Interaction Forms and Communicative Actions in Multiplayer Games
Sometimes it is hard for me to follow articles on computer game theory as I do not play these type of games. It must be my small girl hands.
Seriously, I find the "suspense of disbelief" the most fascinating element because it is is something ancient and integral to creating a good story. People too often confuse story with plot. Plot is just what happened, story is the seduction.
"Whether the activity is about shooting each other with rocket launchers or arranging virtual weddings, the underlying theme is about togetherness."
I would argue that an degree of isolation is also integral with creating a story. In fact I was surprised that this was not mentioned within the scope of this paper. The ability of creating a story alone and then sharing in in a neutral collaborative space like the web gives people a degree of freedom. They become their online avatars, and have a level of comfort in this separation that I think makes it easier to engage in this type of play.
Seriously, I find the "suspense of disbelief" the most fascinating element because it is is something ancient and integral to creating a good story. People too often confuse story with plot. Plot is just what happened, story is the seduction.
"Whether the activity is about shooting each other with rocket launchers or arranging virtual weddings, the underlying theme is about togetherness."
I would argue that an degree of isolation is also integral with creating a story. In fact I was surprised that this was not mentioned within the scope of this paper. The ability of creating a story alone and then sharing in in a neutral collaborative space like the web gives people a degree of freedom. They become their online avatars, and have a level of comfort in this separation that I think makes it easier to engage in this type of play.
Comments
It is this seperation or objectification that allows players to "play" in these online spaces by doing things outside the norm, like dancing in awkward places, saying things they would never normally say, or kill/cooperate with total strangers.