what computer games are, and might not be (the game ontology) miguel sicart computer game theory...
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What Computer Games are, and
might not be(the game ontology)
What Computer Games are, and
might not be(the game ontology)
Miguel SicartComputer Game Theory
Spring 2005
Miguel SicartComputer Game Theory
Spring 2005
So, what is a game?or the question you will learn to hate
So, what is a game?or the question you will learn to hate
•Computer games are something that has been around for a while (50 years, more or less)
•Games propel IT technology, from chips to graphic cards
•They are big money
•And polemic entertainment
•Computer games are something that has been around for a while (50 years, more or less)
•Games propel IT technology, from chips to graphic cards
•They are big money
•And polemic entertainment
that’s easy!!that’s easy!!
•A Game is “an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement”
•Play is “the conduct, course, or action of a game”
•A player is “a person who plays a game”
• Merriam-Webster Online
•A Game is “an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement”
•Play is “the conduct, course, or action of a game”
•A player is “a person who plays a game”
• Merriam-Webster Online
Class DismissedClass Dismissed
... or not... or not
•So Sex is a Game, right?
•And Sex is Play
•And the players ... well, you know what I mean.
•So Sex is a Game, right?
•And Sex is Play
•And the players ... well, you know what I mean.
furthermorefurthermore
•what about frustrating games: they are not games.
•And professional players might not be playing a game.
•And what about edutainment, or serious games?
•what about frustrating games: they are not games.
•And professional players might not be playing a game.
•And what about edutainment, or serious games?
We need to define this categories ...
We need to define this categories ...
•because they are theoretically unclear,
• thus our research object is unclear,
• thus our research might be compromised.
• If we are game critics, we need to know what we are criticizing
• If we want to make games, we need to know what we are making
•because they are theoretically unclear,
• thus our research object is unclear,
• thus our research might be compromised.
• If we are game critics, we need to know what we are criticizing
• If we want to make games, we need to know what we are making
what do we, academics, think games are?
what do we, academics, think games are?
• The new Hollywood - best and improved cinema-alike entertainment
• A new narrative tool
• A medium
• Storytelling devices
• Virtual economies
• Social environments
• Games are games
• The new Hollywood - best and improved cinema-alike entertainment
• A new narrative tool
• A medium
• Storytelling devices
• Virtual economies
• Social environments
• Games are games
Games as (interactive)
Films
Games as (interactive)
Films
Not a bad idea, but what about Tetris, Katamari Damacy, WarioWare Inc., Project Gotham
Important: visual aspects of games; visual
storytelling
Not a bad idea, but what about Tetris, Katamari Damacy, WarioWare Inc., Project Gotham
Important: visual aspects of games; visual
storytelling
Games as media
Games as media
From Adventure to World of
Warcraft; from Sim City to San
Andreas,are games really a
medium?Important: family trees, genetic resemblances,
what games can do
From Adventure to World of
Warcraft; from Sim City to San
Andreas,are games really a
medium?Important: family trees, genetic resemblances,
what games can do
Do Games tell stories?Do Games tell stories?
So what is the story told by Super Monkey Ball?
Important: games seem to tell stories; importance of backstories; narratology
So what is the story told by Super Monkey Ball?
Important: games seem to tell stories; importance of backstories; narratology
Virtual Economies in
Virtual Communities?
Virtual Economies in
Virtual Communities?
After the fuzz with MMOGs, what is wrong
with single player games (which actually sell more: GTA, The Sims)
Important: social games; economy of
games
After the fuzz with MMOGs, what is wrong
with single player games (which actually sell more: GTA, The Sims)
Important: social games; economy of
games
... and so on ... and so on
Some definitions of Games I particularly like
or the charm of the one-liners
Some definitions of Games I particularly like
or the charm of the one-liners• A game is a series of interesting choices - Sid Meier
• A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome - Salen & Zimmermann
• Games as conflicts in which the players directly interact in such a way as to foil each other’s goals - Chris Crawford
• A game is a form of art in which participants, termed players, make decisions in order to manage resources through game tokens in the pursuit of a goal - Greg Costikyan
• Games played in virtual environments - Espen Aarseth
• A game is a series of interesting choices - Sid Meier
• A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome - Salen & Zimmermann
• Games as conflicts in which the players directly interact in such a way as to foil each other’s goals - Chris Crawford
• A game is a form of art in which participants, termed players, make decisions in order to manage resources through game tokens in the pursuit of a goal - Greg Costikyan
• Games played in virtual environments - Espen Aarseth
Different approaches to understanding games
Different approaches to understanding games
•Playing - or how the users interact with the system
•The Rules - or we all fight the law (and the law wins)
•The representation/simulation/fabrication of virtual environments - the world, the worlds
•Playing - or how the users interact with the system
•The Rules - or we all fight the law (and the law wins)
•The representation/simulation/fabrication of virtual environments - the world, the worlds
From playing (leg) to playing (spille)
From playing (leg) to playing (spille)
• Is it the same activity we engage in when we use ...
• Doom 3
• Half Life 2
• The Sims 2
• GTA: San Andreas
• What are the differences?
• Structured and ruled based activity that tends to perfectionism and control
• Free, open, social and undefined leisure activity that tends to socialization
• Is it the same activity we engage in when we use ...
• Doom 3
• Half Life 2
• The Sims 2
• GTA: San Andreas
• What are the differences?
• Structured and ruled based activity that tends to perfectionism and control
• Free, open, social and undefined leisure activity that tends to socialization
Before the RulesBefore the Rules
• Actually, behind the rules there is a hidden topic ...
• are games storytelling “devices” (top-down, secuential, static systems) ...
• or simulations (bottom-up, emergent systems)?
• or both and none at the same time: Deus Ex
• Actually, behind the rules there is a hidden topic ...
• are games storytelling “devices” (top-down, secuential, static systems) ...
• or simulations (bottom-up, emergent systems)?
• or both and none at the same time: Deus Ex
The World, The WorldsThe World, The Worlds
•The world of Half Life 2 is essentially different to that of Neverwinter Nights: how?
•From labyrinths (several routes, few correct,
tendent to abstraction) to charts (words that form a continuum of almost infinite combinations, and realistic)
•The world of Half Life 2 is essentially different to that of Neverwinter Nights: how?
•From labyrinths (several routes, few correct,
tendent to abstraction) to charts (words that form a continuum of almost infinite combinations, and realistic)
So what are games, anyway?
So what are games, anyway?
•Maybe we cannot say what games are,
•but we can define the tools to describe them,
•or to make typologies
•Maybe we cannot say what games are,
•but we can define the tools to describe them,
•or to make typologies
Exercise:in groups, define what
a game is.Next week: discussion
in plenum
Exercise:in groups, define what
a game is.Next week: discussion
in plenum
but before that ...time to play!
but before that ...time to play!
rememberremember
•Office 2D27
•phone number ... still forgotten (available soon)
•Office 2D27
•phone number ... still forgotten (available soon)