Games and Physical Play LS2015

Welcome to the Digital Media and ePR Erasmus Program, organized by the 3-D Animation and Visual Effects Program at the University of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw, Poland

Students from the full time 3-D Animation and Visual Effects program as well as students from the Erasmus program are enrolled in this three-week experimental games course.

Games and Physical Play: Somatic Engagement in Narrative Games

Play engages humans cognitively, emotionally, and physically at all ages. It is ubiquitous in society and central to human development. This experimental games course explores games as play. It looks at the trajectory of game artifacts in contemporary culture as they have been developed to support and push the boundaries of somatic (embodied) experience. While including all age groups, there is an emphasis on experiential narrative games intended for young children.

The course is both theory and project-based. Students are introduced to theory on play and games and investigate the key concepts for creating embodied/experiential games across different media. Students engage in alternative play and game design exercises and, working both individually and in teams; they conceptualize, plan, and create both analog and digital games.