STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

For this series of presentations, you will explore some topics in game design and development that connect technology, culture, business, and ethics. Each topic highlights an important dimension of how games are created, played, and understood. Your task is to research your assigned topic using credible sources such as scholarly articles, research papers, book chapters, and industry publications and articles to deepen your understanding. You are encouraged to make use of generative AI tools as part of your research and preparation process, but your final presentation should reflect thoughtful engagement with published sources as well as your own analysis.

The goal is to provide your classmates with a clear, well-structured presentation that explains the topic, identifies key challenges and examples, and highlights its relevance to contemporary game development and culture. As part of your presentation you will also include a case study where your team will explore the topic using concrete examples.

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Topics

The following are the selected topics for this year's Senior Seminar student presentations:

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) in Games

UI refers to the visual elements players interact with (menus, HUDs [Heads-Up Display], icons), while UX is the overall feeling and usability of the game. Good UI/UX ensures clarity, immersion, and accessibility.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• Elements of effective HUD design (health bars, maps, inventory).
• Balancing information vs. screen clutter.
• How UX affects player retention and engagement.
• Case studies of successful (and poor) UI design.

Business Models and Monetization in Games

Covers how games generate revenue; from one-time purchases to free-to-play models, microtransactions, and subscription services.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• Evolution from boxed sales → digital → free-to-play.
• Pros and cons of monetization strategies.
• Impact on player experience and ethics.
• Case studies: Fortnite, League of Legends, Candy Crush.

The Law and Ethical Issues in Video Games

Explores legal regulations and ethical debates in gaming: copyright, modding, loot box legality, violence, gambling mechanics, data privacy, etc.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• Copyright and intellectual property in games.
• Censorship, age ratings, and regional restrictions.
• Gambling/loot boxes and regulation.
• Case studies: Look for a case where the law and ethics have been compromise: Roblox, Mortal Kombat, and so on.

Accessibility in Game Design

Ensuring games are playable by people with diverse physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. Goes beyond compliance to designing inclusively.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• Accessibility features: subtitles, remappable controls, colorblind modes.
• Role of assistive hardware (e.g., Xbox Adaptive Controller).
• Benefits of universal design: good design helps everyone.
• Case studies: Notable accessible games: The Last of Us Part II, Celeste.

Gaming Culture, Psychology of Games and Player Motivation

Investigates how games create cultures, communities, and motivations. Explores why people play games and how games impact identity and society.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• Gaming subcultures (MMOs, esports, speedrunning, modding).
• Psychological frameworks: Flow theory, Bartle's player types, Self-Determination Theory.
• Positive effects (community, problem-solving) vs. negative (toxic culture, addiction).
• Case studies: Representation, diversity, and inclusion in gaming communities.

Testing & Deployment of Video Games

Focuses on quality assurance (QA) processes, bug testing, and releasing games to the public across different platforms.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• QA methods: playtesting, automated testing, beta testing.
• Deployment challenges: cross-platform, patches, updates.
• Case studies: buggy launches (Cyberpunk 2077).

Emerging Technologies in Game Development

Explores cutting-edge tech shaping the future of games; from AR/VR to AI-driven development.

The following are focus areas on the topics that you could work on:

• VR/AR/MR: immersive experiences.
• DCloud gaming & streaming (Stadia, xCloud).
• Procedural generation and AI in game content.
• Case studies: Metaverse debates.

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Things to Know

• Your group will have a total of 40 minutes to present your topic. You should divide this time to present the information you researched. This time should be equally divided between your group members (or as equally as it can be divided).
• After your presentation, your classmates will have 10 minutes for Q&A.
• All presentations will happen during on Fridays of Weeks 3 through 9 (except Week 5 which will happen Wednesday)

Your presentation is worth 24 points. The following rubrics describe the criteria that your classmates and I will use to evaluate your team's work:

• Preparedness, Participation, and Group Dynamics: Presenters knew the information, participated equally, and helped each other as needed. 4 pts.
• Presentation Content: The presentation was a concise summary of the topic with comprehensive coverage of information. 4 pts.
• Presentation Skills: The audience was engaged, and presenters held the audience's attention. Appropriate speaking volume and body language. 4 pts.
• Comprehension: Members showed a good understanding of their topic and communicated it well to the audience. 4 pt.
• Visual Appeal: No errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Information is clear and concise on each slide. Visually appealing/engaging. Creative design of the slides and information or infographics. 4 pts.
• Contribution to Class: Do you consider that this group's topic made an effective use of CS knowledge and technology to bring awareness to issues/solutions in Game Design and Development? 4 pts.