Abstruction in Video Game

Cradle of Persia

In the game Cradle of Persia abstraction is achieved based on the narrative of the game, which has basic forms depicting the nature of the game, which is buying and selling. The game is designed in the form of a puzzle, were the goal is to acquire as much funds in the quickest time as possible in order for the player to either build homes, stores or buy them. The player can only move to the next level after all the bricks have been destroyed which are placed under the icons. This can only be done by matching 3 or more identical icons, were the higher the number of icons matched the more funds are made to buy buildings or even islands. This game is an example I chose to use in support to Wolf’s statement on abstract arts move into a more and more conceptual realm. The video game requires abstract imagery to be read in a new way, therefore the substance of video games is simultaneously both imagery and events, their elements can be abstract in both appearance and behavior. (Wolf, p. 49)

In the Cradle of Persia, the mouse icon represents the player’s presence in the game (the player-character); the green arrows during play indicate the computer’s presence in the game (computer-controlled characters) aiding the player’s next move; and the background environment which serves as the setting is not manipulated or altered by any of the characters during the game. These different elements help with learning to identify play during the course of the game. This game being a representational graphic game relies mostly on audiovisual media which helps the player identify what needs to be done when playing the game on the interface.

The patterns and designs created in the game represent the acquiring of funds in the form of gems and gold the player stores so as to advance into the next level. These also signify the wealth which will later be used to buy land or buildings in Persia. According to Wolf’s essay the new possibilities of abstraction in video games which are an advancement from the days of PONG is the way in which representation is done and adapted. Therefore abstraction can appear as an element within representational game graphics, or even as part of the subject matter which are found in the patterns and designs appearing on the surface texture and setting of the game.

Reference:

Wolf, Mark J. P., Abstraction in the Video Game, The Video Game Theory Reader, 2003, Routledge

http://www.womengamers.com/games/play/

Video Games - Time Wastage Phenomena

In my opinion video games are a form of play that can either relax the mind or stimulate thinking in dynamic ways. I agree to the arguments made by Gee that many games assumed to be a "waste of time" are in fact excellent at teaching critical-thinking skills. Which is evident in a survey made by Schwartz in 1988 were he set out to compare customary teacher-based tutoring of reading and comprehending with practice on a set of computer games derived from analysis of the reading process. 24 Primary School children were selected, who were of average intelligence and who were 18 months or more behind their peers in reading comprehension. The children were split into two groups and assigned to teacher-based tutoring or computer game training group where they received practice on four computer games. The training in both conditions focused on word decoding and phonics. At the end of the study, it was found that almost all the students improved their reading comprehension test score, although the poorest readers made significantly greater gains in the computer game condition than in the teacher training conditions.

Steven Johnson (2005)also looks at a particular interesting skill used by video game players, which he calls telescoping, which is "about constructing the proper hierarchy to tasks and moving through tasks in the correct sequence. It's about perceiving relationships and determining priorities". Telescoping requires the player not only determine their objectives but also prioritize them, which video games rarely spell out the objective - players use what they have come to understand as probing the world to determine how to accomplish the objectives. Which is very true, because in most cases when we play video games we do not consider them as a means of learning, consciously, because play is done at our convenience, which may give ground to the time wasting argument in playing video games, though I disagree to it.

Nathan Holbert uses the example of telescoping in a classroom setup stating the struggle many students have in being given so much information which becomes overwhelming. He makes a suggestion, "As teachers, we may use spiraling and other techniques to organize the topics in a way that takes advantage of telescoping". This is in support the argument raised by Gee, that games are not a waste of time, because though mostly played as and when a player wants to irrespective of the time and place, they have a positive influence to the player regardless of intention.

Brett Brixler, cites topics of particular interest, submitted to Meaningful Play 2008 give a brake down of the meaning of "meaningful play" in two categories, exploring meaningful applications of games and issues in designing meaningful play:

Exploring meaningful applications of games
1. Games to change attitudes, beliefs, or behavior such as social impact games and personal health games
2. Games to stimulate creativity or innovation
3. Games to build social skills
4. Games to advertise (advergames)and persuade
5. Games to exercise specific cognitive functions
6. Games to explore personal belief and help make decisions
7. Games to built knowledge and skills (games for learing)
8. Games for history and cultural heritage learning

Issues in designing meaningful play
1. Game Design for specific audience
2. Story types and play styles
3. Story and storytelling in games
4. Competitive and cooperative play (single player, multiplayer and massively multiplayer)
5. Balancing entertainment and serious goals
6. Unintended and unexpected effects of games
7. Using psychology and neuroscience to design and understand games
8. Evaluation and assessment of games impacts
9. Barriers to the adoptation of serious game

This in conclusion sums up in points the term "meaningful play".

References:

Jessica Harris, The Effect of Computer Games on Children, a Review of the Research
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/occ72-compgames.pdf

James Paul Gee, What video games have to tech us about learning and literacy. 2003
Steven Johnson, Everything is good for you: How today's popular culture is actually making us smarter. 2005
http://techmattersllc.com/pdfs/Shooting+Aliens+The+Gamer's+Guide+to+Thinking.pdf

http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/gaming/node/458

Identification in Videogames

Oblivion and NeverWinter Nights 2

As Bob Rehak rightfully states, “The video game avatar, presented as a human player’s double, merges spectatorship and participation in ways that fundamentally transform both activities.” This I experienced in the creation of my avatar in both Oblivion and the NeverWinter Nights 2.

When designing my character in Oblivion, I chose to be a Redguard, mainly for the reason that they have a natural resistance to disease and poison. This factor also influences the skin choice which is very pale because of that special ability, which brings in humor to the character creation through my personality were based on the consumption of too much poison the hair and skin color have with time reacted to the disease and poison, yet immunity is the bonus. Being the most naturally talented warriors with cultural affinities for many weapons and armour styles would come in handy during play, especially considering the fact that play begins in a prison cell. I would naturally want to be prepared if and when I escape my confinement.

Whereas in the character creation of NeverWinter Nights 2, which I found to be more liberating in terms of variety in character choice, from race, to gender, to appearance in built and costume. I chose to be a Half-Elf first and foremost because of the romantic historic background of the humans and elves (which kind of reminds me of Lord of the Ring), while in relation to my personality, I relate more to this character being raised by an odd numeric factor in the parental system, be it elves or humans. My Half-Elf side is a bit of a rogue were if being highly skilled cannot pay off in combat, the rogue hits where it hurts the most with sneak attacks and having a sixth sense when it comes to avoiding danger is a bonus.

I chose Chaotic Good because it relates more to my personality traits, which with reference to Weber’s reading of Lacan talks about the ego of a child’s identification with an image whose otherness is precisely overlooked in the observation of similarity. Being a Wild Child in the past will allow my play in the game to have intermediary of another, making or allowing the background application to work in my favor or against me later, which doesn’t necessarily matter because there is a judgment all the same. As Half-Elf I choose to have no deity to worship in the game, because of the insignificance and impact on my character during the game as a rogue, which also could be consciously or unconsciously influenced by my person belief which comes from the Ten Commandments.

When it came to the character’s voice and name creation, I gave Daldo Le’les(character name) having a Male Dramatic voice because I, placed in the right atmosphere can be a drama queen(female), which is contradictory in my choice of male characters in both games. I choose to play a male in both games because it’s empowering in both physical appearance and strength, which also gives me the opportunity to look into my subconscious and see what kind of male I could be, or maybe the male I envision as a role model, which oddly enough Daldo’s character reminds me of my father who hasn’t really been in the picture, though we are in touch once in a blue moon. Daldo being Half-Elf is 72 years, which when read backwards is my current age, 27 that’s why though old, age hasn’t caught up with him and being part elf youth is prolonged.

Precis of Pascal Lefèvre’s “Incompatabile Visual Ontologies? – The Problematic Adaptation of Drawn Images”.

Lefèvre’s essay looks at the debate revolving around the value of filmic adaptations of comics, their popularity, differences, similarity, and why they remain controversial. After a brief analysis of comics verses film were he quotes analysts the likes of Peeters as recognizing creative aspects of some adaptations, while other critics (Fremion) state bluntly that adaptation is preferred by mediocre talents. He supports the argument using undeniable facts on these two media, cinema and comics being linked, through the ability of both in telling stories by a series of images as compared to cinema and other visual arts, which has been pointed out a number of times by Christiansen and Costa.

Lefèvre looks at four main problems at the creative level of the adaptation of drawn images. He points out that the broad usage of the term “adaptation” specifying the inclusion of films directly inspired by certain comics or comic series.

The two main differences between comics and films are the material shape of the images and the social aspects of reception. According to Lefèvre, The difference in reception or consuming mode is individual activity (comic) verses group experience (cinema). While reading a comic is a solitary action, viewing a film in a theatre is largely a group experience. I agree to some extent with Lefèvre’s statement, however when I look back in the days I used to read the Archie’s comics, it used to be a group affair were my cousin and I would share a comic and read it at the same time. As far as watching film too is concerned the viewership change when one chooses to buy or rent a DVD and watch the film alone.

When looking at the characteristic differences between the two media, deletion/addition is one of the problems associated with rewriting primary comics text for film, another problem to note is the page layout as compared to the screen. Comics are more spatial with a variety of sequences as compared to the linear nature of film. The translating of drawings to photography is the third problem, this is due to the nature of drawn comics, in that they offer many possibilities which comprise of new worlds or civilizations. The creativity in comics is allowed to brake the boundaries and the laws of gravity without any consequences.

In conclusion, the use of sound in films plays a vital role to the appreciation and interpretation of the film. According to Bordwell and Thompson, “Sound is a powerful film technique, because sound engages a distinct sense mode and sound can actively shape how the spectator perceives and interprets the image.” Comics however are not audible according to Lefèvre, which therefore allows them to be heard through still and visible signs. Once again this is true, however a thought comes into mind which involves the use of greeting card with sound, it is equally possible to add sound to comics just as sound is generated in some birthday cards which could pass as a comic. Therefore I do not completely agree to the statement, comics do not have a sound track: music, voices and noises, it is a choice by the artist to leave them as there are, for in the world we are living in technology is advancing so are the techniques being used in the various visual media. Hence a solution to the sound in comics can be generated.

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.

Modelling (Loop edges)

When modeling a character, one needs to consider basic sculpting, the functions the character is going to have in terms of movement, and a sound framework representation. The structure, or shape of the model, as well as it's line of symmetry play a very important role when constructing the model. This, I discovered on my second/third trail of attempting to model a male character. Initially when I started to model, I was using spheres which seemed like a good idea at the time, because I was creating the torso. However as I began to give the model limps the idea of using a sphere was now backfiring, because my alignment/symmetry was not working. I then started all over, using the cube and it created an orderly model, which was easier to manipulate.

While adding limps to the torso, I used the ray trace selection then I extruded along the axis, pulling out the limps. This I applied in most of the cases, be it when selecting the edges or nodes. It was particularly helpful when constructing interesting features such as the ears and nose, which were a bit challenging because of their many curves. This however is were edge looping came in handy. Edge looping is formed/done by interlocking a series of mesh edges used to accurately control the smoothed form of an animated sub division surface. The function of the edge loop is to closely mimic how real muscle works giving control over the contour and silhouette. In some cases, I discovered that in order to be able to construct an edge loop, I had to cut the edges in the model to allow additional nodes or points to be made on the model. Therefore the importance of constructing a sound humanoid model is to enable manipulation of the model when texturing and moving muscle.

http://maxrovat.sns.hu/subdiv/subdivmodeling.htm
http://cube.phlatt.net/home/spiraloid/tutorial/modeling.html
http://www.computerarts.co.uk/__data/arts_pdfs/cap56_3dface.pdf

Johan Huizinga

Nature and Significance of Play as a Cultural Phenomenon

Play is the amusement of oneself by engaging in imaginative pretence, which according to Huizinga is older than culture. Huizinga goes on to describe the nature of play in comparism to human and animal behavior patterns as ceremonious attitudes and gestures, which is explained in an example on the behavior of dogs play, were they exhibit pretence anger resulting in psychological reflexes in their playful attacks on each other, without intention to harm.

Plays origin and fundamentals are described as a discharge of superabundant vital energy, the satisfaction of some imitative instinct and or simply a means of relaxation. The training or grooming of the young through play has been considered as a foundation for future work and is also a form of exercise resulting in domination or competitiveness which keeps up personal values. This statement is applicable to both humans and animals, as I am reminded of how our parents playfully teach us coordination of our eyes and limps as infants. Though we are considered to be rational beings our take on play is irrational, therefore it should be looked at as it is intended to be, a social construction. Were grasping of the value and significance of play are observed and understood as an act in the cultural factor of life.

Huizinga’s essay distinguishes the nature of play without interweaving it with culture, yet he still relates pure play as the main bases of civilization. He also looks at another form of play which evolves around the abstract expression in language, “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy” and attributes play to non-seriousness, yet at the same time can also be serious depending on the form play takes. Play isn’t foolishness as Huizinga notes, but it is between wisdom and folly. Hence play is voluntary in humans, while the same cannot be said in animals, because their instincts drive them. Play is done as leisure or during free time and sometimes one can go without it. It isn’t binding, however once one is bound to play, it seizes to be play, becoming a cultural function. Play allows temporary stepping out of reality, yet an existence of absolute order remains.