Opportunities for Fiction and Fantasy in Videogames
Transcript of Opportunities for Fiction and Fantasy in Videogames
Rui Prada
Image by Mikko Kinnunen
¡ An artifact that promotes an activity § To play
¡ Is interactive § Players are proactive § Flow of events in the game relates to players actions
¡ Has constraints § Rules § Boundaries
¡ Separates the game world from the real world
¡ Supports the creation of fiction
¡ The fiction supports the attribution of meaning to the players’ actions § Consists of a framework for interpretation § Translates real world actions into game world (fictional) actions / consequences
§ Transforms the player (in the real world) ▪ Emotional impact ▪ Conveys a message
¡ Players pursuit goals
¡ Players make meaningful choices § To achieve the goals
¡ Players care for the results § They want to win
¡ The game is a conceptual artifact in the mind of the player § Supported by physical and digital assets
¡ Any activity can be turned into a game § If the player defines goals within the Magic Circle
¡ A conceptual artifact that § Defines constraints and choices ▪ What can be done
§ Supports the definition of goals ▪ What should be achieved
§ Supports the evaluation of states ▪ What is preferable
§ Supports the definition of the Magic Circle ▪ Detachment from the real world
¡ Science Fiction and Fantasy are often adopted in the fiction of videogames § Players live in worlds with magic and dragons § Learn and cast spells § Explore and discover the universe § Build spaceships § Discover new technology § Meet/fight aliens and mythical creatures
¡ If the Magic Circle fades… …the game is about real life
¡ The game is a means for the player to live an experience § Impersonate a character § To live a dream
¡ The experience is § Doing § Feeling § Remembering
¡ Provides satisfaction of needs § Achievement. Achieve milestones, finish tasks. § Power. Have an impact on the world, improve skill.
§ Affiliation. Maintain positive interactions with others.
§ Avoidance. Self-‐preservation, seeking certainty.
¡ Balance Novelty and Control
¡ Has emotional impact § Internal sensations linked to assessment of situations
§ People have needs of emotional regulation (to relax or get excited)
§ Regulate engagement (attention and motivation)
a. b. c.
d. e. f.
Anger& Fear& Disgust&
Surprise& Happiness& Sadness&
¡ Supports learning
¡ The experience is ruined if § There is nothing to learn § It is impossible to learn (noise, sensory overload) § There is no interest in the things learnt (are not applied in the game)
¡ Balance guidance and self-‐exploration
¡ Provides pleasure § Sensation: game as sensory pleasure § Fantasy: game as make believe § Narrative: game as drama § Challenge: game as obstacle course § Fellowship: game as social framework § Discovery: game as uncharted territory § Expression: game as self-‐discovery § Submission: game as pastime
¡ The experience changes over time § The player changes
¡ Need to maintain the engagement § Attention / concentration § Motivation / interest
¡ Playing is a voluntary activity
Skill
Challeng
e
The Flow channel
Tension point
¡ A game is a communication artifact § Theme / subject ▪ ex: Football
§ Message / perspective ▪ Ex: the perspective of a football player ▪ Ex: teamwork is important
¡ The goal of the game is to provide the means for the experience
¡ Narrative is part of the progression of the experience
¡ A game can be a good way to convey a story § The player must make an effort to advance in the story ▪ The player needs the feeling of agency
§ This enhances the feeling of participation
“I want to tell my story…
…but I want players to feel in control and live their own story!”
¡ Games and Interactive Storytelling
The Sims 3
¡ The game world is often populated with characters § Player characters § Non-‐player characters ▪ Scripted ▪ Autonomous
¡ Challenge and opportunity for Artificial Intelligence
¡ Characters are part of the fiction § Create the social dimension of the game world § Support the progression of the experience ▪ Narrative
¡ Need autonomy to support the players’ agency
¡ The autonomous synthetic characters must be believable § To present a good experience § To avoid breaking the fiction
¡ Believability § Coherent behaviour § Meet the expectations of players ▪ Present surprises in a believable way
¡ “The Illusion of Life”
¡ “Leading the audience to a suspension of disbelief”
¡ Is a balance of the qualities of the character § With the context
¡ Visual Qualities
¡ Behaviour Qualities
¡ People assign “human-‐like” characteristics to synthetic characters
¡ “Human-‐like” characters must present human qualities § Intentionality § Emotional behaviour § Personality § Ability to adapt to the social context § Engage in long term relations
¡ Believable group dynamics ¡ Personality
§ Five Factor Model: OCEAN ¡ Position in the group ¡ Balanced dynamics of attraction
¡ Potential force towards change § beliefs, behaviour
¡ Influence and resistance ¡ Different sources
§ Reward § Coercion § Legitimate § Referent § Expert
¡ Identity Model § Layered: personal, social (group memberships) § Dynamic: salience = accessibility x fit ▪ Others (out-‐group), theme
¡ Influence on behaviour § Moral references § Intergroup relationships § Filter perception and atributions ▪ Emotional appraisal
§ Bias on decision making ▪ Social dilemmas: prisoner’s dilemma
¡ Social Interaction Dynamics § Social Importance ▪ Claim ▪ Confer
¡ Cultural traits § Individualism/collectivism § Power distance § Uncertainty avoidance § Masculinity/femininity § Long term/short term orientation § Indulgence/restraint
¡ Physical embodiment and face to face interaction
¡ Verbal and non-‐verbal behaviour § Gaze, attention
¡ Emotional Appraisal § Luck, social relations, state of the game
¡ Recognizes and remembers players and past experiences
¡ Plays different social roles § Helper, dominator
¡ Videogames are part of our culture § MoMA acquired 14 videogames for their collection
¡ Videogames support (and rely on) the creation of fiction
¡ Synthetic characters are often part of the experience § Should be autonomous to support the agency of the player
¡ Autonomous characters must be believable § Show human-‐like (balanced) qualities
http://gaips.inesc-‐id.pt/rprada http://spcvideojogos.org http://ajist.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/