#game studies

[psychhound]

ttrpg research study survey!!

howdy yall!!

so a lot of yall know me for my games, but by day i'm a grad student studying game studies and researching therapeutic applications for gaming (if you've seen my posts about using ttrpgs in my classroom, you may be familiar already!)

i'm doing a research study through my university looking into long term tabletop roleplay and emotional resilience. essentially, i'm asking the question: does playing tabletop games over a long period of time affect your ability to weather social and emotional challenges? the study is additionally interested if marginalized people have a different experience with roleplay and resilience than non-marginalized folks do

the study will take place in a few stages. the first stage is a survey. there are screening questions to make sure all participants qualify, and then open, short-answer questions asking about both your experiences with roleplay and making characters, and also questions about emotional resilience. you're able to answer questions with little or more depth, depending on what youre comfortable with, or skip questions if you need to. this survey should take about 30 minutes, but depends on how in depth you go with your answers

the next stage is an optional follow-up interview. three participants will be selected after the survey is completed to take place in an opt-in interview, which will last about thirty minutes to an hour. there, we'll talk more in depth about your answers and also talk about the character(s) you've played

the survey will be open from 3/27/24 to 4/12/24

to qualify, you must be a tabletop roleplayer who has played at least 3 roleplay sessions of a multiplayer ttrpg during a span of 6 months or longer. you must be 18 or over and an american citizen

spreading the word or participating is greatly appreciated!!!

you can find the survey here!!

thanks so so much yall!!!

#indie ttrpgs #ttrpgs #ttrpg community #tabletop #dnd 5e #research #education #game studies

[moontheoretist]

Yes, that's generally true that you won't fall for several people... if you are monogamous. If you are polyamorous, it doesn't work that way though, as you can fall in love with several people at the same time and each love is not lesser than the other. Considering that this world is based on otome game, it's worth mentioning that otome games usually punish the player for seeking polyamory, but don't mind it if the player ends up being polyamorous by accident. As those types of games usually value replayability and playing all the available routes in order to unlock secret endings, which inevitably may end up with accidental polyamory if the player wants it or not. That's just it.

BTW notice how Rae just deftly schooled all of them on accidental homophobia. They didn't realize that what Lene said was lowkey bad, so Rae just quickly corrected them on that, so they'd understand.

Edit: I just found english dub version and that version handles the whole conversation a bit better as some things are translated in more clear way. Like for example the part about "lusting for everybody" is explained as "you fall for the person not their gender even though the gender is a factor in which pool of people apply for your attraction".

#watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijou #watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijou spoilers #i'm in love with the villainess #i'm in love with the villainess spoilers #polyamory #accidental polyamory #video games #otome games #game studies

[wdrwc0]

Hi there!

I'm wdrwc (they/them), and this is my comeback to the Tumblr community after some years have passed. But this time, I hope to be more than a silent watcher and heart-giver; I want to contribute to fandom communities and share some of my thoughts and ideas from daily life. Here's a little about me: I study new media and digital culture and specialize in game studies. I also love learning about fans, fandoms and the topics surrounding them, as I am a fan of many things as well. Additionally, my job is to tell other people about everything I know about games and comics, and I hope to share this stuff with you, too! You can consider my Tumblr as my diary of things I do, learn about, make, create and everything else. Feel free to spend some time with me. It is a safe place for good and kind people :). As a sneak peek of the things I do... Here's a little Astarion of mine for all BG3 lovers. Enjoy!

#new beginnings #new blog #introductory post #introducing myself #baldursgate #fantasy #fanfic #my art #video games #comics #neurodivergent #astarion #fandom #fan studies #game studies

[petrareads]

My retail shifts have been longer than usual because it’s ✨shopping season✨ so I’ve been going to the library during my break to try and work on my assignments for my gaming studies summer class.

#I’m not sure how productive I really am but i get something done in that hour #cause I pretty much don’t do any uni work when I come back from work #petraphotographs #petrareads #booklr #studyblr #books #reading #uni #university #game studies #media studies

[wind-on-the-panes]

I just read a fragment from a prestigious game scholarthat called games "a wild coveted beast" that is being "domesticated" by gamification

Like I know its from 2011, another world and all but

I wonder if we ever lived in the same world at all lmao

#grad wchool woes #game studies

[shaonicwhite]

from frank lantz's the beauty of games

#ttrpg #game studies #shaoniposting #academia

[sp-epari-digitalmedia]

The Boy's Journal: Intertextuality as a Marketing Tactic

BLOG 3: SOURCES: INTERTEXTUALITY IN MEDIA

I've always had an inclination towards discovering Easter eggs in the games I play, often devoting extra time to find those little treasures. Most games introduce them gradually, but God of War Ragnarök did something completely different, and I was really impressed.

Kvasir's Poems, a collectible item that serves as a direct invitation to the gameplay's Easter egg universe. In contrast to other games, God of War Ragnarök reveals all of its secrets to you up front. I was captivated by this novel approach and couldn't help but gather and delve into the intriguing backstories of Kvasir's poetry.

About Kvasir's Poems (From God of War Ragnarök)

The mythological character Kvasir, who was created when the gods Vanir and Aesir united through divine spit, represents harmony between these heavenly groups. Born of Norse mythology, this figure became a poet beloved in all worlds and, in the end, became known as the God of Knowledge.

Kvasir is not a character that you meet directly in God of War Ragnarök, but he is mentioned frequently and is described as a highly intelligent person whose knowledge transcends the known worlds. In the player's journal, his poems are arranged neatly like priceless collectibles.

The creative way that each poem is incorporated as an Easter egg gives this story a brilliant touch. Not only do these verses improve the in-game experience, but they also subtly hint at the catalog of Sony PlayStation games. The strategic promotion at work is even more clever. Given that God of War was named Game of the Year in 2018 and enjoyed great success, the sequel serves as a dynamic platform for the promotion of other games. It's a mutually beneficial partnership: God of War Ragnarök's artistic merits gently promote Sony PlayStation's stellar lineup while providing players with an immersive experience.

Academic Framework

The term intertextuality is defined by Julia Kristeva as the transposition of one (or several) sign system(s) into another. Kristeva urges a departure from the 'banal sense of "the study of sources."' (Kristeva and Moi, 1986)

For instance:

Parody

Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs & Reference

Kvasir's First Poem

Title: The Sunrise of Nothingness

Reference: Horizon, Zero Dawn

Justification: The verse has the mention of creatures of metal and also the warrior's hair being red as blood. The verse also mentions the warrior's questionable origin and is clearly referring to the character of Aloy.

Kvasir's Second Poem

Title: Large Society Ground Orb: The Performance

Reference: Major League Baseball: The Show Series

Justification: The verse exaggerates the game of baseball as a war. The branch in the hand is synonymous to bat. It also mentions running and then stopping which is basically the rule of baseball. Additionally, it also talks about 9 nights and 9 Days which is synonymous to the innings in the game. Moreover, the picture beside the text resonates a baseball.

Kvasir's Third Poem

Title: We Who Remain: Part the Second

Reference: Last of Us II

Justification: The verse subtly embraces the emotional side while focusing on the key themes of cyclical revenge, destruction, and loss. Joel is referred as the bearded, cruel father and Ellie is referred as the surrogate daughter. There is also a reflection of Cordyceps virus and the moth on the cover holds a deep depiction.

Kvasir's Forth Poem

Title: Tool and Bang

Reference: Rachet and Clank

Justification: This verse brings out the friendships that are formed because of the need of the hour. Here, steel and fur are referred to as the eponymous heroes from Ratchet and Clank. There is clever correlation of how Ratchet carried his robotic buddy with him throughout the series with the lines of the poem.

Kvasir's Fifth Poem

Title: Afterlife Abandonment

Reference: Death Stranding

Justification: Hideo Kojima’s divisive titles are often considered to be complex and bizarre, but this poem brings along a humorous nod to its introduction. A map of America is on the cover, highlighting the connections between colonies that these task players need to build up.

Kvasir's Sixth Poem

Title: Visions After Rest

Reference: Dreams

Justification: The title ‘Vision after Rest’ quite literally means Dreams which refers to a lesser-known game, Dreams. There is a controllable imp as the cover highlight. There is a lot of creative liberty that the players are given to design and remix worlds and characters as the poem lines also mean that the limit is our own imagination.

Kvasir's Seventh Poem

Title: Spirits Within Walls

Reference: Concrete Genie

Justification: By mentioning ‘a gentle boy and his brush’, the poem makes direct comparison to the game of Concrete Genie which is based on the imaginative graffiti-based game. It pays importance to the overarching gameplay and that takes the story forward and pushes Ash to save his hometown by bringing the art to life.

Kvasir's Eighth Poem

Title: Celestial Construct

Reference: Astrobot

Justification: The cover of this poem directly depicts the Astro bot, making it one of the easiest poem puzzles. It is instantly recognized by PS5 players because Astro Playroom comes as ready to play. However, the words have been specifically inspired from the Astro Bot Rescue Mission.

Kvasir's Ninth Poem

Title: Upon Pursuing a Place Not Marked on Maps

Reference: Uncharted

Justification: This poem is a direct reference from the Uncharted, highlighting the franchise’s key hunting premise and adds humor to Nathan Drake’s tendency to destroy things. The lines ‘strengthen your fingers’ refer to the climbing sections. There is an inclusion of the phrase ‘from small beginnings’ which is also a part of the Latin inscription of Nathan Drake’s famous ring, thus leaving the fans amused.

Kvasir's Tenth Poem

Title: Trip

Reference: Uncharted

Justification: With strong reference to the Indie Gem Journey, this poem’s cover also showcases a musical chime which signifies the only mode of communication for the players. There is a strange sense of solidary and companionship that the game manages to bring out.

Kvasir's Eleventh Poem

Title: Eastern Specter

Reference: Ghost of Tsushima

Justification: The verse is a Haiku which is written by the protagonist through the game of Ghost of Tsushima. There are elements like standoff and wind which are the primary nuance of the game. The image tagged along is a half-mask which is the iconic symbol of the game.

Kvasir's Twelfth Poem

Title: An organization: In the Future

Reference: The Order 1886

Justification: The verse clearly points towards the clash between Halfbreeds and the knights which is the entire theme of the game, 'The Order 1886'.

Kvasir's Thirteenth Poem

Title: Sanguinity

Reference: Bloodborne

Justification: The mention of city being a prison is a direct reference to the city of Yharnam. The first line Kill, and die is referring to the tough gameplay of the game too,

Kvasir's Fourteenth Poem

Title: The Dead Do Not Ride

Reference: Days Gone

Justification: Horses of steel is a clear indication of the bikes. The mention of Brothers is also indicating towards this game as it is a major nuance of the game. Moreover, the cover image is the symbol of the protagonist's motorcycle club too.

Conclusion

The study of God of War Ragnarök's worlds via the prism of Julia Kristeva's intertextuality has revealed a complex narrative terrain. The skillful integration of diverse sign systems in the game, which avoids a traditional source analysis, indicates a deliberate involvement with narrative. With its thoughtful intertextual strategy and captivating verses from Kvasir's Poem, God of War Ragnarök invites players to explore deeper levels of meaning, turning gameplay into an educational adventure. This narrative skill highlights the significant influence of academic frameworks in the dynamic realm of gaming while also enhancing gameplay and subtly hinting at broader cultural elements. As we come to an end, it's clear that the game's deft use of intertextuality is evidence of the potential for intellectual depth and artistic expression within the gaming realm.

Reference

Kristeva, J. and Moi, T. (1986) The Kristeva reader. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA00525868.

IGN (2023) God of War: Ragnarok - 12 important easter eggs and references. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfN-CXjvbz8.

#game art #video games #game #gaming #game design #game theory #videogame #gamers #ps4 #god of war #kratos #easter egg #intertextuality #god of war ragnarok #game studies

[nicholasandriani]

Mastering Isometric & Isomorphic Game Design: A Quickstart Guide to Unlocking 3D Potential in 2D Worlds

We say that: “oh I love that Baldur Gate, let’s crack out an isometric.” Or, “oh, digging this Final Fantasy Tactics stuff, let’s do that sideways angle thing.” But what does that mean? Let’s break it down mathematical. T:(X,∥⋅∥X)→(Y,∥⋅∥Y) is a isometric isomorphism if it is a linear isomorphism, and it is an isometry, that is ∥T(x)∥Y=∥x∥X∀x∈X; T:(X,∥⋅∥X)→(Y,∥⋅∥Y) is a topological…

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#2D Game Development #3D Game Aesthetics #Bijective Transformations #Game Design Innovation #game design lessons #Game Design Principles #Game Design Strategies #Game Design Tutorials #game designer #Game Development Blog #Game Development Techniques #Game Environment Design #Game Graphics Design #Game Mechanics #game studies #Game World Consistency #game writer #game writing #indie game dev #Isometric Art Style #Isometric Game Community #Isometric Game Design #Isometric Game Engines #Isometric Game Tutorials #Isometric Graphics #Isometric Indie Games #Isometric View #Isometric vs. Isomorphic #Isometry in Games #Isomorphic Maps

[greenhouseaffect]

Drifting a bit from my usual here, but I wrote a piece about how tabletop roleplaying games depict nature (and how D&D does a really bad job of it, from an environmentalist perspective) which maybe some people here might like

#environmentalism #climate change #D&D #dungeons and dragons #tabletop RPGs #roleplaying games #game studies #nature

[bangerpronouns]

my professor at the start of our 4 hour class: it’s useless and impossible to try and strictly define what a game is. i made you take a class on trying to do that, discussing the rigid boundaries of the definition of abstract things takes forever and isn’t worth it.

my professor 3.5 hours into said class: what are game studies?

#thanks jim #grad classes are crazy #especially when you’re undergrad #thank god my next project is weed pen controller #game studies

[moontheoretist]

Tweet by @thegamerwebsite: "As games become more realistic, our beauty standards can broaden to include characters like Dame Aylin"

Tweet by @BestBoyBosco: "Not if you want normal males to buy your stuff. Games are, typically, aspirational products. That is, players get to do or see something they normally don't. Games are an escape. Only the uncreative and those with an axe to grind advocate for escapes to reflect reality".

Those two tweets are proof that men are not okay and have no taste.

Spoiler, a rage rant of offended media scholar incoming.

Exactly as Anthony said. HOW can anybody think that Dame Aylin is ANYTHING BUT A TOP TIER WOMAN?! ARE YOU ALL DAFT!? Are they all just nuts? AYLIN IS A FUKING MODEL! SHE IS A BEAUTY STANDARD ALREADY! SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BE ADDED THERE BECAUSE SHE SETS THE FUCKING STANDARD! Normal males? YOU MEAN DUDEBRO IDIOTS?! Those are not normal men. Those are just men who never saw a normal woman in their whole fucking life close enough to notice she is not made of plastic. And I also have a bone to pick with "games are aspirational". Games like what? Tetris? It's also a game. It's a video game that has no models (not counting the colored blocks you are stacking upon each other). Hell, there are game studies scholars who insisted that game models or narrative have no impact on how you perceive the video game because video games are about mechanics only (i.e. Aarseth and his babling about how playing a dot doesn't differ from playing an avatar looking like a human which is BS of epic proportions, but I will not shit on him here, I already did that at uni when we talked about his ideas and how wild they all are to reject the narrative and design layers of video games). Games show gamers something they normally don't do or see? Hah! Bold of you to assume you can just say something like this without excluding so many games that you would get a whiplash from the number alone. Only uncreative advocate for "escapes" to reflect reality? Oh, yeah, sure. Those very well known escapes like CALL OF DUTY WHERE YOU GO TO WAR. Yeah, definitely super escapist from real life, for sure. Especially now.

I got so angry I nearly blew a fuse here. Anyway, I don't trust any man who says Dame Aylin is unattractive... and I don't trust any man who says that games exist only for escapism, when games have so many other uses like exploring mental illness or gender, making art etc.

Only dudebro men who feel like their "sacred place" of video games is threatened by women, people of color and queer people, talk shit like this because to them games are escapism from real life stuff simply because they're too short-sighted to see that all their fav games are political or talk about topics they despise in real life to the point they don't even notice video games critiquing things they love in real life.

Source: Here you can watch Anthony's video!

#dame aylin #game studies #fandom critical #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #I didn't make masters and wrote my master thesis about games #so some dudebro idiots would put shit like this online #I feel personally responsible to end their idiocy now #i will fucking show you unatrractive you assholes #rant

[golmac]

I'm still working my way to an argument for reading the Zork and Enchanter trilogies as a single, standalone text. This time, I consider the ways that Zork I establishes that narrative.

#interactive fiction #parser #retro gaming #new media #game studies #zork

[gerrycanavan]

Revised Game Studies Syllabus for Spring 2023 ("Oops, All Disco Elysium")!

Revised Game Studies Syllabus for Spring 2023 (“Oops, All Disco Elysium”)!

With my new role as chair, I’ve only got one class this term, but it’s a good one: a upper-division version of my Game Studies class, with this term’s special Disco Elysium focus. Here’s the week by week: DAYDATE ASSIGNMENTWJan 18STARTFIRST DAY OF CLASSFJan 20NARRATIVEGame: The Stanley ParableCorey Mohler, Existential Comics: “Candyland and the Nature of the Absurd”Interview with Davey Wreden,…

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#Disco Elysium #game studies #games #Marquette #my scholarly empire

[horrorcheck]

My very favorite podcast right now is Game Studies Study Buddies. It's a podcast where the hosts read books from the academic field of game studies and discuss what they read, and even though I don't play games that much anymore I still find it fascinating. The books often touch on many topics outside of games, and once in a while the books they discuss will seem on the surface to have little to do with games (or video/computer games, which is what I tend to think of when I think of games).

Two of my favorite episodes are about gambling - Rebecca Cassidy’s Vicious Games: Capitalism and Gambling and Natasha Dow Schüll’s Addiction By Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas. My state of West Virginia has a whole industry around video gambling "hot spots" and this helped me understand what that type of gambling is doing. They've also discussed books about cricket and rhyming games and those subjects are treated with at least as much gravity as any artsy indie game.

There's even an episode that touches on the Kisekae Set System, the episode about Anne-Marie Schleiner’s The Player’s Power To Change the Game – Ludic Mutation.

My very very favorite episode, though, is on Jacques Ranciere’s The Ignorant Schoolmaster because it's all about how people learn and teach themselves things and the role of the teacher in that process.

I've learned so much and found so many wonderful books through this podcast. I don't have an academic background - I'm a community college drop-out - but still found the discussions both accessible and yet meaty enough to give me the good brain tingles. Highly recommend it.

#podcasts #recommendations #game studies

[tombraiderhorizons]

Let this curated collection of Tomb Raider research papers and articles serve as a launchpad for your own research!

Click here to access the archive!

#tomb raider #lara croft #archaeology #archaeogaming #womens studies #gender studies #game studies #popular culture #archaeologists

[raphkoster]

GDC talk: Revisiting Fun

My GDC 2024 talk Revisiting Fun: 20 Years of a Theory of Fun is now posted here. Once again, I had a lot of fun drawing cartoon heads of lots of people who feature in the talk. The talk really is a direct sequel to the one from a decade ago, Ten Years Later. Unlike last time, there is no updated edition just yet, though I was asked by lots of people if there was! Continue reading GDC talk:…

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#fun #game studies #gdc #theory of fun