Blurring the Line...

Since the rise of gaming in the late nineteen-eighties and continual progression through to the present, it is no wonder that the virtual worlds we once thought were so foreign have become so familiar. In the world of gaming, this separation of what is real and what is virtual is known as the magic circle. The magic circle refers to the “distinct boundary between the artificial world of the game and “real life” contexts...”.(Linser, Ree-Lindstad, Tone Vold, 2008, p2) It seems however, that the line between what is known as a state of play and reality is being deliberately blurred allow for not only further immersion, but eventual combination of what is regarded as real and what is virtual.

If you are paranoid, you probably don't want to keep reading...

Nobody would have believed it, but ludologists have accepted the fact that “virtual worlds are now a reality.” How do they come to this conclusion? By simply defining what a modern virtual world allows you to do. “Virtual worlds allow everyone to create a digital character representing themselves and interact with other computer-generated individuals, landscapes, virtually run global businesses and in-world situations in real time.” (Lehdonvirta, 2010, Web) The push towards realism has not only evolved in the richness of hardware and technology, but also the revolutionary game play styles and abilities that allow the player to become less of a puppet-master and more of the player they control. Jonathan Steuer defines virtual reality as “a particular type of experience, rather than…a collection of hardware”. (1993, p3) This definition allows us to break the process and effectiveness of virtual reality into two components; medium effectiveness and experience.

Firstly, it is important to understand the devices and hardware that are allowing the virtual world to converge on what we perceive as reality. The effectiveness of the hardware is reliant on the user’s presence and the “degree to which a virtual environment submerges the perceptual system of the user.” (Giuseppe, 2003, p4) The hardware in this sense is more effective if it can work on a psychological level to remove senses of time and space to bind or exclude reality with the virtual world. There have been many leaps and bounds in technology to get to the stage we are now, where it seems such hardware is present within almost every household today. Microphones, Wii controllers, Playstation Move, Microsoft Kinnect, smart phones and countless other peripheral devices have been extremely successful in promoting a more authentic experience to the user. Most contemporary digital media devices have some way of connecting the user to an aspect of reality in some way, whether it is through motion control, voice chat or augmented reality visual systems, the focus of hardware is to make the line between the virtual world and real world more indecisive.

Kinnect: Microsoft isn't going down without a fight when it comes to virtual hardware.

Hardware however, is only one way game developers have been able to utilise their work to blur the fine line of reality. If the games and its hardware cannot uphold visual realism in the form of graphics or narrative believability, it tends to place particular focus on social realism; “a process of revisiting the material substrate of the medium and establishing correspondences with specific activities existent in the social reality of the gamer.” (Galloway, 2004, Web) With this in mind, gaming then becomes a process of the medium it is presented and what about that medium links the player to their own social reality and psychology. Take the massively popular Facebook game Farmville for example. The narrative and graphical elements of the game in no way resemble that of reality, yet its success has been unmatched as far as simple online games are concerned. Why? Because it utilises your social circumstances and understanding of psychology to make you compete not against a puzzle or artificial intelligence, but against your friends. Simple tricks in game play, like the ability to compete against friends, immerses the player within the game with much higher stakes: they are no longer playing a character, but a representation of themselves.

Once the psychological, realistic, narrative driven, hardware and social aspects of games are combined, they aim to immerse the user and reach a state of immersion. “Players do not just engage in ready-made gameplay, but also actively take part in the construction of these experiences…”. (Ermi, Mayra, 2005, p2) Thus the richness of immersion has become a crucial element for all game design. For something to be assigned value, you must be able to invest time or physical objects/energy into its creation. Through combining revolutionary hardware with gameplay tricks and allowances, designers have been able to, and will only progressively continue to blur the line between what is real, what is virtual. There is no telling how games will then be used in the future, but at the rate the immersion qualities have developed, we may one day consider our virtual experiences as important as those in reality. Why? They will be a part of who we are.

I personally think this is all awesome...

References:

Ermi, Laura. Mayra, Frans. (2005) Fundamental Components of the Gameplay Experience: Analysing Immersion. DiGRA 2005 Conference – Changing Views – World in Play.

Galloway, Alexander. (2004) Social Realism in Gaming. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 4, Issue 1. Sourced From: http://www.gamestudies.org/0401/galloway/

Giuseppe, Riva. (2003) Virtual Reality as communication tool: a socio-cognitive analysis. IOS Press, Amsterdam.

Lehdonvirta, Vili. (2010) Virtual Worlds Don’t Exist: Questioning the Dichotomous Approach in MMO Studies. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 10, Issue One. Sourced From: http://gamestudies.org/1001/articles/lehdonvirta

Linser, Roni. Ree-Lindstad, Nina. Vold, Tone. (2008) The Magic Circle – Game Design Principles and Online Role-play Simulations. World Conference on Educational Multemedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications.

Steuer, Jonathan. (1993) Defining Virtual Reality: Dimensions Determining Telepresence. Journal of Communication, Stanford.

The Goods On the Game Industry

In the past three decades, video games have established themself as a major entertainment force and what could now be argued as the stimulus for one of the largest public goods cultures in the world; the video game community. As the term ‘public goods’ can be considered as “intangible items…[that] fall into the category of information or knowledge”(Linux Information project, 2006, web), it can be determined that the game worlds themselves are based off an intricate fusion of rules, back-stories and information to be explored, expanded and shared. Even though gaming is mainly supported and hosted by commercial goods, groundbreaking advancements in both game design and social interaction have created a knowledge economy amongst gamers that relies heavily on the circulation of ‘public good’. To understand how this has impacted on not only the way we play games, but the way we live our lives. We can examine the importance of knowledge in games and how games are aiding the expansion of knowledge as visual learning systems.

In order to understand why knowledge and the sharing of information has become such a crucial part of our digital culture, we need look no further than the most popular MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game to date, World of Warcraft. On the surface, the game may seem like a fairly straightforward adventure, but in order to play the game successfully, you must understand more than what is immediately obvious. As Adam Ruch states, "Blizzard's (Developer) primary goal is to regulate the space which they have created, so that the game may function as intended. They seek to protect their rights over intellectual property, as well as provide protection for the rights and expectations of their players." (2009, Web). This suggests that not only is there an entirely new legal system within the game-space itself that must be learnt and abided by, but also a requirement to use information in such a way that does not breach their intellectual property.

Wow...WoW requires a lot of extra knowledge. Lucky it is free, otherwise there would be a lot of poor addicts around.

The knowledge behind how this universe works is not limited to what you get with the software or what you can buy, but a limitless resource that is forever being expanded by its community. There is no charge that applies to the use of this information on how to play the game, what to do at certain points and how to be the best you can be and certainly no lack of producers of such content. It has been recognised that "in order to make sense of how games are used and made sense of, there is a need to analyse learning as an integrated part of participation in social practices."(Arnseth, 2006, Web) That is, the social interaction with social aspects of the game whether it be speaking to other players, reading forums or using a WOW walkthrough (all free) is just as valuable to learning the game as playing the game itself (something you must purchase). This is just one example of the importance of accessible and limitless information in a virtual world; however any game could have been used effectively as an example because the concept of ‘public good’ is universal when it comes to videogame intelligence.

Without 'public goods', nobody would have ever made it past the water temple...

Skills learnt in games don’t always necessarily relate exclusively to the world it was created. Instead, games can also be seen as mass educators for ‘the public good’. This claim is best summed up by The Economist (2005):

Games are widely used as educational tools, not just for pilots, soldiers and surgeons, but also in schools and businesses…Anyone who has learned to play a handful of games can generally figure out how to operate almost any high-tech device. Games require players to construct hypotheses, solve problems, develop strategies, and learn the rules of the in-game world through trial and error. Gamers must also be able to juggle several different tasks, evaluate risks and make quick decisions…Playing games is, thus, an ideal form of preparation for the workplace of the 21^st century, as some forward-thinking firms are starting to realise. (The Economist cited Flew, 2008, p127)

As suggested, videogames almost have an embedded and implicit ability to teach players translatable skills, even if education was not the primary purpose of the game. Once a game is purchased, it is a limitless resource. They can be played in any number of ways and follow any set of governing rules within the bounds of the game. Anybody can then play the game if they have access to it and learn implicitly. It can then be theorised that videogames have the potential to revolutionise education and learning systems by incorporating the ability to subconsciously teach ‘public good’ skills to a broad audience.

"Public good" is more than sharing information as a limitless resource; it is a part of the knowledge economy and digital media society in which we live. Interacting with visual learning systems is growing in popularity and will allow game developers to utilise their tools and creativity to train a more organised and efficient generation of workers and change life as we know it.

References:

Arnset, Hans Christian (2006). Learning to Play or Playing to Learn – A Critical Account of the Models of Communication Informing Educational Research of Computer Gameplay. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 6, Issue 1. Sourced From: http://gamestudies.org/0601/articles/arnseth

Flew, Terry (2008). New Media: An Introduction (3^rd Edition). Oxford University Press, New York.

Linux (2006). Public Goods: A Brief Introduction. Web. Sourced From:

http://www.linfo.org/public_good.html

Ruch, Adam (2009). World of Warcraft: Service or Space?. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 9, Issue 2. Sourced From:

http://gamestudies.org/0902/articles/ruch

Image Source:


http://geekspodcast.com/2010/03/25/the-wow-infographic/

Transmedia Storytelling - It never ends...

Transmedia Storytelling

When it comes to the world of transmedia storytelling, no other medium compares to the immersive and seemingly limitless power of videogames. As Henry Jenkins defines, transmedia storytelling:

…represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. (2007, Web)

With this definition in mind, it is apparent that there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that suggests transmedia content is not only supporting the original franchise, but even defining it for a new generation within videogames.

NOTHING is safe from transmedia exposure...nothing.

There are several considerations that must be made when considering the importance of transmedia storytelling in the videogame industry. Firstly, the link between exterior universes and videogames must be recognised in order to comprehend the importance of transmedia adaptation of popular franchises. Secondly, the value of immersion and connection to the consumer of a videogame must be examined to understand the importance of gaming to any given franchise. Finally, after exploring the past and current development of games as adaptive media, a prediction can be proposed in regards to the future of games as transmedia gold mines.

Some things are best left untouched...

When examining the most popular videogames of present and of the past, they all have one thing in common; an abundance of user and fan generated content. This content reaches far beyond the boundaries of virtual space, often evolving to include fan-fiction, music, cosplay, machinima and countless more creations that add to the value of those particular games. They are more than obsessive abnormalities; in fact “each medium makes its own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story” (Jenkins, 2006). (The story being whatever franchises the content was created from) Once a videogame generated a large enough fan-base, such content is not only created, but celebrated. In the early days of gaming, Pac Man generated an enormous amount of transmedia diffusion, with the creation of a cartoon, 8bit music tracks and children’s books introduced shortly after it stormed into the gaming world. To give a contemporary of such diffusion however, is almost pointless; it is everywhere.

The use of transmedia storytelling is a marketing tool too powerful to ignore. The theory that different universes can “be experienced separately and still be enjoyable each component…part of a single unified storytelling experience” (Long, 2007, Web) has been adapted by almost every form of contemporary media. Game designer Neal Young coined the term “additive comprehension” to describe the allowance for “some viewers to have a richer experience without in any way diminishing the experience of someone who encounters the story on a single platform.”(Jenkins, 2006, Web) Creating this valued and rich experience has been the focus of many different forms of media across the past decade, utilising every tool possible to expand the experience of their universe. For example, the Halo series has released books, comics and online access to personal statistics and information about the universe in an attempt to further involve immersion. Halo 3 even gave the player the tools to create their own films within the game which lead to a flood of fan-generated content (E.g. Red vs Blue) to add to their understanding of the Halo universe.

With such a push towards user generated content and deeper understanding of any media franchise,

…the conceptual and practical convergence of the creative arts (individual talent) with cultural industries (mass scale), in the context of new media technologies…within a new knowledge economy, [allow] for the use of newly interactive citizen-consumers. (Hartley, 2005, p5)

Some things turn out pretty cool...

Hence large media franchises rely on the embracing and support of transmedia content to not only promote their products and work, but give it perceived value to consumers but allowing them to explore the content their own way. It could then me argued that the mass-consumption of any new form of media acts as a base of understanding of a certain franchise for the user to then support, explore and most importantly, contribute to. This aids industries, such as game development, to create content supporting or defining a franchise. The interactive world either allows a person to explore and connect with a new character in an immersive environment linked to other media such as comics, or create a completely new storyline and heroin figure for them to idolise based loosely on the plot of the franchise. For example, Prince of Persia, a popular videogame, was adapted and exposed to a mass audience through a film, The Sands of Time. Contrarily, the children’s show Dora the Explorer was adapted to a videogame to allowed children to learn more about Dora by being her.

In summary, any new media that is subject to an unpredictable amount of modification and expansion to enhance the engagement of consumer and the product. Industries such as game development have seemingly limitless opportunity to build off current popular universes or create their own. Transmedia storytelling allows us all to gain our own understanding of the media we love, include or discard what we please and most importantly make a story our own. No franchise is safe. No franchise is the same for any one person. It all depends on where, when, how and why you consumed it.

Something to think about...

References:

Geoffrey Long (2007). On Toys and Transmedia Storytelling. Tip of the Quill. Sourced from:  http://www.geoffreylong.com/miscellany/actionfigures.php.

Henry Jenkins (2007). Transmedia Storytelling 101. Confessions of an Aca-Fan (Weblog). Sourced from: http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html

Henry Jenkins (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York University Press.

John Hartley (2005). Creative Industries. Wiley-Blackwell.

Converging and Overwhelming: A Game Designer's Dream.

As the battle for gaming supremacy is carried out on the surface by the likes of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, the sharks (game designers) are circling. Having tasted blood in the water in the form of media convergence, it is only a matter of time before a feeding frenzy occurs, the unsuspecting victims being people who never thought they would be known as a dreaded ‘gamer’.

There is no doubt that as technologies develop, older mediums not only seem inconvenient but also redundant. This elimination is not simply the new replacing the old, but the convergence of our daily media desires and necessities. As Jenkins suggests, “…convergence represents a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content.” (Jenkins, 2006, p3). In other words, the more of our desired and required interests and tools that can be accessed by one device, the better. There is no doubt that most new technologies aim to enhance or combine the features provided by previous mediums. So how does convergence benefit a game designer? In ways you could never imagine. Not only does it allow them to take advantage of new, powerful media platforms to create games in conjunction with the recent social networking phenomenon, but also allows them to market games to people who may perceive gaming as a niche pastime without them even knowing. Convergence offers two critical components that make these feats possible; social networks and technology. With “all aspects of institutional activity and social life…increasingly conducted in this interactive digital media environment…” (Flew, 2008, p22), there is no longer anywhere to hide; and game developers love it.

The game industry has come a long way since its humble beginnings in arcades and chunky home consoles. This advancement is not only measured by graphical power, affordability and accessibility, but also its ability to cooperate with our day-to-day online social life. Games have become more than the stereotypical (and outdated) solitary pastime. They have begun to seep into our daily social networking, be it through intentional methods or competitive. It is true that services such as Xbox Live and the Playstation Network have intentional convergence of voice chat and player interaction to create more immersive and social experiences, however it was never anticipated that they could make their way into the world of social networking with such ease. Perhaps the best example of this is the Facebook phenomenon FarmVille. The game must be played through Facebook, allowing the player to create a farm in which they can plant and harvest crops and do all you would expect on a farm. However, the main appeal to the game is the ability to help your friends on Facebook manage their farm. As ludologist Jasper Juul suggests,

“there is a reason why people are playing these games, and it’s not a mystery: It’s nice to grow things. It’s nice to do things with your friends. It’s nice to give and receive gifts. It’s nice to play a game that allows you to schedule your playing time. And so on.” (Juul, 2010, Online)

The fusion of our real and online social lives with games has made it more of a casual and above all acceptable pastime. However, game development isn’t limited to the convergence of our online social networks, instead extending into our real day to day lives thanks to technological advancements.
As Flew makes clear, “ morphing of devices… [result in] multi-purpose conduits for a range of activities involving digital media.” (Flew, 2008, p23) Devices such as the Iphone provide a number of services for their owner; internet, social networking, a music player, countless applications and most importantly; social games. The world of technology has made the practice of gaming significantly easier and, let’s face it, fun to do when bored. A new breed of pick up and play, intuitive games are being perfected and played by millions around the world at any moment; a far cry from the humble arcade in the nineteen eighties.

This is the best picture I could find to demonstrate what you can do with your average smart phone these days.

So far it is has been made clear that financial gain is highly achievable as a game designer, however that is not the true extent of a game designer’s power. Convergence in the future may not only find itself combining technologies and games…but blurring the line of reality. Already there are games that award you for completing tasks placed in your organiser for the day…so how far will it go? When will our yearning for media content be accommodated so well by convergence of technologies, that our lives will be a game balanced carefully between the real and virtual world?

Only time will tell. I, for one, am happy I will not only be able to be part of this exciting time, but also be able to help create it.

PC Games - E3 2011 - Guitar Hero 5

Jesse Schell's speech at DICE proves my theory; game designers will rule the world.

References:

Jenkins, Henry (2006). Convergence Culture Where Old and New Media Collide. NYU Press, United States.

Flew, Terry (2008). New Media: An Introduction (3rd Edition). Oxford University Press, New York.

Jull, Jasper (2010). The Video Games of Video Games: Prejudices against Social Games verbatim copies of Prejudices against Video Games. The Ludologist, Online - http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=1093

Well looky here!

Hello world. I am supposed to make a blog for this superawesome subject I am doing at University, run by Jeff Brand. So I did! So I may as well pump in a fact or two about myself. I am studying computer game design at Bond Uni, I play basketball, love my music and technology in general. Thats enough I think. Here is a video I find amusing, no matter how many times I watch it.




Superawesomesimon Out.