ICS 60 • Summer Session II 2011 • Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences • UC Irvine
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Games are neither made nor played in a vacuum. The society in which games are embedded influences everything from what kinds of games are made, to the content of those games, to how those games are perceived. Game are social artifacts, and so may embody different aspects of society.
For this assignment, write a critique of a single computer or video game, discussing how that game either (a) reflects the society and culture in which is created or (b) is embedded in a broader sociocultural system. What social elements influence this game? What does this game tell us about the society in which we live?
Your essay should include including the name of the game, the publisher, and the year of release. Your paper should also provide enough details about the game so that your analysis can be understood. Your paper should make a clear and specific argument (including a thesis) about the relationship between the game and society, supported with a close reading of the game.
Your essay should be around 800 words in length. Please use a standard, business-like font, size 10 or 12 pt. At the top of the paper, include your name and UCInetID. Including a title for the essay is optional (but recommended!). You may include any images you deem necessary.
Your essay should not have footnotes or a references section. If you quote one of the readings, use the format (Turkle 1995) to cite it in text. If you refer to another work (which is not required but is welcome), cite it in text using a format similar to (Ross, J., 2011, "Secrets of citing references", Journal of Made-Up Papers).
This essay is due at 5pm on
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