Self-Expansion vs. Self-Suppression
Whenever we give a player a choice, we give them the
opportunity to act out their own fantasy. This concept is the backbone of
role-playing (and increasingly, all) games. Through video, table-top, or pen
and paper games, people can express parts of their personality they don’t feel
they get the opportunity to explore in their day to day life.
While many players take this as an opportunity to act on and
expand more noble desires, other players take these games as a chance to
explore desires they feel are suppressed by society. How much should designers
be invested in limiting “badwrongfun?”
Ludology vs. Narratology
Is a story just a vehicle for a game to ride around in? Oris the narrative as important as game mechanics for the mind?
Ludology is the belief that games are simply games. While the narrative can make the game aesthetically pretty, it is not necessary. The most important part of any game is how it stimulates the brain. How it molds thought processes and helps train the problem-solving skills of the audience. Games should be understood on their own terms.
Ludology is the belief that games are simply games. While the narrative can make the game aesthetically pretty, it is not necessary. The most important part of any game is how it stimulates the brain. How it molds thought processes and helps train the problem-solving skills of the audience. Games should be understood on their own terms.
Narratology is the belief that games are a reflection of our
reality. The story links our experience in the game to our day to day life,
allowing us to grow and be changed through our playtime. Game mechanics create
fun and can help mental development, but the value of a game is in the
questions it forces a player to ask about their world. Games should be examined in the same way we do literature and film.
Ratings and Filters for Content
A problem well-trod by our society, but still not agreed on.
Is it right to create games with content filters for immature audiences? Or
should the audience of these games instead continue to be limited by only a
rating system?
Different designers have taken entirely different approaches
to this question. Some do create realistic (or gratuitous) violence, but then
lock mature content behind a filter so that younger audiences can still enjoy
the game without worry. Other designers rely on the rating to distinguish who
their game is made for and let the chips fall where they may. Both systems havetheir pros and cons.
It seems like the content of the game might differentiate between the narratology or ludology. It seems like some games have a stronger sense of the journey and objective while other rely more on the action of the game to sustain it.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that so many games are leaning toward the role play style and character creation. As a player, I enjoy being more involved in the process. At the same time, I feel that there’s more pressure for me to be fully involved in the game, which I’m not always able to do. So it’s an attractant and a deterrent.
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