How do Frog Fractions and Nier use intertextual knowledge to subvert the player's expectations?

At first glance Frog Fractions (Twinbeard Studios, 2012) and Nier (Cavia, 2010) appear to be a fractions-based educational game and a Japanese role-playing game respectively. One thing these two drastically different games have in common is that they both set themselves up as standard entries in their respective genre and then utilise the player's intertextual knowledge of other games to establish an expectation which they then subvert using techniques that this essay seeks to define

Approaches to Game Fiction Derived from Musicals and Pornography

This paper discusses the construction of consistent fictions in games using relevant theory drawn from discussions of musicals and pornography in opposition to media that are traditionally associated with fiction and used to discuss games (film, theatre, literature etc.). Game developer John Carmack’s famous quip that stories in games are, like stories in pornography, optional, is the impetus for a discussion of the role and function of fiction in games. This paper aims to kickstart an informed approach to constructing and understanding consistent fictions in games. Case studies from games, musicals and pornography are cross-examined to identify what is common to each practice with regards to their fictions (or lack thereof) and how they might inform the analysis of games going forward. To this end the terms ‘integrated’, ‘separated’ and ‘dissolved’ are borrowed from Dyer’s work on musicals which was also later employed by Linda Williams to discusses pornographic fictions. A framework is laid out by which games (and other media) can be understood as a mix of different types of information and how the arrangement of this information in a given work might classify it under Dyer’s terms and help us understand the ways in which a game fiction is considered consistent or not

The Development of Sports: A Comparative Analysis of the Early Institutionalization of Traditional Sports and E-Sports

This article takes the definition of a sport as “an institutionalized game” under which both “traditional sports” and “E-sports” fall. It takes a comparative analytical approach that examines the historical documentation and cultural output of these two major categories of sports and their early institutionalization. Given the increasing interest in, engagement with and spectator numbers of E-sports, it is worth considering the key similarities and differences between various institutions. This article examines traditional sports institutions from the mid-19th to late 19th century alongside E-sports institutions that emerged from the mid-1990s to the present day. Firstly, the processes of institutionalization are analyzed with these examples in mind and, secondly, are compared to draw out the significant differences and similarities between the factors affecting early institutionalization

Ludic Dysnarrativa: How Can Fictional Inconsistency In Games Be Reduced?

The experience of fictional inconsistencies in games is surprisingly common. The goal was to determine if solutions exist for this problem and if there are inherent limitations to games as a medium that make storytelling uncommonly difficult. Termed ‘ludic dysnarrativa’, this phenomenon can cause a loss of immersion in the fictional world of a game and lead to greater difficulty in intuitively understanding a game’s rules. Through close textual analysis of The Stanley Parable and other games, common trends are identified that lead a player to experience dysnarrativa. Contemporary cognitive theory is examined alongside how other media deal with fictional inconsistency to develop a model of how information (fictional and otherwise) is structured in media generally. After determining that gaps in information are largely the cause of a player feeling dysnarrativa, it is proposed that a game must encourage imaginative acts from the player to prevent these gaps being perceived. Thus a property of games, termed ‘imaginability’, was determined desirable for fictionally consistent game worlds. Many specific case studies are cited to refine a list of principles that serve as guidelines for achieving imaginability. To further refine these models and principles, multiplayer games such as Dungeons and Dragons were analysed specifically for how multiple players navigate fictional inconsistencies within them. While they operate very differently to most single-player games in terms of their fiction, multiplayer games still provide useful clarifications and principles for reducing fictional inconsistencies in all games. Negotiation between agents (designers, players, game rules) in a game is of huge value to maintaining coherent fictional worlds and social information in some multiplayer games takes on a role close to that of fictional information in single player games. Dysnarrativa can also be used to positive effect in certain cases such as comedy games, horror games or for satirical purposes

The Story of Bonehead Merkle: Appraising the Fictional Component of Sports

Many games feature fictional worlds that inspire acts of make-believe or encourage us to willingly suspend our disbelief. Sports however, such as baseball or rugby, have no explicit fictional world whatsoever and yet there may still be things we can learn from them via analysis of their narratives. This paper takes on a provocative discussion of the fictional component of sports and how this might be understood. This essay takes on the case study of ‘Merkle’s Boner’, an infamous baseball play that catalysed a change in the game’s ruleset, to stimulate a discussion on how seemingly non-fictional games still have much to say on how game fictions are understood or supplemented by game audiences. How stories, such as Merkle’s Boner, are reflected by journalistic reports of the event, folksong and through the rules of the game itself give us insight into how fiction is generally understood within games of all types. By defining the structure of fiction in games generally, the paper then examines how the stories that sports generate can be understood using Lisbeth Klastrup’s term ‘player stories’. The precedent of famous sporting moments or stories is significant and a given sport appears to be more than just abstract scorekeeping and professionally sponsored play. Indeed, it is argued that these games are ripe for narrative analysis given the role that fiction plays in the sporting mindset

Approaching the Analysis of the Spectatorship of AI in Saltybet.com

The proposed submission is a paper-in-progress that seeks to examine the appeal of watching AI compete against one another. This paper takes, as its primary case study, Saltybet.com [1], a streaming site which uses the M.U.G.E.N. fighting game engine [2] and various player-made AI characters, and has them fight in exhibition and tournament matches. Spectators of these matches can bet fake money or ‘salty bucks’ on the outcome of a match and a small community has grown around Saltybet’s unusual entertainment prospect

Foundations for Esports Curricula in Higher Education

Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing programmes of study which aim to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching and communication. This working group examined the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its interdisciplinary complexity. Thereby, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education

Towards a Framework to Support the Design of Esports Curricula in Higher Education

Esports has generated an industry of increasing economic and cultural importance. In recent years, universities and other higher education institutions have responded to its growth by establishing undergraduate courses to satisfy the needs of innovators operating in the area. However, there is not yet consensus on what an esports curriculum should include. Despite being a technology-driven sector with ethical and professional dimensions that intersect computing, current ACM and IEEE curricula do not mention esports. Furthermore, existing courses tend to provide teaching and training on a wide variety of topics aside from those traditionally in computer science. These include: live events management; psychological research; sports science; marketing; public relations; video (livestream) production; and community management; in addition to coaching. This working group seeks to examine the requirements for developing esports studies at universities with a focus on understanding career prospects in esports and on the challenges presented by its disciplinary complexity. The group will identify key learning outcomes and assess how they align with industry needs, paving the way for a framework to support the design of esports curricula in higher education

Ludic Dysnarrativa : How Can Fictional Inconsistency in Games be Reduced?

The experience of fictional inconsistencies in games is surprisingly common. The goal was to determine if solutions exist for this problem and if there are inherent limitations to games as a medium that make storytelling uncommonly difficult. Termed ‘ludic dysnarrativa’, this phenomenon can cause a loss of immersion in the fictional world of a game and lead to greater difficulty in intuitively understanding a game’s rules. Through close textual analysis of The Stanley Parableand and other games, common trends are identified that lead a player to experience dysnarrativa. Contemporary cognitive theory is examined alongside how other media deal with fictional inconsistency to develop a model of how information (fictional and otherwise) is structured in media generally. After determining that gaps in information are largely the cause of a player feeling dysnarrativa, it is proposed that a game must encourage imaginative acts from the player to prevent these gaps being perceived. Thus a property of games, termed ‘imaginability’, was determined desirable for fictionally consistent game worlds. Many specific case studies are cited to refine a list of principles that serve as guidelines for achieving imaginability. To further refine these models and principles, multiplayer games such as Dungeons and Dragons were analysed specifically for how multiple players navigate fictional inconsistencies within them. While they operate very differently to most single-player games in terms of their fiction, multiplayer games still provide useful clarifications and principles for reducing fictional inconsistencies in all games. Negotiation between agents (designers, players, game rules) in a game is of huge value to maintaining coherent fictional worlds and social information in some multiplayer games takes on a role close to that of fictional information in single player games. Dysnarrativa can also be used to positive effect in certain cases such as comedy games, horror games or for satirical purposes

Livestreaming Games and Parenthood: Exploring the Experience of Portuguese Parent Streamers

Streaming games is increasingly popular amongst people of childbearing age. So, what happens when streamers become parents? There are few accounts, scarce advice and a dearth of research. Streaming seems incompatible with parenting due to its tensions with familial responsibilities. However, it is also conceivable that parent and gamer identities can be reconciled to yield successful outcomes. This exploratory study investigates the identity and experience of parent streamers. Six parent streamers, mothers and fathers from an online Portuguese community, were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed several foci: (i) the difficulty of managing time effectively; (ii) the tension between work and play; (iii) the parent streamer identity (particularly, differences between mothers and fathers); (iv) the criticality of familial support; (v) the increasingly complex relationship between parents and games; (vi) children’s interference in streaming practices; and (vii) the benefits of streaming including communal connection and improved mental health. These findings highlight how online media increasingly challenge the way in which modern parents navigate parenthood and their own personal lives. They also pave the way for evidence-led guidance that can support parent steamers