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Disempowerment Fantasies: How taking power away from players can create better games (Intel® Buzz Workshop Berlin 2018)
- 1. Intel® Buzz Workshop Berlin 2018 Disempowerment Fantasies How taking power away from players can create better games
- 2. Valentina Tamer Game Designer / Writer / Artist Game Design B.Sc (2016) MD.H Düsseldorf ASSISTANT CREATIVE LEAD GAME DESIGNER WRITER 2016-2018 2012ADD. WRITERCONCEPT/ 2D / 3D ARTIST 2015
- 3. Disempowerment (in playful contexts) A voluntary restriction of the player‘s power... ...in a temporarily limited, safe, playful space... ...for the sake of entertainment or other psychological gains What it‘s not: Involuntary loss of power! Definition
- 4. Video Games = Power Fantasies? Severely limits our understanding & the creative possibilities of the medium! Why does it matter?
- 6. • Literature • Movies • Amusement Rides • Extreme Sports • Sexuality (BDSM, Fetishes) • Recreational Drugs • Non-digital Games • Social Psychology (Authority, Relationships, Family Structures, etc) • Other Entertainment Services (e.g. Room Escape Games) • ... Wow, it‘s everywhere! Outside of Video Games
- 8. 1. Media Theory („The Paradox of Painful Art“ by A. Smuts) 2. Sports Psychology 3. Learning Psychology 4. A tiny bit of existing Game Theory („The Art of Failure“ by J. Juul) ...and that‘s only the beginning! Scientific Basis
- 9. Can occur in all game genres! (Prime Example: Survival Horror) What is it related to? • Perceived Level of Challenge • Layers of Game Reality (& their communication channels) In Video Games
- 10. Level of Challenge Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. Schell‘sFlowChannelChart
- 11. Level of Challenge People enjoy different levels of challenge... Some seek high frustration, some want moderate frustration, some avoid frustration altogether ...This influences what types of games they like!
- 12. Layers of Game Reality Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. Schell‘sInterfaceRelations
- 13. Layers of Game Reality Tamer, V. (2016). Disempowerment Fantasies: The Lure and Value of Voluntary Power Loss in Single-Player Video Games [Bachelor Thesis, MD.H Düsseldorf]. Tamer‘sLayersofGameReality
- 14. Layers of Game Reality Tamer‘sLayersofGameReality Tamer, V. (2016). Disempowerment Fantasies: The Lure and Value of Voluntary Power Loss in Single-Player Video Games [Bachelor Thesis, MD.H Düsseldorf].
- 15. The Mechanisms
- 16. 1. Audiovisual 1.1 Audiovisual Distortions Mechanisms Frictional Games (2010). Amnesia: The Dark Descent [Mac]. Silicon Knights. (2002) Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem [GameCube].
- 17. 1. Audiovisual 1.2 Audiovisual Restrictions Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (1999). Silent Hill [PSone] Koei Tecmo, Grasshopper Manufacture, Nintendo Software Planning & Development (1999). Fatal Frame [PS2]. Mechanisms
- 18. 2. Core Diagetic 2.1 Spatial Distortions Zaratustra Productions (2008). Eversion [PC]. Zaratustra Productions (2008). Eversion [PC]. Mechanisms
- 19. 2. Core Diagetic 2.2 Spatial Restrictions Nintendo EAD & SRD (1998). The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time [N64]. Frictional Games (2016). Soma [PC]. Mechanisms
- 20. 3. World Meaning Distortions Kikiwik Games. (2015). Default Dan [PC]. Toby Fox. (2015). Undertale [PC]. Mechanisms
- 21. 4. Controls 4.1 Distortion of controls Bossa Studios. (2013). Surgeon Simulator 2013 [Mac]. Hudson Soft (1999). Mario Party 2 [N64]. Mechanisms
- 22. 4. Controls 4.2 Lack of instructions 4.3 Restriction of controls Mojang (2011). Minecraft [PC]. Cawthon, S. (2014). Five Nights at Freddy’s [PC]. Mechanisms
- 23. 5. Resources 5.1 Restriction of Resources 5.2 Physical Needs Klei Entertainment. (2013). Don’t Starve [Mac]. Maxis; Edge of Reality (2000). The Sims [PC]. Mechanisms
- 24. 6. Power Imbalance 6.1 Enemy/Avatar Power Imbalance 6.2 Suspended Death Square (1995). Chrono Trigger [SNES]. Taito (1978). Space Invaders [Arcade] Mechanisms
- 25. 7. Defense 7.1 Escort Missions Team Ico; Sony Computer Entertainment (2001). Ico [PS2]. Interactive Studios (1998). Glover [N64] Mechanisms
- 26. 8. Narration 8.1 Incomplete/ Wrong Information 8.2 Narrative Disempowerment cactus (2007). Mondo Medicals [PC]. Frictional Games (2010). Amnesia: The Dark Descent [Mac]. Mechanisms
- 27. 8. Narration 8.3 Forced Decisions 8.4 Moral Dilemmas 2K Boston & 2K Australia (2007). BioShock [PS3]. 3909 LLC (2013). Papers, Please! [Mac]. Mechanisms
- 28. The Reasons
- 29. Reasons 1. Rich Game Experience Theory Games are perceived as better, more challenging and having more depth. Enables flow experience. 2. Thrill Theory Players enjoy adrenaline (thrillseeking & follow-up relaxation) Compare: „Flow: The psychology of optimal experience“ by M. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) & „The Art of Failure“ by J. Juul (2007) Compare: „Sensation seeking in England and America: Cross-cultural, age, and sex comparison“ by M. Zuckerman, S.B. Eysenck, & H.J. Eysenck (1978) & „The Type-T Personality“ by F. Farley (1991)
- 30. 3. Underdog Theory The harder the challenge, the more meaningful the final victory 4. Regression Theory Temporarily abandoning The responsibility to be in control. De-stressing. Compare: „Power, Horror, and Ambivalence“ by D. Shaw (2001), „The Paradox of Painful Art“ by A. Smuts (2007) & „A motivational model of video game engagement“ by A.K. Przybylski, C.S. Rigby & R.M. Ryan (2010) Compare: „Das Ich und die Abwehrmechanismen.“ by A. Freud (1946) & „The Basic Fault. Therapeutic Aspects of Regression.“ by M. Balint (1968) Reasons
- 31. 5. Reframing Theory Limited possibilities exclude the obvious and enable creative problem-solving & new perspectives 6. Parody of Vulnerability Theory Over-the-top power loss can have a comedic effect, offering a means to deal with the subject in a fun wayCompare: „Flow: The psychology of optimal experience“ by M. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) & „Extreme sports: A positive transformation in courage and humility.“ by E. Brymer & L. Oades (2009) Compare: “Play as Parody of Emotional Vulnerability” by B. Sutton-Smith (2003) & „Adaptation to life“ by G. E. Vaillant (1977) Reasons
- 32. 7. Optimal Learning Theory Learning enhances, as people look for reasons of failure, rather than success & will be more motivated to overcome loss 8. Safe Practice Theory Games enable people to practice experiences without (the same) consequences (e.g. frustration management) Compare: „Spontaneous Casual Thinking“ by B. Weiner (1985), „Flow: The psychology of optimal experience“ by M. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) & „Finding your zone: Ten core lessons for achieving peak performance in sports and life“ by M. Lardon (2008) Compare: „Homo Ludens“ by J. Huizinga (1987) & „The Art of Failure“ by J. Juul (2007) Reasons
- 33. 9. Structured Experience Theory People enjoy artfully structured human experience, which gains meaning and ‚immortality‘ through its form, and can be shared with others Compare: „Travels in Hyperreality“ by U. Eco (1986), „Simulacra And Simulations“ by J. Baudrillard (1994) & “The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema” [Documentary] by S. Žižek (2006) Reasons
- 34. Conclusion
- 35. • Consideration of disempowerment enriches understanding & development of games: – Innovation in gameplay – Enhanced immersion / experience – Better learning environments – Diverse stories & storytelling Conclusion
- 36. Question Time
- 37. For further information, check out my eBook Directing Games: Fantasies of Disempowerment Contact twitter: val_tamer Email: valentina.tamer@gmail.com LinkedIn: Valentina Tamer Thank you!
Editor's Notes
- Definition: A voluntary restriction of the player‘s power... ...in a temporarily limited, safe, playful space... ...for the sake of entertainment or other psychological gains (Based on Homo Ludens by Johan Huizinga, definition of play) What it‘s not: Involuntary loss of power!
- Why does it matter? If we assume videogame = power fantasies > Severely limits our understanding & the creative possibilities of the medium!
- Outside of Video Games
- Outside of Video Games: Literature Movies Amusement Rides Extreme Sports Sexuality (BDSM, Fetishes) Recreational Drugs Analogue Games Social Psychology (Authority, Relationships, Family Structures, etc) Other Entertainment Services (e.g. Room Escape Games) ... >It‘s everywhere? (more or less researched, but more than in video games)
- Within Video Games
- Scientific Basis for my approach: Media Theory („The Paradox of Painful Art“ by A. Smuts) Sports Psychology Learning Psychology A tiny bit of existing Game Theory („The Art of Failure“ by J. Juul) ...and that‘s only the beginning!
- Within Video Games: Can occur in all game genres! (Prime Example: Survival Horror) What is it related to? Perceived Level of Challenge Layers of Game Reality (& their communication channels)
- Level of Challenge: Progression of Challenge and Frustration for the player >According to Schell, a straight line is not satisfactory, but a steady fluctuation between easy and harder phases with an overall rising progression The relation between challenges and skills can create disempowerment!
- Level of Challenge Something important to keep in mind when designing disempowerment: People enjoy different levels of challenge... Some seek high frustration, some want moderate frustration, some avoid frustration altogether ...This influences what types of games they like! (some want a invest time to win game (farming games), some want a game where they fail a lot...)
- Also related, probably more significantly: Layers of Game Reality Jesse Schell: Interface Relation: Differentiating between Player, Physical Input & Output, Virtual Interface & World. Communicate with one another, but not all directly with each other.
- My Layers of Game Reality: Player Diagesis Avatar Diagesis Core Diagesis. Player: The subjective world of the player, how they perceive things, how they act. They can use controller input to interact with the avatar, and receive audiovisual or other physical input by the avatar diagesis or the core diagesis, depending on the current depiction inside the game, from inside the avatar‘s assumed mindset, or the world. They cannot interct with the Core Diagesis, the game world, but need the avatar prosthetic. Avatar Diagesis: The subjective world of the avatar, often used as a screen output. Can directly interact with the Core Diagesis, the game world, and gets influenced by it. Core Diagesis: Objective game world, the rules, the events, etc. It can directly influence the avatar, but can only give screen output to the player.
- So if we disrupt their communication channels... We get different kinds of player disempowerment! Suddenly, we can‘t rely on the reality of what we see, Our controller input is chaotic, The avatar has limited agency, The world gets distorted and changes the rules, and so on and so forth...
- The Mechanisms
- 1.Audiovisual: 1.1 Audiovisual Distortions: Perception of the avatar becomes distorted and projects into the display communicated to the player. Impairs player‘s ability to judge the environment. Often assigned to neurological & physiological changes (sanity, damage, drugs, etc) or supernatural forces. Can be merely aesthetic or actually influence the core diagesis, So to say, they may be an actual danger or just hallucinations. Can also be a distorted depiction of core diagesis on screen, like the meta distortions in Eternal Darkness: Sanity‘s Requiem, where the player suddenly gets a cutscene that looks like the game.
- 1. Audiovisual Restrictions: 1,2 Methods of horror cinema The player needs an audiovisual representation of a world to be able to navigate through it... Now it‘s restricted! >Fog, darkness, fixed or unfortunate camera angles. Independent avatar actions (blinking, looking away). Hidden elements unless you activate a specific mode (camera in Fatal Frame makes ghosts visible) >Removal of one or more senses (seeing, hearing, navigation, health bars, enemy analyses, etc)
- 2. Core Diagetic: 2.1 Spatial Distortions: Core Diagesis is distorted by a greater power. Looks like visual distortions, but actually has gameplay effects (sometimes these mechanism overlap) Eversion is all about this: At specific points in the level, you can switch to adjascent realities. Each level appears more threatening, and each one has specific world changes. Enemies become more threatening, but also, intangible clouds of layer 1 become platforms in layer 2.
- 2. Core Diagetic: 2.2 Spatial Restrictions: Spaces in the game world that prevent the player from moving freely. Locked doors, blocked paths, physically dangerous places. Patrolling guards that will catch you once seen, as in Legnd of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (sent back to beginning of the maze) Or locked doors in Soma, only to be opened with the right codes of the Omnitool (find it first!)
- 3. World Meaning Distortions: Mechanics of the game change. This can relate to previously established rules of the game, or rules established in games of the same genre. Default Dan: All Super Mario Bros rules are reverted: Coins harm, spikes make you jump Undertale: You have to direct your shield towards the arrows flying towards you in order to protect yourself. If they come from the left (pointing to the right), you have to press left. But after a while, you see yellow arrows that come butt first –they will switch to the opposite site last second!
- 4. Controls 4.1 Distortion of Controls Change of environment, character physics OR changed controls -If genre-atypical -if they change within the game Sometimes: -Something mundane becomes overly complicated controls (Surgeon Simulator, Octodad, etc)
- 4. Controls: 4.2 Lack of instructions: Like Minecraft. There are instruction manuals as books, on the complexity of crafting, but in the very beginning, it just threw you in. 4.3 Restriction of controls: Little options, especially if you would want to do more. FNAF, you can only look left and right, on cameras, use lights, open and close doors, and watch your electricity
- 5. Resources 5.1 Restriction of Resources -Decreased ability to sustain and defend yourself. Survival Games, Survival Horror, but also scarcity of ammunition in shooters. Life Energy, Food, Ammunition, Crafting Items, Time 5.2 Physical Needs Persistent need of using up resources. Health, hunger, sleep, oxygen, sanity, etc
- 6. Power Imbalance 6.1 Enemy/Avatar Power Imbalance. Monsters with a huge power advantage. Sometimes even so large the player isn‘t supposed to defeat them (Survival Horror Monsters often are 1 or 3 hit kills) In Chrono Trigger, you can travel to Lavos rather early on in the game, but he will be as strong as the final boss Lavos. You will fail, and you learn his power. 6.2 Suspended Death: You play as long as you can, and the game only ends when you die. It is inevitable. Survival Games, Arcade Games, etc
- 7. Defense 7.1 Escort Missions: Not only responsible for own well-being but that of another character/ object/ place, too. Not under the direct control of the player. Increase in responsibility, receiving cut in power. >You have to focus on everything in the game PLUS an additional character that you can‘t control. Severe restriction of influence on the situation. Missions are considered failure when escort dies. >Ico, Glover = FULL GAME ESCORT MISSIONS
- 8. Narration 8.1. Incomplete/Wrong Information: You can‘t make educate decisions based on the information you‘re receiving, because they‘re incomplete or misleading. Mondo Medicals: Wrong Instructions, you have to break the implied rules to win! So you‘re lost at what to do, disoriented. 8.2 Narrative Disempowerment 2 things: Playing the role of a disempowered character & something happens and you don‘t have an influence. (Cutscenes, independent avatar actions, Amnesia: Pages of Daniel‘s Diary >We can only read in retrospective, and have no power over influencing the turn of events.
- 8. Narration 8.3 Forced Decisions: When the players has to do something which he personally might not want, but it‘s the only way to play the game! 2 options left: Do the thing or shut off the game. Also: The player is lead to take actions reaching a result they might not have wanted if they knew the implications and outcome. In BioShock, you don‘t even realize what you‘re leading your character towards, Meta commentary: Every time Atlas uses the word, Jack, the player avatar is hypnotized to follow –unknowingly executed by the player. 8.4 Moral Dilemmas: All options ar horrible and uncomfortable, from the player‘s point of view. Papers, Please!: You have situations where you want to break your rules in order to let somebody be with their family, but if you do, you might get punished and less money for your own family.
- Rich Game Experience Theory: Csikszentmihalyi‘s Flow: A sense that ones skills are adequate to deal with the challenges at hand, a goal-oriented, rule-bound environment where we have clear indications of how well we are doing. Facing a challenge that leaves them powerless, giving opportunity to improve until they are fit for the task. Tension/ Relaxation circle. Juul (2013) has found out that failure increases the perceived game depth, game length, player involvement and the meaningfulness of moments of success 2. Thrill Theory:
- 3. Underdog Theory The harder the challenge, the more meaningful the final victory 4. Regression Theory Temporarily abandoning The responsibility to be in control. De-stressing.
- 5. Reframing Theory Limited possibilities exclude the obvious and enable creative problem-solving & new perspectives 6. Parody of Vulnerability Theory Over-the-top power loss can have a comedic effect, offering a means to deal with the subject in a fun way
- 7. Optimal Learning Theory Learning enhances, as people look for reasons of failure, rather than success & will be more motivated to overcome loss 8. Safe Practice Theory Games enable people to practice experiences without (the same) consequences (e.g. frustration management)
- 9. Structured Experience Theory People enjoy artfully structured human experience, which gains meaning and ‚immortality‘ through its form, and can be shared with others
- Conclusion
- Conclusion Consideration of disempowerment enriches game development/ understanding Game Genres are insufficient (mostly focused on power) New Game Genres Clumsiness Games Hardcore Games Empathy Games Philosophical Games Expectation Breaking Games Sensory Deprivation Games ... Further research = Promising!
- Question Time