Planning the Perfect Heist: Designing Procedural Documentation

What Are We Doing?

For this project, you will be tasked (individually, or in groups of 2-4) with developing procedural documentation for a level of the game Monaco (preferably one of the first 2-3 to make reaching those levels easier in class). This will be done in two parts: (1) a walkthrough of one of the levels of the game with one character per group member accounted for, and (2) a reflection on the process of creating a walkthrough for one of Monacos levels, and the use of another students documentation. (NOTE: groups of more than 1 will all need the Steam edition of the game to play together simultaneously and will write instructions for multi-player heists, not a single character.)

How Are We Doing It?

In short, youll: 1.) Play the first few levels of Monaco. 2.) Choose a level you want to design documentation/a walkthrough for. 3.) Play the level again with documenting the completion of a level with a specific goal in mind (How do you get all the gold? Whats the fastest way through the level? Which character(s) work best in a given level? etc.). 4.) Play through a level, this time relying on someone elses documentation. 5.) Write a reflection on the process of designing procedural documentation for the game, and using the documentation crafted by your peers (What worked? What didnt? What elements do you value in documentation, be it your own or someone elses?)

Why Are We Doing This Project?

How many times while playing Braid, Papers, Please, Thomas Was Alone, Little Inferno or any game did you need to check something online to get past where you were stuck? If the answer is more than none, youve engaged with a shockingly prevalent form of writing within the gaming community that goes by a fancier name in other contexts: procedural documentation. For our final project we will be making videogame play our main focus and taking part in a common composing practice in gaming that translates directly to countless contexts, including the development of wiki pages, study guides, and professional writing among others.
Requirements: 500 word minimum reflection on your experiences playing, writing documentation for, and working with someone elses documentation of, a level in Monaco. (1 per person) This is a hardline minimum. Not meeting the required 500 words (which does not include headers or marginalia) will result in steep penalties to your projects grade. 250 word minimum documentation describing how to complete your level in a given way. (1 per group). See above regarding word count. Formatting: Times New Roman, 12 pt, MLA header, Double spaced.

Logistics

These questions will serve as the foundation for my feedback to you and my assessment of your work for Project 4. When assessing your writing, I will provide you with responses to the following questions in regards to the written and visual components of your project.

Assessment

Is the audience of the authors walkthrough easily identifiable and present a specific goal indicated and integrated throughout the written text (Speed run? Best character(s) for a level? 100% gold in a level?) Are authors instructions easy to understand and demonstrate appropriate clarity and structure? Does the author integrate images into their instructions in a helpful way for the reader/audience? Are images successfully illustrating the processes being discussed here? Does this project illustrate mastery over fundamental elements of writing, such as structure/order of content, grammar, punctuation, word choice, and use of sources when/if applicable? Did the writer clearly participate in the drafting process, including being present at peer workshops, providing multiple drafts of this project, demonstrating decision-making skills in adding or altering content, and skillfully proofreading the final content?

Plans and Due Dates

Week 15
Monday, April 14th Project 3 officially due. Play Monaco in class. Wednesday, April 16th Play Monaco in class. Begin procedural documentation in class. Friday, April 18th Play Monaco in class. Develop procedural documentation in class. Test procedural documentation.

Week 16
Monday, April 21st Play Monaco in class. Test procedural documentation. Wednesday, April 23rd Play Monaco in class. Finish procedural documentation in class. Friday, April 25th Project 4 Due. All revisions due. Final Course Evaluations.