Monthly Archives: February 2011

Lara Croft and Sexuality in Video Games

In class on Tuesday, we spent some time talking about the “skin” of video games. In particular, we highlighted Lara Croft. Does her changing look affect game play? Maybe not the functionality of the game, but it does affect the … Continue reading

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Gameswipe

I found this series about video games called Gameswipe, which airs on BBC. In one episode, they mention story-telling in video games. Just like the articles that were discussed in class, Graham Lineham (the guest in this episode) has the … Continue reading

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The Uncanny Valley

After class on Tuesday, I was puzzled by our discussion on Lara Croft and her…ehem…bodily proportions. So, in an effort to understand why this matters so much to some people, I started looking for pertinent articles. Thus, the reason for … Continue reading

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New tetris like game

A ninja/Tetris game

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A game which seemingly has no story is the game “Don’t Look Back” by Terry Cavanagh. At first I thought it was a poor alternate version of Super Mario Bros. You start at a grave and have to keep moving … Continue reading

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Games as Stories

Ralph Koster makes an interesting point in making the distinction that “Games are not stories.” He goes on to expand on this idea, saying that “Games are external–they are about people’s actions. Stories (good ones, anyway) are internal–they are about … Continue reading

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The Core of Video Games

It is strange that Espen Aarseth seems to disregard these trappings of the game in favor of analyzing the abstract models of games, stating that it means nothing to change the skin of a game.  He uses the example of chess, where the … Continue reading

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Games? Stories? Both? Neither?

I thought that Aarseth’s article regarding games as stories or texts was fascinating. He mentioned that because of the “academic discovery” of games, they have been pressured to fit into an “acceptable” form of art or literature. But why not … Continue reading

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Thinking out loud…

After reflecting on the three articles, I’ve come to see the importance of stressing the difference between stories and games. Koster makes the comparison of the two on page 88 and though he only states the differences briefly, it is … Continue reading

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Thoughts on “Genre Trouble”

I was absolutely fascinated by Espen Aarseth’s piece titled “Genre Trouble.” His approach to video games is completely different than most writers’ pieces regarding electronic gaming; he digs down to the root of the game and considers where the plot … Continue reading

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A breakdown of “Genre Trouble”

The “Genre Trouble” article by Espen Aarseth was packed with interesting ideas that had my mind firing off in different directions throughout the piece. Below are some of the big ideas of the article and the connections I made to … Continue reading

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video games=art?

In class, we have mentioned a couple of times the debate on whether or not video games can be considered art. I personally was confused because I wondered: who cares? and how can video games possibly not be considered art? … Continue reading

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Atari Commercial

An early Atari commercial, emphasizing family fun and togetherness.

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Seeker: Meghan Walsh

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32946/Activision_Dissolves_Guitar_Hero_Business_Refocuses_On_Digital.php In class it was mentioned that rhythm games such as Guitar Hero are becoming less and less popular with the masses: it’s true! News today reveals that the Guitar Hero series is finished, with no new games to be … Continue reading

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War Games: “Sometimes turning your key is easier than others” – Cameron Leonard

As we have talked about in class, one of the largest influences on video games over the decades has been the US military. From Space Wars to the most recent Modern Warfare games, military influence or involvement has been present in many … Continue reading

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