New issue of Game Studies, Volume 11 issue 2, May 2011. This time with plenty of book reviews.
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by Phillip D. Deen
Pragmatist philosophy of art provides an account of aesthetic experience particularly suited to the transactive and immersive qualities of video games and superior to spectatorial and institutional alternatives. It also distinguishes between mere emotion and artistic expression, providing a response to those who assert games cannot be aesthetic.
Bishojo Games: ‘Techno-Intimacy’ and the Virtually Human in Japanby Patrick W. Galbraith
This paper offers an in-depth analysis of bishojo games. Observing that interactions with shojo characters are central to the play experience, and building on Thomas LaMarre’s discussion of a free or open relation to technology grounded by the shojo as “god,” the paper considers what it means for players to interact intimately with gaming machines.
The Leisure of Serious Games: A Dialogueby Geoffrey M. Rockwell, Kevin Kee
In this dialogue, performed at a conference, the presenters test the claim that “games can be educational”. They draw on the insights of philosophers and theorists in an attempt to provoke discussion, and eventually agree that the line separating games and learning may be blurry, and that in game design we may find the seeds of serious play.
Subjective Measures of the Influence of Music Customization on the Video Game Play Experience: A Pilot Studyby Alexander Wharton, Karen Collins
The Xbox 360 introduced the ability for players to substitute a personal music playlist into any game produced for the console. We carried out a smalls study to explore the influence that a player’s selection of music has on both gameplay tactics and on their reported perceived levels of immersion.
Book Reviews
What is love?by Olli Leino
Gaming – Essays on Algorithmic Culture. Alexander R. Galloway, 2006. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-8166-4851-1
Tensions Between Meaning Construction and Persuasion in Gamesby Jan H.G. Klabbers
Persuasive Games. The expressive power of video games. Ian Bogost, 2007. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Pp. xii+450. ISBN-13: 978- 0-262-02614-7 (hardcover)
Congenial by Design: A Review of A Casual Revolutionby Stewart Woods
A Casual Revolution: Reinventing Video Games and Their Players. Jesper Juul, 2009. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-262- 01337-6
Not a Casual Review: Reading Jesper Juul’s A Casual Revolutionby Staffan Björk
A Casual Revolution: Reinventing Video Games and Their Players. Jesper Juul, 2009. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-262- 01337-6
Reading Processes: Groundwork for Software Studiesby Raine Koskima
Expressive Processing: Digital Fictions, Computer Games and Software Studies. Noah Wardrip-Fruin, 2009. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-262-01343-7
Critical Theory, Political Economy and Game Studies: A Review of “Games of Empire: Global Capitalism and Video Games”by Bart Simon
Games of Empire: Global Capitalism and Video Games. Nick Dyer-Witherford and Greig de Peuter, 2009. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN: 978-08166-6611-9
Hackers, History, and Game Design: What Racing the Beam Is Notby José P. Zagal
Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System. Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost, 2009. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN-13: 978- 0-262-01257-7
Book Review. Racing the Beamby Lars Konzack
Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System. Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost, 2009. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-262-01257-7
Jesper, thank you very much for the hint to the dialogue “Leisure in serious games”. The article treats a lot of interesting questions and gives an overview of the different points of view and the different backgrounds. For me the article was very inspiring as it let loose some new thoughts, and a clearer view upon others.