“American Wise Men Discover the Secret of Religion”: Religious Content in the Civilization Computer Game Series

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin E. Zeller
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
History Of ◽  
Over Time

The Civilization series of computer games (1991–) is one of the most popular and influential series in the history of computer gaming. The game’s impact and exposure indicate that its treatment of religion is therefore significant. Throughout the Civilization series, religion has been a part of the game. However, the role that religion played and the underlying models of religion represented in the game have changed over time. This article considers how the treatment of religion in the Civilization series has developed, what this reveals about the game designers’ assumptions, and what implicit lessons about religion it teaches players.

Does Computer Game Experience Influence Visual Scenario Assessment of Urban Recreational Paths?

2010 ◽  
pp. 103-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Arnberger ◽  
Thomas Reichhart
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Animation ◽  
Choice Model ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Presentation Mode ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Scenario Assessment ◽  
Direction Of Movement ◽  
The Individual

During the past decades, computer visualizations have been frequently used in urban e-Planning and research. The question arises of whether the degree of experience with the computer during leisure time can have an influence on the assessment of computer-visualized outdoor environment scenarios using visualizations comparable to computer games. We used a computer-animated choice model to investigate the influence of computer game experience on respondents’ preferences for an urban recreational trail. Static and animated representations of use scenarios were produced with 3-D computer animation techniques. Three social factors were investigated: number of trail users, user composition, and direction of movement: The scenarios were presented to respondents (N = 149), segmented into groups with different computer game experience. The results indicate that the individual experience with computer gaming and the presentation mode influences the evaluation of trail scenarios. Animated trail scenarios seem to be more useful than static ones.

Computer games as political discourse

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Machin ◽  
Theo van Leeuwen
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
The Political ◽  
Social Actor ◽  
Special Operations ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
History Of ◽  
Entertainment Products ◽  
Discourse Historical Approach

The paper analyses how the March 1993 American intervention in Somalia is represented in the movie Black Hawk Down and the computer game of the same name. Using a discourse historical approach, the paper combines three methods: (1) analysis of the ‘special operations discourse’ that underlies both film and game, and social actor analysis of the way the parties involved in the conflict are visually and verbally represented; (2) the political history of the conflict represented in the two entertainment products, and the history of the ‘special operations discourse’ itself; and (3) an account of the collaboration between the US military and entertainment industry in the production of both film and game.

scholarly journals Fighting games and Go

Thesis Eleven ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R Johnson ◽  
Jamie Woodcock
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Live Streaming ◽  
Cultural Meanings ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Newspaper Reporting ◽  
The Many ◽  
Embodied Practice ◽  
Media Form

This paper examines the varied cultural meanings of computer game play in competitive and professional computer gaming and live-streaming. To do so it riffs off Andrew Feenberg’s 1994 work exploring the changing meanings of the ancient board game of Go in mid-century Japan. We argue that whereas Go saw a de-aestheticization with the growth of newspaper reporting and a new breed of ‘westernized’ player, the rise of professionalized computer gameplay has upset this trend, causing a re-aestheticization of professional game competition as a result of the many informal elements that contribute to the successes, and public perceptions, of professional players. In doing so we open up the consideration of the aesthetics of broadcasted gameplay, how they reflect back upon the players and the game, and locate this shift historically and culturally within the last two decades of computer games as a creative industry, entertainment industry, a media form, and as an embodied practice.

EVENT NORMALIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR COMPUTER GAME ENVIRONMENT SIMULATION

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (07) ◽  
pp. 913-932 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUNG-YONG PARK ◽  
JONG-HEE PARK
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Entertainment Industry ◽  
Software Systems ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Game Environment

Computer gaming is a key component of the rapidly growing entertainment industry. Computer games are a multi-billion pound worldwide part of the entertainment industry. However, they are a relatively new type of software product and as such the manner in which they are designed and developed is still evolving. Computer games can be highly complex software systems that involve the expertise of a wide range of professionals ranging from programmers to animators, artists and musicians. When designing computer games, new game concepts can be difficult to communicate. In addition, the creative process could be benefited if game design ideas were capable of being shared widely and discussed. In this paper, we are to some extent shifting the focus from real world situation to what we shall term game world situation. That is, a logically simulated environment is created by defining situations and events based on the hierarchy structure of the situation. Our study defines event type, causality events and event normalization, and aims to develop a logical simulation method. These methods allow us to understand the communication of new game environment design. Specially, the introduction of the definition of events allows us to approach game design in a structural manner rather than by their classification. The proposed method was implemented in the context of changing among natural phenomena in a game environment.

scholarly journals Interpreting Dante's code in art

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olena Afonina
Keyword(s):  
Visual Arts ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Common Information ◽  
The Divine Comedy ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cultural Code ◽  
Observation Method ◽  
Musical Arrangement

The purpose of the article is to study the interpretational possibilities of Dante's code in artistic samples of various types of art. Methodology. Methods of observation, modeling, comparison, analysis, and synthesis were used in the methodology of the work. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that the analysis of interpretations of Dante's code on the example of fine art, computer games, cartoons, musical arrangement in a ballet performance is carried out. Conclusions. Dante's code is a kind of cultural code that contains common information. The observation method was applied to fix the perception of works of art in order to study Dante's code. Modeling and comparison methods allowed us to determine the features of Dante's code in different genres and types of art. In the history of the visual arts, Dante's code is interpreted both in the works of artists and becomes a creative process with a generalized content of D. Alighieri's works, but with the exact use of the code name (S. Dali). Comparing the use of Dante's code in computer games, cartoons, we state that in the visual arts and modern video series, Dante's code is reproduced in accordance with the content of D. Alighieri's works. In the history of music, in the musical design of a ballet performance, Dante's code is reproduced in a generalized form, where the reference to the name and title of D. Alighieri's works dominates. In the libretto of the Kyiv ballet of the same name, Dante's code is embodied in two appeals: to a love story and fragmentarily and generally to the work "The Divine Comedy". The musical series of the ballet "Dante" is not directly related to Dante's code, but there are attempts by the authors to find allusions, reminiscences in the music of composers (A. Dvořák, R. Wagner, Ezio Bosso). Keywords: Dante's code, interpretation, ballet, fine arts, musical arrangement of a ballet performance, computer game, cartoon.

From the “Damsel in Distress” to Girls' Games and Beyond

2014 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson E. King ◽  
Aziz Douai
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Gaming Industry ◽  
Method Analysis

In this chapter, the authors critically assess the gendered nature of the products developed by the computer gaming industry. The chapter takes a historiographical approach to examining the nature of children's video and computer games as a type of toy that immerses children into current gender stereotypes even as they hold the potential for social change. New ways of bridging the gap between stereotypes and change is explored through a virtual world for children. In addition to an introductory section, the chapter is organized in three main sections: First, the authors place existing computer and video games into a broad and historical context. Second, the chapter takes into consideration feminist critiques of video games for adults. Third, the authors analyze the case of WebkinzWorld, a toy-based social-networking portal offering less gendered video game environments for kids. The authors argue that this mixed method analysis is important not only for computer game designers and marketers who aim to appeal to broad demographics, but also for educators, parents, and caregivers who need to understand the underlying or hidden messages of games for children.

From the “Damsel in Distress” to Girls' Games and Beyond

Gamification ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 2005-2021
Author(s):  
Alyson E. King ◽  
Aziz Douai
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Gaming Industry ◽  
Method Analysis

In this chapter, the authors critically assess the gendered nature of the products developed by the computer gaming industry. The chapter takes a historiographical approach to examining the nature of children's video and computer games as a type of toy that immerses children into current gender stereotypes even as they hold the potential for social change. New ways of bridging the gap between stereotypes and change is explored through a virtual world for children. In addition to an introductory section, the chapter is organized in three main sections: First, the authors place existing computer and video games into a broad and historical context. Second, the chapter takes into consideration feminist critiques of video games for adults. Third, the authors analyze the case of WebkinzWorld, a toy-based social-networking portal offering less gendered video game environments for kids. The authors argue that this mixed method analysis is important not only for computer game designers and marketers who aim to appeal to broad demographics, but also for educators, parents, and caregivers who need to understand the underlying or hidden messages of games for children.

Online Gaming

2011 ◽  
pp. 349-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Griffiths ◽  
Mark N.O. Davies ◽  
Darren Chappell
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Processing Power ◽  
Psychosocial Consequences ◽  
Mode Of Operation ◽  
Youth Subculture ◽  
New Generation

Despite the rise of computer games as a leisure phenomenon, relatively little research has been conducted in this area. A majority of the research to date has concentrated on adolescent players (Griffiths, 1996, 1997a). Furthermore, most of the research has tended to concentrate on the more negative aspects, such as excessive play and addiction (Griffiths, 1991, 1997b; Griffiths & Hunt, 1995, 1998; Phillips, Rolls, Rouse, & Griffiths, 1995), the effects of playing aggressive games (Griffiths, 1998, 2000) and the medical and psychosocial consequences (Griffiths, 1993, 1996). However, there have been a few psychologically-based studies on personality and computer game play (Douse & McManus, 1993; Griffiths & Dancaster, 1995) – although these have been exploratory. Thus, the image of a typical gamer (and the pastime of computer gaming) is seen as socially negative and remains firmly within a youth subculture. As the 1990s came to a close, a new generation of machines with increasingly sophisticated processing power began to replace the early 1990s consoles. However, an even more revolutionary development was also occurring, involving the Internet as a gaming forum. New games emerged that enabled people to link up online to game together. The games varied in their mode of operation. There are basically three main types of social virtual gaming over the Internet—Stand Alone Games, Local and Wide Network (LAWN) Games, and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing (MMORP) Games.

Constructivist Learning Through Computer Gaming

2010 ◽  
pp. 207-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morris S.Y. Jong ◽  
Junjie Shang ◽  
Fong-lok Lee
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Constructivist Learning ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Commercial Market ◽  
Research Domains ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

Apart from the ability of computer games to make learning more interesting, a number of researchers and educators have been exploring other educational potentials of computer games. In parallel with the advancement of computer and information technology and the advocacy of constructivism in education, the issue of harnessing computer games to create new constructivist learning opportunities has received attention in both education and game research domains. This chapter is aimed at giving an introduction to computer game-based learning. Besides discussing computer games’ intrinsic educational traits favouring constructivist learning from different perspectives, the authors also review a number of instances of two recent foci in the game-based learning domain. The first one is education in games that involves the adoption of existing recreational games in the commercial market for educational use. The second is games in education that entails designing and developing educational games articulated with different constructivist learning paradigms or pedagogical approaches.

Multiliteracies and Games

2010 ◽  
pp. 220-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pam Wright ◽  
David Skidmore
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Computer Gaming ◽  
Interactive Narratives ◽  
New Information ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Literate Society

Digitalization of modern society has lead to rapid changes and innovative ways of communicating. Changes in the way people perceive belonging to society are reflected in the multiple methods of participation, communication, learning and engaging. Knowledge has become synonymous with how we can locate, use and find new information in a networked world rather than what it is we already know. The quest for knowledge in this digital and globalized society forces interaction with multiple modes of information. In this multi-literate society, educators must find opportunities for students to interact and interpret the multitude of new literacies. This chapter discusses how multi-literacies are bound up in computer games and how educators can employ these games through play, study and creation to shift students from consumers to creators of interactive narratives. The chapter provides some strategies for implementing the games in the curriculum. It also raises questions about computer game use in the primary classroom, and calls for an integrated approach to teacher and trainee teacher professional development in the area of computer gaming.

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