Narratology verses Ludology

Frasca considers video games as extensions of drama and narrative and his essay focuses on reasons why the storytelling model is inaccurate and limits the understanding of the medium. His strategy however as a ludologist is to show how games and narratives provide authors with essentially different tools for conveying their feelings. In his support to the discussion of simulation verses representation, he quotes Turner as stating "narrative mechanisms are cognitive structures deeply hard-wired into the human mind." In addition Frasca says, scientists traditionally used simulation to explain purposes and also to predict the behavior of complex systems. As simulation can exist in nonelectronic devices like traditional toys he did not refer to computer, stating that traditional media are representational, not simulational.

In my opinion, I think to some extent Frasca has a point in saying that simulation contests our notions of authorship and also the boundaries that we are used to apply to works of art because it announces the end of a representation being an alternative not a replacement. Unlike narrative and drama its essence lays on a basic assumption that, change is possible.

On the other hand Jenkins raises a stronger argument from a neutral academic stand by basing his essay from a middle ground position between the Ludologists and the Narratologists as opposed to Frasca who personalizes his argument based on his stand. Jenkins starts off by pointing out the points the two groups might agree stating:
1. Not all games tell stories, for example Tetris, Blix and Snood.
2. Narrative aspirations can be found in many games.
3. Analysis of narrative does not have to be prescriptive.
4. Game play experience can not be reduced to the experience of a story.
5. Games as a medium needs to be distinguished from other narrative tradition.

In Jenkins analysis of evocative spaces, he discusses the construction of the environment through narrative to accomplish familiarization of narrative to game without limiting the designers. His essay focuses heavily on the narrative aspects of games without belittling the Ludologists. Therefore in conclusion I would tend to agree more with Jenkins as opposed to Frasca because he (Jenkins) gives a stronger argument as compared to the latter.

References:
Frasca, G. Simulation verses Narrative: Introduction to Ludology.

Jenkins, H. Game Design as Narrative Architecture.