The anti-capitalist views of Bogost in his advertising chapter seem to overpower the reality of "space" that is found within many of the video games that I have played.
I think the reason why I enjoy WoW and the nearby Clemson lakes/nature is due to the concept of space - a natural freedom that has been taken from me in real life. I am constantly thrown into advertising...at home, in the car, at work, during my lunch break, when I go to class, when I go home....its just a non-stop stream of bullshit. It's impossible to break away from the Fortune 100 in this country.
So...do I enjoy realism? This is a hard question to pose: are games like WoW and Second Life more "real" than life itself? After spending 15 hours on WoW and SL...I sadly admit yes. I think exploring the caverns, lakes, and forests of WoW are much more real that my commute through HWY 123 each morning. How "real" is a line of 25 fast-food chains with my radio blaring commercials, my logoed-up clothing, driving my gas-guzzling Jeep?
One lecture in my design class focuses on the concept of "space," how natural emptiness and panoramic views of vivid nature are ingrained into human 'reality'. Modern packaging design trends are focusing on the concept of white space and bleeding...where natural and organic textures and images continue through the substrate without border.
Continuing, but on another note...Bogost's "advergames" blow my mind. I knew these existed but had no idea people actually "played" them. The "in game ads" ideas, after some thought, make the game more "life-like"...its nice to know I can continue my daily routine of companies streaming information into my phonological loop in many of the games out there.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Narratives in Games and Education
Does a narrative make a game? Do multi/meta-narratives create interaction...leveling a "toy" to a "game"?
Sim City and the Sims are referred to as toys by many of the authors, but do the micro-narratives become game-like?
Next, do games like The Sims and second life become extensions of realities? If so, how can secondary/tertiary realities be games?
The more developmental time invested in spatial abilities and the environment turn the game less "game-like"...correct? Is it because the software sets limitations/objectives that make true games?
Sim City and the Sims are referred to as toys by many of the authors, but do the micro-narratives become game-like?
Next, do games like The Sims and second life become extensions of realities? If so, how can secondary/tertiary realities be games?
The more developmental time invested in spatial abilities and the environment turn the game less "game-like"...correct? Is it because the software sets limitations/objectives that make true games?
Kostikyan - Games
Wow, this is the complete taxonomy of games. Great source for references in the term paper.
I agree with Kostikyan that games differ from toys, and the objectives of each are dramatically different. But is not the idea of playing with a toy...a game? Who does something without an objective? Can entertainment be a form of strategy/device/objective?
I agree with Kostikyan that games differ from toys, and the objectives of each are dramatically different. But is not the idea of playing with a toy...a game? Who does something without an objective? Can entertainment be a form of strategy/device/objective?
Me likey, Wow
Shaggamuki, Level 15 Troll Mage
Status: Highly addicted
I can really see why millions of people play this game. Within a few hours I met up with other noobs to complete quests and explore the terrain. Within a few days I was comfortable with the game and itching to collect new items and level up.
I think the desire to develop social networks is a major portion of self-awareness/actualization. WoW, in my opinion, allows many people to fulfill this need. For some reason, you feel quite accomplished when you find a new complementary weapon or rare item.
The ability to auction goods, trade, team, and dual are also very emotional interactions in the game. When I visit the larger cities in the game, I am totally overwhelmed with what the future will hold for my character.
WoW brings gaming to a new level.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
MUDs
The presupposition for the reading today was on the uneventful side, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the article. I found the learning outcomes to be informative and highly interesting. To think...and online dungeon could mirror such classroom (dungeons to many) realities.
The breakdown of the player profiles: Achievers, Explorers, Socialites, and Imposers reminded me of my classroom. Because I teach a series of social-science 'explorations' in creativity, I find my students breakdown into very similar profiles.
Achievers. Like the MUD, my student achievers only care about the 'grade.' They are far less interested in digging into the software, creating innovative things, using our photo rendering or 3D prototyping tools...just whatever it takes to make the desired grade and away they go. Some achievers branch out into exploration, but it is just a mask for some pointless portfolio addition or a side project for a future interview they have planned for 2 years from now.
Explorers. These are my favorite students, and thankfully, I have lots of them. These students are far less interested in creating what they think makes the A, but to manipulate the projects into something they can use for themselves. I love how these students study the machines, get involved, trouble shoot, and try to run our equipment to the limits. I find these students less interested in the structure, but excel in the abstract
Socialites: I find this to be an interesting role in a MUD. What exactly does a MUD do for them? Why not just enter into a chat room? Interestingly, I have the same question for many of the uninterested students in my classes. Seriously, half my classes are electives...why enroll to just goof off? But, it was not until I read this paper that I finally realized it. I broke my classes down: 80% packaging, 10% graphics and 10% architecture. Graphics and architecture majors are usually the socialites...not that keen on using everything. But, I realized that they love interacting with the packaging students. They are introduced for the first time in my class, and by the end of the semester come in with weekend trips, laughs, and hang-overs. They really just enjoy the company of the structural people...where they are the geometric/graphic influence. I guess just good complements.
As for the killers, I am confident I know who they are. Just like the MUDs, these students seek out groups to join or projects to take on that will cause a disturbance. Last semester there was a student who took on an independent role to develop a catholic birth control package...knowing good and well the background of a hefty percentage of the class. Each semester there are always the students who get a kick out of disrupting class, purposely creating disrespectful media, and the common: poor attendance, non-participation, etc. that find there way inside.
The breakdown of the player profiles: Achievers, Explorers, Socialites, and Imposers reminded me of my classroom. Because I teach a series of social-science 'explorations' in creativity, I find my students breakdown into very similar profiles.
Achievers. Like the MUD, my student achievers only care about the 'grade.' They are far less interested in digging into the software, creating innovative things, using our photo rendering or 3D prototyping tools...just whatever it takes to make the desired grade and away they go. Some achievers branch out into exploration, but it is just a mask for some pointless portfolio addition or a side project for a future interview they have planned for 2 years from now.
Explorers. These are my favorite students, and thankfully, I have lots of them. These students are far less interested in creating what they think makes the A, but to manipulate the projects into something they can use for themselves. I love how these students study the machines, get involved, trouble shoot, and try to run our equipment to the limits. I find these students less interested in the structure, but excel in the abstract
Socialites: I find this to be an interesting role in a MUD. What exactly does a MUD do for them? Why not just enter into a chat room? Interestingly, I have the same question for many of the uninterested students in my classes. Seriously, half my classes are electives...why enroll to just goof off? But, it was not until I read this paper that I finally realized it. I broke my classes down: 80% packaging, 10% graphics and 10% architecture. Graphics and architecture majors are usually the socialites...not that keen on using everything. But, I realized that they love interacting with the packaging students. They are introduced for the first time in my class, and by the end of the semester come in with weekend trips, laughs, and hang-overs. They really just enjoy the company of the structural people...where they are the geometric/graphic influence. I guess just good complements.
As for the killers, I am confident I know who they are. Just like the MUDs, these students seek out groups to join or projects to take on that will cause a disturbance. Last semester there was a student who took on an independent role to develop a catholic birth control package...knowing good and well the background of a hefty percentage of the class. Each semester there are always the students who get a kick out of disrupting class, purposely creating disrespectful media, and the common: poor attendance, non-participation, etc. that find there way inside.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Political Process
Many of the focus points of Bogost's thesis discuss the rules and processes of political systems - how these continuous/procedural 'games' have set rules that must be followed.
I was fascinated by Bogost's "breaking the rules" for improvements. His statement challenges the mundane and promotes the abstract and fascinating. In a similar context, I teach a human factors class where we cover "form vs. function," "flexibility and usability," and other procedural design decisions where the mainstream consider the functional/usable to be boring and stable.
I think this is a good idea. I never thought about the government as a rhetorical 'process' and a set of programed procedures
I was fascinated by Bogost's "breaking the rules" for improvements. His statement challenges the mundane and promotes the abstract and fascinating. In a similar context, I teach a human factors class where we cover "form vs. function," "flexibility and usability," and other procedural design decisions where the mainstream consider the functional/usable to be boring and stable.
I think this is a good idea. I never thought about the government as a rhetorical 'process' and a set of programed procedures
Procedural Rhetoric in flash games.
Tagged by Bogost...["procedural rhetoric," a type of rhetoric tied to the core affordances of computers: running processes and executing rule-based symbolic manipulation.]...
Leveraging the programming "rules," Madrid cradles the user intimately with program code. As candles are clicked on, they slowly fade out...creating a procedural dilemma: how does one activate all of the candles?
Cynthia linked me towards another great procedural game that has more of a "procedure" to it...
http://www.nofreerefills.org/files/packman/packman.html
As the 'gamer' in you "consumes" pacs, you race to read the next message about packaging and the environment. Interesting how the game affords the learning.
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