Video Game Navigation: A Classification System for Navigational Acts

Autor

  • Michael S. Debus IT University of Copenhagen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.03.02

Słowa kluczowe:

videogame space, videogame time, game ontology, navigation, typology

Abstrakt

Navigation in video games has been a vastly neglected topic in game studies. In this paper a classification system for navigational acts has been developed through theoretical work as well as the analysis of multiple games. The result is an exclusive five-step classification system. Moreover, the development showed that navigational acts are highly dependent on the environment in which they occur. The system is a first step towards a deeper understanding of how the player navigates the gameworld, instead of what she navigates.

Biogram autora

  • Michael S. Debus - IT University of Copenhagen

    Michael S. Debus is a PhD Fellow in the ERC Advanced Grant funded MSG – Making Sense of Games project at the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He holds an M.Sc. in Game Analysis from the same institution and a B.A. in Media Studies from the University of Siegen, Germany.

Bibliografia

Aarseth, E. (1997). Cybertext: Perspectives on ergodic literature. Baltimore: JHU Press.

Aarseth, E., Smedstad, S. M., & Sunnana, L. (2003). “A multi-dimensional typology of games”. In M. Copier & J. Raessens (eds.), Level Up: Digital Games Research Conference Proceedings. Utrecht, the Netherlands: Universteit Utrecht.

Aarseth, E. (2014). “Ontology”. In Wolf M. J. P., Perron, B. (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Video game studies, 484–492. New York: Routledge.

Bordwell, D., & Thompson, K. (2008). Film Art. An Introduction. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Caillois, R. (1961). Man, play, and games. Champaign: University of Illinois Press.

Calleja, G. (2009). “Experiential narrative in game environments”. In Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory. Proceedings of DiGRA 2009.

Chesher, C. (2012). Navigating sociotechnical spaces: Comparing computer games and sat navs as digital spatial media. Convergence, 18(3), 315–330. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856512442762

Deleuze, G., Guattari, F., & Massumi, B. (trans.) (1987). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Driel, L. Van, & Bidarra, R. (2009). A semantic navigation model for video games. In International Workshop on Motion in Games (pp. 146–157). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10347-6_14

Elverdam, C., & Aarseth, E. (2007). “Game Classification and Game Design Construction Through Critical Analysis”. In Games and Culture, 2(1), 3–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412006286892

Eskelinen, M. (2001). The gaming situation. In Game studies, 1(1), 68.

Flynn, B. (2003). Languages of navigation within computer games. In Proceedings of MelbourneDAC, the 5th International Digital Arts and Culture Conference, 5–9.

Flynn, B. (2008). “The Navigator’s Experience: An Examination of the Spatial in Computer Games”. In Swalwell, M. and Wilson, J. (eds.) The Pleasures of Computer Gaming: Essays on Cultural History, Theory and Aesthetics, 119–143. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Gazzard, A. (2009a). Paths, players, places: Towards an understanding of mazes and spaces in videogames (Doctoral dissertation, University of Hertfordshire).

Gazzard, A. (2009b). “Teleporters, tunnels & time: Understanding warp devices in videogames”, paper presented to the conference Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory. Proceedings of DiGRA 2009.

Günzel, S. (2010). “The Space-Image”. In Interactivity and Spatiality of Computer Games. Conference Proceedings of the Philosophy of Computer Games.

Nitsche, M. (2007). “Mapping time in video games”. In Situated Play, Proceedings of DiGRA2007 Conference, 145–151.

Nitsche, M. (2008). Video game spaces: image, play, and structure in 3D game worlds. Cambridge: MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9780262141017.001.0001

Tychsen, A., & Hitchens, M. (2009). “Game Time Modeling and Analyzing Time in Multiplayer and Massively Multiplayer Games”. In Games and Culture, 4(2), 170–201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412008325479

Zagal, J. P., & Mateas, M. (2007). “Temporal frames: a unifying framework for the analysis of game temporality”. In Situated Play, Proceedings of DiGRA 2007 Conference, 516–522.

Arrowhead Game Studios (2011). Magicka [PC]. Paradox Interactive.

Blizzard Entertainment (2012). Diablo 3 [PC]. Blizzard Entertainment: played June 2015.

Blizzard Entertainment (2015). Heroes of the Storm [PC]. Blizzard Entertainment: played June 2015.

Codemasters (2009). Colin McRae: Dirt 2 [PC]. Codemasters.

Croteam (2014). The Talos Principle [PC]. Devolver Digital.

Cyan (1993). Myst [Mac OS]. Broderbund.

Dimps (2015). Dragon Ball XenoVerse [PC]. Bandai Namco Games.

HAL Laboratory (1999). Super Smash Bros. [Nintendo 64]. Nintendo.

Irrational Games (2013). BioShock Infinite [PC]. 2k Games.

Magie, Elisabeth (1935 [1903]). Monopoly [Board Game]. Parker Brothers, Hasbro.

Nintendo R&D4 (1985). Super Mario Bros. [NES]. Nintendo.

Nintendo EAD (1998). The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time [Nintendo 64]. Nintendo.

Runic Games (2012). Torchlight II [PC]. Runic Games.

Triumph Studios, Epic MegaGames (2000). Age of Wonders. Gathering of Developers.

Valve (1998). Half Life [PC]. Valve Corporation.

Valve Corporation (2000). Counter-Strike [PC]. Valve Corporation.

Valve Corporation (2011). Portal 2 [PC]. Valve Corporation.

Opublikowane

2017-08-22

Numer

Dział

Articles

Jak cytować

Debus, Michael S. 2017. “Video Game Navigation: A Classification System for Navigational Acts”. Replay. The Polish Journal of Game Studies 3 (1): 29-46. https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.03.02.