I want to tell you a few stories about videogames the first one is about a game
videogames the first one is about a game
videogames the first one is about a game called Skyrim in this game you play as
called Skyrim in this game you play as
called Skyrim in this game you play as an adventurer given the task to kill a
an adventurer given the task to kill a
an adventurer given the task to kill a mighty dragon
mighty dragon
mighty dragon now Skyrim is a role-playing game which
now Skyrim is a role-playing game which
now Skyrim is a role-playing game which means you can choose who you want to
means you can choose who you want to
means you can choose who you want to become a wizard a rogue or barbarian and
become a wizard a rogue or barbarian and
become a wizard a rogue or barbarian and by going on quests and doing battle you
by going on quests and doing battle you
by going on quests and doing battle you become stronger until you’re a hero who
become stronger until you’re a hero who
become stronger until you’re a hero who is strong enough to fight dragons
is strong enough to fight dragons
is strong enough to fight dragons developers and critics often talk to
developers and critics often talk to
developers and critics often talk to game talk about games as having verbs to
game talk about games as having verbs to
game talk about games as having verbs to describe what players can do in a game
describe what players can do in a game
describe what players can do in a game and in Skyrim most of those verbs are
and in Skyrim most of those verbs are
and in Skyrim most of those verbs are combat related to shoot to kill the
combat related to shoot to kill the
combat related to shoot to kill the fight to dodge that’s what most people
fight to dodge that’s what most people
fight to dodge that’s what most people would agree the game Skyrim is but
would agree the game Skyrim is but
would agree the game Skyrim is but there’s some players who play Skyrim
there’s some players who play Skyrim
there’s some players who play Skyrim differently one player in particular
differently one player in particular
differently one player in particular decided to play Skyrim as a pacifist and
decided to play Skyrim as a pacifist and
decided to play Skyrim as a pacifist and complete the game that way they figured
complete the game that way they figured
complete the game that way they figured out that every challenge every encounter
out that every challenge every encounter
out that every challenge every encounter a request has a peaceful solution and
a request has a peaceful solution and
a request has a peaceful solution and acted accordingly and while the game’s
acted accordingly and while the game’s
acted accordingly and while the game’s experience was crafted and tailored for
experience was crafted and tailored for
experience was crafted and tailored for combats to acquire weapons and slay
combats to acquire weapons and slay
combats to acquire weapons and slay enemies they decided to ignore the
enemies they decided to ignore the
enemies they decided to ignore the game’s systemic encouragement for
game’s systemic encouragement for
game’s systemic encouragement for violence and overcame it second story is
violence and overcame it second story is
violence and overcame it second story is about The Sims in a normal game of The
about The Sims in a normal game of The
about The Sims in a normal game of The Sims you create a family he moved him
Sims you create a family he moved him
Sims you create a family he moved him into a neighborhood and you build a
into a neighborhood and you build a
into a neighborhood and you build a house for them you watched him go to
house for them you watched him go to
house for them you watched him go to school watch them go to work help them
school watch them go to work help them
school watch them go to work help them make decisions
make decisions
make decisions sort of like playing with a digital ball
sort of like playing with a digital ball
sort of like playing with a digital ball house but instead you could decide to
house but instead you could decide to
house but instead you could decide to waste their life savings and leave them
waste their life savings and leave them
waste their life savings and leave them with nothing but a park bench instead of
with nothing but a park bench instead of
with nothing but a park bench instead of a house this experiment resulted in a
a house this experiment resulted in a
a house this experiment resulted in a blog named Alison keV where a player
blog named Alison keV where a player
blog named Alison keV where a player documented the life of these the lives
documented the life of these the lives
documented the life of these the lives of these two homeless Sims through
of these two homeless Sims through
of these two homeless Sims through photographs and narration so this
photographs and narration so this
photographs and narration so this included pictures of keV digging through
included pictures of keV digging through
included pictures of keV digging through the garbage looking for food with Alice
the garbage looking for food with Alice
the garbage looking for food with Alice on the background trying to do her
on the background trying to do her
on the background trying to do her homework
homework
homework on a bench but it also included touching
on a bench but it also included touching
on a bench but it also included touching moments of charity as the neighbors
moments of charity as the neighbors
moments of charity as the neighbors allow Ellis to spend the night in the
allow Ellis to spend the night in the
allow Ellis to spend the night in the guest room my next story is about
guest room my next story is about
guest room my next story is about fighting games in fighting games
fighting games in fighting games
fighting games in fighting games characters characters are given the
characters characters are given the
characters characters are given the personality they have through their move
personality they have through their move
personality they have through their move sets and animations so in Soul Calibur
sets and animations so in Soul Calibur
sets and animations so in Soul Calibur there’s a character named divaldo whose
there’s a character named divaldo whose
there’s a character named divaldo whose moves flow together smoothly almost
moves flow together smoothly almost
moves flow together smoothly almost erotic Lee well normally in a fighting
erotic Lee well normally in a fighting
erotic Lee well normally in a fighting game two players would fight until one
game two players would fight until one
game two players would fight until one is knocked out it’s just like how it
is knocked out it’s just like how it
is knocked out it’s just like how it works in boxing a group of people
works in boxing a group of people
works in boxing a group of people figured out that if two of them play
figured out that if two of them play
figured out that if two of them play volto at the same time they can learn to
volto at the same time they can learn to
volto at the same time they can learn to time their movements and create a
time their movements and create a
time their movements and create a beautiful choreography
beautiful choreography
beautiful choreography if one lashes out and the other steps to
if one lashes out and the other steps to
if one lashes out and the other steps to the side or one moves forward and the
the side or one moves forward and the
the side or one moves forward and the other moves back it’s reminiscent of
other moves back it’s reminiscent of
other moves back it’s reminiscent of tango or a contemporary duet this wasn’t
tango or a contemporary duet this wasn’t
tango or a contemporary duet this wasn’t easy it required many days of research
easy it required many days of research
easy it required many days of research design study practice but eventually
design study practice but eventually
design study practice but eventually they pulled it off and it became a viral
they pulled it off and it became a viral
they pulled it off and it became a viral internet video named dance folded dance
my last story is about Minecraft in
my last story is about Minecraft in Minecraft you mined for resources you
Minecraft you mined for resources you
Minecraft you mined for resources you build a house to protect yourselves from
build a house to protect yourselves from
build a house to protect yourselves from the monsters that come at night you can
the monsters that come at night you can
the monsters that come at night you can also tame cats who become your pets and
also tame cats who become your pets and
also tame cats who become your pets and they follow you around now put yourself
they follow you around now put yourself
they follow you around now put yourself in the mind of a game developer for a
in the mind of a game developer for a
in the mind of a game developer for a second how would you create a virtual
second how would you create a virtual
second how would you create a virtual cats
cats
cats how would you codify the rules of
how would you codify the rules of
how would you codify the rules of behavior that make a cats who act like a
behavior that make a cats who act like a
behavior that make a cats who act like a cat well first of all a cat should
cat well first of all a cat should
cat well first of all a cat should always move towards the player so that
always move towards the player so that
always move towards the player so that it doesn’t get lost secondly if you tame
it doesn’t get lost secondly if you tame
it doesn’t get lost secondly if you tame many cats you probably don’t want them
many cats you probably don’t want them
many cats you probably don’t want them to exist inside of each other so we give
to exist inside of each other so we give
to exist inside of each other so we give them some mass have them bump into each
them some mass have them bump into each
them some mass have them bump into each other just like real cats and lastly if
other just like real cats and lastly if
other just like real cats and lastly if we get too far away we’re just gonna
we get too far away we’re just gonna
we get too far away we’re just gonna teleport the cats to a free space near
teleport the cats to a free space near
teleport the cats to a free space near where we are again sort of how cats work
where we are again sort of how cats work
where we are again sort of how cats work in the real world players probably won’t
in the real world players probably won’t
in the real world players probably won’t players probably won’t notice all right
players probably won’t notice all right
players probably won’t notice all right but a one player figured out something
but a one player figured out something
but a one player figured out something very creative you can do with cats
very creative you can do with cats
very creative you can do with cats and the rules are just described what if
and the rules are just described what if
and the rules are just described what if I build a very tall narrow Tower
I build a very tall narrow Tower
I build a very tall narrow Tower of tamely cats I’m flying near it so I’m
of tamely cats I’m flying near it so I’m
of tamely cats I’m flying near it so I’m not occupying any space my tat is
not occupying any space my tat is
not occupying any space my tat is teleported to the top of this tower
teleported to the top of this tower
teleported to the top of this tower but now I’ve tamed a bunch of cats it
but now I’ve tamed a bunch of cats it
but now I’ve tamed a bunch of cats it all teleports to the same space pushing
all teleports to the same space pushing
all teleports to the same space pushing each other off of the little platform
each other off of the little platform
each other off of the little platform eventually a falling cat will be far
eventually a falling cat will be far
eventually a falling cat will be far enough away to trigger another teleports
enough away to trigger another teleports
enough away to trigger another teleports and there we go by creatively
and there we go by creatively
and there we go by creatively reinterpreting the rules of the game
reinterpreting the rules of the game
reinterpreting the rules of the game I’ve created something new I just
I’ve created something new I just
I’ve created something new I just created a cat fountain so these are just
created a cat fountain so these are just
created a cat fountain so these are just some of my personal favorite stories
some of my personal favorite stories
some of my personal favorite stories about games and their players I like to
about games and their players I like to
about games and their players I like to refer to it as players breaking the game
refer to it as players breaking the game
refer to it as players breaking the game and they might sound out of the ordinary
and they might sound out of the ordinary
and they might sound out of the ordinary but they’re actually not they’re hugely
but they’re actually not they’re hugely
but they’re actually not they’re hugely popular online and they’ve been
popular online and they’ve been
popular online and they’ve been replicated and modified by others and
replicated and modified by others and
replicated and modified by others and new ways to break games are being
new ways to break games are being
new ways to break games are being discovered all the time but there’s two
discovered all the time but there’s two
discovered all the time but there’s two things I would like you to take away
things I would like you to take away
things I would like you to take away from these stories the first one that I
from these stories the first one that I
from these stories the first one that I think they are examples of a new form of
think they are examples of a new form of
think they are examples of a new form of media and it’s not the medium of video
media and it’s not the medium of video
media and it’s not the medium of video games but it’s the medium of performance
games but it’s the medium of performance
games but it’s the medium of performance arts that uses video games as a platform
arts that uses video games as a platform
arts that uses video games as a platform or a material we can see from the
or a material we can see from the
or a material we can see from the stories that this takes many different
stories that this takes many different
stories that this takes many different shapes in Alison Thames diary of the
shapes in Alison Thames diary of the
shapes in Alison Thames diary of the homeless we see elements of storytelling
homeless we see elements of storytelling
homeless we see elements of storytelling and photography while the skyrim
and photography while the skyrim
and photography while the skyrim pacifist requires the adoption of
pacifist requires the adoption of
pacifist requires the adoption of self-imposed constraints much like we do
self-imposed constraints much like we do
self-imposed constraints much like we do in sports and the Minecraft cat fountain
in sports and the Minecraft cat fountain
in sports and the Minecraft cat fountain is a skilled performance by a player
is a skilled performance by a player
is a skilled performance by a player with a deep understanding of a physics
with a deep understanding of a physics
with a deep understanding of a physics simulation I’ll be cat physics in this
simulation I’ll be cat physics in this
simulation I’ll be cat physics in this case and what ties them together what
case and what ties them together what
case and what ties them together what ties these stories together is that they
ties these stories together is that they
ties these stories together is that they are all performed by a player inside a
are all performed by a player inside a
are all performed by a player inside a video game in front of an audience and
video game in front of an audience and
video game in front of an audience and later consumed and enjoyed by millions
later consumed and enjoyed by millions
later consumed and enjoyed by millions online there’s a mistake I think we
online there’s a mistake I think we
online there’s a mistake I think we still make too often where we think that
still make too often where we think that
still make too often where we think that real and virtual are opposites something
real and virtual are opposites something
real and virtual are opposites something virtual is not real and while the games
virtual is not real and while the games
virtual is not real and while the games take place
take place
take place in virtual worlds it’s easy to forget
in virtual worlds it’s easy to forget
in virtual worlds it’s easy to forget that those virtual worlds exist inside
that those virtual worlds exist inside
that those virtual worlds exist inside the real world if I manipulates my
the real world if I manipulates my
the real world if I manipulates my avatar to kill my virtual avatar to kill
avatar to kill my virtual avatar to kill
avatar to kill my virtual avatar to kill a virtual dragon is that actions somehow
a virtual dragon is that actions somehow
a virtual dragon is that actions somehow not real that not just happen did I just
not real that not just happen did I just
not real that not just happen did I just do nothing to truly appreciate these
do nothing to truly appreciate these
do nothing to truly appreciate these stories we need to stop equating the
stories we need to stop equating the
stories we need to stop equating the real with the physical and accept that
real with the physical and accept that
real with the physical and accept that actions taken in virtual worlds are real
actions taken in virtual worlds are real
actions taken in virtual worlds are real actions they’re not void of meaning by
actions they’re not void of meaning by
actions they’re not void of meaning by default I’m not saying they’re the same
default I’m not saying they’re the same
default I’m not saying they’re the same either a virtual and a physical action
either a virtual and a physical action
either a virtual and a physical action I’m just saying that choosing to value
I’m just saying that choosing to value
I’m just saying that choosing to value your physical agency higher than your
your physical agency higher than your
your physical agency higher than your virtual agency is arbitrary and to
virtual agency is arbitrary and to
virtual agency is arbitrary and to coming generations of people who spent
coming generations of people who spent
coming generations of people who spent who grew up spending so much time in
who grew up spending so much time in
who grew up spending so much time in virtual worlds this distinction will
virtual worlds this distinction will
virtual worlds this distinction will start to make less and less sense a real
start to make less and less sense a real
start to make less and less sense a real dance sorry a physical dance and a
dance sorry a physical dance and a
dance sorry a physical dance and a virtual dance really aren’t all that
virtual dance really aren’t all that
virtual dance really aren’t all that different in a physical dance a dancer
different in a physical dance a dancer
different in a physical dance a dancer will use their whole body while in a
will use their whole body while in a
will use their whole body while in a virtual dance the dancer might only use
virtual dance the dancer might only use
virtual dance the dancer might only use their hands the physical layer is
their hands the physical layer is
their hands the physical layer is reduced from body to hands on a
reduced from body to hands on a
reduced from body to hands on a controller if you think that that’s
controller if you think that that’s
controller if you think that that’s somehow a deal breaker that because of
somehow a deal breaker that because of
somehow a deal breaker that because of this that’s not true performance arts
this that’s not true performance arts
this that’s not true performance arts you’d be ignoring and erasing the role
you’d be ignoring and erasing the role
you’d be ignoring and erasing the role of the choreographer and the timing
of the choreographer and the timing
of the choreographer and the timing memorization and synchronization
memorization and synchronization
memorization and synchronization required by the dancers to perform this
required by the dancers to perform this
required by the dancers to perform this dance what I think is standing in the
dance what I think is standing in the
dance what I think is standing in the way of a wider adoption of this
way of a wider adoption of this
way of a wider adoption of this phenomenon is a lack of literacy game
phenomenon is a lack of literacy game
phenomenon is a lack of literacy game literacy to be more specific and many
literacy to be more specific and many
literacy to be more specific and many people don’t play games by default
people don’t play games by default
people don’t play games by default because they think they’re not
because they think they’re not
because they think they’re not interesting or not accessible to them
interesting or not accessible to them
interesting or not accessible to them but I hope my stories will encourage you
but I hope my stories will encourage you
but I hope my stories will encourage you to give them another chance if you
to give them another chance if you
to give them another chance if you haven’t already or to at least be open
haven’t already or to at least be open
haven’t already or to at least be open to the cultural products that games are
to the cultural products that games are
to the cultural products that games are and especially to the cultural products
and especially to the cultural products
and especially to the cultural products that they enable if you value art and
that they enable if you value art and
that they enable if you value art and culture in general in other forms the
culture in general in other forms the
culture in general in other forms the benefits are obvious but what’s specific
benefits are obvious but what’s specific
benefits are obvious but what’s specific to this is that the current appreciation
to this is that the current appreciation
to this is that the current appreciation of it is happening almost entirely in
of it is happening almost entirely in
of it is happening almost entirely in younger generations
younger generations
younger generations so there’s an additional benefit in in
so there’s an additional benefit in in
so there’s an additional benefit in in starting to care about this culture and
starting to care about this culture and
starting to care about this culture and their stories and their work in closing
their stories and their work in closing
their stories and their work in closing an otherwise growing generational gap
an otherwise growing generational gap
an otherwise growing generational gap now the second thing I want to leave you
now the second thing I want to leave you
now the second thing I want to leave you with is that I think the people who are
with is that I think the people who are
with is that I think the people who are doing this are showing a great
doing this are showing a great
doing this are showing a great dedication to critical thinking and
dedication to critical thinking and
dedication to critical thinking and creativity the game developers like
creativity the game developers like
creativity the game developers like myself imbue the games with intentions
myself imbue the games with intentions
myself imbue the games with intentions and expectations for the players like to
and expectations for the players like to
and expectations for the players like to experience a narrative or experience an
experience a narrative or experience an
experience a narrative or experience an aesthetic or to overcome a skill
aesthetic or to overcome a skill
aesthetic or to overcome a skill challenge but players are constantly
challenge but players are constantly
challenge but players are constantly subverting reinterpreting and building
subverting reinterpreting and building
subverting reinterpreting and building on top of these expectations they’re
on top of these expectations they’re
on top of these expectations they’re rewriting the narrative of the games
rewriting the narrative of the games
rewriting the narrative of the games they play the games we make and taking
they play the games we make and taking
they play the games we make and taking control of the story and while their
control of the story and while their
control of the story and while their motivations can vary from curiosity to
motivations can vary from curiosity to
motivations can vary from curiosity to creative expression to bragging rights
creative expression to bragging rights
creative expression to bragging rights all of these require a deep
all of these require a deep
all of these require a deep understanding and a deconstruction of
understanding and a deconstruction of
understanding and a deconstruction of games as a set of rules and a dedication
games as a set of rules and a dedication
games as a set of rules and a dedication and creativity to pursue something new
and creativity to pursue something new
and creativity to pursue something new now a lot of the systems in our society
now a lot of the systems in our society
now a lot of the systems in our society are also codified much like the virtual
are also codified much like the virtual
are also codified much like the virtual ITAT in Minecraft what we’ve learned to
ITAT in Minecraft what we’ve learned to
ITAT in Minecraft what we’ve learned to just accept them live with them although
just accept them live with them although
just accept them live with them although I think I hope you would agree a lot of
I think I hope you would agree a lot of
I think I hope you would agree a lot of them can be improved upon by a specific
them can be improved upon by a specific
them can be improved upon by a specific mindset of critical thinking and
mindset of critical thinking and
mindset of critical thinking and creativity the creativity of a player
creativity the creativity of a player
creativity the creativity of a player who knows how to break the game
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