Rules versus immersion: engagement in game’s narrative and engagement in formal system of the game
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.02.03Keywords:
rules in video games, immersion, engagement, MDAAbstract
Rules and narratives in video games had a complicated relationship for many years. In game studies this conflict became evident in ludology versus narratology debate, in video game culture critics and players talk about ludo-narrative dissonance. Both of those phenomena express the popular belief that rules and story in videogames oppose each other, that strategic or tactical engagement and narrative immersion cannot coexist in one game. The following article confronts the problem of, supposedly, opposing types of engagement. To understand different aspects of engagement several concepts of immersion are recalled, beginning with those rooted in literary studies by Janet H. Murray, Marie-Laure Ryan and Katarzyna Prajzner, through game specific concept of Laura Ermi and Frans Mäyrä to post-immersion concepts of Gordon Calleja. In the next section of the paper two analyses of specific types of engagement are presented: game formal system engagement in Angry Birds [Rovio Entertainment, 2009] and narrative immersion in The Walking Dead series [Telltale Games, 2012]. The article concludes with a list of mechanical features of a video game that facilitates either engagement in formal system of the game or game’s narrative.
References
Adams, Ernest. 2004. The Designer’s Notebook: Postmodernism and 3 Types of Immersion, Gamasutra, http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130531/the_designers_notebook_.php.
Calleja, Gordon. 2007. Revising Immersion: A Conceptual Model for the Analysis of Digital Game Involvement. Proceedings of the 2007 DiGRA International Conference: Situated Play.
Calleja, Gordon. 2011. In-game from immersion to incorporation. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8429.001.0001
Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály, 2005, Przepływ: jak poprawić jakość życia: psychologia optymalnego doświadczenia, Taszów: Biblioteka Moderatora.
Ermi, Laura, Frans, Mäyrä. 2010. Fundamental components of the gameplay experience: analysing immersion. w: Suzanne de Castell and Jennifer Jenson (red.), Proceedings of Chancing Views – Worlds in Play. Digital Games Research Association’s Second International Conference. Vancouver: DiGRA and Simon Fraser University.
Francis, Tom. 2012, Mass Effect 3 Narrative Mode and Action Mode Explained, PC Gamer, http://www.pcgamer.com/mass-effect-3-narrative-mode-and-action-mode-explained/.
Galloway, Alexander R. 2006, Gaming, Essays on Algorithmic Culture, Minneapolis: Minneapolis University Press.
Grabarczyk, Paweł. 2015, O opozycji hardcore/casual, „Homo Ludens” 1(7), [w druku].
Hunicke, Robin, LeBlanc, Mark, Zubek, Robert. 2004, MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research, http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/ MDA.pdf.
Juul, Jesper. 2005, Half-Real – Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds, Cambridge: MIT Press.
Koster, Raph. 2005. A Theory Of Fun In Game Design. Scottsdale: Paraglyph Press.
Murray, Janet. 1998, Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace, Cambridge: MIT Press.
Murray, Janet. 2010, Od gry-opowiadania do cyberdramy, przeł. M. Filiciak, w: Filiciak Mirosław (red.) Światy z pikseli. Antologia studiów nad grami komputerowymi, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo SWPS Academica.
Prajzner, Katarzyna. 2009. Tekst jako świat i gra: modele narracyjności w kulturze współczesnej. Łódź: Wyd. Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Ryan, Marie-Laure. 2001. Narrative as virtual reality immersion and interactivity in literature and electronic media. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Bethesda Game Studios, 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [PC] USA, Bethesda Softworks.
BioWare, 1998–2001, Baldur’s Gate [PC], USA, Black Isle Studios, Interplay.
BioWare, 2007–2012, Mass Effect [PC], USA, Microsoft Studios, Electronic Arts.
Blizzard Entertainment, 2004, World of Warcraft [PC] USA, Activision Blizzard
Blizzard Entertainment, 2011, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty [PC] USA, Blizzard Entertainment.
Crowther William and Woods Don, 1977, Collosal Cave Adventure [PDP-10] USA.
David Cage, Quantic Dream, 2005, Fahrenheit, [PC] PL, Atari.
Gearbox Software, 2009–2014, Borderlands [Xbox 360], USA, 2K Games.
Infinity Ward, 2003–2014, Call of Duty [PC], USA, Activision.
Lucasfilms Games, 1990, Secret of Monkey Island [PC], USA, Lucasfilms Games.
Midway Games, 1992–2011, Mortal Kombat [Arcade, PC, Xbox 360], USA, Acclaim Entertainment, GTInteractive.
Nicalis, 2014, Binding of Isaac: Rebirth [PC] USA, Nicalis.
Ragnar Tørnquist, Funcom, 1999 The Longest Journey: Najdłuższa podróż [PC] PL, CD Projekt.
Rocksteady Studios, 2009–2011, Batman Arkham [PC], USA Warner Bros Interactive, Eidos Interactive.
Rovio Entertainment, 2009, Angry Birds [iOS], USA, Chillingo.
Telltale Games, 2012–2014, The Walking Dead [PC], USA, Telltale Games.
Dave Arneson, Gary Gygax, 1974–2008, Dungeons and Dragons, USA, Tactical Studies Rules, Wizards of the Coast.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.
How to Cite
