This document provides an introduction to analyzing video games. It discusses the key components of video game analysis including narratology, which examines the narrative, and ludology, which examines the gameplay and rules. It outlines different levels of narratological and ludological analysis from basic to more complex approaches. It also discusses combining and relating the two areas of analysis. The document recommends specific video games to play and analyze and provides resources for obtaining games.
The document provides an introduction to game design, covering topics such as what constitutes a video game, the people involved in game development, frameworks for game design like MDA and the elemental tetrad, the importance of playtesting and tutorials, and game design techniques. It discusses video games as involving interaction between players and software to achieve objectives within a rule-based system. Key aspects of game design addressed are mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics.
Killer Design Patterns for F2P Mobile/Tablet GamesHenric Suuronen
Presentation on Design Patterns for Mobile and Tablet games presented in July 2013 at ChinaJoy in Shanghai by Henric Suuronen, President & Co-Founder at Nonstop Games
The document provides an introduction to game design, covering topics such as what constitutes a video game, the people involved in game development, frameworks for game design like MDA and the elemental tetrad, the importance of playtesting and tutorials, and game design techniques. It discusses video games as involving interaction between players and software to achieve objectives within a rule-based system. Key aspects of game design addressed are mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics.
Killer Design Patterns for F2P Mobile/Tablet GamesHenric Suuronen
Presentation on Design Patterns for Mobile and Tablet games presented in July 2013 at ChinaJoy in Shanghai by Henric Suuronen, President & Co-Founder at Nonstop Games
This document provides guidance for analyzing representations of masculinity in two video games. Students are instructed to analyze key scenes using aspects like mise-en-scene, music and camera work. They should then examine how narrative/structure, action, character, visuals and sound represent masculinity. For each category, the document lists example questions to consider, such as whether the narrative establishes a backstory, what actions the player must perform, how characters are constructed and positioned, whether visuals and sounds create atmosphere and affect the player. Students are tasked with writing an essay comparing how the two games represent masculinity using this guidance and analysis grids.
20 Great Innovations in Casual, Social and Mobile Games That You Should Steal discusses 20 innovative casual, social and mobile games that leverage different platforms and mechanics in interesting ways such as using a player's music library or location in gameplay, integrating social networks, or combining multiple genres. The document provides examples of games that use viral social sharing of scores, asynchronous multiplayer, photo integration, augmented reality, and episodic monetization among other novel approaches. It cautions that some innovations may introduce privacy, licensing, or gameplay issues that would need addressing for successful implementation.
This document discusses a game and web specialist providing a document on an unspecified topic. The specialist hopes the document is useful. The CEO of Alurkria, Kika Syafii, signs off thanking the reader.
This document provides an overview of game development. It defines a game as an interactive form of entertainment and art differentiated from other media by user interactivity. It discusses major game genres and the large game market focused on mobile, console, PC, and online games. The document outlines the typical game development process including idea/documentation, design, development, and testing phases. It describes key activities in each phase such as concept art, gameplay design, programming, and quality assurance testing. In closing, it notes the appeal of game development is that it is very enjoyable to both play and create games.
This document provides an overview of game development including defining video games, common genres, the size of the industry, and the development process from concept to release. It also outlines the major roles in game development such as designers, artists, programmers, testers, and producers. Finally, it discusses skills required for different roles and ways to get started in the industry such as through independent game development.
This document summarizes the BA in Games Design program at Brunel University. It highlights the program's unique focus on game design theory and application, investment in industry-standard facilities, and strong employment outcomes. Students are taught by veteran game developers and industry pioneers. The degree focuses on applying theory to practice through ongoing game projects. Graduates gain experience that prepares them for careers in the diverse games industry or related fields like media and technology.
Game Development workshop with Unity3D.Ebtihaj khan
Game development using Unity3D
May 2015
This lecture was given by Ebtihaj at various universities in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The talk begins with what really a game is, and how can you differentiate it from an ordinary software and a movie.
After that the focus is shifted to how are games made and how big is the gaming industry.
Later on Unity3D and its basic components are introduced with a hands on workshop.
Video game development is the process of creating video games, which can range from one person to a large team of developers. Mainstream games typically take several years to develop with teams of 20-100 people working in roles like designer, artist, programmer, tester, and producer. Indie and mobile games can be developed more quickly and cheaply by individuals or small teams. The size and complexity of development teams has increased over time due to advancing technology and rising costs of games.
Game design document template for serious gamesAntoine Taly
This document outlines a game design document template for serious games. It includes sections for an overview of the game concept, genre, target audience, and pedagogical objectives. It also includes sections for gameplay and mechanics, the story and setting, levels, and the user interface. The gameplay and mechanics section describes the rules of the game world and how the different elements interact. The levels section outlines each level, including objectives and critical paths. The interface section details the visual display, control schemes, audio components, and help system.
“Intoduction To Game Development ”
This sesion will be covering some aspects of the theory and practice of game development and design .
- For those who are intersted in game development , This session will should be enough to get you started .
LAFS Game Design 1 - Foundational ElementsDavid Mullich
The document discusses game mechanics, focusing on core mechanics that define a game's essence through the primary action and purpose. It also covers flow state and how to design challenges that keep players engaged as their skills improve. Additionally, the document defines puzzles as goal-oriented problems with solutions rather than opponents, and provides examples of puzzle mechanics and structures.
This document outlines the typical game development life cycle, which includes phases such as developing the story, script, feasibility study, promotional demo, design, layout, modeling, texturing, animation, high and low level design, coding, testing, debugging, integration, and game testing. It acknowledges references that were used to compile information on standard game development processes and models.
This document outlines the design of the game Destination Rush. It includes sections on the design history and iteration process, game overview including concept and target audience, gameplay and mechanics such as objectives and drag-and-drop movement, and planned playtesting. The game involves quickly and accurately transporting passengers to matching destinations on planes to earn money while avoiding mistakes that result in losses. Mystery boxes and upgrades add variety. The game was iterated based on playtesting to refine objectives, pricing, and mechanics.
The document discusses various game mechanics such as functional space, objects and attributes, actions, rules, skills, and the role of chance in games. It provides examples of different types of mechanics like physics, progression, and economy systems. The document also covers topics like discrete versus continuous mechanics, designing core mechanics early, and different prototyping techniques for testing mechanics.
The document provides an overview of game design concepts including interaction design, game mechanisms, game models, and victory conditions. It discusses topics such as turns, actions points, cards, movement, auctions/bidding, dice, capture/elimination, goals, territory control, victory points, and more. The document serves as a reference for game designers to understand essential elements of game design.
We think in stories. Narratives are tools we use to make sense of the world, both in life and in games. Seeing how all stories work in a similiar way, and how all gameplay loops share their structure with stories, we will explore the similarities and look for tools that will help us design better games. This talk, inspired by John Yorke's book "Into the Woods. How stories work and why we tell them", and based on over ten years of experience in the industry, aims to present a consistent narrative-driven approach to game design.
A talk from Digital Dragons 2018
Richard Bartle presents a model of "non-player types" to explain why people may stop playing or not play a game in the first place. The model proposes two axes - challenge on the x-axis, and meaning/depth on the y-axis. Games that are too easy, hard, shallow, or deep can cause players to lose engagement. Specific quadrants of the graph are used to illustrate examples of games that may fail to retain players due to the right balance not being struck between challenge and meaning. The model is then applied to suggest some players may be willing to make microtransactions in free-to-play games to alter the challenge or depth to better suit their preferences.
This document provides guidance for analyzing representations of masculinity in two video games. Students are instructed to analyze key scenes using aspects like mise-en-scene, music and camera work. They should then examine how narrative/structure, action, character, visuals and sound represent masculinity. For each category, the document lists example questions to consider, such as whether the narrative establishes a backstory, what actions the player must perform, how characters are constructed and positioned, whether visuals and sounds create atmosphere and affect the player. Students are tasked with writing an essay comparing how the two games represent masculinity using this guidance and analysis grids.
20 Great Innovations in Casual, Social and Mobile Games That You Should Steal discusses 20 innovative casual, social and mobile games that leverage different platforms and mechanics in interesting ways such as using a player's music library or location in gameplay, integrating social networks, or combining multiple genres. The document provides examples of games that use viral social sharing of scores, asynchronous multiplayer, photo integration, augmented reality, and episodic monetization among other novel approaches. It cautions that some innovations may introduce privacy, licensing, or gameplay issues that would need addressing for successful implementation.
This document discusses a game and web specialist providing a document on an unspecified topic. The specialist hopes the document is useful. The CEO of Alurkria, Kika Syafii, signs off thanking the reader.
This document provides an overview of game development. It defines a game as an interactive form of entertainment and art differentiated from other media by user interactivity. It discusses major game genres and the large game market focused on mobile, console, PC, and online games. The document outlines the typical game development process including idea/documentation, design, development, and testing phases. It describes key activities in each phase such as concept art, gameplay design, programming, and quality assurance testing. In closing, it notes the appeal of game development is that it is very enjoyable to both play and create games.
This document provides an overview of game development including defining video games, common genres, the size of the industry, and the development process from concept to release. It also outlines the major roles in game development such as designers, artists, programmers, testers, and producers. Finally, it discusses skills required for different roles and ways to get started in the industry such as through independent game development.
This document summarizes the BA in Games Design program at Brunel University. It highlights the program's unique focus on game design theory and application, investment in industry-standard facilities, and strong employment outcomes. Students are taught by veteran game developers and industry pioneers. The degree focuses on applying theory to practice through ongoing game projects. Graduates gain experience that prepares them for careers in the diverse games industry or related fields like media and technology.
Game Development workshop with Unity3D.Ebtihaj khan
Game development using Unity3D
May 2015
This lecture was given by Ebtihaj at various universities in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The talk begins with what really a game is, and how can you differentiate it from an ordinary software and a movie.
After that the focus is shifted to how are games made and how big is the gaming industry.
Later on Unity3D and its basic components are introduced with a hands on workshop.
Video game development is the process of creating video games, which can range from one person to a large team of developers. Mainstream games typically take several years to develop with teams of 20-100 people working in roles like designer, artist, programmer, tester, and producer. Indie and mobile games can be developed more quickly and cheaply by individuals or small teams. The size and complexity of development teams has increased over time due to advancing technology and rising costs of games.
Game design document template for serious gamesAntoine Taly
This document outlines a game design document template for serious games. It includes sections for an overview of the game concept, genre, target audience, and pedagogical objectives. It also includes sections for gameplay and mechanics, the story and setting, levels, and the user interface. The gameplay and mechanics section describes the rules of the game world and how the different elements interact. The levels section outlines each level, including objectives and critical paths. The interface section details the visual display, control schemes, audio components, and help system.
“Intoduction To Game Development ”
This sesion will be covering some aspects of the theory and practice of game development and design .
- For those who are intersted in game development , This session will should be enough to get you started .
LAFS Game Design 1 - Foundational ElementsDavid Mullich
The document discusses game mechanics, focusing on core mechanics that define a game's essence through the primary action and purpose. It also covers flow state and how to design challenges that keep players engaged as their skills improve. Additionally, the document defines puzzles as goal-oriented problems with solutions rather than opponents, and provides examples of puzzle mechanics and structures.
This document outlines the typical game development life cycle, which includes phases such as developing the story, script, feasibility study, promotional demo, design, layout, modeling, texturing, animation, high and low level design, coding, testing, debugging, integration, and game testing. It acknowledges references that were used to compile information on standard game development processes and models.
This document outlines the design of the game Destination Rush. It includes sections on the design history and iteration process, game overview including concept and target audience, gameplay and mechanics such as objectives and drag-and-drop movement, and planned playtesting. The game involves quickly and accurately transporting passengers to matching destinations on planes to earn money while avoiding mistakes that result in losses. Mystery boxes and upgrades add variety. The game was iterated based on playtesting to refine objectives, pricing, and mechanics.
The document discusses various game mechanics such as functional space, objects and attributes, actions, rules, skills, and the role of chance in games. It provides examples of different types of mechanics like physics, progression, and economy systems. The document also covers topics like discrete versus continuous mechanics, designing core mechanics early, and different prototyping techniques for testing mechanics.
The document provides an overview of game design concepts including interaction design, game mechanisms, game models, and victory conditions. It discusses topics such as turns, actions points, cards, movement, auctions/bidding, dice, capture/elimination, goals, territory control, victory points, and more. The document serves as a reference for game designers to understand essential elements of game design.
We think in stories. Narratives are tools we use to make sense of the world, both in life and in games. Seeing how all stories work in a similiar way, and how all gameplay loops share their structure with stories, we will explore the similarities and look for tools that will help us design better games. This talk, inspired by John Yorke's book "Into the Woods. How stories work and why we tell them", and based on over ten years of experience in the industry, aims to present a consistent narrative-driven approach to game design.
A talk from Digital Dragons 2018
Richard Bartle presents a model of "non-player types" to explain why people may stop playing or not play a game in the first place. The model proposes two axes - challenge on the x-axis, and meaning/depth on the y-axis. Games that are too easy, hard, shallow, or deep can cause players to lose engagement. Specific quadrants of the graph are used to illustrate examples of games that may fail to retain players due to the right balance not being struck between challenge and meaning. The model is then applied to suggest some players may be willing to make microtransactions in free-to-play games to alter the challenge or depth to better suit their preferences.
Slides from the 2016/2017 edition of the Video game Design and Programming course at the Politecnico di Milano. More information at http://www.polimigamecollective.org Some of the video games developed by the students during the course are available at https://polimi-game-collective.itch.io
Video game design and programming course for the Master in Computer Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano. http://www.facebook.com/polimigamecollective https://twitter.com/@POLIMIGC http://www.youtube.com/PierLucaLanzi http://www.polimigamecollective.org
Politecnico di Milano, Videogiochi, Video Games, Computer Engineering, game design, game development, sviluppo videogiochi
Without vision, you'd be blind - Mattia Traverso - Codemotion Amsterdam 2017Codemotion
In game design, we trust our senses. Is this mechanic fun? Is this Environment beautiful? Is this story emotional? Is the game GOOD? However, as time passes and our project evolves, so do we. We are not the same person we were a minute ago, a month ago, a year ago. How can we maintain a steady vision if we ourselves are a constantly changing, complex interlacing of feelings and ideas? A practical look at how to establish a strong identity for a project: the beacon which will lead future decisions in design, art and production.
Narrative Design and Audio-Visual Style in Video GamesAltug Isigan
This document summarizes key points from a presentation about narrative design and visual style in video games. It discusses the ludology-narratology debate around whether games should be studied as narratives. It argues that games can be approached as narratives because they create fictional worlds mediated through a narrating medium. It also notes that narratives in games are open works that develop based on player decisions, creating real risks that challenge game designers to maintain narrative necessity, coherence and tension across multiple storylines.
Let's Play a Game - Learn Philosophy and Rhetoric via Digital Game-Based Lear...Sherry Jones
This is my workshop presentation on how I employ digital game-based learning methods to teach philosophy and rhetoric courses.
A selection of assignments I have personally designed and implemented are included in this presentation.
Some principles and theories covered are Derridian binary oppositions, Sartrian existentialism, Wittgensteinian seeing-that vs. seeing-as, rhetorical triangle, rhetorical appeals (logos and pathos), Nietzschean eternal recurrence, and more.
A semester postmortem on the mindful xp project at the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon. Over the spring 2012 semester our project team developed 10 games with a focus on meaning and expression.
In this presentation we discuss the origins of our project, the 10 games we developed, and what we learned from our experiences about creating meaningful, expressive games.
Visit our website at mindfulxp.com!
Video game design and programming course for the Master in Computer Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano. http://www.facebook.com/polimigamecollective https://twitter.com/@POLIMIGC http://www.youtube.com/PierLucaLanzi http://www.polimigamecollective.org
The document discusses game design theory and player psychology. It introduces the concepts of "fun" being tied to learning new patterns and mastery, and how boredom occurs when there are no new patterns to learn. It also discusses Bartle's player archetypes of achievers, socializers, explorers and killers, and how game design can aim to satisfy different personality types. Massively multiplayer online games are noted as providing opportunities to engage in familiar activities like hunting, socializing or achieving goals.
1. The document discusses theories of fun and player archetypes from the book "Theory of Fun" by Raph Koster. It describes how learning, pattern recognition, and mastery make games fun for our brains.
2. It introduces Bartle's player archetypes of achievers, socializers, explorers, and killers (imposers) and how game design can aim to satisfy different personality types.
3. Massively multiplayer online games attract a variety of players with different motivations for playing, from achievement to socializing to exploration or player-killing. Good games aim to balance gameplay across these archetypes.
This document provides instructions for a concept project on the play "Memory" by Jonathan Lichtenstein. Students will work in groups to create a concept presentation addressing the play's problems, focus, world, and intentions. The presentation should use visual and audio aids. The document defines these elements and provides examples to consider for each one. It also outlines the process of identifying a play's facts, assumptions, and directorial choices. Finally, it lists the group assignments and presentation dates.
Here are the key points from your research evaluation:
- Product research provided examples to draw inspiration from but also risked being too similar.
- Questionnaires received varied responses but many were not useful. Interviews received serious responses.
- Responses to the questionnaire were often random and not applicable. Other research methods like interviews and product analysis yielded more relevant information.
- The survey was distributed through college email and Blackboard, allowing wide reach but reliance on those channels limited external responses.
In summary, while the questionnaire design and distribution had weaknesses, the other research methods like interviews and examining existing products provided valuable insights into what would appeal to the target audience for this game project. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches
Slides from the 2016/2017 edition of the Video game Design and Programming course at the Politecnico di Milano. More information at http://www.polimigamecollective.org Some of the video games developed by the students during the course are available at https://polimi-game-collective.itch.io
Erin Hoffman-John - Effective Games: Why We Can't Have Nice Things (Yet)SeriousGamesAssoc
The document discusses the challenges of creating effective educational games that truly teach students. It notes that while games are good at engaging and motivating students, most games do not actually teach in a valid way. The document outlines some of the key elements needed for a teaching game, including being a valid assessment, providing scaffolding for students, and incorporating multiple representations of concepts. It then discusses one game called Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy that was created to teach argumentation skills and how it incorporated design elements like precise assessments, masterable complexity, and an emotional journey to transform students' thinking. However, it notes a challenge is the significant resources needed to create such teaching games at scale.
We think in stories. Narratives are tools we use to make sense of the world, both in life and in games. Seeing how all stories work in a similiar way, and how all gameplay loops share their structure with stories, we will explore the similarities and look for tools that will help us design better games. This talk, inspired by John Yorke's book "Into the Woods. How stories work and why we tell them", and based on over ten years of experience in the industry, aims to present a consistent narrative-driven approach to game design.
A talk from Games Industry Conference 2017
JTEL2012 emotion and games in technology-enhanced learningKostas Karpouzis
"Emotion and games in technology-enhanced learning" presentation at the 2012 Joint European Summer School on Technology Enhanced Learning in Estoril, Portugal
Here are some key points about evaluating your research:
- Consider the sample size - was it large enough to draw meaningful conclusions? Small samples can lack validity.
- Account for bias - did your questions lead respondents in any way? Were your interview subjects diverse?
- Triangulate methods - using multiple approaches helps validate findings by seeing corroboration across techniques.
- Note limitations - acknowledge where methods fell short, like unclear survey questions or a narrow interview pool.
- Interpret cautiously - qualitative data requires interpretation but avoid overstating what can reasonably be inferred.
Overall it's good you used different methods to explore the topic from multiple angles. For future work, focusing questions, expanding samples, and
VDP2016 - Lecture 05 Game analysis frameworksPier Luca Lanzi
Slides from the 2016/2017 edition of the Video game Design and Programming course at the Politecnico di Milano. More information at http://www.polimigamecollective.org Some of the video games developed by the students during the course are available at https://polimi-game-collective.itch.io
1. H O W A N D WH Y T O A N A L Y S E V I D E O
G A M E S , A P R E P A R A T I O N F O R N C E A
THE TOOLS OF
VIDEO GAME ANALYSIS
2. WHAT AM I TEACHING?
• So what are we doing today?
• Going to give you the basics of how video games
operate, and how best to approach and teach
them
• This is not an easy topic, and by no means will close
to everything regarding video game analysis be
covered
• Most terms used are my personal terms for said
elements, to my understanding there is no textbook
approach in existence as of yet
3. AND A QUICK DISCLAIMER
• I would personally recommend teaching this material at
Level 1/2+ but you should decide when it’s appropriate
• If you fully want to understand video games, you will
have to play them – it’s hard to understand a film until
you’ve watched one!
• I have intentionally chosen games to repeatedly
analyse, there are plenty of other games to choose from
(more on that later) but given time constraints I want you
to see the breadth of depth that the analysis can allow
• Will have a short Q&A time at the end if time permits, but
if there are any questions regarding the material I’m
covering at the time, ask away
4. WHO AM I?
• The name is Austin O’Brien
• 2nd year Software Engineer – training in game
development and production
• Outstanding Scholarship winner in English 2012
• Avid gamer
• And game analyst
• And game designer
5. DEFINING VIDEO GAMES
• Narrative and “gameplay”
• Sometimes gameplay is complex
(shooting/dodging/etc.)
• Sometimes it’s non-complex (choosing a pathway)
• The game is ergodic literature (discuss next!)
• Generally, treat anything that acts like a (virtual)
game, as a game
6. ERGODIC LITERATURE – WHAT?
• Ergodic literature is a term coined by Espen J.
Aarseth to define how cybertexts operate:
• “In ergodic literature, nontrivial effort is required to
allow the reader to traverse the text.”
• Video games are one of the few mediums that will
arbitrarily lock you out of content for not passing
their “tests”
• Do books stop you reading when you don’t
understand a word?
7. WHY VIDEO GAMES?
• All of the benefits of typical narrative analysis
• But with the added benefits of ludological analysis
(the analysis of the gameplay)
• And analysis of it being ergodic literature (requiring
nontrivial effort)
• So….
• We end up with more content to talk around
• We end up with deeper discussion about content
• But we can also start easily, and then increase the
level of complexity
8. THE MAKINGS OF A VIDEO GAME
• Narratology and ludology are the primary two pillars
of analysis
• Narratology is the narrative of the piece, implied or
explicit (i.e. the holistic story of the game or its
world)
• Ludology is the set of game rules and states that
define the game (i.e. how do we “play” the game)
• With only one pillar, we don’t really have a game
9. NARRATOLOGY
• This is almost identical to typical texts (we are
dealing with a story after all)
• To draw this out, simply ask, “If we had to write this
down, what would be writing?”
• Non-linear texts make this harder, but we can still
boil them down
• A few general rules that we tend to follow exist:
• 1. We assume the player sees all content
• 2. We imply complete knowledge of the game
• 3. We assume the player succeeds in the canonized
ending
10. LUDOLOGY
• This encompasses all game mechanics and
gameplay
• One easy way of drawing this out is asking, “If this
was a physical game, how would it be played?”
• We assume a few things:
• 1. The player will always attempt to “win” at the
game
• 2. The player will engage with all game mechanics
11. A SIDE NOTE: NARRATIVE POINT OF
VIEW
• Typically three types dealt with:
• 1st person extension, the player is the main
character (i.e. consider the protagonist as if they
are an extension of the player)
• 1st person split, the player plays for the main
character (i.e. the player acts as if they are the
main character)
• 3rd person, passively watching the main character
• Normally games that do well reach the first two
cases, the third case is less than optimal
12. IMMERSION: WHY IT MATTERS
• Good video games go beyond other mediums,
they make us a key part of the story
• To do so they need to immerse us in their world or
reality
• Both ludological and narratological techniques can
help build immersion (i.e. camera bobbing, camera
leaning, etc., or art style, story, etc.)
13. USING THE PILLARS FOR ANALYSIS
• Now we understand what we’re dealing with, let’s
discuss drawing them into actual analysis
• Game analysis isn’t as simple as simply dealing with
them in isolation however (they’re video games at
the end of the day)
• We’ll discuss them separately, then together, then
with some added complexity
• Most of the deeper analysis is just understanding the
medium and removing our assumptions
• Ideally you tailor to what level you’re teaching at,
game analysis is complex remember!
14. NARRATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: LOW
LEVEL
• Is there a theme?
• How does the player understand the theme?
• What techniques form the theme?
• What reaction is gained from the player?
• What techniques immerse the player?
• Note: We can treat video games like films to make
the analysis easier (we’re just tagging along)
15. EXAMPLE: HORROR
AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT
• The game and environment is horrific and terror-inducing, the
player is told to save the world by delving deeper into the
nightmarish castle
• Player becomes immersed in the experience, and identifies
with the protagonist
• Character progress of redemption from evil
• Thematic progression of good triumphing evil (at high cost)
16. NARRATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: HIGH
LEVEL
• What does the story or world tell us about
humanity/wider society?
• What role does the player play?
• Why is the role important in disseminating the
message?
• How is the player immersed in that role?
• Note: We tend to want to consider how the player’s
role is fundamental to the medium
17. EXAMPLE: HORROR
AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT
• As the player identifies strongly with the protagonist, they
become the co-writer of the theme
• They have to struggle with the moral onus of the game (if you
don’t win, the world ends), and the personal ramifications of it
being non-ergodic (the game is terrifying)
• The game makes the player sympathise directly with the plight of
being the hardy adventurer – it’s easy to mock those who
undertake great risks, but it’s much harder to perform them
yourself!
18. LUDOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: LOW LEVEL
• I personally recommend avoiding this as a primary
topic of focus (gameplay mechanics are complex
to examine!)
• Can always look at basic game mechanics and
understand their implications to immersion
• Can try to examine basic game mechanics and
look at employing similar analysis to higher level
work (will explain next)
19. EXAMPLE: FIRST PERSON SHOOTER
BIOSHOCK
• In Bioshock, Little Sisters are offered as a moral/reward choice
throughout the game
• You slay the Big Daddy’s and in return are offered free Adam
(currency) for slaying the orphan children, or nothing if you let
them live and cleanse them of the Adam-producing slug
• This mechanic reinforces that sometimes good actions pave
the way to success – a ruthless, yet somewhat truthful theme
20. LUDOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: HIGH LEVEL
• What does the game want you to do?
• What are they rewarding/punishing you for?
• What are the game’s “win-states”?
• What role does the player play?
• How does the player’s implicated role change what
pathways the game wants us to follow?
• How does the player react to the win-states or loss-
states?
• What does all of the above tell us about the text?
21. EXAMPLE: ADVENTURE
THE STANLEY PARABLE
• We’re never told what the aim of The Stanley Parable is –
we’re simply given a narration of what we’re doing
• Largely multi-linear narrative, at the end, the player is still
“following a pathway”
• Subverts common tropes of video games, as well as
discussing the lack of free will we have
22. NARRATOLOGY AND LUDOLOGY:
TOGETHER
• Ideally you don’t just examine a pillar in isolation –
to some extent you’ll miss out on the medium’s
strength
• When we examine them together, we have three
cases we tend to examine – combined analysis,
subservient analysis, or ludonarrative dissonance
• The former two are good, the latter is a critique or
failure of creation
23. COMBINED ANALYSIS
• This analysis is when we discuss how both
narratology and ludology work together to
construct a theme or message
• Typically, both the gameplay and the story reiterate
very similar messages, and together we’re left with
a strong-lasting impression of what the game wants
us to see
• Use analysis of each pillar individually, and consider
how they overlap
24. EXAMPLE: HORROR
AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT
• The story is obviously horror and plight filled, our dear
amnesiac Daniel finds himself awoken in a strange castle, only
to discover he unwittingly aided the slaughter of humans – he
must redeem himself so afraid and worried, he ventures
deeper
• The gameplay is similarly challenging to match the narrative –
enemies cannot be fought nor killed, only hidden from, and a
lack of light sources means constant meandering in dark,
forbidding corridors
25. SUBSERVIENT ANALYSIS
• This type of analysis is when one pillar serves the
theme of another
• Typically, this is when the gameplay and the
player’s actions create the theme, by influencing
the player to act in a certain way
• Consider, in isolation, the player’s actions may not
have any meaning, but in context they have
heightened meaning
• Consider what the dominant theme or message is,
and then what role the submissive pillar has in
changing or shaping the message/theme
26. EXAMPLE: FIRST PERSON SHOOTER
BIOSHOCK
• In Bioshock, you help a man Atlas throughout the first part of
the game, only to later learn that you were in fact mind
controlled by the phrase “Would you kindly…” to do what he
wanted
• By playing the game, you naturally conformed to the “mind
control” that Atlas utilised
• You weren’t mind controlled, but through clever manipulation
of the game’s medium, you feel as if you were
27. LUDONARRATIVE DISSONANCE
• This is typically reserved for texts that don’t succeed
in effectively merging their gameplay and story
• It is when the story and the gameplay clash, or
don’t operate in the same direction
• Most of the time ludonarrative dissonance is a bad
thing, but sometimes it performs an important role
• Discuss what each pillar of analysis pushes as their
theme/message, and how they are contradictory
28. EXAMPLE: FIRST PERSON SHOOTER
SPEC OPS: THE LINE
• Think Heart of Darkness, but a video game
• Set in a sandstorm struck Dubai, you come in attempting to help the
survivors only to find yourselves wholesale massacring American soldiers
to help
• The game constantly reinforces that the killing is bad, morally
reprehensible, and disgusting, but as a video game, it still is an enjoyable
pastime (we do play for a reason)
• In many ways this works well in line with the theme – that war is hell, but a
hell that twists you to enjoy it, that even when we understand the terror,
we still partake
29. GOING DEEPER WITH ANALYSIS
• Beyond these forms of analysis, we can start to
perform some reflective analysis of the medium and
meta-narratives (narratives of narratives)
• These are far more complex, recommendable only
for high level students, or when suitable
• Sometimes it is integral to examine these in lower
level texts, discretion advised
• Three forms I have personally identified, I’m sure
there are more worth looking at, feel free to discuss
or think of others
30. INCOMPLETE VS HOLISTIC
KNOWLEDGE
• Previously we discussed how we tend to assume
that the player knows or has seen all game states
• Sometimes it’s better to discuss how that’s not the
case, and how the player’s knowledge of the
scenario changes as they play the game/repeat
the game/learn more about the game
• A large part of video games as opposed to
traditional games is the lack of complete
knowledge, how does that influence the story/our
decisions?
31. EXAMPLE: FIRST PERSON SHOOTER
BIOSHOCK
• When you’re presented with the option of
killing/helping the Little Sisters, it’s presented as a
“do the right thing” or “get a reward” type system
• In fact, if you save them, you get a slightly greater
reward after saving a few (delayed gratification)
• How does this impact the morality of the scenario?
32. DOMINANT NARRATIVES
• Previously, we talked about how we tend to assume
the player plays to win
• What losing pathways are there?
• Are there losing/winning pathways at all?
• How do losing pathways differ from winning
pathways?
• Are the losing pathways offered as false choices, or
displayed as false?
• How does that influence the message of the text
(winning pathway vs losing pathway)
• What does the player “learn” from playing?
33. EXAMPLE: FIRST PERSON ACTION
DISHONORED
• Dishonored follows Corvo, a dishonoured assassin attempting to redeem
his name by overthrowing the corrupt officials who slew the Empress and
stole her daughter
• Throughout the game we have multiple options to enact utter bloody
chaos and slay all who get in our way, however the environment adapts
• We end up with more plagued (sick zombie-like individuals), as well as
higher security and we end up with the “bad” ending if we have a
significantly high chaos rating
• The player is pushed into performing clean, stealthy kills with minimal
collateral damage – we’re not Rambo, we’re an honour-driven assassin
34. EXAMPLE: HORROR
AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT
• Because of the game’s puzzle like progression (put x and y
item together) the player feels obliged to search thoroughly
and diligently through rooms – upending all manner of
drawers to ensure all is found
• As well, enemies tend to be instant-death (1 hit, 1 kill)
• This plays well into the narrative presented, we’re not hurriedly
rushing through – we’re carefully and painstakingly inching our
way cautiously trying to find a way of saving the world
35. THE REAL PLAYER’S NARRATIVE
• This is a rare form of meta-analysis, where we discuss
the ergodic nature of the text, and therefore the
importance of the player playing the game (and
not leaving)
• When the player plays the game, they’re spending
nontrivial effort attempting to win, this has some
ramifications when viewed with certain themes
• What can we say of humanity when a player
perseveres against odds and with little hope?
36. EXAMPLE: HORROR
AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT
• When we play through the game, we are actively taking
up the moral onus and burden that our protagonist
Daniel has
• We’re actively creating the message that justice/good
prevails – it becomes less about how strong or powerful
some “humanity” is, but rather a self-reflective thought
37. BUT HOW DO WE GET VIDEO GAMES?
• If you’re interested in expanding or establishing your video game
library, I highly recommend Steam
• It’s a digital distribution service that stocks pretty much every
video game made ever
• Significantly cheaper than brick-and-mortar stores
• Sales frequently push content at 75%-80% sales (especially old
titles) currently having a Fall Sale
• Only downside is required downloading of content – no physical
copies!
• As well, you can even get a free version of Portal 2 here:
http://www.teachwithportals.com/
38. TEXTS TO PLAY AND STUDY
• Highly Recommended:
• Bioshock (1st person shooter)
• Bioshock 2 (1st person shooter)
• Bioshock Infinite (1st person shooter)
• System Shock (1st person RPG)
• Portal (1st person puzzle)
• Portal 2 (1st person puzzle)
• Bastion (2D isometric action)
• Transistor (2D isometric action)
• LIMBO (2D sidescroller adventure)
• Spec Ops: The Line (1st person shooter)
• Far Cry 3 (1st person shooter)
• Tomb Raider (3rd person action)
• The Stanley Parable (1st person
exploration)
• Dark Souls (incredibly hard, please
spare yourself the pain – 3rd person
action)
• Dishonored (1st person action)
• Fallout 3 (1st person shooter)
• Fallout: New Vegas (1st person
shooter)
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent (1st
person horror)
• Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs (1st
person horror)
• Alien: Isolation (1st person horror)
• Dear Esther (1st person story)
• To The Moon (2D top-down story)
• The Walking Dead (3rd person action
story)
• Kentucky Route Zero (2D point-and-
click story)
• Lone Survivor (2D sidescroller horror
story)
• World of Goo (2D puzzle)
39. FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW
• For those looking for a light introduction into video
games, I highly recommend the below, they require
significantly less game skill and are equally as
enjoyable:
• Dear Esther (1st person story)
• Lone Survivor (2D sidescroller horror story)
• Stanley Parable (1st person exploration)
• LIMBO (2D sidescroller adventure)
• To The Moon (2D top-down story)
• Kentucky Route Zero (2D point-and-click story)
• The Walking Dead (3rd person action story)
40. Q&A
• If you have questions, feel free to ask away!
• If you have any further questions, you can always
reach me at my contact details below:
• Email: merelyqurios@gmail.com
• Mobile: 027 631 6722