“The people transmitting their stories to the next generation aren’t priests or poets or medicine women. They’re multinational corporations. And they are not trying to appease the gods. They are trying to appease the shareholders” (Herz, 1997, p. 170). Can we reclaim the story medium in one of its contemporary forms—i.e., videogames—to use it in a socially-responsive way and at the same time undo the problems that are currently associated with the use of this form?

Game Concepts What is a game Meaningful Play Designed Play Rules Interactivity Narrative Games as Systems

What is a Game? A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome. System Players Artificial (boundaries between artificial & real) Conflict Rules Quantifiable outcome Narrative

Meaningful Play Meaningful play in a game emerges from the relationship between player action and system outcome; it is the process by which a player takes action within the design system of a game and the system responds to the action. The meaningfulness of an action in a game resides in the relationship between action and outcome. Meaningful play occurs when the relationship between actions and outcomes in a game are both discernable and integrated into the larger context of the game.

Games as Designed Systems Games are Systems Objects – parts, elements, or variables within the system Attributes – qualities of properties of the system and its objects Internal Relationships – relations among the objects Environment – the context that surrounds the system Social Interactions – the interactions one has with people around the system Narrative Frame – storyline that provides overall game semiotics

Semiotics How meanings are made A sign represents something other than itself Signs are interpreted Meaning results when a sign is interpreted Context shapes interpretations Meaning from objects comes from … Rules Narratives Social Interactions Boundaries

Anatomy of Choice What happened before the player was given the choice? How is the possibility of choice conveyed to the player? How did the player make the choice? What is the result of the choice? How will it affect future choices? How is the result of the choice conveyed to the player?

Tic-Tac-Toe (rules) Players take turns One player has x and another o Any cell can only have one o or x To win you must have 3 in a row of the same type x or o One move per turn A row is horizontal, vertical, diagonal Game is a draw when no player can move 3 x 3 grid Two players If you win you can go first