Logic and structure of the computer game (2025)

years, the research community can already look back on an increasing number of conferences, volumes, research projects, and a lot of comparisons between digital games and cinema, literature, theatre, and arts-nearly every artistic practice was taken into account. Within this period, one can look back not only on the (by now almost classic) controversy between ludology and narratology, but also on several other approaches, for instance the discussion about the character of action and interaction, ethics in computer games, and the interrelationship between games and violence, the social impact of digital games. More recently, the interconnection between space and the visual or the role of the first person perspective, as it was discussed in analytical philosophy, and the question of the dispositive or empowerment, to name but a few, have been topics of discussion.. Some consequences may be drawn from this: Firstly, computer games are a complex issue which has to be analyzed from an interdisciplinary angle. This is why DIGAREC started with a combination of different fields, including Media Studies, Psychology, Law, Art Processes, Design, Computer Science, and others. Secondly, the research of computer games leads not only to insights pertaining to The contribution of Daniel Cermak-Sassenrath (University of Bremen) proposes play as another possible perspective on communication, simulation, interactive narrative and ubiquitous computing in human-computer interaction. In "The Logic of Play in Everyday Human-Computer Interaction", he analyzes how everyday use of the computer increasingly show signs of similarity to play. This is discussed in respect to the playful character of interaction with the computer that has always been part of the exploratory learning process involved with new software and the often creative tasks that are undertaken when using the computer. These observations point to a sense of security, autonomy and freedom for the user which produce play and are, in turn, produced by play. This notion of play refers not to the playing of computer games, but to an implicit, abstract (or symbolic) process that is based on a certain attitude, the play spirit. scribed as a variation of the movement-image. Jochen Venus (University of Siegen) ascertains the characteristics of the representational function of computer games by contrasting them phenomenologically with conventional games on the one hand and cinematic depictions on the other. "Simulation of Selfaction. On the Morphology of Remote-Controlled Role Playing" shows that computer games a) separate the player from the playing field, and b) translate bodily felt concrete actions into situational abstract cinematic depictions. These features add up to the situational abstract presentation of self action experience. Computer games establish an 'artificial sameness' of self action experiences and allow the direct communication of styles of acting. They reveal a potential as a new means of shared cognition which might unfold in the 21 st century and change the being-in-the-world in a similar way as cinematic depiction did in the 20 th century.

Technological Periods and Medial Paradigms of Computer Games

Journal of Media Research, 2017

In our work we analyze the phenomenon of video games, their impact on art, media and society. At the beginning of our studies we sadly realized that most articles dealing with "new media" phenomenon starts with the hypothesis that video games are a new form of media (new media), which has not yet found a place on the multicolored palette of interactive multimedia and that is why they are misunderstood and unsupported by academic forums. Video games are a media phenomenon still "unsettled", which still has not found its place in global culture, but it has been over commercialized and therefore it is created a huge amount of video games that cannot be counted in real-time inventory-so it is understandable that relevant scientifical analysis are in delay and that these new media "species" are viewed with disfavour by fans of art, literature and traditional media. We assume that in short time there will be a new generation of interactive programs that can interact intelligently with people around them, and not just using predetermined algorithms or variables generated by chance-as they have done before.

Torill Elvira Mortensen: Perceiving Play: The Art and Study of Computer Games

Norsk medietidsskrift, 2011

Digitally Interactive Works and Video Games: A Philosophical Exploration

2017

This dissertation explores the philosophy of digitally interactive works and video games. There are two central questions to this thesis, namely, what is distinctive about computer art, and more specifically, what is distinctive about the interactivity that these kinds of works afford? The latter question is a response to the former, but, as I will articulate in the chapters that follow, this distinctive type of interactivity is not restricted to works that are comprised of digital media. As it turns out, games (especially video games) are paradigmatic examples and so both analytic aesthetics and game theory are relevant to a discussion of interactivity. In what follows, I address topics that pertain to interactivity such as art categories, prescriptions, appreciation, and ontology. This thesis will show that interactive works consist of unique displays and prescriptions and are, therefore, a distinctive category of art. I conclude that interactive works do not belong in a performan...

Play, game, world: anatomy of a videogame

This paper is part of an experimental approach aimed to study the nature of videogames. We will focus on videogames rules in order to try to understand the anatomy of a videogame. Being inspired by the methodology that Propp used for his classification of Russian fairy tales, we have cleared out recurrent diagrams within rules of videogames. We then analysed these rules diagrams by using the definition of a game drawn by Salen & Zimmerman, which led us to propose a definition for the nature of gameplay. Through an additional analysis, we will be able to propose a typology of videogames rules which extends the typology proposed by Frasca.

Gaming-essays on algorithmic culture - A. Galloway

There is no magic circle : on the difference between computer games and traditional games

2008

This text compares the special characteristics of the game space in computer-generated environments with that in non-computerized playing-situations. Herewith, the concept of the magic circle as a deliberately delineated playing sphere with specific rules to be upheld by the players, is challenged. Yet, computer games also provide a virtual playing environment containing the rules of the game as well as the various action possibilities. But both the hardware and software facilitate the player's actions rather than constraining them. This makes computer games fundamentally different: in contrast to traditional game spaces or limits, the computer-generated environment does not rely on the awareness of the player in upholding these rules.-Thus, there is no magic circle. In this paper, I compare the special relationship of the game space in computer-generated environments with that in non-computerized playing situations. Herewith, the transference of the so-called magic circle of traditional games to computer games is challenged. The computer game is a very complex phenomenon. Like its neighboring media, such as television and cinema, it is a combination of cultural expression and technological innovation. It not only opens the field to narrative and art, but also includes the vast area of sport. This makes it even more difficult to grasp. Therefore, it is essential to focus on a specific type of game or specific aspects of the computer game in order to provide a valid argument for my premise. As the possibility to play a diverse number of games without depending on a human opponent is a crucial characteristic of computer games, I

The progressive spread of interpersonal communication devices and their evolution into more and more versatile, pervasive, ubiquitous and user-friendly systems contribute to the contemporary process of creating new systems of languages and social behaviours. Today, we witness the constant progress and emergence of an interactive language that is strongly focused on visual and experiential culture. In particular, the technological context characterizing the contemporaneity and the youth’s daily life are strongly interwoven, leading new generations - the digital natives - to develop from an early age an entrenched ability to interact with the communication tools. Referring to the analysis of contemporary scholars (Castells, Jenkins, Flusser) we can affirm that the technological revolution is leading to a new people-to-technology relationship; therefore, there is an urgent need to revisit the traditional epistemological paradigms of dissemination and learning of information. The socio-technological transformation strongly influences our attitude to experience space, time, contents as a way to know and learn. The experience concept assumes an important role for the Communication Design field, which is now enriching itself through the relationship with other disciplines. In this scenario, the connection with Game Studies assumes a great importance and many scholars (Salen & Zimmerman; Montola; Juul) consider the gameplay experience as a crucial point. In this paper we observe how the Communication Design might embrace the Game Design paradigms and methods, aiming supporting to support the learning of contents, attitudes and best practices. We emphasize the meaning of “learning”, reading it as a process aiming to develop abilities and knowledge; we also refer to any activities that lead to define, obtain and consolidate awareness, whether instrumental, social, behavioral, mental (Koster). In the thousand-year-old study of the learning process, we are now in a phase wherein the learn by doing paradigm becomes more and more important (Castells; Prensky) and acquires new tools and methodologies. We propose to consider the game and its prominent role in the coeval panorama: its contemporary typologies and state of the art demonstrate its aptitude to act as an interdisciplinary tool. The game is able to involve users in immersive experiences, stimulate the reflection and act on attitudes and habits. It is also important to deem the role of the play activity as a communication and learning mean. People learn by playing thanks to game’s motivational system, that can actually improve cognitive capacity and the ability to abstract, learn and act with awareness (Salen; Juul; Flanagan). We propose QRiosity, a pervasive game we designed and performed with the Around Play and Interaction Design Research Group, based on the interaction among space, mobile technologies, people and knowledge. It leads players to interactively explore an environment, that is able to react to their actions. It explores the idea of space as a storyteller focusing on the benefit coming from the act of experiencing space and contents through a ludic intervention. QRiosity is an applied playfulness system that induces players to be in a state of psychological flow (Csikszentmihalyi): it is an actual example of the aptitude of people to learn through a ludic process that increases the cognitive process of learning by experiencing.

The Question of Computer Games

Games and Culture, 2006

A short, speculative account of the state of play in the formation of a discipline or field of computer games studies. The processes of academic teaching, research, and institutional positioning in regard to computer games are viewed from the perspective of wider currents and crises influencing knowledge formation today. It is argued that the different approaches to computer games cannot ignore the differences in their conceptions of the object of study in a naive pluralism. These different conceptions of games as parts of the technocultural milieu must encounter each other in the name of the struggle against the avoidance of critical thought concerning the nature and forms of technoculture that often prevails in the production of specialist “knowledge” today.

Kraków 2017 ( Re ) framing computer games with ( in ) agential realism

With​ ​this​ ​paper​ ​we​ ​will​ ​try​ ​to​ ​further​ ​understandings​ ​of​ ​games​ ​as​ ​emergent​ ​within​ ​the​ ​real and​ ​everyday​ ​life.​ ​This​ ​line​ ​of​ ​thought​ ​is​ ​not​ ​new​ ​and​ ​can​ ​historically​ ​briefly​ ​be​ ​summarized as​ ​understandings​ ​of​ ​playing​ ​(games)​ ​as​ ​modes​ ​of​ ​experience​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​distinct​ ​separate activities​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​everyday​ ​life.​ ​A​ ​thorough​ ​account​ ​of​ ​how​ ​play​ ​is​ ​and​ ​have​ ​been​ ​an intrinsic​ ​part​ ​of​ ​human​ ​cultural​ ​evolution​ ​was​ ​published​ ​in​ ​1938​ ​by​ ​Johan​ ​Huizinga.​ ​Huizinga argued​ ​to​ ​not​ ​short-circuit​ ​play​ ​from​ ​other​ ​everyday​ ​activities.​ ​By​ ​introducing​ ​​consecrated spots​​ ​exemplified​ ​by,​ ​among​ ​several​ ​other​ ​things,​ ​the​ ​famous​ ​​magic​ ​circle​​ ​he​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​put emphasis​ ​on​ ​how​ ​play​ ​is​ ​not​ ​something​ ​separate​ ​from​ ​the​ ​real​ ​or​ ​ordinary​ ​life​ ​but​ ​rather​ ​a temporary​ ​and​ ​highly​ ​ordered​ ​space...

34.COMPUTER GAMES AND THE COMPLEXITY OF EXPERIENCE

Computer games are usually studied on the basis of a sensory-motor model related to classical cinema, a model which is almost exclusively oriented towards the actuality and causality of action. This assumption of an actiondriven, Aristotelean dramaturgy does not only concern the possible world which is represented in the game, but also the playing of the game itself. We argue that such an approach does not sufficiently recognize the complexity of the experience represented in the game and gone through by the game player. In order to determine the complexity of experience, two other -this time modern-cinema related -models are used, based on Peirce's phenomenological categories of firstness, secondness and thirdness, and on Deleuze's cinematographical categories of the movementimage, the time-image, and the thought-image. According to these triadic theories the actuality and causality of action is broken through by the predominance of the intensity of experience and/or the reflexivity of thought. We develop a conceptual framework which provides us the tools in order to understand the three dimensions of the experience of the game and of the playing of the game in their triadic relations. KEYWORDS Firstness, secondness and thirdness; lyric, epic and dramatic; time-image, movement-image and thought-image; deconstruction; device paradigm " ... um es endlich einmal herauszusagen, der Mensch spielt nur, wo er in voller Bedeutung des Wortes Mensch ist, und er ist nur da ganz Mensch, wo er spielt" (Friedrich Schiller, Über die ästhetische Erziehung des Menschen, 1795)