This is a NET paper which guides students through a range of topics and tasks intended to develop a conceptual understanding of games as a medium, providing conceptual language and tools that can be applied in both analysis and game construction.

This paper runs for five weeks. To begin with, the paper will present five quick learning modules (each with a set of readings and associated tasks).

In these modules students will be asked to show their comprehension and understanding of key approaches and concepts, before moving on to apply these independently in a range of different ways. Students will be required to use and apply game scholarship in analysis and a design task.

Some of the assessments in these learning modules (e.g. quizzes) ask you to locate information as part of the learning process. So make sure you allocate time for independent learning.

It is intended that students develop a basic academic foundation in game studies during the first two weeks of the paper, using the remainder of the paper to exploring the construction (making) and deconstruction (analysis) of game texts.

There are no compulsory discussion forums required for this paper. This decision was based on feedback received from students of their experience of other NET papers.

The paper convener or students enrolled on the paper may set up discussion forums on Moodle, but this activity will not be formally assessed.