Design Patterns for Silent Player Characters in Narrative-Driven Games

The silent player character (SPC) is a reoccurring but vaguely understood type of player character in narrative-driven games. In this project, we present our findings from an analysis of SPC development in popular narrative games. We identify two main types of SPCs: expressive and projective characters. Based on a survey of related games, we synthesized a list of methods designers can use to effectively communicate a SPC's story. Then, we create a short narrative experience, featuring an expressive SPC, that is tested by players for story and character interpretation. Our results conclude that the design patterns developed within this study, used to communicate an expressive SPC, were largely successful in developing a pre-defined SPC who players were able to interpret as a character. All of the patterns were successful in impacting the interpretation of the SPC, as long as the information presented in the patterns is repetitive and clear.M.S., Digital Media -- Drexel University, 201

Heavy Hero or Digital Dummy? Multimodal Player–Avatar Relations in Final Fantasy 7

This article analyses the player-avatar relation in Final Fantasy 7, drawing on multimodality theory to analyse textual structures both in the game and in the discourse of player-interviews and fan writing. It argues that the avatar is a two-part structure, partly designed in conventional narrative terms as a protagonist of popular narrative, and partly as a vehicle for interactive game-play. The former structure is replete with the traditions and designs of Japanese popular narrative, oral formulaic narrative and contemporary superhero narratives; and is presented to the player as an offer act – a declarative narrative statement. The latter is a construct of evolving attributes and economies characteristic of roleplaying games; and is presented to the player as a demand act – a rule-based command. Though these two functions separate out in the grammar of player and fan discourse, it is their integration which provides the pleasure of gameplay and narrative engagement

Gerontoludic Character Design: Creating Engaging Player Characters for Older Adults

In this thesis, findings of research in gerontoludic character design, in other words the design of game player characters focused upon the needs, wants, and expectations of older adults, are delivered. To support these findings, there is a review of qualitative and quantitative literature on ageism, including the impact of aging stereotypes and assumptions upon technology driven industries such as the game industry. This exploration of the roots of ageism includes an examination of how ageism affects the frequency and nature of older adult characters, both playable and non-playable, found in video games. Part of the justification of this topic includes consideration of profitability and play habits of older adult players, for the purposes of the research that refers to players aged 50 and older. To better the odds of creating content that will be appealing to this potentially profitable audience, game designers need to understand how to avoid ageist perspectives in the design of game characters and their narrative arcs. To that end, current research in the design of games for older adults, both from gerontological and gerontoludic design perspectives, is paired with viewpoints on the design of video game characters, particularly player characters. This is combined with the results of a survey conducted on the character design preferences of older adults. The reviewed research and analysis of survey results is then used to create a set of gerontoludic character design guidelines that can hopefully lead to the development of more appealing player characters and avoid negative, stereotypical portrayals of older adults

Inchcolm project

Inchcolm Project is part of an interdisciplinary research project which develops new ways of designing for the moving body across media, by combining aesthetics and design methods from contemporary performance practice and video games. As such, it brought a video game (Dear Esther, The Chinese Room, 2012) to life on a Scottish island (Inchcolm island in the Firth of Forth). During the two hour experience on Inchcolm the audience/players wander freely on the island encountering geo-tagged audio, live music, performers and installation spaces evocative of the game world, a playthrough of the game projected in the 12th century Inchcolm abbey, and an orchestral performance of the video game’s soundtrack (composed by Jessica Curry, arranged by Luci Holland and David Jamieson, performed by Mantra Collective)

Conversational Principles, Structure and Prosody in Silent Hill 2: A Case Study of Video Game Dialogue

This research was conducted in order to investigate the dialogue in the video game Silent Hill 2 from a discourse analytical perspective. More specifically, the research questions posed for the purpose of this study pertain to explaining why the dialogue in the video game seems peculiar considering conventions and principles of language use. In addition to examining these features of the dialogue, the study takes interest in how the developers of Silent Hill 2 might have, either consciously or unconsciously, manipulated these principles in order to convey an effect of uncanniness and unconventionality. As a secondary objective, the case study attempts to address the academic worth of video games and reinforce their position adjacent to other forms of art and media such as books and films. The theoretical approach adapted in this study to analyzing the dialogue in Silent Hill 2 is versatile, including pragmatic, conversation analytical as well as phonological dimensions. Pertaining to these subfields of linguistic research, the paper applies the concepts of cooperative principle, adjacency pairs and prosody in examining and explaining features contributing to the peculiarity of the dialogue. Furthermore, the methodological approach of the present paper is specified to utilize qualitative methods of data analysis, enabling detailed description and observation of extracts showing deviation from conventional use of language among the dialogue. The analysis aims, more specifically, at pinpointing indirect and vague expressions, nonadherence to conventional sequence of utterances as well as pauses and word-level stress in conversations between the characters of the narrative. The findings yield essential results in terms of the research questions posed in the beginning of the paper. Based on the analysis, the dialogue in Silent Hill 2 builds on, as hypothesized, unconventional interactive sequences e.g. through questions and greetings not being reacted to, indirect and ambiguous verbal expression as well as inconvenient pauses and stressing. It remains uncertain whether these conversational properties have been deliberately seized by the developers of Silent Hill 2: Nevertheless, it is plausible to conclude that the interactive patterns between the characters of the narrative essentially contribute to the renown of the video game as one of the most profound video games of all time in terms of characterization and subtext

Independent horror games between 2010 and 2020: Selected characteristic features and discernible trends

The focus of this article are independent digital horror games and their characteristics; the goal was to briefly describe the independent horror scene and highlight some of the artistic and technical trends which manifest themselves in the titles belonging to that scene. Due to the sheer number of available games, the scope of the paper is narrowed down to only selected characteristics and trends distinguishable in game texts published between the years 2010 and 2020. The aim of the article is to present a selection of observations and conclusions concerning the independent games scene and to hopefully point to what these games can tell scholars about the way both the players and the developers perceive the horror genre.The focus of this article are independent digital horror games and their characteristics; the goal was to briefly describe the independent horror scene and highlight some of the artistic and technical trends which manifest themselves in the titles belonging to that scene. Due to the sheer number of available games, the scope of the paper is narrowed down to only selected characteristics and trends distinguishable in game texts published between the years 2010 and 2020. The aim of the article is to present a selection of observations and conclusions concerning the independent games scene and to hopefully point to what these games can tell scholars about the way both the players and the developers perceive the horror genre

Choice-based Games and Resilience Building of Gender Non-conforming Individuals: An Exploratory Study

Research on gaming and user experience of the general population has been abundant, but gender non-conforming (GNC) individuals’ experiences had been largely overlooked until recent years. Using a phenomenological approach, the goal of this study is to find deeper understanding of this phenomenon by exploring what gaming experiences shape the identity of the participants. The exploration of gaming and gender non-conforming experiences through interviews can fill a gap in the current literature on gaming culture regarding this specific population. By taking a closer look at this topic, patterns and themes within games may provide insight to potential resilience building activities for GNC people