Syllabus
The Art Institute of Seattle
Course Syllabus
Course Title: Special Topics in Animation I
Session/Year: Summer 2008
Course Number: DC251
Course Description: This course allows the student to select special topics in animation and produce such animations under the guidance of an instructor. The student will be exposed to the various applications of animation and apply their animation skills to chosen topics.
Course Length: 10 weeks
Contact Hours: 40 hours
Credit Value: 3
Course Competencies:
- Understand the basic terms and practices related to presented industry topics.
- Demonstrate proficiency in demonstrated skills.
- Evaluate creative elements.
- Develop critical thinking skills and self-evaluative techniques
- Apply topic to portfolio and body of professional work
Course Prerequisites: 60 credits or above
Method of Assessment: See Instructor's Syllabus Addendum for details.
*Textbooks: See Instructor's Syllabus Addendum for details
Required Supplemental
Materials: See Instructor's Syllabus Addendum for details
"It is AIS's policy not to discriminate on the basis of disability in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for adjustments or other accommodations in this class, contact the Disability Services Department at 206-448-0900 Ext 2308."
Art Institute of Seattle
Course Syllabus
Summer 2008
DC251: World Creation
Course Length: 10 weeks
Contact Hours: 4 hours per week (40 hours)
Description: This course will thoroughly explore the creation of fictional worlds, for the purposes of entertainment media, both games and animation. Through this course, students will explore effective writing and artistic options to craft a truly detailed and immersive world.
Course Competencies:
Develop a keen attention to detail
- Write documentation that thoroughly captures the complete specifications of a fictional setting.
- Create highly detailed 2D or 3D art accurately representing the complete detailed environment
Improve presentation of completed work.
- Create a strong visual style for documentation of the project
- Layout information in an organized, helpful, and aesthetically pleasing way
- Verbally present both work in progress and finished work confidentally
- Pitch ideas from a business and development standpoint
- Offer meaningful progress report presentations
- Offer well defined post production self critiques
Prioritize tasks to meet deadlines
- Determine the priority of various tasks.
- Develop a detailed list of milestones.
- Check progress along the way to ensure completion of tasks by deadlines
Textbooks: None
The Art Institute of Seattle
Syllabus Addendum
DC251: Casual Games
Monday: 5:45 - 9:35
Instructor: Steve Rhoades
Phone: (206) 239-2432
Email: srhoades at aii.edu
Course Website: http://www.platypotamus.com/academia/dc251
Expanded Course Description: This class is going to essentially be a workshop. I'm going to open each class with some sort of lecture or interactive prsentation about some particular topic relevant to creating more immersive worlds, but these will be generally short, and leave the majority of class for work on the project, and student led discussions and presentations. The ultimate goal is for each group (if there's more than one) to have a large, organized, beautifully laid out, and well detailed document describing a fictional world of that group's creation. This document will feature (potentially) both 2D and 3D art depicting the fictitious environs described in the document.
Grading: Reprinted from the school catalog for your convenience:
| 96-100 A | 76-79 C+ |
| 92-95 A- | 72-75 C |
| 88-91 B+ | 68-71 C- |
| 84-87 B | 64-67 D+ |
| 80-83 B- | 60-63 D |
| < 60 F |
A grade of "A" represents superior work that goes above and beyond the requirements of the course. "A" work shows creativity and insight.
A grade of "B" represents good, solid work with clear improvement over the duration of the course. "B" work meets all course requirements.
A grade of "C" represents work that meets course requirements, but fails to demonstrate significant improvement. "C" work is considered average.
A grade of "D" represents work that in one or more ways fails to meet the requirements of the course, but meets the basic competencies required and is reasonable enough to pass.
A grade of "F" represents general failure to meet the requirements and competencies of the course.
Lectures: Lectures and their discussions are meant to review materials you have already read (see the reading assignments), to introduce new or related material, and/or to help you with areas in which you're having difficulty. You will be expected to be prepared. Please do not be afraid to ask questions. Also, be ready to discuss a variety of topics related to games and the current lecture topic, I like to pick on people.
Participation: Students are expected to be not only physically present in class, but also mentally present. During lectures and discussions, students will be expected to be a part of the discussions, by actively listening and (when applicable) contributing to the discussion. During class work time, students are expected to be working on the assignments for this class. I reserve the right to wake you in an unpleasant way should you choose to fall asleep. You have been warned.
Professionalism: As the Art Institute exists to prepare its students for work in a professional setting, students will be expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. This includes (but is not limited to) being present in class for every session, and alerting me in advance when you will be late or absent. It includes acting in a professional manner with regard to classroom rules. It includes getting your work turned in professionally and on time. Essentially: you will be held to high standards similar to those that exist in today's business environment.
Grade Breakdown:
| Project | 80% |
| Participation | 10% |
| Professionalism | 10% |
Project Breakdown
| Proposal | 10% |
| Each Chapter (4 total) | 10% |
| Final (Content) | 40% |
| Presentation | 10% |
Note that each milestone/deliverable will come with a presentation!
Housekeeping Items:
NOTE: Please understand that every instructor has different and unique policies governing their classroom environment. As such, "I was allowed to do this in some other class" is not a valid excuse.
- NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE CLASSROOMS AND LABS! Anyone caught in violation of this policy will be asked to leave the classroom.
- Class time - is designated to set direction, to allow for discussion and demonstration of new concepts and techniques, and to give critiques and feedback on work done to date. It is not expected that students will complete assigned projects during class hours. For this class you should anticipate spending a minimum of 4 hours per week outside of class completing assignments. If you plan to work at school please check class and lab schedules for available space. Students are responsible for submitting all work on the syllabus regardless of whether they are reminded in class or not. Reading the syllabus is the student's responsibility
- Absenteeism - According to school policy, you WILL be withdrawn from the school if you are absent 21 CONSECUTIVE calendar days. As so much of this class focuses on group work, it would be unfair to groupmembers for a student to miss an excessive amount of class. Therefore, you will fail this class if you are absent two or more days over the course of the term. Students are expected to contact me in advance when they will be missing class.
- Tardiness - Tardiness (of any amount of time) is not tolerated and affects the attendance portion of a student's grade. Students are expected to contact me in advance when they will be late to class (or leaving early). Failure to do so will impact the professionalism portion of a student's grade.
- Testing Policy - This class, as a project class, features no tests. You're welcome.
- Late Work - There's no such thing as late work.
- Cheating and Plagiarism - NOT ALLOWED and will result in an F. There is no flexibility here.
- Etiquette - Please be mindful of your peers in class and be respectful of others at all times. This includes raising your hands in class and keeping your cell phones and beepers on vibrate or silent mode. Please return phone calls on break and outside the building to be respectful of others working.
- OLS - All students are required to maintain an active OnLine Services account. Student email, grade reports, unofficial schedules, unofficial transcripts and other necessary services can only be accessed through OLS, not through the registrar.
- Student IDs - Students are required to wear their Ai Student Identification Badge visibly on their person at all times while on the school premises. Students without IDs will not be admitted to class.
- Contacting the Instructor - You can use email, voicemail or set up an appointment to contact your instructor. If the instructor doesn't respond to your messages within 24 hours, please assume that they didn't get the message and try again.
- Students must have an official schedule to sit in class. Instructor will take first day attendance ONLY when the official schedule has been presented.
- Required textbooks must be obtained by the second class meeting. Textbooks for your class are available from the bookstore. If a textbook is delayed, alternate instructions for obtaining your textbook will be provided.
- Dress Code - Students must abide by the dress code as defined in the catalog.
- Children - No children are allowed in class or on campus at any time.
ADA Statement:
"It is AIS's policy not to discriminate on the basis of disability in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for adjustments or other accommodations in this class, contact the Disability Services Department at
206-448-0900 Ext 2308."
Weekly Outline:
Week 1: Introduction. Determine group size. Determine project expectations. Begin proposals.
Week 2: Proposals Due Natural History: Tectonics and Geology, with a side of Climatology
Week 3: Natural History: Ecology and Evolution
Week 4: Forms of civilization, Sociology, Psychology
Week 5: First 2 Chapters Due
Historical details, explaining the present through the past.
Week 6: Religion and philosophy
Week 7: Language, Linguistics, and Dialects
Week 8: Next 2 Chapters
Art, Clothing, Architecture, Tools, and other forms of expression
Week 9: The Four Causes, an Aristotelean Checklist for Immersion
Week 10: Final Presentation
Wrap Up
Schedule subject to change according to classroom needs.