scholarly journals Within the Mainstream: An Ecocritical Framework for Digital Game History // Dentro del canon: Un marco ecocrítico para la historia del videojuego digital

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Joachim Backe
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
San Diego ◽  
Film Studies ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Literature And Film

      Ecocriticism of digital games has so far engaged with a rather small corpus of examples, predominantly from a prescriptive perspective and with a quite limited methodological toolkit. This essay systematizes and historicizes some of these commonly found limitations of past research and proposes methods for a more historically and generically diverse exploration of ecological thinking vis-à-vis digital games. The majority of discussions of games from an ecocritical perspective has applied concepts and frameworks borrowed from literature and film studies, thus privileging surface semiotics over game mechanics. More methodically aware studies have oriented themselves toward the popular framework of procedural rhetoric (Bogost 2007), resulting both in a selection bias towards serious games and an author-centric, intentionalist slant inherent in the approach. In general, the discussion revolves around a small number of games with apparent ecocritical potential, such as Myst (Cyan 1993) or Farmville (Zynga 2009), resulting in a selective, a-historic and therefore distorted discussion of ecology in the diverse medium of digital games. This essay discusses strategies for dealing with a larger corpus of digital games through a descriptive matrix for identifying and analyzing the ecological dimension of digital games. It proposes an extension of the ecocritical toolkit by including a more user-centered, ethics-based theoretical framework based on Sicart’s Ethics of Computer Games (2009). The gain of engaging with representation and simulation of the natural environment in mainstream computer game history will be demonstrated in an analysis of two paradigmatic games. In both Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego 2010) and Dishonored (Arkane Studios 2013), we encounter game design geared toward producing ludo-narrative dissonances which are highly inductive of critical engagement with the ecosphere. Resumen      La ecocrítica de los juegos digitales se ha centrado en un corpus de ejemplos muy pequeño. Asimismo, la ecocrítica se ha basado en un número muy limitado de métodos. La mayor parte de los debates sobre juegos han utilizado conceptos y teorías tomados de la teoría literaria y el análisis cinematográfico, haciendo prevalecer por tanto análisis semióticos superficiales sobre el estudio de las mecánicas de juego. Los estudios que aplican métodos de game studies suelen estar basados en la teoría de retórica de procesos (Bogost, 2007), lo que acarrea una selección de ejemplos sesgada hacia los serious games y los juegos de autor. En general, estos debates se centran en un número pequeño de juegos con potencial ecocrítico, como Myst (Cyan 1993) o Farmville (Zynga 2009), lo que deriva en una discusión selectiva y ahistórica de la ecología en un medio tan diverso como los juegos digitales. Este artículo presenta estategias para analizar un corpus de juegos mayor. Este artículo propone una matriz descriptiva para identificar y analizar la dimensión ecológica de los juegos digitales. Metodológicamente, este artículo opera con una extensión de la teoría ecocrítica que incluye un marco teórico centrado en el usuario y basado en The Ethics of Computer Games (Sicart, 2009). Los beneficios de centrarse en la representación y simulación del medio natural en el canon de los juegos digitales serán demostrados a través del análisis de dos juegos paradigmáticos. Tanto Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego 2010) como Dishonored (Arkane Studios 2013) producen disonancias ludo-narrativas que promueven una relación crítica con la ecoesfera.

scholarly journals Playing Cultural Memory: Framing History in Call of Duty: Black Ops and Czechoslovakia 38-89: Assassination

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Pötzsch ◽  
Vít Šisler
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Cultural Memory ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Film Studies ◽  
Memory Studies ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Historical Discourse ◽  
The Media ◽  
Formal Properties ◽  
First Person Shooter

The present article brings game studies into dialogue with cultural memory studies and argues for the significance of computer games for historical discourse and memory politics. Drawing upon the works of Robert Rosenstone and Astrid Erll, we develop concepts and theories from film studies and adapt them to respond to the media specificity of computer games. Through a critical reading of the first chapter of the history-based first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops, the article demonstrates how the game’s formal properties frame in-game experiences and performances, and this way predisposes the emergence of certain memory-making potentials in and through constrained practices of play. Subsequently, an analysis of the serious game Czechoslovakia 38-89: Assassination shows the potentials of game design to facilitate meta-historical reflections and critical inquiries.

Ruins of Excess: Computer Game Images and the Rendering of Technological Obsolescence

2021 ◽  
pp. 155541202110053
Author(s):  
Eduardo H Luersen ◽  
Mathias Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Surface Layer ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Industrial Design ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Design Model ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Design Models ◽  
Technological Obsolescence

In this article, we describe three layers of ruins related to computer game technology: in a surface layer, we examine the imagery of ruins in digital games, highlighting game design tools for developing in-game ruination. Secondly, we approach the industrial design model of technological obsolescence as an infrastructural layer that intrinsically demands the production of new provisional spaces for material decay. Lastly, through a waste layer, we unfold the geopolitical dimension of technological obsolescence, calling attention to the transcontinental flows of electronic waste, which also underscores a geological stage of ruination. While exploring these different layers of ruins, we wish to perceive how game design models might relate to different forms of contemporary ruination, inquiring what such material traces have to say as strata of the complex deterioration processes of present-day media.

scholarly journals Serious Games and Board Games Versus Cultural Changes

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-270
Author(s):  
Jakub Lickiewicz ◽  
Patricia Paulsen Hughes ◽  
Marta Makara-Studzińska
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Human Functioning ◽  
The Impact

The impact of computer games on human functioning has become the sub­ject of many studies and scientific reports. With the development of technol­ogy, games have transcended boards and become part of the video entertain­ment industry. However, technology did not end traditional games. It was only a matter of time before games were extended to other areas of life. Because games were so popular, educators found that students engage quickly with educational games. The article explains the aspects of serious games (SG), which are defined as digital games used for purposes other than entertain­ment. It describes the areas in which games can be used in the educational process, their effectiveness, and controversies regarding their use.

scholarly journals Intermediality between Games and Fiction: The “Ludology vs. Narratology” Debate in Computer Game Studies: A Response to Gonzalo Frasca

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michalis Kokonis
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Hybrid Nature ◽  
Games Studies ◽  
Semiotic Perspective ◽  
Narrative Forms ◽  
Electronic Games

Abstract In the last ten or fourteen years there has been a debate among the so called ludologists and narratologists in Computer Games Studies as to what is the best methodological approach for the academic study of electronic games. The aim of this paper is to propose a way out of the dilemma, suggesting that both ludology and narratology can be helpful methodologically. However, there is need for a wider theoretical perspective, that of semiotics, in which both approaches can be operative. The semiotic perspective proposed allows research in the field to focus on the similarities between games and traditional narrative forms (since they share narrativity to a greater or lesser extent) as well as on their difference (they have different degrees of interaction); it will facilitate communication among theorists if we want to understand each other when talking about games and stories, and it will lead to a better understanding of the hybrid nature of the medium of game. In this sense the present paper aims to complement Gonzalo Frasca’s reconciliatory attempt made a few years back and expand on his proposal.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL PERCEPTION OF THE CONCEPT DESIGNERS WORKING IN THE COMPUTER GAME INDUSTRY

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (78) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Concept Art ◽  
Game Industry ◽  
Computer Game Industry

Computer games, which cover a large part of today's entertainment world, are increasingly important in digital media. With the developments in technology, computer game design has moved to different dimensions in the game industry. From a visual point of view, the line between games and real life has become very thin. The fact that the visual features of computer games are creative, unique and innovative beyond the relationship with the genre and main elements of the games brings the concept design of the game to the fore. Concept designers who can blend creative ideas with visual designs are needed in the production of computer games. The fact that concept design, the idea and visual expression at the beginning of the projects are seen as the most important stage in the computer game industry and many business areas, carefully reveals the place of this field in the sector. During the preparation of this study, the limitation of the studies and texts on concept design was seen as a problem. scientific studies on the profession's perception of the concept of design in Turkey could not be found. It is hoped that this study, which examines the current perception of this profession, will serve as a reference to other researches and researchers and contribute to the raising of awareness about this field in the society. Keywords: Concept design, graphic design, job perception, concept art, computer game graphics

scholarly journals The Form of Game Formalism

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ea C. Willumsen
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Formal Language ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Level Of Abstraction ◽  
Aesthetic Form ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Literature And Film ◽  
Aristotelian Tradition

This article explores how the concept of formalism and the resulting method of formal analysis have been used and applied in the study of digital games. Three types of formalism in game studies are identified based on a review of their uses in the literature, particularly the discussion of essentialism and form that resulted from the narratology-ludology debate: 1) formalism focused on the <em>aesthetic form</em> of the game artifact, 2) formalism as<em> game essentialism</em>, and 3) formalism as a <em>level of abstraction</em>, related to formal language and ontology-like reasoning. These three are discussed in relation to the distinctions between form and matter, in the Aristotelian tradition, to highlight how the method of formal analysis of games appears to be dealing with matter rather than form, on a specific fundamental <em>level of abstraction</em>, and in turn how <em>formal analysis </em>becomes a misleading concept that leads to unnecessary confusion. Finally, the relationship between <em>game essentialism </em>and the more computer science-centric approach to <em>ontology </em>is studied, to account for the contemporary trend of identifying the unique properties of games and opposing them with properties of, e.g., traditional storytelling media like literature and film, explored through their <em>aesthetic form</em>.

scholarly journals Emotional Journeys in Game Design Teams

2011 ◽  
pp. 220-236
Author(s):  
Patrick Stacey ◽  
Joe Nandhakumar
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Global Game ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Emotional Dimension ◽  
Game Developers

There is little research into the emotional dimension of creative industry personnel, such as computer game designers, and how emotions relate to their creative practices and work-related events. Such socioemotional work is the focus of this chapter. There is a practice-centered relevance to this topic too – it is reported that there exists a poor quality of life in many global game studios. Given our deficient knowledge of emotions in computer game development, and the practical resonance of this topic, our key research question is: What emotions, creative practices and work-related events characterize emotional journeys in computer game design teams, and how do these characteristics inter-relate? To explore and answer this research question, we draw on an in-depth field study of a computer games studio in Singapore. The chapter offers a theory of emotion-mediated improvisation as a coping model for the tumultuous emotional journeys that game developers endure.

Computer Games for Algorithm Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 1036-1063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Shabanah
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Search Tree ◽  
Binary Search ◽  
Binary Search Tree ◽  
Educational Computer ◽  
Data Structures And Algorithms ◽  
Educational Computer Game

Data structures and algorithms are important foundation topics in computer science education. However, they are often complex and hard to understand. Therefore, this chapter introduces a new learning strategy that benefits from computer games’ popularity and engagement to help students understand algorithms better by designing computer games that visualize algorithms. To teach an algorithm, an educational computer game, namely an Algorithm Game must have a game-play that simulates the behavior of the visualized algorithm and graphics depict the features of its data structure. Algorithm games attract students to learn algorithm using active engagement, enjoyment, and internal motivation. Algorithm Games attributes and genres that make them suitable to visualize algorithms have been specified. Various concepts in computer game design have been applied in the development of several algorithm games prototypes for algorithms, such as Binary Search, Bubble Sort, Insertion Sort, Selection Sort, Linked List, and Binary Search Tree Operations.

What Cognitive Psychology Can Tell Us About Educational Computer Games

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Michael K. Gardner ◽  
David L. Strayer
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Training Environment ◽  
Educational Computer ◽  
Target Environment ◽  
Game Developers ◽  
Educational Computer Games

Developers of educational computer games often have incomplete knowledge of the cognitive abilities of learners, yet this knowledge can be useful in informing game design. This chapter reviews two important cognitive abilities that underlie learning: working memory and attentional capacity/executive function. From a description of the developmental course of each ability, we derive a set of recommendations for game developers to follow when designing games for learners of different ages. The chapter next reviews the psychology of transfer of training, including two major theories on the issue. The doctrine of identical elements appears to give the better description of how transfer occurs from training environment (the educational computer game) to target environment (real world performance of the learned skill). It is recommended that games embody, as closely as possible, the end behavior they hope to produce, as this will produce maximal transfer. Finally, we review some controversial research demonstrating distant transfer in computer video gaming.

Gamers, Gender, and Representation

2009 ◽  
pp. 911-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Carr ◽  
Caroline Pelletier
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Media Studies ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Learning Contexts

The issue of gender reoccurs in debates about the introduction of computer games into formal learning contexts. There is a fear that girls will be alienated rather than engaged by games in the classroom. There is also concern over sexist imagery, and thus about representational aspects of computer games. In this chapter, particular aspects of these issues are addressed in turn. The authors explore the issue of gender and gendered game preferences, in relation to the cultural framing of the gaming audience. Attention is then directed at the issue of representation, with a consideration of the tensions between representation, meaning, and playability. These issues are considered primarily through perspectives drawn from media studies, and with reference to recent work from the emerging field of computer game studies.

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