Fictional Practices of Spirituality I: Interactive Media

"Fictional Practices of Spirituality" provides critical insight into the implementation of belief, mysticism, religion, and spirituality into worlds of fiction, be it interactive or non-interactive. This first volume focuses on interactive, virtual worlds - may that be the digital realms of video games and VR applications or the imaginary spaces of life action role-playing and soul-searching practices. It features analyses of spirituality as gameplay facilitator, sacred spaces and architecture in video game geography, religion in video games and spiritual acts and their dramaturgic function in video games, tabletop, or LARP, among other topics. The contributors offer a first-time ever comprehensive overview of play-rites as spiritual incentives and playful spirituality in various medial incarnations

Understanding Cultural Fusion as a Concept to Decode Animated Character Visual Design

Cultural fusion as a powerful concept has been applied in many animated character designs. It is influenced by the trend of cultural globalization. The concept of cultural fusion has been applied in body motion design, theme and story in animation, but it has not been completely explored as a powerful concept focused on character visual design. This project explores how novel methods of visual cultural fusion can be applied in the visual design of characters. This study offers character designers new methods for character design utilizing cultural fusion and raises awareness and understanding of this powerful concept. Keywords: animated character visual design, visual cultural fusion, character costume design.M.S., Digital Media -- Drexel University, 201

La evolución de FromSoftware y su influencia en los videojuegos y en el género RPG

[ES] FromSoftware, compañía japonesa que desarrolla videojuegos, ha experimentado una gran evolución y crecimiento durante la última década gracias a títulos como Dark Souls, Bloodborne o el reciente Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, creados por el director Hidetaka Miyazaki. El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo recorrer la historia y desarrollo de la empresa, así como la trayectoria de su director creativo y mostrar cómo han influido en la industria del videojuego. También observamos los diferentes tipos de géneros como el Rol o la Acción, donde pueden enmarcarse los juegos que desarrolla esta compañía. Después se analizan los títulos más importantes y representativos de la empresa durante los últimos años y cuáles han sido sus influencias. Estableceremos unas pautas o características específicas que definirán el término Souls-like, un nuevo género procedente a partir del éxito de los últimos juegos de FromSoftware. Por último, se analizaran diferentes títulos cómo Salt and Sanctuary o Hollow Knight que se pueden considerar seguidores o imitadores del estilo de la compañía que vamos a analizar.[EN] FromSoftware, a japanese video game developer, has experienced a great evolution and growth during the last decade thanks to games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne or the recent Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, created by the director Hidetaka Miyazaki. This research work aims to cover the history and development of the company, as well as its creative director and show how they have influenced the industry. We also observe the different types of genres in video games such as Role or Action, where the company games can be framed. Afterwards, we analyze the most important and representative titles of the company in recent years and what have been their influences. We will establish a specific guidelines or characteristics that define the term Souls-like, a new genre coming from the success of the latest FromSoftware games. Finally, we are going to analyze different games such as Salt and Sanctuary or Hollow Knight can be considered as followers or imitators of the company’s style that we are going to analyze.Rodríguez Díaz, V. (2019). La evolución de FromSoftware y su influencia en los videojuegos y en el género RPG. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/126004TFG

Otaku cyberculture. an interdiscourse analysis of fan identities staged on facebook groups

Este artículo se propone reflexionar sobre los modos en que los fans del manga yel anime cómics y animaciones japonesas, quienes se reconocen a sí mismoscomo otakus, ponen a circular sentidos de identidad valiéndose de plataformasdigitales, dentro del contexto contemporáneo de una cultura de la convergencia(Jenkins, 2008). Por lo tanto, desde un enfoque comunicacional y socio antropológico, se realizará un análisis interdiscursivo (Angenot, 2010), de corte cualitativo, sobre un corpus construido por intercambios de estos fans en grupos de Facebook, administrados por miembros de las principales empresas que organizan convenciones o eventos temáticos sobre manga y anime en la Argentina. Estos intercambios fueron registrados mediante técnicas observacionales propias de la aplicación del método etnográfico para el estudio del ciberespacio (Hine, 2004).El abordaje del caso particular aquí presentado permite inferir que uno de los usos que hacen los otakus de las plataformas digitales consiste en poner en escena una identidad "alternativa", como parte de la manifestación de lo que en este trabajo se propone denominar otakismo. En efecto, frente a los repertorios dominantes de representaciones sociales y mediáticas que los estigmatizan, estos fans tienden a vincularse en grupos de Facebook utilizando esa plataforma para expresar una adscripción a la "identidad otaku" y discutir los significados negativos asociados con dichas representaciones estigmatizantes.The aim of this article is to reflect on the ways in which fans of manga and anime – Japanese comics and animations–, who call themselves otakus, put into circulation senses of identity making use of digital platforms, in the contemporary context of convergence culture (Jenkins, 2008). Therefore, from a communicational and socio-anthropological approach, we will present a qualitative interdiscourse analysis (Angenot, 2010) of a corpus built by exchanges of these fans in Facebook groups, managed by members of the major companies that organize conventions or thematic events about manga and anime in Argentina. These exchanges were reported by observational techniques corresponding to the application of ethnographic method in the study of cyberspace (Hine, 2004). From the approach of the particular case presented here it is possible to infer that one of the uses that otakus make of digital platforms consists on staging an "alternative" identity, as a part of the manifestation of what in this paper we propose to call otakismo. Indeed, against the prevailing codes of social and media representations that stigmatize them, these fans tend to interact in Facebook groups using that platform to express allegiance to the "otaku identity" and discuss the negative meanings associated with such stigmatizing representations.Fil: Álvarez Gandolfi, Federico Manuel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Rekonstrukcija kostima iz video igre "Dark souls"

Fokus ovog diplomskog rada je izrada kostima prema predlošku. Kostim smo estetski analizirali i obrazložili njegovu funkcionalnost, te smo prošli kroz sve tehničke aspekte izrade kostima. Izabrani kostim za realizaciju je oklop koji se pojavljuje u videoigri Dark Souls. Osim tema usko vezanih za oklop i videoigru dotaknuli smo se još nekih termina koji su vezani uz naslov kao što je povijest oklopa općenito, svrha kostima/oklopa, kako se oklop izgledom mjenjao kroz povijest, uz analizu stilova i uvjetovanost izgleda oklopa prema geografskom porijeklu. Usporedili smo oklop iz igre sa stvarnim oklopima iz povijesti. Spomenuli smo cosplay subkultu i zašto je bitna za ovaj rad. Osim oklopa analizirati smo i samu igru: njen nastanak, žanr, te njen utjecaj na industriju. S obzirom da se radi o određenom oklopu iz igre analizirali smo njegovu važnost u kontekstu tog fiktivnog svijeta. Na samom kraju slijedi izrada kostima: materijali, alati i tehnike kojima smo se poslužili. U prilogu je kostimografska mapa autora sa skicama oklopa, uz slike izvučene iz video igre, kao i izvorni crteži umjetnika koji su radili na videoigri Dark Souls

Our Mythical Hope

Classical Antiquity is a particularly important field in terms of “Hope studies” […]. For centuries, the ancient tradition, and classical mythology in particular, has been a common reference point for whole hosts of creators of culture, across many parts of the world, and with the new media and globalization only increasing its impact. Thus, in our research at this stage, we have decided to study how the authors of literary and audiovisual texts for youth make use of the ancient myths to support their young protagonists (and readers or viewers) in crucial moments of their existence, on their road into adulthood, and in those dark hours when it seems that life is about to shatter and fade away. However, if Hope is summoned in time, the crisis can be overcome and the protagonist grows stronger, with a powerful uplifting message for the public. […] Owing to this, we get a chance to remain true to our ideas, to keep faith in our dreams, and, when the decisive moment comes, to choose not hatred but love, not darkness but light. Katarzyna Marciniak, University of Warsaw, From the introductory chapte

CREATING A COHERENT SCORE: THE MUSIC OF SINGLE-PLAYER FANTASY COMPUTER ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

This thesis provides a comprehensive exploration into the music of the ludic genre (Hourigan, 2005) known as a Computer Role-Playing Game (CRPG) and its two main sub-divisions: Japanese and Western Role-Playing Games (JRPGs & WRPGs). It focuses on the narrative category known as genre fiction, concentrating on fantasy fiction (Turco, 1999) and seeks to address one overall question: How do fantasy CRPG composers incorporate the variety of musical material needed to create a coherent score across the JRPG and WRPG divide? Seven main chapters form the thesis text. Chapter One provides an introduction to the thesis, detailing the research contributions in addition to outlining a variety of key terms that must be understood to continue with the rest of the text. A database accompanying this thesis showcases the vast range of CRPGs available; a literature review tackles relevant existing materials. Chapters Two and Three seek to provide the first canonical history of soundtracks used in CRPGs by dissecting typical narrative structures for games so as to provide context to their musical scores. Through analysis of existing game composer interviews, cultural influences are revealed. Chapters Four and Five mirror one another with detailed discussion respectively regarding JRPG and WRPG music including the influence that anime and Hollywood cinema have had upon them. In Chapter Six, the use of CRPG music outside of video games is explored, particularly the popularity of JRPG soundtracks in the concert hall. Chapter Seven concludes the thesis, summarising research contributions achieved and areas for future work. Throughout these chapters, the core task is to explain how the two primary sub-genres of CRPGs parted ways and why the music used to accompany these games differs so drastically

Our Mythical Hope

Classical Antiquity is a particularly important field in terms of “Hope studies” […]. For centuries, the ancient tradition, and classical mythology in particular, has been a common reference point for whole hosts of creators of culture, across many parts of the world, and with the new media and globalization only increasing its impact. Thus, in our research at this stage, we have decided to study how the authors of literary and audiovisual texts for youth make use of the ancient myths to support their young protagonists (and readers or viewers) in crucial moments of their existence, on their road into adulthood, and in those dark hours when it seems that life is about to shatter and fade away. However, if Hope is summoned in time, the crisis can be overcome and the protagonist grows stronger, with a powerful uplifting message for the public. […] Owing to this, we get a chance to remain true to our ideas, to keep faith in our dreams, and, when the decisive moment comes, to choose not hatred but love, not darkness but light. Katarzyna Marciniak, University of Warsaw, From the introductory chapte

Le recyclage comme moteur de la fabrique de l’espace social (et piéton) du sanctuaire féminin otaku d’Otome-Road à Ikebukuro, Tokyo

La culture populaire japonaise otaku tend à être étudiée à travers ses attributs visuels issus du manga, des séries d’animé, ou du jeu vidéo. Ce travail entreprend d’étendre les champs disciplinaires environnant la production des cultures de fans au Japon vers la question de la fabrique d’un espace quotidien de circulation d’images, médias et piétons. Aujourd’hui devenus partie intégrante du paysage nippon, les sanctuaires otaku (quartiers spécialisés) nous servent de base pour reconceptualiser les théories et méthodes d’approche des sous-cultures d’un point de vue piéton : nous analysons depuis les rues du sanctuaire d’Otome-Road à Ikebukuro, (Tokyo) un ensemble de pratiques, imaginaires et structures de l’espace social fondé sur le recyclage (réutilisation, ou réappropriation) des images. Les piétonnes nous apprennent que le moteur de la production culturelle otaku est aussi celui de la fabrication d’un nombre croissant de territoires où des groupes infra-politiques peuvent se faire entendre de l’industrie des loisirs et des autorités étatiques. À la fois symptôme de la conquête réelle de l’espace local, régional puis national japonais par la circulation otaku et opportunité intellectuelle de découvrir les enjeux spatiaux des cultures contemporaines, le cas otaku nous invite à envisager un cadre théorique et méthodologique qui rend ses territoires et sa mobilité aux mouvements socioculturels actuels. Nous explorerons la construction de la trivialité du quotidien otaku comme un ensemble de dialectiques négociant la visibilité de groupes minoritaires féminins utilisant divers registres de mobilité pour donner corps, vie et espace à leur agentivité sociale