2. Games Theory May 10, 2010
Different fields and disciplines have demonstrated an interest in
videogames and their study.
The approaches can be characterised in 2 ways:
Social science approach
Studying the effects of games on people
What do games do to people?
E.g
Learning, effects of violence in games
How do people create and negotiate a game?
Humanities approach
Studying the meaning and context of games
E.g.
What meanings are made through game use?
3. Games Theory May 10, 2010
Theory
Social learning theory (e.g., Bandura, 1986)
Playing aggressive videogames stimulates aggressive behavior
Active participant (as opposed to a passive observer as the case of
aggression in film and television).
Catharsis theory (e.g., Feshbach and Singer, 1971)
Implies playing aggressive videogames would have the opposite
effect
Channeling latent aggression resulting in a positive effect on
players.
4. Games Theory May 10, 2010
Gee and Shaffer, 2003,
Argued that certain qualities present in the medium of videogames
provide valuable opportunities for learning.
Sherry Turkle ('Life on the Screen')
Explored how people that participated in MMORPG used their
experiences with the game to explore personal issues of identity
5. Games Theory May 10, 2010
Consalvo, 2007
Gamers choose to play the games negotiate how, when, why to subvert
a game’s rules
“Cheating” is continually negotiated by players, the game industry, and
various gaming sub-cultures
Narratology vs. Ludology
Narratological view is that games should be understood as novel
forms of narrative and can thus be studied using theories of
narrative
The ludological position is that games should be understood on their
own terms.
In other words, the focus of game studies should be on the rules of
a game
9. Games Theory May 10, 2010
Refers to computer games as 'Prometheus
Engines'
Millions of pixels radiate complex message
through computer and TV screens around
the world.
These Prometheus Engines are the subject
of criticisms by people who claim they are
harmful.
The claims are carried gleefully by those
whose job it is to reduce, entertain and sell
absorbing stories.
