Digitalgames
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This document discusses digital games and how they combine elements of traditional narratives, rationality, and fantasy. It notes how games offer invented worlds for players to explore and conquer. While games utilize familiar language structures, they also allow for endless transformation and variability. The document examines different genres of games and how some games seek to create filmic experiences or use film structures. It suggests that digital media blurs divides between science, number, and art.
Digitalgames
- 1. Digital Games Cyber space invaders Created by Paul Moran Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs, Kent
- 2. All over the world, for thousands of years people have played games Digital technology offers players invented worlds to conquer and explore, aliens or monsters to destroy, tombs to raid, long stories, mystery and spectacle, compelling experiences – hours to waste, geekdom to embrace For some teams to manage or avatars to control
- 3. Andrew Burn from the Institute of Education suggests that computer games offer – ‘fantasy, risk, danger, narrative’ Burn suggests that digital technologies fit into culture and traditions – oral narratives – games combine new concepts and language alongside traditional narratives Narratives in games involve economy (lambus cake) and rule (‘if’ clauses) – they are episodic, formulaic, with discrete levels
- 4. Propp? Todorov? Films are multi-modal – involving language of speech, costume, music, images (camera angles, flashbacks) Games utilise language we are already familiar with – but allow endless transformation and crossing out – editing and variability
- 5. Burn suggests that in digital media we have the ‘coming together of the rational (number) and the irrational (fantasy, horror, the sublime)’ Sublime = of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth, not to be excelled, supreme, inspiring awe, beautiful
- 6. Formats Genres sports, simulation or ‘God’ games, strategy games, action/adventure, role playing games (RPG’s) some are combinations of the above, some defy classification, but all rely upon repetition and difference Pleasures: Numerical Fantasy, character Economy Rule
- 7. institution Multi – platforming Some games seek to create filmic experiences e.g Metal Gear Solid - some games have spawned films Some films use game structures – The Matrix, Run Lola Run In the UK (and elsewhere) games titles outsell number 1 singles and albums, more money is spent on games than on music, DVD’s or at the cinema
- 8. David Buckingham suggests that digital media explodes the false divides between Science, Number and Art Burn – ‘everyone starts with ‘um’ Burn – Peter Parker provides ‘a male shaped hole into which teenagers poor their angst’ Which pieces of literature would make a great game?