MM3301

MM3301 Interaction Design for Entertainment

image of bookThis course is an exploration of design for interactive entertainment. Students learn to combine principles of communication design, sequencing, and interactivity to create engaging user-centered experiences.

Class Information

Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. Understand and resolve design issues for a variety of interactive formats.
  2. Design sequencing and navigational systems that effectively engage users.
  3. Apply principles of sequential design in the production of interactive prototypes.
  4. Use sound and motion as effective elements of interaction design.

Weekly Course Outline

Wk 1:   Lecture: Introduction and discussion of course content. What is meant by visual communication and interaction design. Platforms for digital entertainment. Genres of web-based entertainment  Since this is a class about entertaining the viewer, part of your points will be based on entertainment value.

What is entertaining? What has "stickiness" and what makes you click? We'll explore different ways you can be surprised, entertained, amazed or bored. On which side will your final project end?


Lab: Group critique warm-up exercise. Explore samples of interaction design for entertainment.  

Class exercise: without words, describe assigned phrase. Class is divided into two teams. A phrase from http://www.idiomsite.com/ will be given to non-verbally give your message. 10 minutes to plan, 10 minutes to present. This is an exercise in verbal communication.

Create a web page or blog to post assignments. Before end of class, give url to instructor.

Homework:

Identifying Modes of Online Entertainment. .pdf

Research examples of the following entertainment sites:

    1. Webisodic site - a site you would return regularly for the next episode of an ongoing storyline
    2. Promo site - usually a teaser site, often one page, that stirs up interest in an upcoming event
    3. Information site - this spans a lot of different areas of interest, so try not to go for the obvious
    4. Advergame - Often a kid's food site, the games often use the same familiar characters of the company's commercials
    5. Movie or band website
    6. Artist portfolio
    7. Sports reporting
    8. Games
    9. Social networking (fun)
    10. Social awareness or community (personal interest)

 


Homework: Identifying Modes of Online Entertainment. Create a web page to present your findings. 

Wk 2:             

Lecture:

  • Discussion and presentation of examples. Why did you choose each example? As we look at each, discuss whether or not you would return.

Sequencing. What is it? Think of a book, a movie, a website. How do they move you through their pages/scenes? Think of your favorite piece of art. How does the artist pull you in and move your mind/view around?

When you design into sequences - whether comic strips, illustrations for stage direction, layout for interior design, a book, a web site or a video you've created, you are using sequential imagery to tell your story. By considering how a viewer can best experience a series of designed pages, we can appreciate the nature of sequencing whether in walking through an exhibition or creating storyboards of an animation.We take our viewers on a journey and it all begins with navigation. How much does navigation - moving from one sequence or page to the next - hinder or help the story?
  • Navigation is assisting the Human-Computer Interaction. Through our designs, we help someone understand what is expected of them in order to view the site's content: a discussion of the process of creating compelling navigation in HTML or Javascript or Flash or jQuery.

Lab:

  • Sequencing navigation.

Homework:

  • Take a navigation concept and develop it to perfection. Assignment Two (.pdf, 21KB). Post to your production log online.
  • In your blog, make an entry discussing navigation. What do I mean? Try free association...or try giving your opinion. At some point as you were using the Internet, you were either very annoyed or perhaps very pleased with the way the navigation worked. Cite examples. And don't forget...you must post each week what you did as an assignment, how you did it or information you researched to accomplish the homework , and why you made the choice - based on entertainment values - to include or create.

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