This document discusses postmodern media and focuses on video games as a postmodern cultural form. It examines how games can converge with film and represent narratives versus play, and how they allow for immersion and engagement. Several concepts are explored such as intertextuality, representation being in crisis, and critical media literacy regarding social constructions of reality and player identities.

1. Postmodern Media
Julian McDougall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=95oIFvMysr4&feature=related

6. l http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWNXg7Vt-ig&feature=channel_page
l http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w39FnpuMRfo

10. Wilder, E, 2008. Endtroducing. London: Continuum

11. NOT TEXTS BUT cultural products to which people
give meaning (Barker, 2007)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hKSk1bW9qzw

12. Postmodern Media:
Games
Convergence of film and games
Games as transgressive form
Narrative v play
Immersion, engagement, flow
Self-reflective, intertextual films
Representation as concept in crisis
Arguments against postmodernism

13. Just Gaming
Critical media literacy.
Social (postmodern) constructions of reality, storytelling and
(perhaps) narrative.
Player / reader / gamer identities – ways of being.

15. ‘Gaming Selves’
…running away from the police which often ends with you getting caught in real life. Somehow you can end up like
having a helicopter following you and just magically happen to have a grenade launcher which can blow up
the helicopter so that things are great. I could never imagine doing that in real life. At least I hope not!
(Dean).
What appeals to me about it? I think its just real light hearted fun and you can get a good laugh out of it even
though its crime and its probably not morally correct, you know there’s not really that much of a
consequence you know? You just get to have a little bit of fun and have a little joke with your mates when
you’re playing it (Dean).
I passed the time by climbing onto a high surface and taking pot shots at innocent civilians. (Ben)
A hectic nights drinking led to me surprisngly leading Michelle back to her flat unscathed, although after
my embarassing behaviour I didn't even ask to go inside. (Ben).
Whilst walking around the beer garden of the pub I found another feature which makes GTA a favourite
of mine , not just due to the reveloutionary aspects of gameplay, but the humour, as I chuckled to
myself while reading a umbrella on one of the tables with a sign for a mock german beer, Pißwasser,
GTA never ceases to amaze me, or to make me laugh. (Justin)

16. Substantial section on Postmodern Media in the A2 book.
Extracts in the conference materials.
More on GTA in Studying Videogames (with Wayne O’Brien, Auteur,
2008).
The Wire – Nick Hornby interview with David Simon: http://
highlowbetween.blogspot.com/2008/01/nick-hornby-interviews-
wires-david.html