Slashdot Mirror
Domain: gamestudies.org
Stories and comments across the archive that link to gamestudies.org.
Stories · 10
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Will Virtual Economies Affect Real-World Economics?
Thanks to Game Studies for their Edward Castronova-authored article discussing the economics of massively multiplayer games, which asks the question: "Will these economies grow in importance? Second, if they do grow, how will that affect real-world economies and governments?" It's suggested that "the mere fact that Earth economies may suffer as people spend more time in cyberspace does not imply that humanity is worse off", as "the basket of produced goods is simply changing." Finally, some of the unique economic facets to virtual worlds are pointed out: "Economics, on Earth, argues that no wise government will try to control prices. In an avatar economy, however, the government can effortlessly peg many prices at any value." -
Sim Sin City - Thoughts On Grand Theft Auto
Torill writes "Gonzalo Frasca has some thoughts on Grand Theft Auto in the new issue of Game Studies. He particularly notes: 'When designers create a simulation that encourages experimentation, they are taking a huge authorial risk: trusting their players'. He also weighs in on the controversy over GTA's content, arguing, devil's advocate style, that the Bible, Mein Kampf and Das Kapital have caused millions of deaths, while it is still hard to prove that computer games really have caused deaths at all: 'Do the math. There is actually proof that books are extremely dangerous. They should be considered weapons of mass destruction. If you are really concerned about media effects, forget videogames: you should start burning libraries right now'." Coincidentally, the name of the article ties in with the alleged name of the GTA sequel, again claimed to be 'Grand Theft Auto IV: Sin City', even after (coincidental?) April Fool's jokes and other confusion. -
Sim Sin City - Thoughts On Grand Theft Auto
Torill writes "Gonzalo Frasca has some thoughts on Grand Theft Auto in the new issue of Game Studies. He particularly notes: 'When designers create a simulation that encourages experimentation, they are taking a huge authorial risk: trusting their players'. He also weighs in on the controversy over GTA's content, arguing, devil's advocate style, that the Bible, Mein Kampf and Das Kapital have caused millions of deaths, while it is still hard to prove that computer games really have caused deaths at all: 'Do the math. There is actually proof that books are extremely dangerous. They should be considered weapons of mass destruction. If you are really concerned about media effects, forget videogames: you should start burning libraries right now'." Coincidentally, the name of the article ties in with the alleged name of the GTA sequel, again claimed to be 'Grand Theft Auto IV: Sin City', even after (coincidental?) April Fool's jokes and other confusion. -
Head Over Heels - Rife With Complex Symbolism?
Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a Gamestudies.org research paper claiming to chart 'interactivity and signification' in classic '80s videogame Head Over Heels. This academic paper notes the presence of a Prince Charles sprite in the classic puzzle/platformer, explaining: "There are puzzles where Head or Heels move a chess piece suspiciously similar to the crown prince of England. On the first semantic level of the game this act is metonymically self-reflexive, referring to the act of playing the game... on the second semantic level, the puzzle metaphorically refers to the way in which Charles has been manipulated to marry Diana." It concludes, marvellously, in finding "...an allegorical reading of the game in terms of love and marriage which for a contemporary English audience may have carried references to the failed marriage between Charles and Diana." -
New Issue Of Game Studies Journal Debuts
gurb writes "There's a brand new issue out of Game Studies, a journal dedicated to games research. In this fourth installment of the journal most of the articles are from the "Playing with the Future: Development and Directions in Computer Gaming" conference in Manchester (UK) last year. However, also included is an interview with Tim 'Grim Fandago' Schafer by Celia Pearce." -
New Issue Of Game Studies Journal Debuts
gurb writes "There's a brand new issue out of Game Studies, a journal dedicated to games research. In this fourth installment of the journal most of the articles are from the "Playing with the Future: Development and Directions in Computer Gaming" conference in Manchester (UK) last year. However, also included is an interview with Tim 'Grim Fandago' Schafer by Celia Pearce." -
New Issue Of Game Studies Journal Debuts
gurb writes "There's a brand new issue out of Game Studies, a journal dedicated to games research. In this fourth installment of the journal most of the articles are from the "Playing with the Future: Development and Directions in Computer Gaming" conference in Manchester (UK) last year. However, also included is an interview with Tim 'Grim Fandago' Schafer by Celia Pearce." -
Will Wright on Game Design
Torill writes "Celia Pearce interviews Will Wright in the article "Sims, Battle Bots, Cellular Automata Gods and Go", in Game Studies, volume 2. Wright talks about the philosophy behind his games, one of which is The Sims: 'What are you trying to do with this thing that you're creating? To really put the player in the design role. And the actual world is reactive to their design.'" -
Will Wright on Game Design
Torill writes "Celia Pearce interviews Will Wright in the article "Sims, Battle Bots, Cellular Automata Gods and Go", in Game Studies, volume 2. Wright talks about the philosophy behind his games, one of which is The Sims: 'What are you trying to do with this thing that you're creating? To really put the player in the design role. And the actual world is reactive to their design.'" -
Academic Journal on Computer Games
Espen Aarseth writes: "The world's first academic journal on computer games, Game Studies, is now online. With several international conferences and a peer-review journal, 2001 is the year that the academic world finally takes computer and video games seriously."