative Leisure Role-playing Games
These types of games were not necessarily designed for an educational or therapeutic purpose, but that players might find them transformative in a variety of different ways.

Unit 3: Therapeutic Role-playing Games
These types of games are designed for a therapeutic purpose or to help participants develop social skills.

Unit 4: Educational Role-playing Games
These types of games are designed for an educational purpose according to specific learning objectives.

Unit 5: Research Through Design
We will discuss ways to design and iterate role-playing games, but also how to take that process a step further and engage in formalized analysis of the process through academic writing.

Unit 6: Ritual, Myth and Symbolism
We can consider role-playing games ritual spaces, but rituals can also be embedded into role-playing games for deeper experiences.

Unit 7: Culture and Conflict in RPGs
We will explore different types of culture in RPGs, including fictional and real cultures and subcultures portrayed in games.

Unit 8: Safety and Identity in RPGs
In this unit, we will deepen into concepts related to safety design.

Unit 9: Game Technologies and RPGs
By its very name, analog role-playing emphasizes interactions between people unmediated by technology, but of course in reality, we often use technologies during play.

Unit 10: Transformative Game Design and You
In this unit, you will reflect upon the course as a whole, as well as your design and playtest experiences.

About Course

Course Content

Course Information Welcome to Introduction to Transformative Game Design!

Unit 1: Introduction to Transformative Game Design This course explores foundational concepts and practices to consider when designing for transformative impacts.

Unit 2: Transformative Leisure Role-playing Games These types of games were not necessarily designed for an educational or therapeutic purpose, but that players might find them transformative in a variety of different ways.

Unit 3: Therapeutic Role-playing Games These types of games are designed for a therapeutic purpose or to help participants develop social skills.

Unit 4: Educational Role-playing Games These types of games are designed for an educational purpose according to specific learning objectives.

Unit 5: Research Through Design We will discuss ways to design and iterate role-playing games, but also how to take that process a step further and engage in formalized analysis of the process through academic writing.

Unit 6: Ritual, Myth and Symbolism We can consider role-playing games ritual spaces, but rituals can also be embedded into role-playing games for deeper experiences.

Unit 7: Culture and Conflict in RPGs We will explore different types of culture in RPGs, including fictional and real cultures and subcultures portrayed in games.

Unit 8: Safety and Identity in RPGs In this unit, we will deepen into concepts related to safety design.

Unit 9: Game Technologies and RPGs By its very name, analog role-playing emphasizes interactions between people unmediated by technology, but of course in reality, we often use technologies during play.

Unit 10: Transformative Game Design and You In this unit, you will reflect upon the course as a whole, as well as your design and playtest experiences.