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Defining Digital Games

Defining Digital Games. Assigned readings: Chapter 8 (Rules of Play Book). Presentation by Dustin Dannenhauer Dr . H é ctor Mu ñ oz-Avila. Automated Data Storing+ manipulation. All are formally modeled as Turing machines ( video). PC Tablets Consoles cell phones.

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Defining Digital Games

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  1. Defining Digital Games • Assigned readings: • Chapter 8 (Rules of Play Book) Presentation by Dustin Dannenhauer Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila

  2. Automated Data Storing+ manipulation All are formally modeled as Turing machines (video) • PC • Tablets • Consoles • cell phones Definition of Game Reminder: Definition of a game (and elements). • A game is a system • In which players • engaged in an artificial conflict • defined by rules • That results in a quantifiable outcome • Notes: • most of the definitions of games studied where made before computers existed • The term “digital game”. Covers:

  3. Digital Games as Systems Reminder: Definition of System: • Parts affect one another within an environment (next slide provides an example) • elements: Objects, Attributes (properties), Internal relationships, and the Environment • dimensions: formal, experiential, cultural • Digital games tend to be confused with the medium they are taking place (e.g., “play Nintendo”) • Our definitions of game and system provide the means to make these distinctions (see next slide)

  4. Says who? Analysis of Tetris Aspects general Cultural (third video) • Cultural identity • Fan sites • Impact on culture • Emotions • Players • Medium where it is played Experiential (second video) SCOPE Formal (first video) • Buttons to press • Graphical Interface narrow A game designer creates experience not technology

  5. PC Gamer Interview 2006: • Points that simplicity doesn’t mean lack of design • Previous games created by himself • Points that even in his company now he steps back and listen to designers Side-track: John Carmack II • Creator of Doom game series • ID Software • Famous for creation of graphics engines that “pushed the envelope (video; 2006 game!) from a computer graphics perspective” If you are left alone in an Island, which game you wish they left with you? (anyone?) His answer: a compiler!

  6. Back to lecture’s topic: What Can We do with digital media? • Goal: use technology to create meaningful play • What capabilities does digital media have? • Trait 1 : immediate but narrow interactivity • Trait 2: Information manipulation • Trait 3: Automated complex systems • Trait 4: Networked communication

  7. Trait 1 : immediate but narrow interactivity • The game responds to player input • Other Examples? • Why is it narrow? • Despite this gameplay can be engaging: • Tactics in an RTS game • Alternatives to keyboard

  8. Trait 2: Information manipulation • Digital (Turing) machines: store/manipulate data Abstract Meta-relations: A region belongs to blueteam if All units in the region belong to blue team Knowledge Information Relations: - soldier belongs to blue team - soldier is a unit Data Simple objects: soldier, mage Concrete

  9. Trait 2 of Digital games: Information manipulation Knowledge-based system Age of Empires uses a Rule based system Database Chess: piece threats Google Any digital game: score, locations,…

  10. text • images • audio • logic Trait 2: Information manipulation • Digital (Turing) machines: store/manipulate data  knowledge • Key characteristic: computers can learn while playing • User preferences/capabilities (We saw machine learning examples in previous lecture) • Plus: Hiding information • Example (video)? • Although non digital games can also hide information. Example?

  11. Trait 3: Automated complex systems • Complex system: • Example of a game that would be difficult to play manually • But some game theoreticians say this is a problem itself: People want to see the internal workings of the system

  12. Trait 4: Networked communication • Facilitate communication between players • Evolution • 2-4 players using the same console/computer • 2-4 Players over a local network • 2-4 Players over the internet • 12 players over the internet • 1000+ Players over the same instance of game world (video) • Direct communication is not restricted to text (video)

  13. Open Discussion • Can non-digital games can exhibit traits such as “Information manipulation”? • Yes; For example if another person plays as the dungeon master as in this video • What are the advantage of digital over non-digital games? • What are the advantage of non-digital over digital games? See video for a clue

  14. Final Word • These traits are not the only ones • Even non digital games may exhibit some of these traits • But they help our understanding of video game potential • Analysis of Unreal Tournament: • Trait 1 : immediate but narrow interactivity • Trait 2: Information manipulation • Trait 3: Automated complex systems • Trait 4: Networked communication

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