Formally known as "policies"!
The course requires active participation in class through discussion and hands-on activities. Students are required to prepare for class by reading all assigned texts prior to lecture.
Students will be expected to complete all assignments and projects throughout the semester. You are also responsible for understanding the expectations for each assignment. Please get in touch with the instructor for clarification of any assignment.
The dates of the assignments and project milestones are listed on the schedule and will be described in detail in each assignment document. Please let the instructor know within the first week of classes if you have a scheduling conflict.
Lectures will occur primarily in the Playable Media Lab (SCI L140). This space will be shared with other members of the college, so please be mindful of backing up your projects and managing your schedule carefully.
Completing this form will grant you access to our shared lab space:
Lab Reservations:
Please reserve time to work on lab computers in L140. Multiple courses use this space, so it is important to make these reservations in advance. Please cancel reservations ASAP if your plans to work in the lab change. If you are working in the lab without a reservation, another student with a reservation will have priority access to that station.
Links to Reservation Calendars:
Monday/Thursday: 2:20pm - 3:35pm
Unless otherwise announced, in-person sessions will begin at 2:20am on Monday and Thursday in the Playable Media Lab (L140).
Come to class because you WANT to learn. We all need to take care of ourselves. If -- for any reason -- you are not feeling well enough to attend class, send me a message stating "I am not feeling well enough to attend class on X DATE." You will still be responsible for any material you miss due to absence, including communication with your project partners. Schedule time with me to discuss ways you can make up the class session. Please note any changes to the schedule on the course website. Any announcements regarding unexpected changes to this schedule will be sent to the CS121 Google Group. Please ensure you are registered to this group.
I do not take attendance, but please show up on time to each class session.
I’ve decided to rename Office Hours to “Student Hours”. This is time for you. Whether it be on Zoom or somewhere on campus, I’m here to help you. I’m eager to do so. I’ve reserved time each week to meet with you to discuss your progress through the course… or anything else. Please take advantage of this resource! I expect you to need these meetings as you explore the topic of Game Design. Asking for help is a good thing! Contact me directly if you need to schedule time outside the hours I've set aside on my calendar.
Ashley Kang and Rae Suarez, our wonderful student tutors, will host drop-in hours for this course. I'm sure they would be delighted to chat about a broad range of topics, but these sessions will be focused on helping you work on assignments for this CS121. Please feel free to attend these sessions and ask questions about your work in Unity:
Student Drop-in (SCI L140):
Sundays: 6-7pm
Mondays: 5-6pm
Wednesdays: 5-6:30pm
Self Evaluation is an important aspect of game design processes. Each assignment will require you to share a self-assessment as a part of the assignment submission process (it will be a part of the submission form). These individual responses will be used as a basis for my own evaluation. If I think you deserve a higher or lower grade, I will first have a conversation with you!
The following are guiding principles used to evaluate projects in this course. Please communicate with me if you have any questions about the following:
-Technical Understanding: Use of development methods shared during technical demonstrations
-Conceptual Integration: Expression of theoretical concepts discussed in class and by assigned readings
-Experimentation: Reimplementation of technical concepts in unique ways; Discovery and implementation of new technical concepts
-Individual Development: Learning something new and implementing it in your project
We believe that collaboration fosters a healthy and enjoyable educational environment. For this reason, we encourage you to talk with other students about the course material and topics. Also, teamwork is the norm in the tech industry and one of our goals is to learn how to collaborate effectively on a project. When working on assignments or group projects team members must work closely together on all tasks. Here are ground rules for collaboration:
-The work must be a true collaboration in which each member of the team will carry their own weight.
-The fact that team members will be required to meet outside of class means that you need to carefully consider your potential partners' schedule before forming a team. You cannot be an effective team member if you cannot find time to meet.
-Working with different partners is a good way to build community in the class. We strongly recommend that you partner with different students during the semester.
All work submitted for any assignment must be original or cited. For any project, you may borrow code, media, ideas, words, or structures from someone else, but you must acknowledge the original author via proper citation. Please refer to the college’s Honor Code policy for more information.
If you have a disability or condition, either long-term or temporary, and need reasonable academic adjustments in this course, please contact Disability Services to get a letter outlining your accommodation needs, and submit that letter to me. You should request accommodations as early as possible in the semester, or before the semester begins, since some situations can require significant time for review and accommodation design. If you need immediate accommodations, please arrange to meet with me as soon as possible. If you are unsure but suspect you may have an undocumented need for accommodations, you are encouraged to contact Disability Services. They can provide assistance including screening and referral for assessments.
Disability Services can be reached at disabilityservices@wellesley.edu, at 781-283-2434, by scheduling an appointment online at their website www.wellesley.edu/disability , or by visiting their offices on the 3rd floor of Clapp Library, rooms 316 and 315.
This course will require you to complete assignments on a computer with the Unity Game Engine installed and operating. You will have access to a student version of Unity and we'll discuss installation of all required software throughout the course. If you have concerns about accessing a computer that can support Unity, please reach out to the instructor ASAP.
Wellesley College considers diversity essential to educational excellence, and we are committed to being a community in which each member thrives. The College does not allow discrimination or harassment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or any other protected status under applicable local, state or federal law.
If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or harassment, support is available to you:
Confidential reporting: Students can report their experiences to Health Services (781.283.2810); Stone Center Counseling Service (781.283.2839); or Religious and Spiritual Life (781.283.2685). These offices are not required to report allegations of sexual misconduct to the College.
Non-confidential reporting: You can let me know. As a faculty member, I am obligated to report allegations of sex-based discrimination to the Nondiscrimination/Title IX Office. You can report directly to the Nondiscrimination/Title IX Office (781.283.2451) to receive supports, and to learn more about your options for a response by the College or about reporting to a different institution. You can report to the Wellesley College Police Department (Emergency: 781.283.5555, Non-emergency: 781.283.2121) if you believe a crime has been committed, or if there is an immediate safety risk.