SHAUN – Weekly Writing for Rhetoric of Gaming F2017

Project 2

SHAUN — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 04:58:32 +0000

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HdYhe_lMP4rIZ_gp0i5GXQ_DBU6fgvG8IM84cqMQCYY/edit?usp=sharing

Games, Play and Philosophy

SHAUN — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 05:09:34 +0000

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HdYhe_lMP4rIZ_gp0i5GXQ_DBU6fgvG8IM84cqMQCYY/edit?usp=sharing

everything about this is tentative, much is contained in a separate word file. but this is the project as it develops

Playpen

SHAUN — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 04:15:51 +0000

http://playpen.farbs.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

Playpen is an experimental “game” created by Farbs, in which each screen is an interactive landscape in which players can click to access another screen. However, each screen is user generated, and players create the links between worlds. Naturally, much of the game continues infantile humor and homages or parodies of other video games.

The game’s title Playpen may possible allude to a few key concepts of this game. The game is interactive, but each player only has the creation tools and their own imaginations to create worlds, similar to children playing pretend. Also, the graphics are purposefully crude, the game is on a grid in which players fill in the boxes in order to create low resolution images. Finally, the concept of a playpen invokes the idea of children in an arena from which they cannot interact outside of and are forced to interact with the members of their little world.

Rhetorical Analysis 11/6

SHAUN — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 04:25:12 +0000

This excerpt from What Video Games Have to Teach Us by James Paul Gee attempts to depict the idea of literacy in video games. Rhetorically, it engages the audience directly, assuming attitudes about the reader, sometimes based on reaction to earlier editions of the book. In particular, the piece is careful about using the jargon coined by the author, such as semiotics and design grammar, as it is claimed these terms caused confusion among past readers. Gee also stresses appreciation, which he believes can be achieved through learning about the internal design grammar. This level of critical thinking Gee sees as cohesive to learning and development, proving the value of video games.

Gee also explores the relationship between these semiotic domains and other semiotic domains, noting related forms as being precursors, such as roleplaying among children as a precursor to a video game. Gee wonders if video games can be a precursor to learning in an academic environment. Gee believes that the critical thinking reflected in the design of certain games teaches about important topics such as social relationships inside and out of a virtual environment, and even suggests that it may have a positive effect on social justice.

Annotated Bib

SHAUN — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 04:59:27 +0000

Learning to Play: Exploring the Future of Education with Video Games

Khine, Myint Swe. Learning to Play: Exploring the Future of Education with Video Games. P. Lang, 2011.

This book acts as a critical analysis of trends in educational gaming, while also informing the reader of examples that one might not already be aware of existing. It approaches the subject matter from various perspectives, exploring the latest innovations while looking toward the future. The articles notes the success of video games as a pedagogical tool in the military, while continuing to have a relatively low rate of use in grades K-12. The article also notes potential challenges, such as off-task behavior in students and overemphasis of technology, while praising the social nature of gaming. The author has also written other books on technology and learning, and very obviously takes his work very seriously.

https://books.google.com/books?id=FlC1w66WFIAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=video+game+education&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR4PnSj6nXAhVKfiYKHdarAU4Q6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=video%20game%20education&f=false

Super Mario Odyssey

SHAUN — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 02:51:10 +0000

Super Mario Odyssey is the latest installment of the long-running Super Mario series of games. The game has been well received, noting it’s adherence to classic Mario themes while breaking new ground for the series. In particular, the environments are more complex and featuring scenery not unlike New York City. This may have been a conscious choice, as the improved engine allowed by the improved hardware of the Nintendo Switch allows for more immersive environment with more moving parts. Interestingly, as one Polygon article notes, the gameplay does not very often “punish” the player. There are no lives that would result in a game over, and the player only loses a minimal amount of coins. This was an interesting choice, as one could imagine it being less satisfying to win when you never could fail. However, the article argues that the reward value is not lost with the addition of this no-punishment system. You very well may have to attempt a puzzle over and over, but you will not be too harshly punished for your failure, only set back slightly. The triumph is still there, but the player is not discouraged from play.

https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/30/16577534/super-mario-odyssey-moons-coins-reward

Annotated Bib 10/29/17

SHAUN — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 03:55:38 +0000

Anderson, Craig A, et al. “Supplemental Material for Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Psychological Bulletin, vol. 136, Mar. 2010, pp. 151–173., doi:10.1037/a0018251.supp.

This meta-study reconsiders the idea that exposure to violent video games makes one more prone to aggressive behavior. The analysis of the studies exposes a lack of cohesive information confirming this, and uses restrictive measures to identify the relevant information. The document also features a cross-cultural examination, which is missing from many other studies. This feature reveals slight differences in the effects of video games on the participants depending on factors such as age.

Narrative Therapy for Treating Video Game Addiction

SHAUN — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 03:37:34 +0000

Graham, Joseph M. “Narrative Therapy for Treating Video Game Addiction.” SpringerLink, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14 Dec. 2014, www.bing.com/cr?IG=90066C71A5D441F2BFBA954E1528228C&CID=263BE62205F86EE42C56ED0604FE6F82&rd=1&h=uKv8-uhk-K99oIn9EKVDBGGxDJfwC–DzlSOZDvCynM&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2fnlmcatalog%3fterm%3d1557-1874%255BISSN%255D&p=DevEx,5063.1.

This article addresses video game addiction and treatment. It notes that video game addiction is defined similarly to gambling addiction, although emphasizes that certain skills translate online and offline. What is interesting is the emphasis the article puts on mental health professionals not to dismiss video games as having value. This is an interesting departure from the popular view that video games are time wasters, but this idea may be fading. The article suggests narrative therapy as a way to recover from video game addiction, which is a type of therapy in which the patient identifies their value and skills to help externalize the problem.

https://link-springer-com.proxy-wcupa.klnpa.org/article/10.1007%2Fs11469-014-9491-4#citeas

Final Draft

SHAUN — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 03:51:58 +0000

narrativeandgaming.wordpress.com

Topic Proposal

SHAUN — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 03:40:36 +0000

For my project I will be working with prompt number 4, “Games and Life.” I hope to prove the value video games for developing life skills, as well as the format’s unique approach to storytelling and the maturity of the narratives of many popular games. I will be referencing the various studies proving video games’ positive effect on critical thinking skills, and noting the mature writing and literary illusions of games such as Fallout 4 and Bioshock. While I expect to run into some trouble exploring the intricacies of such a relatively new format, by narrowing my focus I hope to produce a mature and extensive commentary.

https://sshelco-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=TN_proquest921600826&context=PC&vid=WCHESTER&lang=en_US&search_scope=default_scope&adaptor=primo_central_multiple_fe&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,video%20games%20drugs&sortby=rank&facet=tlevel,include,peer_reviewed&mode=Basic&offset=0

Fallout 4, Bioshock