The “Third man” Necessitating your presence at a gaming session Björn Sjöblom Departement of child studies University of Linköping

Short term fieldwork in internet café Boys aged 11 to 20 Games played: WoW, WCIII-mods (DotA, Angel Arena ), CS

Short term fieldwork in internet café

Boys aged 11 to 20

Games played: WoW, WCIII-mods (DotA, Angel Arena ), CS

Aims Understanding gaming-centred youth culture Understanding embodied action in co-located gaming

Understanding gaming-centred youth culture

Understanding embodied action in co-located gaming

Method & Materials Video recording of gaming sessions ~10 hours of recordings Recordings lasting between 10 min and 5 hours One or two cameras Capturing both on- and off-screen interaction Participatory observation

Video recording of gaming sessions

~10 hours of recordings

Recordings lasting between 10 min and 5 hours

One or two cameras

Capturing both on- and off-screen interaction

Participatory observation

Questions asked How does gaming happen in this specific setting? How does gaming happen in this specific arrangement of players? How does a ”third man” make his presence at a gaming session warranted? What are his methods for accomplishing this?

How does gaming happen in this specific setting?

How does gaming happen in this specific arrangement of players?

How does a ”third man” make his presence at a gaming session warranted? What are his methods for accomplishing this?

Layout 3 Players Eric Fredric Anton A F E

3 Players

Eric

Fredric

Anton

Game Played Angel Arena WCIII – The Frozen Throne mod One hero per player No base management / economy PvP and PvE

Angel Arena

WCIII – The Frozen Throne mod

One hero per player

No base management / economy

PvP and PvE

Initial observations Gaming at the internet café is: - social - communicative - placed / situated

Gaming at the internet café is:

- social

- communicative

- placed / situated

Premisses Actions are Sequential: Actions get done and understood in sequential interaction

Actions are

Sequential: Actions get done and understood in sequential interaction

Premisses Actions are Sequential: Actions get done and understood in sequential interaction Embodied: Experiences cannot be separated from our bodily and social presence in the world

Actions are

Sequential: Actions get done and understood in sequential interaction

Embodied: Experiences cannot be separated from our bodily and social presence in the world

Premisses, cont. Actions are Situated: Actions and activities are situated in specific contexts

Actions are

Situated: Actions and activities are situated in specific contexts

Embodied gaming interaction Semiotic fields / resources (C. Goodwin) Any modality of interaction that participants demonstrably show an orientation towards, such as talk, gesture, posture etc. Contextual configuration Locally relevant assemblage of semiotic fields

Semiotic fields / resources (C. Goodwin)

Any modality of interaction that participants demonstrably show an orientation towards, such as talk, gesture, posture etc.

Contextual configuration

Locally relevant assemblage of semiotic fields

Example 1 Spatial arrangements ” third man’s” particiation is demonstrated in how chairs are arranged Allows for the use of gestures and co-orientation Demonstrate different interaction compared to onlookers / bystanders

Spatial arrangements

” third man’s” particiation is demonstrated in how chairs are arranged

Allows for the use of gestures and co-orientation

Demonstrate different interaction compared to onlookers / bystanders

Example 2 1 Freddy: *the dumbest thing is that you get in on one crit and then you run. 2 I swing once and then you run* 3 ((Freddy attacks a new monster)) 4 Eric: >look look look< (.) yo- your hero’s too ↑goo:d ((the monster dies)) 5 Freddy: (1 sec.) ((Freddy examines the dropped loot)) 6 Eric: Crown of kings 20 (.) you’ll have 20 in every stat

1 Freddy: *the dumbest thing is that you get in on one crit and then you run.

2 I swing once and then you run*

3 ((Freddy attacks a new monster))

4 Eric: >look look look< (.) yo- your hero’s too ↑goo:d ((the monster dies))

5 Freddy: (1 sec.) ((Freddy examines the dropped loot))

6 Eric: Crown of kings 20 (.) you’ll have 20 in every stat

Example 2, cont. Topic switches On-screen events seen as possible ”next topic” Does not require conversational work Demonstrates the game as the core focus of their activity Creates interactional space for a ”third man”

Topic switches

On-screen events seen as possible ”next topic”

Does not require conversational work

Demonstrates the game as the core focus of their activity

Creates interactional space for a ”third man”

Example 2, cont. Calls attention to a ”competent viewing” of the events Involves projecting future outcomes of the current state of the game Competent viewing = Professional vision (C. Goodwin, 1994)

Calls attention to a ”competent viewing” of the events

Involves projecting future outcomes of the current state of the game

Competent viewing = Professional vision (C. Goodwin, 1994)

Example 3 1 Eric: Those were mad if you remember ((F. attacks some 2 monsters)) 3 Freddy: I’m running in to these dinosaurs 4 Eric: ˚salamanders actually˚ 5 Freddy: h.h.h.h. 1 Eric: Your av a tar’s holding up a bit to long (.) take a look at 2 that- 3 Freddy: ˚ A vatar˚ // 4 Eric: (3 sec) check your av a tar how long will it will it manage 5 really? 6 Freddy: ˚ A vatar˚ 7 Eric: ye avatar >same same<

1 Eric: Those were mad if you remember ((F. attacks some

2 monsters))

3 Freddy: I’m running in to these dinosaurs

4 Eric: ˚salamanders actually˚

5 Freddy: h.h.h.h.

1 Eric: Your av a tar’s holding up a bit to long (.) take a look at 2 that-

3 Freddy: ˚ A vatar˚

//

4 Eric: (3 sec) check your av a tar how long will it will it manage 5 really?

6 Freddy: ˚ A vatar˚

7 Eric: ye avatar >same same<

Example 3, cont. Power and resistance in negotiations for ”gaming competence” Showing competence does not necessarily allow engagement

Power and resistance in negotiations for ”gaming competence”

Showing competence does not necessarily allow engagement

Example 4 1 Eric: take the tower take the building ((points at the 2 screen)) 3 Freddy: ((walks towards the tower)) 4 (unhearable) 5 Eric: (unhearable) on attack or 6 Freddy: what ‘ll happen then? ((attacks the 7 tower)) 8 Eric: *it’ll (.) ((the tower begins to fall down)) fall 9 down* 10 Freddy: was that all? 11 Eric: aa ha ha h. it’s fu::n there are only four (.) 12 have you though about switching hero?

1 Eric: take the tower take the building ((points at the

2 screen))

3 Freddy: ((walks towards the tower))

4 (unhearable)

5 Eric: (unhearable) on attack or

6 Freddy: what ‘ll happen then? ((attacks the

7 tower))

8 Eric: *it’ll (.) ((the tower begins to fall down)) fall

9 down*

10 Freddy: was that all?

11 Eric: aa ha ha h. it’s fu::n there are only four (.)

12 have you though about switching hero?

Example 4, cont. Suggesting actions Aesthetics of play

Suggesting actions

Aesthetics of play

Discussion Demonstrating various sorts of gaming competence as a way of making yourself ”useful” Game mechanics Correct vocabulary Aesthetics and enjoyment

Demonstrating various sorts of gaming competence as a way of making yourself ”useful”

Game mechanics

Correct vocabulary

Aesthetics and enjoyment

Discussion Who can be called ”player” in this arrangement? Players demonstrate orientation towards ”conventional” ways of playing through conversastional work

Who can be called ”player” in this arrangement?

Players demonstrate orientation towards ”conventional” ways of playing through conversastional work