The routledge companion to video game studies

742 Pages·2014·5.03 MB·English

THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO VIDEO
GAME STUDIES
The number of publications dealing with video game studies has exploded over
the course of the last decade, but the field has produced few comprehensive
reference works. The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies, compiled by
well-known video game scholars Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron, aims to
address the ongoing theoretical and methodological development of game studies,
providing students, scholars, and game designers with a definitive look at
contemporary video game studies. Features include: • new perspectives on video
games both as art form and cultural phenomenon; • explorations of the technical
and creative dimensions of video games; • accounts of the political, social, and
cultural dynamics of video games; • comprehensive and interdisciplinary models
and approaches for analyzing video games.
Each essay provides a lively and succinct summary of its target area, quickly
bringing the reader up-to-date on the pertinent issues surrounding each aspect of
the field, including references for further reading. Together, they provide an
overview of the present state of game studies that will undoubtedly prove
invaluable to student, scholar, and designer alike.
Contributors: Espen Aarseth, Jessica Aldred, Dominic Arsenault, Andrew
Baerg, Robert Alan Brookey, Andrew Burn, Frédérique Clément, Mia Consalvo,
Simon Dor, Joris Dormans, Anna Everett, Richard E. Ferdig, Clara Fernández-
Vara, Robert Furze, Seth Giddings, Andreas Gregersen, Mark Grimshaw, Louis-
Martin Guay, Christopher Hanson, Mark Hayse, Carrie Heeter, Robin Johnson,
Daniel Joseph, Rune Klevjer, Lee Knuttila, Carly A. Kocurek, Peter Krapp, Lori
Landay, Julia G. Raz, Andras Lukacs, Vincent Mauger, Frans Mäyrä, Sheila C.
Murphy, David Myers, Michael Z. Newman, Simon Niedenthal, Michael Nitsche,
Christopher A. Paul, Bernard Perron, Martin Picard, Richard Rouse III, Kevin
Schut, Bobby Schweizer, John Sharp, Marko Siitonen, Olli Sotamaa, Grant
Tavinor, Carl Therrien, Michael Thomasson, John Vanderhoef, Gerald Voorhees,
Karin Wenz, Emma Witkowski, and Mark J. P. Wolf.
THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO
VIDEO GAME STUDIES
Edited by
Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron
First published 2014
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2014 Taylor & Francis The
right of the Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron to be identified as the author of the editorial material, and of
the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data The Routledge companion to video game studies / edited
by Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron.
pages cm.—(Routledge companions) Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Video games. 2. Video games—Social aspects. I. Wolf, Mark J. P. II. Perron, Bernard.
GV1469.3.R67 2013
794.8—dc23
2013021954
ISBN: 978–0–415–53332–4 (hbk) ISBN: 978–0–203–11426–1 (ebk) Typeset in Goudy
by Swales & Willis, Exeter, Devon, UK
CONTENTS
List of Figures
Notes on Contributors
Preface
Acknowledgments
PART I
Technological Aspects
1 Artifact
OLLI SOTAMAA
2 Artificial Intelligence
ROBIN JOHNSON
3 Controllers
SHEILA C. MURPHY
4 Emulation
SIMON DOR
5 Interface
VINCENT MAUGER
6 Platforms
BOBBY SCHWEIZER
7 Resolution
MARK J. P. WOLF
PART II
Formal Aspects
8 Art and Aesthetics
GRANT TAVINOR
9 Color
SIMON NIEDENTHAL
10 Conventions
BERNARD PERRON
11 Game Design
RICHARD ROUSE III
12 Dimensionality
JOHN SHARP
13 Levels
MARTIN PICARD
14 Perspective
JOHN SHARP
15 Sound
MARK GRIMSHAW
16 Worlds
MARK J. P. WOLF
PART III
Playfulness Aspects
17 Casualness
JULIA G. RAZ
18 Challenge
ROBERT FURZE
19 Cheating
MIA CONSALVO
20 Competition/Cooperation
EMMA WITKOWSKI
21 Conflict
MARKO SIITONEN
22 Interactivity
LORI LANDAY
23 Ludology
ESPEN AARSETH
24 Objectives
LOUIS-MARTIN GUAY
25 Players/Gamers
FRÉDÉRIC CLÉMENT
26 Repetition
CHRISTOPHER HANSON
27 Single-Player/Multiplayer
DANIEL JOSEPH AND LEE KNUTTILA
PART IV
Generic Aspects
28 Action
DOMINIC ARSENAULT
29 Adventure
CLARA FERNÁNDEZ-VARA
30 Role-playing
ANDREW BURN
31 Shooting
GERALD VOORHEES
32 Simulation
SETH GIDDINGS
33 Sports
ANDREW BAERG
34 Strategy
SIMON DOR
PART V
Cultural Aspects
35 Convergence
ROBERT ALAN BROOKEY
36 Culture
FRANS MÄYRÄ
37 Cut-scenes