This particular book drew my attention from its title. The book is not
what I had anticipated, as it mostly concentrated on how games developed
technologically, rather than discussing games and an influential medium. I did
however find some parts interesting and relevant to my project.
'Different aspects, such as technology, art, and the nature of the
experience need also be considered in defining the term.' (Wolf. M)
Here Wolf shows that when we define what videogames are, there are many
factors that need to be considered. He continues to explain the videogames can
be defined both as 'Video' and as 'Game'.
When something is defined as 'Video', we generally picture a film, a TV
series, or our own digital recordings. Each of these are simple moving images,
and all draw us into the story being shown, and we often become lost in the
world beyond the screen, if only for a moment.
Games are easy to understand. Games are fun to play, whether it be a
fully-fledged sport, or a game of hide and seek between friends, we play them
because we enjoy the experience.
Defining video-games and both 'Video' and 'Game' makes it easy to
define, and I agree with the definition. However, videogames can go beyond this
statement of meaning. I have for a long time been aware that games can be used
for a great number of purposes, and reading 'How to do things with videogames'
helped to strengthen this understanding. Games can be used to educate people,
as a way of creative expression, and can be used to revere certain principles.
Art is creative expression in itself, and there are a great many artistic
movements and method that exist, one such style is minimalism.
'Artists such as Donald Judd, Sol Lewitt, Tony Smith, and others worked
with squares, cubes, stripes, geometric shapes, and other minimal forms to
create abstractions. Early video game graphics, with their points, lines, and
blocks of colour, often on black backgrounds, coincided with minimalist,
abstract style of art.' (Wolf. M)
The artists at the time were unlikely to have approach the visuals from
an artistic perspective, but may likely have been working with the limitations
of the technology, resources, and knowledge base that was available at the
time. Though this may be the case, such visuals may very well fall into the
'Minimalistic' style. Like many forms of art, people only tend to appreciate
it, when much time has passed since its creation. Art however is not just the
visuals in a game, it is the emotion gone into creating it, and the emotion a
person receives from viewing it. This definition of art is a key part of my project.
If I am to create games with young people, my skills cannot just be
used as a way of creating games that teach people about Christian ethical
values. As I have stated, art shows the emotion the artist used when creating a
piece of art, and many people use creative expression as a form of therapy. The
art created can give an insight into the emotions a person may be feeling. It's
a method of communication that can be used when a person cannot put their
feelings into words.
With games being such a prominent factor in the lives of young people
today, many dream about creating their own video game. For many, it is simply a
dream, and may never get a chance to make their own ideas become a reality.
This is where my skills as a Game Designer will become useful. I can provide
these young people with the opportunity to create the games that they dream up.
This could give me an insight into their emotions through their individual
creative input, and thus help me to relate to them more. I can use this
understanding to help them grow spiritually, and to develop, or begin a faith
of their very own.
Space in the Video Game
One particular chapter is titled 'Space in the Videogame'. The chapter
explains the different variations of spatial structures that can be found in
the virtual gaming environment.
1. No visual space, all
text based: This particular space refers to text based games that require the
player to make choices in order to determine the final outcome. The game itself
has no visual space, but relies on the player's imagination to create the space
as a mental picture. Just like reading a book, such games focus heavily on the
reader to interpret what is written in order for the story to progress.
2. One screen,
contained: This space includes visuals on the screen, yet the space is limited to
the screen space only. There is no space off the screen that the player cannot
see, the player's viewpoint can't be moved or scrolled, their view is fixed in
position.
3. One screen,
contained, with wraparound: This space is very much similar to number
two. The space is contained within a bound area, however there is a very
distinct difference. Should an object leave the screen, it will reappear at the
opposite side; this is referred to as 'Wraparound'.
4. Scrolling on one
axis: This space is created in a long strip, either vertically or
horizontally. The player's viewpoint will scroll across the created space in
the corresponding direction. This particular space moves in one direction only.
5. Scrolling on two axis: This space is very much the same as number four, yet it is able to move
in both the horizontal and vertical directions. This space has a much larger
area, and there is a lot of space that exists off the screen.
6. Adjacent spaces
displayed one at a time: This space is built up of many
individual areas, each being linked together to form one large area, yet only
one of these areas is visible at once. When the player exits an area from one
side of the screen, they will instantly appear in the next conjoining area at
the opposite side of the screen. In effect, it appears as though the player has
moved into a new area, and has left the previous area behind.
7. Layers of
independently moving planes (multiple scrolling backgrounds): This space is
formed from a number of layers, each one moves at a different speed. The
background moves more slowly, while the foreground move more quickly, giving
the illusion of depth in the space that the player is viewing. The background
could consist of slow moving clouds, and the foreground as the grass under the
character's feet.
8. Spaces allowing
Z-axis movement into and out of the frame: This space allows for
movement further into the area, and further out, rather than just moving on the
X and Y axis.
9. Multiple, non-adjacent spaces
displayed on-screen simultaneously: In simple terms, this space is
essentially, and more commonly know as 'split screen'. As the name suggest, the
screen is split, with each section showing the viewpoint of each of the players
that are partaking in the gameplay.
10. Interactive three-dimensional
environment: This space is the most easy to define, the space is very much
constructed like the way we see in our everyday lives. The space is created in
3D, and can be seen either around a character through an in-game camera
viewpoint, or from a first person point of view, where the player is looking
through the eyes of the character.
11. Represented or
'mapped' spaces: This space is essentially an ingame map, that shows the player a
layout of the land. It shows both the space that the character is in, and also
spaces that are currently off the screen, and cannot be seen.
Though this particular section it's not particularly related to my topic
of using games to teach young people about christian ethics, it is still
interesting to know of the various game compositions (though already aware of
them), and no doubt will become useful in the future.
Time in the Video Game
Wolf continues to discuss how time works within the virtual world, and
how it compares to the real world. He discusses topics such as; stillness
(static images with no movement, like time is frozen), repetition or looped time
(like a repeating day), and time pressure (where the player is under pressure
to complete a task on time). But the most interesting of the topics discussed
is 'Game time vs Real time'.
In real life, time is constant, and there is not changing that, but in
the gaming world, the perception of time can be altered. A daylight cycle could
last as little as 10 minutes, making time seem much faster, or could be done
over a more extensive game play experience to make time seem slower. Some games
even follow the time of day based on a built in clock and calendar.
Time can also be warped at certain points. The visuals of the game can
be slowed to allow the player to complete quick time events easier than usual.
Time can be sped up or slowed to relate the feeling of the scene being played
out.
The most obvious is the relation of time between the game and in
reality, and the player perception of time. During more arduous sections of a
game, the player may feel like time is passing more slowly. This contrast to more
enjoyable and engaging areas in a game, where the player may not realise that
any time has passed at all. This clearly links to the well-known phrase, 'Time
flies when you're having fun'.
Narrative in the Video Game
A game's narrative is the story line of the game. The player can usually
tell what genre of narrative the game may be quite quickly, whether it be an
adventure, and action, detective, or other such game. The story of a game acts
quite like a film or a book, it wraps the player in another reality, and lets
them relate to the characters, to feel sad when they get hurt, or happy when
they win a battle.
Game narrative removes the need for written descriptions of scenery
(unless it's a text based game) and gives the player a visual representation of
the scene, as well as any characters, enemies and other aspects that would
otherwise be visualised in the player's imagination. Without the player needing
to image the visuals, they are able to concentrate on the storyline, and may
possibly relate more to characters, as they can see their progression before
their eyes.
Some games still contain written word. This is commonly included though
text that shows what a character says, rather than using a voice actor. It can
also provide the player with visible choices in the game, such as if an in game
character asked a question, onscreen text showing yes or no would give the
player simple a way to answer.
As with writing any story, an author can choose many methods to engage
their reader. Whether they throw them straight into the action, or build
tension slowly, make an ending that is satisfying, or create a cliff-hanger
that leaves them longing for more. Story writing technique come in very useful,
yet for many game, there are multiple choices, and therefore multiple
consequences. Therefore the writer would need to think up a great number of
possible outcomes when writing the narrative of the game, rather than a single
linear storyline.
Game types can also allow the player to experience the story in
different ways. A first person game places the player right into the game, and
lets them experience the world for themselves. Playing in third person allows
for a different experience, and gives the player control over the character and
their actions.
Narrative can also be explained through the use of cut scenes. These can
be used in game to give the player a better understanding of the story, or when
the player is on the main menu, to give them a feel for what the game is going
to be like. Narrative can also be very prominent in a game, and can be its sole
focus, or it can have barely any story at all.
Genre and the Video Game
Wolf discusses how games can be classified by interactive genres, and
created an extensive list of such genres, which can be seen below.
Abstract, Adaption, Adventure, Artificial
Life, Board Games, Capturing, Card
Games, Catching, Chase, Collecting, Combat, Demo, Diagnostic,
Dodging, Driving, Educational, Escape, Fighting, Flying, Gambling, Interactive
Movie, Management Simulation, Maze, Obstacle Course, Pencil and Paper Games,
Pinball, Platform, Programming Games, Puzzle, Quiz, Racing, Rhythm and Dance,
Role-Playing Games, Shoot 'Em Up, Simulation, Sports, Strategy, Table-Top,
Games, Target, Adventure, Simulation.
This book has presented a great deal of valuable information. It
revealed the various genres of videogames, as well as the different spatial
formations that can be found inside the each videogame world. Games are capable
of forming an environment that the player can interact with and potentially
relate to, which can be particular important when creating spaces for use in
Christian youth work.
