Project 2

DUE: Wednesday, December 13
SEMI-FINAL DRAFT DUE: Monday, December 4, in class

Solo, or in a team of up to 3 people, create a digital game or interactive narrative based on something from the history of Buffalo or Western New York.

Requirements:

• Create a digication page for your project. This page should include:
  • title of project
  • name(s) of creator(s)
  • one paragraph summary of the project goal
  • schedule of what's to be done & when
  • annotated bibliography
  • link to the final game

• The topic of the game (or narrative) should be taken from Buffalo/WNY history. You must do research on this topic. You can (and should right away) start with online research, but in the end you must go to the UB library and find additional sources from their collections.

• The historical element can be the main thrust of the game, or it can form a background setting. In any case it must represent some serious learning about the subject from multiple sources.

• Make an annotated bibliography of your sources. This means a complete, accurate citation for each source, plus brief notes on what you've found in each. Be prepared to show your bibliography in class around Nov 15 or 20.

• Tools: the project must be digital, but there are many different tools you can use for this. Some possibilities:
  • Twine
  • RPGmaker
  • Unity3D
  • AppFurnace
  • QR codes + web pages

• Some possible subjects (you are NOT limited to these, these are just starting suggestions):
  • blizzard of '77
  • 1901 Pan-Am Exposition
  • assassination of President McKinley
  • Red Jacket
  • the Underground Railroad in WNY
  • Niagara Falls: early electrification (Tesla vs Edison)
  • Niagara Falls daredevils
  • Buffalo architecture: HH Richardson asylum, Darwin Martin House, Central Terminal, etc
  • UB student riots of 1970
  • Forest Lawn cemetery
  • Chautauqua Institute
  • Lily Dale mediums / spiritualists
  • the "Angola Horror" (1867 train disaster)
  • Erie Canal
  • grain elevators
  • Olmstead park system

Rubric

This is a draft of the rubric. Slight details in point assignments might change, but the basic expectations will remain; more detailed descriptions will be added when possible.

• Digication page (most of this must be done by 4 Dec):
  • [2] page w/ title & credits
  • [5] statement of project goal
  • [9] annotated bibliography
  • [4] production schedule

• semi-final draft (due 4 Dec):
  • [14] makes use of research
  • [8] has choices/interaction
  • [8] sufficient content (depends on team size)

• final game/story (due 13 Dec)
  • [15] interesting choices for player to make
  • [10] makes use of research
  • [7] shows revision/improvement over semi-final draft
  • [7] "visually appealing" (keeps player's interest)
  • [5] completeness (beginning/middle/end, generally makes sense)
  • [3] sufficient content
  • [3] grammar & spelling