Seminar Task 1

James Newman, ‘The Myth of the Ergodic Videogame: Some thoughts on player-character relationships in videogames,’Game Studies 2:1 (2002) [Full Article: http://www.gamestudies.org/ 0102/newman/]

1.What does the author think that games are for, or how they should function?

2.Why do you think they claim this?

3.Who might think differently and why?

4.How persuasive do you find the author’s argument?

What does the author think that games are for, or how they should function?

I believe he thinks that games should not be played just by the games visuals aspects but more on the game play of the game itself. I find he cares more for the features of the world within the game, the impression of the game world is more important than what the world should look like. The function of the game should focus more on the game story than the focus of the play within the game.

Why do they claim this?

I think he feels that the story and its characters that exist within the game is what’s important and that is what pulls the player into the feel of the game and it’s game play, this leads to a game leading less on visuals, this makes it more important than that.

Who might think differently and why?

I think people who play games such as war themed games, games without much story aspect and younger gamers and people who have only just started to play newer titles do focus more on a games visual such as its CGI etc.… because this is what the games industry do tend to give the players nowadays. I believe it is built into the player to expect this in every game that they may play, that it should be very much visualized. 

How persuasive do you find the author’s argument?

I personally do not think the author’s argument is persuasive because I find that it takes away the meaning of a game visuals as something as less important, to me a game is important in all its elements, as a game is art, story and all. Also if he seems to think a game visuals are not important then to me it seems that he is saying an artist job in the industry is not needed, pointless.