Click on the link: Computer_Games
BOOKS
This book looks at the trends and content of computer development as a way of finding answers for future development. It discusses the history of software and many different aspects of the video game culture. It asks, where do computer games come from? Who are their creators? And what do the computer games say about their creators?
It examines computer games from a global perspective, looking specifically at individual countries such as the UK, Europe, Japan and the US and their contribution to the video game industry. Finally, this book gives the reader a look at new approaches to video games and how they are sold to certain markets, generally to the most economical. The book also aims to encourage a more diverse and brighter future for video games.
This book studies the medium of the video game and looks at what video games actually are; the function of the video game; and explores the social implications that video games pose for society. It also gives an in-depth discussion on specific video games, reviewing their relationship with the media, community and current issues in society. One of the book’s main concerns about video games is the relationship the game has with the player.
The introduction and chapter 1 titled, “Theory by Design�, are the most relevant to my area of study. These sections give a brief history of video games; explain how video games have “come of age�; and define the elements, which make up a video game: algorithm, player activity, interface and graphics (p.16)
This book delves into the meaning of the video game in relation to cinema. It gives a comprehensive analysis of how the video game departs from film and how video games function typically as ‘games’. The book also focuses heavily on the relationship between the cinema and video game by comparing them quite regularly. It draws upon the cinema to examine video games in their every form.
The book’s theme is centred around looking at video games, in a cinematic context. It supports this theory by providing evidence, (in a historical sense) of video games throughout the ages and the reliance on cinema that video games possess.
This book looks at where the video game fits into the spectrum of other media and where it differs from traditional media. It gives the reader the actual method involved in making a video game, looking into the invention itself and ways it has been improved. It also examines the video game in terms of a film and television theory, looking at sound and imagery.
Chapter 1, titled “The Video Game as a Medium,� is the most relevant chapter to my area of study. It defines the video game in detail exploring the elements one would find in a game, such as, “conflict�, “rules�, “player ability� and “valued outcome,� (p.14) so it deals with many aspects of the video game. Like most of the books so far, this book also gives a brief history of the video game and its current development, which is relevant to my area of study.
This book deals with new digital technologies that society is currently being faced with, including video games and their impact on the youth. It looks at the rapid pace at which this media is developing and how young people are reacting to the change. The book focuses on the social and cultural aspects of the video game, highlighting the negative impacts of playing computer games. It defines the digital and post-modern theory in light of technology and the contemporary changes in social behaviour that have arisen as a result.
Chapter 3 in the book, titled, “Social Discourse and Gendered Play at the Computer,� looks at the influence of video games on young males and females. It provides an overview of the “social and mechanical dimensions of play,� (p.44) which is relevant to my area of study.
INTERNET SITES/JOURNALS
This article looks at the positive role that video games play in society by taking negative criticisms by people and analysing their opinions. While most people think video games are a waste of time, or too violent, Kurt Squire (the author) believes these games are far more educational than many people realise. He says stereotyping all games in a negative way is ignoring many important aspects that video games have to offer.
Squires looks at educational computer games such as The Sims, which involves the construction of towns, houses etc and he shows how they can be beneficial to young people. He also looks at cultural framing of computer/video games and the unnecessary hype associated with video games being responsible for violent behaviour. He concludes by suggesting that people need to take a closer look at the role of the video game in culture so that they can see how games can be used for "social good."
This site is particularly useful to my area of study. It deals fundamentally with the history of the video game, dating as far back as 1889. This article actually gives names, such as Willy Higinbotham, the first man to design interactive tennis games, which makes it a very educational, informative site. The article’s theory is that the history of video games is made up of people, companies and ironies.
The article says that understanding the history of video games is the key to understanding the future, as many new video games are just re-invented forms of existing games. The article also explores the evolution of video games via a timeline which includes such titles as, “Before the Games 1889-1970�, “The Great Crash 1982-1984�, “The 32 Bit Era Begins 1993-1997� and “The New Era: 2000-2001�, just to name a few.
This article is concerned with the future of Australian computer game development and the developers in today’s society. Although the computer game industry rakes in a substantial income, bigger game budgets and the scarcity of new ideas, are causing video game developers to have to come up with more innovative ways to sell their products and arrange business deals with publishers.
This article is very relevant to my area of study as it discusses “next-generation game consoles� (p.53) such as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 2, as well as exploring the need for developers to expand in order to survive in the global market. This article also explores alternative funding arrangements for developers through a number of organizations such as GDAA. (Game Developers Association of Australia)
This article gives an in-depth technical account of the historical development of the video game, looking specifically at computer game consoles. It starts with the Atari, moving to Sega, then Nintendo, then finally to the most current consoles such as PlayStation today. It explores the pros and cons of each console and why they have failed or succeeded. This is extremely relevant to my area of study as I am looking particularly at the development of computer console games.
The author then brilliantly moves from the entertainment value of video games to the social implications they pose in society today. She explores violence in video games and the effects this has on children. However, she states that video games do assist children in learning and play a prominent role in expanding a player’s social life. Finally, she raises more social issues with regard to video games such as racism, sexism and consumerism.
This article focuses on virtual economies and the tools that are required to analyse them. It looks at the future of multiplayer online games and the current and future market structures they will take. It also looks at the effects of video games on the economy.
This is relevant to my area of study as the article gives a comprehensive analysis of the problems of expansion in the video game industry, from an economical view, as well as addressing the accessibility of games to developers and consumers. An overriding theme in the article is the accelerating pace at which virtual worlds are developing and their subsequent effects.
Finally, the article delves into the ‘fantasy’ of the video game and explains how human beings are drawn to a virtual world where they are invincible and are not constrained in any way. The article says this ‘virtual world’ is unhealthy and unrealistic as it can lead to addiction and possible changes in government policies.
This article looks at space in video games and the player’s perspective. The article defines video game space: as, “procedural outcomes of geometrically articulated orders derived from using program code and the physics of game engines.� As you can see by the quote, the language in this article is complex and hard to understand at times. Nevertheless, the article is still very insightful and relevant to my area of study as it looks at the player’s interaction with the game code through medium on the screen. It also explains how the player moves on and within game space. The author believes that game space needs to be improved as the player has an expectation to function and move in or outside the visual field of the game. She adds that certain “objects in the game can sometimes disrupt the spatial construction of the video game as a medium�. Finally, the author looks at the advantages of third-person character perspectives.
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This journal talks about the latest video array technology by Alienware which is suppose to dramatically improve visual graphics in computer games. The new technology claims it will improve graphics by up to 50 percent. This journal explains in great detail how Alienware software works and operates in a technical context and gives the reader a rundown on the costs of running the Video Array. (It is not cheap.)
This journal is relevant to me as it gives a comprehensive view on the latest computer game technology in the world. Plus, while most other sited material in this bibliography is discussing the video game medium and issues, this is discussing the actual technology that is happening now as we speak.
This journal is an example of where a publisher changed a developer’s game and then released it. Developer Brat Designs has accused Germany company, CDV Software of heavily modifying their game "Breed". Modifications included: “rerecorded dialogue, different level scripts and blander textures.� CDV, however, believe they have only improved the game and their alterations to the game were essential in order to sell it. Subsequently, the release of the game received terrible reviews and criticism, which is why Brat Designs has had an outburst.
The journal is relevant to me because it discusses the relationship between developers and publishers of video games and the question of where to draw the line between modifying works. It is a current issue that developers have to face today.
This journal is discussing the merging of computer technologies in order to make developers' lives easier. The journal explains that Xbox hardware cannot handle newer technologies built into the current version of Direct X, so programmers have merged the two calling it XNA. It also talks about the effects that merging has on the PC, and the possible success of the new XNA. It is particularly relevant to my area of study as it is discussing the newest and latest technological advances in the development of video games.
The journal also speaks of the latest graphics hardware on the market which will create better visualisations. It asks the question, “Will any game publisher really care that the PC is now a more capable platform for games?�
[[[User:Jodie Gummow|Jodie Gummow]] 19:34, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)]
