The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
This article identifies and examines a couple of selected issues regarding speculative digital games which endeavor to deal with serious subject matter. Due to the fact that speculative games are exceptionally well suited for symbolic representation of sensitive topics, they allow their creators to...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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F1000 Research Ltd
2024-01-01
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| Series: | F1000Research |
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| Online Access: | https://f1000research.com/articles/12-784/v2 |
| _version_ | 1827338185901867008 |
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| author | Krzysztof Chmielewski Katarzyna Marak Dariusz Brzostek Miłosz Markocki |
| author_facet | Krzysztof Chmielewski Katarzyna Marak Dariusz Brzostek Miłosz Markocki |
| author_sort | Krzysztof Chmielewski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article identifies and examines a couple of selected issues regarding speculative digital games which endeavor to deal with serious subject matter. Due to the fact that speculative games are exceptionally well suited for symbolic representation of sensitive topics, they allow their creators to conceive ambitious projects that aspire to be great works of audiovisual art. However, because game texts belong to a very specific medium, it is not always possible to realize this ambition in the context of gameplay. For reasons of space and focus this article uses one particular game, The Medium (2021), to serve as the primary example of how the problems which occur in the process of combining specific, engaging gameplay with serious, sensitive subject matter, lead to situations in which a game can fail to fulfill the player’s expectations. By analyzing the structure, gameplay, and storytelling tools employed in The Medium, the article places emphasis on the significance of the possible tensions between the intention of the designers of the game experience and the experiences, ideas, and interpretations the players themselves bring to the game text. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:11:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-23a000a02881412daa37539dab780662 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-1402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:11:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | F1000Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-23a000a02881412daa37539dab7806622024-03-01T01:00:02ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022024-01-0112160465The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]Krzysztof Chmielewski0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8927-1207Katarzyna Marak1Dariusz Brzostek2Miłosz Markocki3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8465-3142Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy, Bydgoszcz, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, 85-064, PolandUniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Torun, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, 87-100, PolandUniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Torun, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, 87-100, PolandUniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy, Bydgoszcz, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, 85-064, PolandThis article identifies and examines a couple of selected issues regarding speculative digital games which endeavor to deal with serious subject matter. Due to the fact that speculative games are exceptionally well suited for symbolic representation of sensitive topics, they allow their creators to conceive ambitious projects that aspire to be great works of audiovisual art. However, because game texts belong to a very specific medium, it is not always possible to realize this ambition in the context of gameplay. For reasons of space and focus this article uses one particular game, The Medium (2021), to serve as the primary example of how the problems which occur in the process of combining specific, engaging gameplay with serious, sensitive subject matter, lead to situations in which a game can fail to fulfill the player’s expectations. By analyzing the structure, gameplay, and storytelling tools employed in The Medium, the article places emphasis on the significance of the possible tensions between the intention of the designers of the game experience and the experiences, ideas, and interpretations the players themselves bring to the game text.https://f1000research.com/articles/12-784/v2digital game art The Medium eudaimonic gratification gameplay ludonarrative dissonanceeng |
| spellingShingle | Krzysztof Chmielewski Katarzyna Marak Dariusz Brzostek Miłosz Markocki The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] F1000Research digital game art The Medium eudaimonic gratification gameplay ludonarrative dissonance eng |
| title | The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | The problematic space between art, ambition, and gameplay: The Medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | problematic space between art ambition and gameplay the medium and the issues concerning difficult subject matter and gameplay in games version 2 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | digital game art The Medium eudaimonic gratification gameplay ludonarrative dissonance eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/12-784/v2 |
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