research-article

Cardboard semiotics: reconfigurable symbols as a means for narrative prototyping in game design

Authors:

Erik Henry Vick,

Stephen Jacobs,

Peter TelepAuthors Info & Claims

Sandbox '09: Proceedings of the 2009 ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games

Pages 87 - 93

https://doi.org/10.1145/1581073.1581087

Published: 04 August 2009 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper, we propose the technique of cardboard semiotics. We explain the importance of symbolic analysis as a tool for building narrative prototypes in videogames. Borrowing from the participatory design work in the early 1990s, we suggest a means for adapting and extending this work based on the implicit participation of gamers' immediate-level stories (i.e., the gameplay with narrative implications). Our paper first introduces the concept of semiotics and explains how cardboard semiotics can function as an applied technique within the domain of videogame design and development. Next, we propose a theoretical basis for our work using a simple three act narrative structure and explore some basic concepts from narrative game design. Finally, we conclude with some simple examples of how cardboard semiotics might function in a design environment.

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Cited By

Rhodes EWalsh GRead JStenton P(2016)Recommendations for Developing Technologies that Encourage Reading Practices Among Children in Families with Low-literate AdultsProceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children10.1145/2930674.2930709(125-136)Online publication date: 21-Jun-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2930674.2930709
Mikami KNakamura YIto AKawashima MWatanabe TKishimoto YKondo K(2016)Effectiveness of Game Jam-based iterative program for game production in JapanComputers & Graphics10.1016/j.cag.2016.07.00661(1-10)Online publication date: Dec-2016
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cag.2016.07.006
Mikami KNakamura YIto AKawashima MWatanabe TKishimoto YKondo K(2015)Game jam based iterative curriculum for game production in JapanSIGGRAPH Asia 2015 Symposium on Education10.1145/2818498.2818511(1-6)Online publication date: 2-Nov-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2818498.2818511
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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

Sandbox '09: Proceedings of the 2009 ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games

August 2009

173 pages

ISBN:9781605585147

DOI:10.1145/1581073

Editor:
Stephen N. Spencer
University of Washington
,
Program Chairs:
Drew Davidson
Carnegie Mellon University
,
Tracy Fullerton
University of Southern California
,
Karen Schrier
Columbia University

Copyright © 2009 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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SIGGRAPH: ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

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Published: 04 August 2009

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SIGGRAPH09: Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques Conference

August 4 - 6, 2009

Louisiana, New Orleans

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Cited By

Rhodes EWalsh GRead JStenton P(2016)Recommendations for Developing Technologies that Encourage Reading Practices Among Children in Families with Low-literate AdultsProceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children10.1145/2930674.2930709(125-136)Online publication date: 21-Jun-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2930674.2930709
Mikami KNakamura YIto AKawashima MWatanabe TKishimoto YKondo K(2016)Effectiveness of Game Jam-based iterative program for game production in JapanComputers & Graphics10.1016/j.cag.2016.07.00661(1-10)Online publication date: Dec-2016
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cag.2016.07.006
Mikami KNakamura YIto AKawashima MWatanabe TKishimoto YKondo K(2015)Game jam based iterative curriculum for game production in JapanSIGGRAPH Asia 2015 Symposium on Education10.1145/2818498.2818511(1-6)Online publication date: 2-Nov-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2818498.2818511
Vick EMcDaniel RJacobs SWainess R(2010)Using semiotic grammars for the rapid design of evolving video game mechanicsProceedings of the 5th ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games10.1145/1836135.1836139(25-30)Online publication date: 28-Jul-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1836135.1836139
Mikami KWatanabe TYamaji KOzawa KIto AKawashima MTakeuchi RKondo KKaneko M(2010)Construction trial of a practical education curriculum for game development by industry–university collaboration in JapanComputers & Graphics10.1016/j.cag.2010.09.01534:6(791-799)Online publication date: Dec-2010
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cag.2010.09.015
Mikami KWatanabe TYamaji KOzawa KIto AKawashima MTakeuchi RKondo KKaneko MMiyai A(2009)Construction trial of a practical education curriculum for game development by industry/university collaborationACM SIGGRAPH ASIA 2009 Educators Program10.1145/1666611.1666618(1-6)Online publication date: 16-Dec-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1666611.1666618

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