Chapter 1.2 Games and SocietyWhy Do People Play Video Games?Audience and DemographicsAudience and Demographics: ESRBAudience and Demographics: ESRB 2003 StatisticsAudience and Demographics: ESRB 2003 Statistics (2)Societal Reaction to GamesSlide 8Slide 9Slide 10Cultural IssuesSociety Within Games: Online BehaviorSociety Within GamesThe UpshotChapter 2.1 Understanding FunWhat is Fun?Getting a handle on fun/play …Evolutionary RootsNatural Funativity TheoryDefinition of a Great GameA Series of … Choices in Pursuit of a … GoalA Series of ChoicesSlide 23Slide 24Slide 25Classic Game StructureA Series of ConvexitiesThe Concept of FlowThe Flow ChannelSlide 30Difficulty Increase VariesStory and CharacterChapter 1.2Games and SocietyCS 4455 2Why Do People Play Video Games?CS 4455 3Audience and DemographicsWhat good are demographics?Are they always accurate?Recent survey: what stands out?CS 4455 4Audience and Demographics: ESRBEC (Early Childhood)E (Everyone)E10+ (Everyone 10+)T (Teen)M (Mature)AO (Adults Only)32 different “Content Descriptors”CS 4455 5Audience and Demographics: ESRB 2003 Statistics57% of games received an E rating32% of games received a T rating10% of games received an M rating1% received an EC ratingCS 4455 6Audience and Demographics: ESRB 2003 Statistics (2)70% of best-selling console games were E or T rated90% of best-selling PC games were E or T ratedBuying habits or development habits?CS 4455 7Societal Reaction to GamesMisleading perception of games as being child’s playViolence in video games drawing parental attentionLegal Issues (1992)–Night Trap –Mortal KombatLed to Senate Hearings (1993)CS 4455 8Societal Reaction to GamesLegal Issues: Doom (1994) and the 1999 Columbine Massacre–Shooters were known to play Doom–Lawsuits were initiated against the industry, but eventually droppedCS 4455 9Societal Reaction to GamesLegal Issues: Grand Theft Auto–GTA: Vice City•Haitian-American Rights Groups –GTA: San Andreas•“Hot Coffee” modCS 4455 10Societal Reaction to GamesGames and Youth Violence–Root of All Evil, or Good, Old-Fashioned Fun?CS 4455 11Cultural IssuesAbuse of stereotypes (Shadow Warrior)Foreign Diplomacy –Germany (The Index – List of banned games)–China, Japan (controversial elements)Cultural Acceptance–Changing standards and thresholdsCS 4455 12Society Within Games:Online BehaviorThe Good–Everquest WeddingsThe Bad–Addictive properties–Online rivalries becoming offline rivalries–Can games contribute to erratic offline behaviors?The Ugly–Disinhibition and deindividuation occur because of perceived anonymity. –Hate crimesCS 4455 13Society Within GamesTools–Moderators–Communication tools–Fan sites to discuss gameplay and community outside of the gameCS 4455 14The UpshotGames are an immature mediumChapter 2.1Understanding FunCS 4455 16What is Fun?Dictionary: –Enjoyment, a source of amusement Important to consider underlying reasons“Funativity” – thinking about fun in terms of measurable cause and effectCS 4455 17Getting a handle on fun/play …Evolutionary roots popular–Johann Huizinga, Homo LudensBut different ways to proceed–Play as basic desire?–Play as “evolutionary advantage”?–Crawford, Salen/Zimmerman, Koster, ….CS 4455 18Evolutionary RootsWe must look to our distant past–Young mammals play to learn basic survival skills–Games are organized play–Human entertainment is also at its heart about learning how to survive–Mating and social rules also critical to usEducation == Entertainment–Fun is about practicing or learning new survival skills in a relatively safe settingCS 4455 19Natural Funativity TheoryBasic concept is that all fun derives from practicing survival and social skillsKey skills relate to early human context, but often in modern guiseThree overlapping categories–Physical, Social, and MentalCS 4455 20Definition of a Great GameA great game is a series of interesting and meaningful choices made by the player in pursuit of a clear and compelling goalCS 4455 21A Series of … Choices in Pursuit of a … GoalInteractivityGames = goals and rules?–Toys vs. games?Interesting and Meaningful Choices–Meaningful choices are perceived by the player as having significant consequencesS/Z: meaningful play–Actions to outcomes are “descriptive and integrated”CS 4455 22A Series of ChoicesNo choiceCS 4455 23A Series of ChoicesMeaningless choicesCS 4455 24A Series of ChoicesInfinite choicesCS 4455 25A Series of ChoicesChoose wiselyCS 4455 26Classic Game StructureConvexities–Other terms (e.g., Narrative spine)Fractal natureCS 4455 27A Series of ConvexitiesPopular structureSome freedom, implementableAA A A ABBB BCS 4455 28The Concept of FlowMihaly Csikszentmihalyi–“Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”Flow is a state of exhilaration, deep sense of enjoymentUsually when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits to accomplish something difficult and worthwhileCS 4455 29The Flow ChannelStart with relatively low level of challenge to match starting skill levelsGradually increase challengeFast enough to prevent boredomNot so fast as to induce frustrationCS 4455 30The Flow ChannelToo Easy (Boring)Too Hard (Frustrating)Increasing Time (and Player Skill)Increasing DifficultyIdeal Game Difficulty ProgressionCS 4455 31Difficulty Increase VariesA = Rapid Difficulty Increase, B = Slower IncreaseA A A ABBB BIdeal Game Difficulty ProgressionCS 4455 32Story and CharacterEmotional association, strengthen reactionInteractive story different than linear stories–Murray, Hamlet on the Holodeck“Do, don’t show”–Don’t make choices for the player–Bring out character through actionGameplay Trumps