ARTH 2020 - [Video Games as Art]

(crosslisted) VISST 2020
(CA-AS)

Next offered 2016-2017. 4 credits.

M. Fernandez.

Video games are ubiquitous in contemporary culture. They are central to entertainment, education, military operations, politics and health care and major museums recognize them as exemplary works of art or design. The goal of this course is to provide students with fundamental analytic tools to evaluate this influential medium. Students will learn to analyze videogames with attention to architecture, visual effects, narrative, interaction patterns, and sound in relation to other art forms and to historical and critical readings. They will investigate the relationship of art with commerce, the role of rules in art and the importance of race, gender and class in game design. The dynamics of collaborative authorship and aesthetics in comparison with other artistic and traditions will be explored.