English 226
Hyper-Literary
Assignments
In addition to the weekly reading(s) here is information on what you need to do for the week. I will cover assignments in class but this should serve as a reminder and provide additional info.
Week Fourteen Tuesday
- Come to class with your final papers.
Week Thirteen Thursday
- Read Penny “Representation, Inaction, and the Ethics of Simulation” (First Person) and Chess, “Playing the Bad Guy” (Course Reader). Post to the discussion forum.
Week Thirteen Tuesday
- Read Zimmerman, “Narrative, Interactivity, Play and Games” and Jenkins, “Game Design as Narrative Architecture” both in First Person and post to the discussion board.
- Continue working on your final papers, due May 9th.
Week Twelve Thursday
- Read the article on Deus Ex by Slocombe, “A Majestic Reflexivity” in your course packet and post to the discussion board.
- Also you might want to start work on your final paper which is due May 9th. If you want to purpose your own topic, you must do so by May 4th.
Week Twelve-Tuesday
- Play Dues Ex: Invisible War for four hours. As I said in class I realize this is longer than the reading usually takes but it really takes this long to get a sense of the game. Also as I said in class, especially for those who are not familiar with digital games feel free to play in groups. If you are unfamiliar with these games and would like some help email me there are several students who volunteered.
- Here are some tips/help with the game:
- Start early (i.e. not Monday night) that way if you have technical problems you can get help.
- The game allows you to select difficulty level, for our purposes it is fine to play on easy.
- Talk to characters multiple times, and pay attention to cut scenes.
- If you are playing on the PC, go here and get the patch. It will make play easier.
- Read the two Wikipedia entries on Deus Ex: Invisible War and the one on characters in Deus Ex. This should give you a good sense of the game world.
- I gave a handout in class that outlines the game world, and explains the four possible endings.
- Finally there are two good game guides online. If you get stuck, or want to just scan the storyline check them out. The first one is available here, just click on the link for FAQ/Walkthrough. The second one has pictures and is a better explanation of the narrative but not as strong on the hints.
- Post to the discussion forum.
Week Eleven-Thursday
Read the following documents available on-line and post to the discussion board
- First read Wikipedia on the Production Code (Hayes Code) and the Hayes Code itself.
- Second take a look a the Report Card issued by the Institute on Media and the Family about Video Games.
- Finally read the documents from the Senate Hearings.(You can skip the written statement by Dmitri Williams.)
Week Eleven-Tuesday
- No Reading for today-I will go over background material on media regulation.
- Bring your completed first papers to class.
Note: Readings for Thursday have also changed see the next entry.
Week Ten-Thursday
- Continue working on your first paper due Tues. after break.
- Read Derrida “Paper or Me you know . . .” in Paper Machines and post to discussion board.
Week Ten-Tuesday
- Finish HOL
- Start work on your first paper. Click here for a copy.
Week Nine-Thursday
- Read House of Leaves up to page 490 and post to the discussion board.
Week Nine-Tuesday
- Read Jackson's Patchwork Girl (for at least two hours) and post to the discussion board.
Week Eight-Thursday
- Come to class with your midterm.
Week Eight-Tuesday
- Read House of Leaves up to page 408, and post to the discussion board.
- Start work on your midterm which will be due in class on Thursday. Note you need to answer all three questions. If you need a copy click here.
Week Seven-Thursday
- Read up to pg 353 in House of Leaves, post to the discussion board. Also register for Online Caroline.
Week Seven-Tuesday
- Read for at least an hour Michael Joyce's Twelve Blue and post to the discussion board.
Week Six-Thursday
- Read up to page 313 in House of Leaves and post to the discussion board.
Week Six-Tuesday
- Read and Post to the discussion forum. House of Leaves up to page 246 (this is not as long as it seems, some pages only have a few words.)
Week Five-Thursday
- Read House of Leaves up to page 153, and post to discussion board.
Week Five-Tuesday
- Read Heidegger, Question Concerning Technology, from your course reader. As I said in class, please spend no more than two hours reading. If after two hours you still are unsure about Heidegger's thesis, that's okay we will cover it in class. Instead focus your effort on reading House of Leaves.
Week Four-Thursday
- Read the House of Leaves up to page 79 and post to the discussion board.
Week Four-Tuesday
- Read the two items from the Course Reader, and post to the discussion board, try and see how these pieces might connect to what we have read so far.
Week Three-Thursday
- Read House of Leaves up to page 25 (read the intro), and post a question to the discussion board.
Week Three-Tuesday
- Read the Aarseth piece in the course reader,
Non-linearity and Linear Theory
and post to the discussion forum.
Week Two-Thursday
- Read first the Joyce
Notes Towards an Unwritten
- Next read in First Person, Stuart Moulthrop's Piece, keep in mind that Moulthrop is reacting to a body of scholarship which is debating whether or not new media (digital games) are narrative (in his piece often Murray) and those who want to see it as something new (in his piece Eskelin).
Week Two-Tuesday
- Read the two Derrida essays, and post to the discussion board
Week One
- Purchase Books at Mary Jane's
- Get Course Packet From Shipmates
- Order a Copy of Deus Ex
- Read Borges/Ellison and post to the Class Discussion Board this will require you to register
- Send me an email dp0711@albany.edu-Tell me what made you pick this class (be honest-if it was the only think open say that-its okay)