1. HOW TO STUDY VIDEO GAMES Major Themes to be Explored in this Course: Art vs. Industry Narrative vs. Gameplay Sensitivity vs. Insensitivity Fun vs. Analysis Body vs. Machine Authorship vs. Freedom Structure vs. Meaning

2. WHY STUDY VIDEO GAMES? Economic value Cultural value Aesthetic value Educational value

3. HOW TO STUDY VIDEO GAMES RULES – The structure/form of the game itself – Narrative vs. gameplay Narratology vs. ludology – Textual analysis/“close reading” – Meaning – Film studies/literary study – Formalist

4. HOW TO STUDY VIDEO GAMES PLAY – Human experience of the game; the player – Ethnography, interviews, observation – Player interactions – Communication/Sociology – Situationist CULTURE – Culture of gaming, culture at large – Media ecology (multiple uses of games, relation to other cultural objects and practices) – Sociology/cultural studies – Situationist

5. HOW TO STUDY VIDEO GAMES ONTOLOGY – Philosophical conception of games and gaming – Definition: What is a video game? – Relation between video games and other media/art – Film studies/philosophy/literature/game design, etc. – Formalist

6. WHAT IS A VIDEO GAME? Graphics Interface – Screen, speakers, input devices/controllers Player activity – Ergotic (physical) – Diegetic activity, nondiegetic activity Algorithm – Representation – Responses – Rules – Randomness

7. Agenda1/25/12 King of Kong Discuss Presentations Review of last class material Video game theory/What is a video game? Discussion of “Theory By Design” REMINDERS Please return Video Game Theory Reader 2 and get The Video Game Theory Reader when it arrives in the bookstore (or order online) No lab this week Class cancelled on Monday 1/30 Wed 2/1: Discuss Video Game Industry and History, Game Theory