Comments on: On the Game of Game Studies http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/ A group blog about computer narrative, games, poetry, and art. Thu, 30 Sep 2010 22:43:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: andrew http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-938 andrew Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-938 In <i>Air-Sea Battle</i>, can players get damaged by friendly fire? In Air-Sea Battle, can players get damaged by friendly fire?

]]> By: Ian Bogost http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-939 Ian Bogost Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-939 As things heat up over on WCG, I'll ask an interesting question here. Maybe I'll ask it there too: Why is it that, whenever we really start to get into this conversation about modes of analysis, ludology, and the like, somebody always cries foul? I mean this question in the most candid, benign way possible ... personally, I have no problems disagreeing (or agreeing!) with Gonzalo or Espen or Jesper and then going out for a beer or playing a round of Super Monkey Ball afterward. But aren't these questions *worth* giving voice to? As things heat up over on WCG, I’ll ask an interesting question here. Maybe I’ll ask it there too:

Why is it that, whenever we really start to get into this conversation about modes of analysis, ludology, and the like, somebody always cries foul?

I mean this question in the most candid, benign way possible … personally, I have no problems disagreeing (or agreeing!) with Gonzalo or Espen or Jesper and then going out for a beer or playing a round of Super Monkey Ball afterward.

But aren’t these questions *worth* giving voice to?

]]> By: William http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-940 William Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-940 <a href="http://www.shockwave.com/sw/content/rampage">There's another game</a> that comes to mind. All players are cooperatively ripping the city to shreds, but occassionally you get bored and want to punch the other players, too. And if you attack them enough, they get small and you can eat them. There’s another game that comes to mind. All players are cooperatively ripping the city to shreds, but occassionally you get bored and want to punch the other players, too. And if you attack them enough, they get small and you can eat them.

]]> By: Ian Bogost http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-941 Ian Bogost Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-941 William -- lol! But maybe they're not eating their friends? Maybe just keeping them safe from the terror outside... William — lol! But maybe they’re not eating their friends? Maybe just keeping them safe from the terror outside…

]]> By: nick http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-942 nick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-942 Andrew, they wanted to implement that, but the code to keep track of "frags" separately would have bumped it up over 2k. Andrew, they wanted to implement that, but the code to keep track of “frags” separately would have bumped it up over 2k.

]]> By: MGK http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-943 MGK Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-943 What a great party game ;-) If we're sticking to Atari 2600 exemplars then my nominee for game studies would be Breakout--whacking the ball again and again, chipping away at that wall each time it comes back at you--occassionally you may "break through" with an insight or idea that richochets the length and breadth of barrier, knocking out dozens of bricks at a time, but even if you clear them all . . . yep, there's always another barrier waiting right behind it. What a great party game ;-) If we’re sticking to Atari 2600 exemplars then my nominee for game studies would be Breakout–whacking the ball again and again, chipping away at that wall each time it comes back at you–occassionally you may “break through” with an insight or idea that richochets the length and breadth of barrier, knocking out dozens of bricks at a time, but even if you clear them all . . . yep, there’s always another barrier waiting right behind it.

]]> By: andrew http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-944 andrew Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-944 There is a Pitfall in becoming a Berzerk Defender of one's position in the Vanguard Adventure of game studies. In the Pressure Cooker of academia, it's not hard to Fathom things turning into a Battlezone of Warlords, each Barnstorming the other's ideas. My suggestion: Dodge 'Em, to avoid Turmoil. Remember, no one is Superman. There is a Pitfall in becoming a Berzerk Defender of one’s position in the Vanguard Adventure of game studies. In the Pressure Cooker of academia, it’s not hard to Fathom things turning into a Battlezone of Warlords, each Barnstorming the other’s ideas. My suggestion: Dodge ‘Em, to avoid Turmoil. Remember, no one is Superman.

]]> By: torill http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-945 torill Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-945 Just wanted to say: thanks, Nick, for that anology. I feared I was the only person who was bothered by gamestudies turning into academic hack'n'slash. Just wanted to say: thanks, Nick, for that anology. I feared I was the only person who was bothered by gamestudies turning into academic hack’n'slash.

]]> By: Jesper http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-946 Jesper Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-946 I am glad nobody suggested Robotron. Seriously, it remains a great field. I think of it in terms of a card game or a board game (Settlers?) There are of course occasional moments when it feels like E.T., but those are few and far between. I am glad nobody suggested Robotron.

Seriously, it remains a great field. I think of it in terms of a card game or a board game (Settlers?) There are of course occasional moments when it feels like E.T., but those are few and far between.

]]> By: Dennis G. Jerz http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-947 Dennis G. Jerz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-947 Thanks for giving us all the chance to put everything back into perspective, Nick. Matt, your "Breakout" analogy is particularly elegant. I closed my talk by citing the example of Mary Ann Buckles, who was so traumatized by her committee's resistance to her dissertation "Adventure" that she left academe and is now a massage therapist. Let's hope that the future of game studies does NOT resemble the following passage from "Adventure": "It is now pitch dark. If you proceed you will likely fall into a pit." Thanks for giving us all the chance to put everything back into perspective, Nick.

Matt, your “Breakout” analogy is particularly elegant.

I closed my talk by citing the example of Mary Ann Buckles, who was so traumatized by her committee’s resistance to her dissertation “Adventure” that she left academe and is now a massage therapist. Let’s hope that the future of game studies does NOT resemble the following passage from “Adventure”: “It is now pitch dark. If you proceed you will likely fall into a pit.”

]]> By: Ian Bogost http://grandtextauto.org/2004/03/09/on-the-game-of-game-studies/comment-page-1/#comment-948 Ian Bogost Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=258#comment-948 Jesper, do you mean E.T. as a commercial failure, or E.T. as 5 million units buried in the desert ;) Anyway, thanks to everyone for being good sports. Jesper, do you mean E.T. as a commercial failure, or E.T. as 5 million units buried in the desert ;)

Anyway, thanks to everyone for being good sports.

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