Would you take this class on Super Smash Bros. Melee?

[professor ganson]

...or would you like to teach something like it?

Here is part of the syllabus for a course one of my students taught this semester. I thought it might be of interest.


Super Smash Brothers Melee Theory and Practicum ExCo Fair Application

If you’re new to Super Smash Brothers Melee, don’t be shy or intimidated! This course is for you!

Super Smash Brothers Theory and Practicum ExCo – Syllabus
Course description:
This course will teach students basic, intermediate, and advanced combat techniques in the video game Super Smash Brothers Melee for the Nintendo Gamecube. This course will also provide in depth lectures and discussions involving many controversial issues concerning video games in our society today such as censorship, stereotyped characters, addiction, and gaming as an evolving art form. Gamecubes, televisions, and controllers will be provided by the instructors. Gamers and non-gamers are welcome and encouraged to take this course. Classes will meet for two and a half hours each week – one and a half hours during regularly scheduled discussion and class time, and one hour outside regular class time as a practicum to practice and refine skills. 1 Credit.

Instructors:
Brian Mazur
Mike Blejer
Quentin Jones

Meeting time and place:
(There will be two sections, each with 12 students.)

Some curious about this course may ask, “Why Super Smash Brothers Melee?
Super Smash Brothers for the Nintendo 64 was a genre defining game; a party fighter. It delivered fun, four-player interactive battles in addition to nostalgic qualities for the old school gamer. Super Smash Brothers Melee (The 2001 Gamecube sequel) at first glance, may appear to be a shallow, childish, no brains, button-mashing brawler. Upon a closer examination, Super Smash Brothers Melee is an extremely deep test of strategy and skill, quick reaction and anticipation, creativity and discipline. Though it may not seem like it, Super Smash Brothers Melee is one of the most intellectually stimulating games ever created. It also happens to have what I and many others consider to be “the perfect learning curve” – easy to learn, difficult to master. There is no “best” way to play Super Smash Brothers Melee, so students should not expect to come away from the course with enough skill to take on the world’s top smashers. But certainly, this course will teach students a good way to approach the game. Students can enjoy discovering intricate facets of this game, as they would any other competitive recreational activity. The skills and maneuvers required to be a proficient Super Smash Brothers Melee player can be easily learned through each sequential lesson.

General requirements – To receive credit for this course, students must [1.] attend discussion and class sessions regularly (not miss more than three classes). Classes will consist of a one and a half hour instructional and discussion session, and a one hour practicum during the week for sharpening skills. [2.] Attendance to the labs is required to improve fluidity and incorporation of techniques into play. [3.] Students must also be prepared to perform taught techniques for the week 6 midterm check-up, and the week 12 final, and not score below a 70% for the class. [4.] Students will also be required to write a Smash Brothers paper (see details below) to successfully pass the course. In addition, [5.] each student must lead an individual discussion session. Students will research the assigned topic before class and begin the next discussion session with a short talk about what they discovered, and what their feelings are regarding the topic.

Smash Paper – To complete this course successfully, students must write a paper about aspects of the game. Possible topics include:
Specific character history and character specific gameplay strengths / weaknesses
Comparison of strengths with respect to another character (match-up strategies)
Specific strategies to cater to the type of battle (team, FFA, Stock, Time, etc…)
Be creative and come up with your own! Be sure to check it with an instructor!
Comparison and contrast of N64 SSB and Gamecube SSBM

The paper should be about 2-3 pages, double spaced, size 12 font, 1 or 1.25 inch margins, and turned in at the time of the final. Points will be deducted accordingly for lateness.

Class Dynamics:
Discussion Sessions:
The discussions will be started by the student who researched the topic for the particular day. After the student has presented the issue with a five minute talk, the students and instructors will discuss the topic further, offering insights and opinions. After twenty-five minutes of discussion, the instructional session will begin.

Class Sessions:
During the class sessions, the instructors will give personal attention to all students, helping everyone as needed. When class begins, the instructors will briefly go over the schedule for that day and will carefully demonstrate and explain new techniques and maneuvers. Each student will then have the remainder of class to learn and practice the skills taught that day.

Practicum Sessions:
The practicum sessions will be less formal. Like regular class time, the lab will last one hour and students will have an opportunity to work on particular skills that they feel they need to improve. Practicum sessions will especially help students to incorporate their skills into their play with additional practice. This will also allot time for more advanced students to further their knowledge by practicing enrichment exercises. The Midterm-Check-Up will be conducted during the week 6 practicum session.

What is the purpose of a practicum session?
Smash Learning Theory – Successfully learning new techniques in Super Smash Brothers Melee happens in three phases:
1. Becoming aware of and recognizing the maneuver – (covered in class time)
2. Practicing and performing the maneuver successfully – (class and practicum)
3. Incorporating the maneuver into regular gameplay. – (practicum)

Discussion Sessions:
Each discussion session will be led by a different student every week. Each student is required to lead one discussion session in order to pass the class. Students will sign up for their topics and the week that they will present their opinions and their findings to the class. This presentation will start the discussion that will follow for the next 25 minutes. Discussion topics should be chosen from the list below, but students may choose others with the approval of the instructors. Possible discussion / research topics:
2-d vs. 2-d aesthetic Realissm/3d realism vs. anti-realism
Is 3-d inherently better? Or should this be seen as a stage that all growing mediums go through? (e.g., naturalism in theater, realism in painting and the effect of photography on it)
Discourse vs. Display
What we can do vs. what is the best/most fun/most interesting
In other mediums, the capacity to create realistic representations usually resulted in a broadening of the scope of the medium and a rebellion against realism (e.g., non-representational theater/performance art, impressionistic paintings/modern art)
Cell shading – interactive cartoons
We  Katamari
Viewtiful Joe
Censorship in Videogames
Violence
Sex
Drugs/Crime
Rating system (i.e., should there be a store enforced rating system similar to the way videos work?)
What is the Developer’s responsibility: What is the difference between advocating a violent/immoral perspective and merely describing one?
Does this at all apply to Smash Bros.?
The influence of Movies/other art forms in Video Games
Grand Theft Auto and other games rely upon tried and true movie tropes to communicate and enliven the gamer.
Games like Xenosaga are considered by some to be closer to an interactive movie than a game.
Meanwhile, games are being turned into movies: Doom, House of the Dead, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy, etc…
Re-making the metaphor literal
I contend that sporting competitions came together in part a replacement for war/combat interactions between cultures. Essentially war was made into a metaphor in which the game’s winner was the victor, defeat was akin to death, and honor/property might be at stake (gambling). In gaming, we take the metaphor of sports and remake it as literal. A loss in sports becomes a death in game.
First Person shooters with Capture the flag/“death match” modes
Racing games which depict crashes
What is the effect of this?
Evolution of Videogames: late 70’s – today
How has gaming changed conceptually since it’s advent? Do we retain the same roots or is it so different that it’s really another animal all together?
Is Tetris still the best game ever, and is 3-D Tetris the “New Coke” of gaming?
The Gender Gap
Gaming as a male phenomenon
“girl games” vs. “girl gamers” – stereotypes vs. facts
Game Characters
Stereotypical/Sexist depictions of women in games
Is objectification limited to women in videogames?
Is this a result of the audience, the creators, an amalgamation?
depictions of men especially the protagonist
Misogynist/James Bond-esque characters (Duke Nukem)
glorification of violence as the solution to most of life’s problems
Cartoon-esque characters such as Mario
Are they truly gendered?
Is there such a thing as art for art’s sake in video games or is the medium inherently object/product driven?
Can anything that requires so much money to create be designed for anything less than capitalist gain?
What is the analogy to art films vs. blockbusters/mainstream film here?
 To what extent are games useful as an educational tool? More generally, what are the benefits of gaming?
History lessons couched in videogame objective  reasoning structure
Language games like “Slingo”, and math games like “Number Munchers”
Virtual dissections in biology classes
Flight/combat simulators – (military training?)
What consists of a game?
What makes something a game or not? Can something set out to be a game but become something else? What might that be? (e.g., genre-defying/defining pieces of art in other mediums)
How much is too much? Gaming as an addiction.
Support groups?
“Evercrack” (addictive Everquest) and it’s victims
Selling characters/goods online
Is this kind of transaction ethical? Or is this like fueling someone’s habit?
Online vs. Offline Games
Is online necessarily better?
How do online games change the face of gaming, how do they change our society?
Virtual worlds which exist and continue to go on even when you turn your game off, and the role this plays in addiction.
Consoles vs. Computers
Will the evolution of computers and online gaming render this distinction moot with the next decade? The next two?
What is the social difference between being a “gamer” vs. “computer gamer” in our culture?
Interface: WASD(&mouse) vs. ABXY(& RL and occasionally Z)
Portrait of a Gamer: Gamers as loners/social outcasts vs. Gaming as a viable means of socializing.
Do games help us socialize or do they de-socialize us by giving us another distraction to real interaction?
Can proficiency/enjoyment of games bring people together who might not otherwise socialize?
The future of Gaming?
Gaming now makes more money than the movie industry. Some studios are merging with gaming developers or at the very least striking long term development deals. Where will this take us in 5 years? In 10?
What else?

Grading:
This class, like most other ExCo classes is Credit/No Entry grading for those who matriculated before 2004. For those matriculated in the year 2004 or later, the class will be graded pass or no pass. To receive credit / pass, students must earn an overall grade of 70% or higher, and must not miss more than three classes. To receive credit, students must also complete the Smash paper and a lead a discussion session. The overall grade is determined by four separate and unbalanced sub-grades:

Participation in class and practicum sessions 20%
Mid-Term Check-Up 20%
Smash Paper 20%
Final 40%





Weekly Schedule:
Lesson 1: Basics, Movement, Defense
- The basics
- Choosing characters
- Movement – walking, running, and jumping
- Defense – shielding, rolling, sidestepping, and mid-air dodging
Lesson 2: Primary Attacking
- The A button
Lesson 3: Secondary Attacking
- Other attack buttons, grabbing, special maneuvers
- Using the up-B as an extra (usually 3rd) jump
Lesson 4: Edge Play
- Edge recovery
- Edge guarding
Lesson 5: Items
- Items and their properties
- Using items
- Throwing items, dropping items
Lesson 6: Character, Playing, and Stage Strategies – Midterm Check-Up (Practicum)
- Individual character workshop
- Discussion of stage strategies
- Review (Practicum)
- MIDTERM CHECK-UP (Practicum)
Lesson 7: Intermediate Techniques 1
- Teching
- Shield-grabbing
- Item snatching
Lesson 8: Intermediate Techniques 2: The Art of Canceling
- Crouch-canceling
- Crouch-cancel countering
- Dash-canceling
Lesson 9: Jumping part 2 / Intermediate Air Movement Techniques
- Short-hopping
- Fast-falling
- Wall-jumping
Lesson 10: Additional Shield Properties and Advanced Items
- Light-shielding
- Power-shielding
- Item catching
Lesson 11: Lecture and Review
- Smash Brothers in our society
- MLG tournaments
- Smashboards.com
Lesson 12: FINAL
- Individual evaluation
- Peer battles
- Battle with instructor

[jp]

No.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

How much are they paying me to take the class? LOL. You don't expect anyone to read through all that and then take the class without some reward, right?

[professor ganson]

You don't expect anyone to read through all that and then take the class without some reward, right?

The reward is knowledge, my friend. And college credit (alas only 1 credit, I believe)-- a necessity for a diploma.

As far as student-taught classes go, I think this one would be pretty good. Mike is REALLY smart, actually.

[Arznei]

Hmm, that's a fair amount of text there. I glanced through it but it wasn't too long before I knew it was just a hoax. Who cares for Melee anymore when Brawl has been announced, anyway?

[Fighter17]

I don't get it.

What kind of class is this?

[jp]

1-credit?


Man, I go to college to learn things I do not know. I cannot fathom paying a university so that someone could teach me how to play a videogame. I just... no...

[Fighter17]

1-credit?


Man, I go to college to learn things I do not know. I cannot fathom paying a university so that someone could teach me how to play a videogame. I just... no...

Ditto.

If it was for free then I would go, but paying money just for that, no.

[mannerbot]

This class would be great for meeting girls.

[Fighter17]

This class would be great for meeting girls.

[professor ganson]

In all fairness, such classes are mostly padding, a way to fill out credit hours without adding yet more stress. And you wouldn't be paying any extra for the class, no more than you are already paying to be a full-time student.

And I think, jp, that this sort of class isn't so much for more expert players like yourself; it's probably intended more for less-experienced people who are looking to go a bit deeper into gaming. For my part, I would love to take such a class from some of you guys.

[Fighter17]

This is just not right.

Think about it, what happens if someone makes a college class that teach you how to 1CC DoDonPachi?

Think about it.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

This class would be great for meeting girls.

What's the possibility that a babe will take a class like that.

[Ghegs]

Hell, I'd take it. Since I lack a 'Cube I've never played the series. I do play fighters occasionally, but only if I have friends over. This would seem like a nice way to expand my gaming horizons, have fun and meet some fellow gamers.

[Eps]

Speaking as a graduate student: NO FUCKING WAY. I'd rather take yet another class on statistical physics (my personal pet hate in this field) than ever pad out my schedule with a 'Mickey Mouse' class like that. Sorry for the cynicism, but I am not working towards a PhD so that I can learn to play Super Smash Bros. Melee! Talk about the perfect definition of devaluing a college education!

[Andi]

I go to art school. In order for academic-challenged painters to fill out literature and humanities credits we have courses on poker theory, comic books, and tattoos. Still, even I cannot fathom this retarded SSBM class.

[Diabollokus]

Funny, I've an exam on advanced techniques in nutritional chemistry analysis on 9.00 monday morning, I'd love an exam based on a computer game right now..... I h8 chemistry revision

I've already picked the questions I'm going to answer! Go ICP-AES

In all seriousness

I think a lecture series on a multi-player party beat em up is hillarious, samba de amigo would be much more entertaining. 'Kids we've only 1 set of maracas, watch me clear arrange mode, notice the strategies required to deal with ricky martins fast latino rythym'

[SAM]

As far as student-taught classes go, I think this one would be pretty good. Mike is REALLY smart, actually.

I can't believe people actually taking classes in colleges for playing vedio game!!

Well, how about opening a class teaching how to play DDP DOJ? What's more fun is in order to get a passing mark one would have to 1cc the first loop.

[BulletMagnet]

I can only imagine what the editorial writers and pundits would say if the existence of a course like this were to get into the news...and what the public would say after reading/listening to said editorial writers and pundits. Granted, I like video games plenty, and regard them as much a part of contemporary culture as film, television, etc., but I don't think the world's quite ready for something of this caliber...

Then again, you've already got film criticism type classes where you spend a lot of in-class time watching movies, before discussing/writing about them...how big of a leap is it from there to a class where much of the time is spent playing video games instead?

[Rob]

First people criticize westerners for losing out to the Japanese in competitive fighting games, and now this reaction? Make up your mind, forum!

I'd take this class, if I was on scholarship. But then again I hate books.

[Skyline]

This is just not right.

Think about it, what happens if someone makes a college class that teach you how to 1CC DoDonPachi?

Think about it.

Taught by none other than Prof. BER

[Blade]

Wow. Just...wow. I'm not paying for a class that teaches me how to play a game that's meant to be picked up and played easily.

And I MEAN easily.

Now a game like Hokuto no Ken or Guilty Gear, I could understand taking some sort of primer...but it would more likely be just a big gaming session with higher level players.

[The n00b]

I hope the mexicans take over soon. At least before China dies of laughter.....

[BER]

I just want to share another syllabus about a student-run course on Street Fighter.

Home page: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~luisr/SF_DECAL/
Syllabus: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~luisr/SF_D ... labus.html

[Eps]

I would like to take on the teams of such mickey-mouse courses, and beat them with the ONE CHARACTER VICTORY using my last quantum mechanics course. Or something.

[Arcatech]

I just want to share another syllabus about a student-run course on Street Fighter.

I'd go to Berkley just for this. There's no way in hell I could get in though.

[professor ganson]

My preference would be that we reduce the total credit hours students need to graduate, so that filler courses could be largely eliminated.

That said, I don't have an issue with this course in particular, as a 1 credit course. It's really no different from other 1 credit courses like bowling or golf, and I have no serious problem with students getting college credit for such courses.

After all, what is college about other than giving people the means to live better lives than they would have otherwise (and perhaps also making them better capable of serving the greater good). As a professor of philosophy, I am very rarely concerned to train people to become professional philosophers like myself. My main concern is to give them complex, deep things to think about in their leisure and thereby enrich their lives. Of course, I also hope to improve their critical thinking and writing skills-- a very practical matter. But in many cases the problems I am concerned with are only going to be relevant to people with some leisure, and at least in this one respect I suppose my courses are on a par with this videogame class.
EDIT: I guess in making this comparison I am mostly setting aside the ethics courses I teach-- those courses are very much practical insofar as they address the question: How should I live my life?

[Diabollokus]

I always wondered what your area of expertise was Ganson, I find philosophy somewhat strange but interesting.

I have a serious question, What can a philosopher actually do? Not just thinking in certain ways, but I mean career wise. How would a typical exam question be marked?

Its all very well thinking how one should live their live or debating religion, I respect the train of thought, but say for example a student graduates with a degree in philosophy what can they do in life?

[professor ganson]

I always wondered what your area of expertise was Ganson, I find philosophy somewhat strange but interesting.

I have a serious question, What can a philosopher actually do? Not just thinking in certain ways, but I mean career wise. How would a typical exam question be marked?

Its all very well thinking how one should live their live or debating religion, I respect the train of thought, but say for example a student graduates with a degree in philosophy what can they do in life?

Philosophy as it's practiced in Germany and France is very different, very literary, but here in the US and in Britain philosophy is all about very rigorous argumentation. Philosophers are trained in mathematical logic and learn how to write very clearly and carefully. Because of these skills philosophy majors as a group outperform all other majors on the GRE and LSAT tests. They often make great lawyers and do well in professions that demand good writing. Very few, of course, go on to become professional philosophers. There just aren't many positions in academics.

[stuffmonger]

Wow... This is partially why college is stupid.