Gameplay, Emotions and Narrative: Independent Games Experienced, 2019
This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focu... more This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focus of our research is the complex interplay between the story and mechanics in digital games. Our goal is to demonstrate how the narrative and the ludic elements together can form unique player experiences. The volume is a collection of case studies involving close reading of selected independent titles, with focus placed on the themes, motifs and experimental approaches to gameplay present therein.
Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków to zbiór studió... more Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków to zbiór studiów poświęconych zarówno teoretycznemu, jak i praktycznemu wymiarowi badania gier cyfrowych. Centralny punkt zainteresowania tej książki stanowią dwa zagadnienia związane z badaniem gier. Pierwszym z nich, będącym jednocześnie głównym celem tej publikacji, jest uporządkowanie terminologii związanej z grami oraz wyjaśnienie niejasności obecnych w tłumaczeniu i stosowaniu terminów w międzynarodowym dyskursie groznawczym oraz opisanie cech właściwych grom cyfrowym. Drugie zagadnienie stanowią rozmaite zjawiska związane z grami cyfrowymi, zbliżające do siebie graczy i twórców oraz takie, które sprzyjają łączeniu się graczy, tworzeniu społeczności i kreowaniu tożsamości. Książka skierowana jest do badaczy gier, a także do osób dopiero zapoznających się z tą tematyką.
Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book co... more Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book compares and contrasts horror narratives from two distinct cultures--American and Japanese--with a focus on the characteristic mechanisms that make them successful, and on their culturally-specific aspects. Including a number of narratives belonging to film, literature, comics and video games, this book provides a comprehensive perspective of the genre. It sheds light on the differences and similarities in the depiction of fear and horror in America and Japan, while emphasizing narrative patterns in the context of their respective cultures.
The paper juxtaposes two films — Thanatomorphose directed by Éric Falardeau (2012) and Contracted... more The paper juxtaposes two films — Thanatomorphose directed by Éric Falardeau (2012) and Contracted directed by Eric England (2013) — in order to illustrate how both use similar themes of rot, disfigurement and decay of the body to paint different images of the female body and its aesthetic and functional value. Through the use of close reading, the analysis focuses on the manner in which the aforementioned themes in the discussed film texts are expressed within the boundaries of horror discourse to emphasize issues such as abuse, objectification and self-harm.
Layers of Fear, a 2016 psychological horror game by Bloober Team, is a story-oriented walking sim... more Layers of Fear, a 2016 psychological horror game by Bloober Team, is a story-oriented walking simulator. While many walking simulators focus on uncovering the past, Layers of Fear centres on the experience of being haunted by the past. The gameplay narrates a tragic story and the complex relation of the protagonist with his past from which he cannot escape: his fear, his obsession and the endless cycle of his madness. Most importantly, this experience is not constructed in the game by providing the players with journal entries or letters to read, but by allowing them to literally walk through the past, among material representations of memories and emotions, as the house itself shifts through various layers and moments of time both before and after the tragic events that haunt the protagonist. This paper focuses on the unique delivery of experiencing past events used in Layers of Fear, as well as the concept of haunting, trauma and obsession central to both the game and gameplay.
This paper concerns Internet user narratives concerning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō's m... more This paper concerns Internet user narratives concerning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō's manga, Uzumaki, of the same title and their characteristic traits. The focus are the individual testimonies of Internet users who make up the non-Japanese, English-speaking audience of the film, and the image of reception of it that they paint. A closer analysis of narratives about Uzumaki reveals a variety of ideas and attitudes regarding not only Japanese popular culture, but cinema and adaptations in general as well as specific patterns of response—including the technical aspects of the film text and more comprehensive cultural nuances.
The body, whether considered in terms of biology, sociology or religion, is an inherent constitue... more The body, whether considered in terms of biology, sociology or religion, is an inherent constituent of that which makes a human subject, complementing the mind and being subject to it. The only space that offers the body the freedom to be treated separately from the mind-subject that otherwise defines it at all times, is horror fiction. In horror fiction the body is free to rebel; horror texts rely on narrative strategies that refer to the intimate connection between the flesh and the mind. The mutiny of the body in horror fiction takes the form of the reversal of the relation between the mind-subject and the body. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the two best known and most common manifestations of this motif in horror fiction — manifestations known from legends and the earliest texts of the genre, both literary and cinematic: the animalised body and the undead body, represented by the werewolf and the zombie.
Unlike the Western cultural frame, within which the clear opposition good – evil is held as sound... more Unlike the Western cultural frame, within which the clear opposition good – evil is held as sound and rational, stories and plays of the Japanese culture rarely offer such a clean division of the characters and their deeds. Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan, also known in the West as The Ghost Story of Yotsuya, is a perfect example of the situation. As the story unfolds, following betrayal, murder and supernatural retribution, the balance of power and powerlessness is reversed and the difference between the victim and the tormentor fades and becomes obscure. The Ghost Story of Yotsuya blurs the common Euroamerican view of good and evil, honour and disgrace, forcing the Euroamerican reader to reflect and rethink their own perspective concerning those values.
Comparative Studies in Anglophone Literatures, 2012
Poe’s works have always enjoyed tremendous popularity within the film medium. Among a large numbe... more Poe’s works have always enjoyed tremendous popularity within the film medium. Among a large number of adaptations, however, a very original, innovative short story Ligeia seems to remain rather obscure. The two most often referred film adaptations of the story are The Tomb of Ligeia, directed by Roger Corman in 1964, and Edgar Allan Poe’s Ligeia from 2008, directed by John Shirley. Both titles differ significantly, mainly plotwise, but also in other aspects, to an extent much greater than one would expect solely due to the over forty years of time gap between them. Although based on the same short story, each film constructs a narrative and a world of its own, resembling a mirror reflecting changes in modern world and its popular culture as well as the evolution of Edgar Allan Poe’s continuing influence on popular fiction.
Rozdział jest kontynuacją rozważań poruszonych w artykule "Wybrane fanowskie praktyki dochodzenio... more Rozdział jest kontynuacją rozważań poruszonych w artykule "Wybrane fanowskie praktyki dochodzeniowe na przykładzie fandomu gier 'Silent Hill'," (2015). Tekst koncentruje się na przedstawieniu praktyk dochodzeniowych powszechnych wśród członków fandomu skupionego wokół wydawanej przez Konami serii gier Silent Hill, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem zapisu świadectw odbioru w formie wymiany zdań między członkami fandomu, oraz ich dążeniem do możliwie najpełniejszego zrozumienia historii przedstawionych w poszczególnych grach serii.
The paper is a case study of blog Jestem za, a nawet przeciw (astromaria.wordpress.com). The aim ... more The paper is a case study of blog Jestem za, a nawet przeciw (astromaria.wordpress.com). The aim of the text is to demonstrate how the blog author represents reality in an alternative way with particular emphasis on the specific use of characteristic way in which text and information function online, as well as the internet-specific tools. The subject of the analysis includes also the significance of the local node of meaning that is astromaria.wordpress.com for like-minded individuals, as well as the peculiarities of the worldview constructed by the blog author by means of conscious and precise application of the tools offered by the WordPress platform. It is also important to note that the factual content of the blog posts and comments are not subject to analysis, and only the manner in which they contribute to constructing an alternative view of reality through their form and performance online are discussed.
Odpowiedź na polemikę z wybranymi fragmentami książki „Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we w... more Odpowiedź na polemikę z wybranymi fragmentami książki „Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków” autorstwa Stanisława Krawczyka, Piotra Sterczewskiego i Mateusza Kominiarczuka pod tytułem „Groznawstwo, którego nie było: Polemika z książką Katarzyny Marak i Miłosza Markockiego ‘Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze’.”
Potworna Wiedza: Horror w badaniach kulturowych, 2016
Rozdział poświęcony jest teoretycznemu ujęciu podobieństw i różnic między głównymi motywami i wąt... more Rozdział poświęcony jest teoretycznemu ujęciu podobieństw i różnic między głównymi motywami i wątkami w japońskich i amerykańskich tekstach fantastyki grozy.
The Silent Hill franchise is beyond doubt one of the most popular and well-known survival horror ... more The Silent Hill franchise is beyond doubt one of the most popular and well-known survival horror video game franchises today. The Internet tools allow the fans of the franchise join their efforts to understand the game better, as well as spread the knowledge of the game and offer help in understanding it. As they devote time and effort to activities such as writing plot anylises, creating walkthroughs and fan documentaries, discussions and searching for new information, the players take on the roles of not only the audience, but also critics of and experts in the Silent Hill franchise.
Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również pr... more Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również proponowanych przez niego podejść analitycznych, do polskich badań kulturoznawczych oraz literaturoznawczych; mimo iż Toop i jego prace są jednym z głównych punktów odniesienia dla sound studies, jego twórczość pozostaje w dużej mierze nieopisana w polskiej literaturze akademickiej. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia zarys charakteru dzieł i rozważań Toopa, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem jego najważniejszych książek, jak również demonstruje zastosowanie jego refleksji i narzędzi analitycznych w kontekście literaturoznawczym, a konkretnie w kontekście badań nad fantastyką grozy.
Wydany przez wytwórnię Quantic Dream dramat interaktywny Beyond: Two Souls w reżyserii Davida Cag... more Wydany przez wytwórnię Quantic Dream dramat interaktywny Beyond: Two Souls w reżyserii Davida Cage’a jest doskonałym przykładem stopienia w jednej produkcji dwóch mediów. Łącząc w sobie cechy typowe dla kina z cechami typowymi dla gier wideo, takie jak obsada oparta na sławnych aktorach filmowych znanych z przemysłu kinowego oraz znanych aktorach głosowych znanych z gier wideo, złożona, pełna rozmachu fabuła, niesłychanie staranne dopracowanie graficzne oraz mocno zintegrowana interaktywność, Beyond: Two Souls znakomicie ilustruje stopniowe zanikanie bariery pomiędzy kinem a grą.
The novel Chorus of Mushrooms, written by Hiromi Goto, a Japanese-Canadian author, is a peculiar ... more The novel Chorus of Mushrooms, written by Hiromi Goto, a Japanese-Canadian author, is a peculiar search for identity and the language necessary for expressing that identity. From experiments with words, memories, and stories with which the protagonist attempts to construct her own self, emerges the concept of the scattered, relative Japanese-Canadian identity. The text emphasizes the problem of the dissonance between the ability to speak and the ability to express oneself, and reveals the complicated web of relations between words and communication, body and identity, and truth and memories.
The paper considers one of the most recent and most popular phenomena of the Internet, i.e. memes... more The paper considers one of the most recent and most popular phenomena of the Internet, i.e. memes. Beginning with a succinct origins of the term “meme” and its current functions in the Internet environment, the paper introduces various definitions of the term, constructed by academic scholars and Internet users alike. The primary focus is on the way in which memes operate within our culture, as well as on the life-cycle of memes and the manner in which memes migrate from one kind of media into other. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of memes crossing the boundaries between the virtual reality of the Internet and the physical reality of Internet users. All those matters are illustrated by concrete examples.
Kairo, a 2001 existential horror directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a both fascinating and disturbi... more Kairo, a 2001 existential horror directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a both fascinating and disturbing vision of people losing the essence of their humanness in the face of technological progress. The film touches upon a matter of universal relevance─the gradual replacing of interpersonal bonds and relations with a new bond created by the Internet: the bond between the man and the machine. Within that new bond the cyborg is born, a product of our social reality. Kurosawa’s work demonstrates how the Internet influences people and their relationships, with special emphasis on the lonely human beings, who bring into existence lonely cyborgs.
Gameplay, Emotions and Narrative: Independent Games Experienced, 2019
This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focu... more This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focus of our research is the complex interplay between the story and mechanics in digital games. Our goal is to demonstrate how the narrative and the ludic elements together can form unique player experiences. The volume is a collection of case studies involving close reading of selected independent titles, with focus placed on the themes, motifs and experimental approaches to gameplay present therein.
Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków to zbiór studió... more Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków to zbiór studiów poświęconych zarówno teoretycznemu, jak i praktycznemu wymiarowi badania gier cyfrowych. Centralny punkt zainteresowania tej książki stanowią dwa zagadnienia związane z badaniem gier. Pierwszym z nich, będącym jednocześnie głównym celem tej publikacji, jest uporządkowanie terminologii związanej z grami oraz wyjaśnienie niejasności obecnych w tłumaczeniu i stosowaniu terminów w międzynarodowym dyskursie groznawczym oraz opisanie cech właściwych grom cyfrowym. Drugie zagadnienie stanowią rozmaite zjawiska związane z grami cyfrowymi, zbliżające do siebie graczy i twórców oraz takie, które sprzyjają łączeniu się graczy, tworzeniu społeczności i kreowaniu tożsamości. Książka skierowana jest do badaczy gier, a także do osób dopiero zapoznających się z tą tematyką.
Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book co... more Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book compares and contrasts horror narratives from two distinct cultures--American and Japanese--with a focus on the characteristic mechanisms that make them successful, and on their culturally-specific aspects. Including a number of narratives belonging to film, literature, comics and video games, this book provides a comprehensive perspective of the genre. It sheds light on the differences and similarities in the depiction of fear and horror in America and Japan, while emphasizing narrative patterns in the context of their respective cultures.
The paper juxtaposes two films — Thanatomorphose directed by Éric Falardeau (2012) and Contracted... more The paper juxtaposes two films — Thanatomorphose directed by Éric Falardeau (2012) and Contracted directed by Eric England (2013) — in order to illustrate how both use similar themes of rot, disfigurement and decay of the body to paint different images of the female body and its aesthetic and functional value. Through the use of close reading, the analysis focuses on the manner in which the aforementioned themes in the discussed film texts are expressed within the boundaries of horror discourse to emphasize issues such as abuse, objectification and self-harm.
Layers of Fear, a 2016 psychological horror game by Bloober Team, is a story-oriented walking sim... more Layers of Fear, a 2016 psychological horror game by Bloober Team, is a story-oriented walking simulator. While many walking simulators focus on uncovering the past, Layers of Fear centres on the experience of being haunted by the past. The gameplay narrates a tragic story and the complex relation of the protagonist with his past from which he cannot escape: his fear, his obsession and the endless cycle of his madness. Most importantly, this experience is not constructed in the game by providing the players with journal entries or letters to read, but by allowing them to literally walk through the past, among material representations of memories and emotions, as the house itself shifts through various layers and moments of time both before and after the tragic events that haunt the protagonist. This paper focuses on the unique delivery of experiencing past events used in Layers of Fear, as well as the concept of haunting, trauma and obsession central to both the game and gameplay.
This paper concerns Internet user narratives concerning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō's m... more This paper concerns Internet user narratives concerning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō's manga, Uzumaki, of the same title and their characteristic traits. The focus are the individual testimonies of Internet users who make up the non-Japanese, English-speaking audience of the film, and the image of reception of it that they paint. A closer analysis of narratives about Uzumaki reveals a variety of ideas and attitudes regarding not only Japanese popular culture, but cinema and adaptations in general as well as specific patterns of response—including the technical aspects of the film text and more comprehensive cultural nuances.
The body, whether considered in terms of biology, sociology or religion, is an inherent constitue... more The body, whether considered in terms of biology, sociology or religion, is an inherent constituent of that which makes a human subject, complementing the mind and being subject to it. The only space that offers the body the freedom to be treated separately from the mind-subject that otherwise defines it at all times, is horror fiction. In horror fiction the body is free to rebel; horror texts rely on narrative strategies that refer to the intimate connection between the flesh and the mind. The mutiny of the body in horror fiction takes the form of the reversal of the relation between the mind-subject and the body. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the two best known and most common manifestations of this motif in horror fiction — manifestations known from legends and the earliest texts of the genre, both literary and cinematic: the animalised body and the undead body, represented by the werewolf and the zombie.
Unlike the Western cultural frame, within which the clear opposition good – evil is held as sound... more Unlike the Western cultural frame, within which the clear opposition good – evil is held as sound and rational, stories and plays of the Japanese culture rarely offer such a clean division of the characters and their deeds. Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan, also known in the West as The Ghost Story of Yotsuya, is a perfect example of the situation. As the story unfolds, following betrayal, murder and supernatural retribution, the balance of power and powerlessness is reversed and the difference between the victim and the tormentor fades and becomes obscure. The Ghost Story of Yotsuya blurs the common Euroamerican view of good and evil, honour and disgrace, forcing the Euroamerican reader to reflect and rethink their own perspective concerning those values.
Comparative Studies in Anglophone Literatures, 2012
Poe’s works have always enjoyed tremendous popularity within the film medium. Among a large numbe... more Poe’s works have always enjoyed tremendous popularity within the film medium. Among a large number of adaptations, however, a very original, innovative short story Ligeia seems to remain rather obscure. The two most often referred film adaptations of the story are The Tomb of Ligeia, directed by Roger Corman in 1964, and Edgar Allan Poe’s Ligeia from 2008, directed by John Shirley. Both titles differ significantly, mainly plotwise, but also in other aspects, to an extent much greater than one would expect solely due to the over forty years of time gap between them. Although based on the same short story, each film constructs a narrative and a world of its own, resembling a mirror reflecting changes in modern world and its popular culture as well as the evolution of Edgar Allan Poe’s continuing influence on popular fiction.
Rozdział jest kontynuacją rozważań poruszonych w artykule "Wybrane fanowskie praktyki dochodzenio... more Rozdział jest kontynuacją rozważań poruszonych w artykule "Wybrane fanowskie praktyki dochodzeniowe na przykładzie fandomu gier 'Silent Hill'," (2015). Tekst koncentruje się na przedstawieniu praktyk dochodzeniowych powszechnych wśród członków fandomu skupionego wokół wydawanej przez Konami serii gier Silent Hill, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem zapisu świadectw odbioru w formie wymiany zdań między członkami fandomu, oraz ich dążeniem do możliwie najpełniejszego zrozumienia historii przedstawionych w poszczególnych grach serii.
The paper is a case study of blog Jestem za, a nawet przeciw (astromaria.wordpress.com). The aim ... more The paper is a case study of blog Jestem za, a nawet przeciw (astromaria.wordpress.com). The aim of the text is to demonstrate how the blog author represents reality in an alternative way with particular emphasis on the specific use of characteristic way in which text and information function online, as well as the internet-specific tools. The subject of the analysis includes also the significance of the local node of meaning that is astromaria.wordpress.com for like-minded individuals, as well as the peculiarities of the worldview constructed by the blog author by means of conscious and precise application of the tools offered by the WordPress platform. It is also important to note that the factual content of the blog posts and comments are not subject to analysis, and only the manner in which they contribute to constructing an alternative view of reality through their form and performance online are discussed.
Odpowiedź na polemikę z wybranymi fragmentami książki „Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we w... more Odpowiedź na polemikę z wybranymi fragmentami książki „Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze: Studia przypadków” autorstwa Stanisława Krawczyka, Piotra Sterczewskiego i Mateusza Kominiarczuka pod tytułem „Groznawstwo, którego nie było: Polemika z książką Katarzyny Marak i Miłosza Markockiego ‘Aspekty funkcjonowania gier cyfrowych we współczesnej kulturze’.”
Potworna Wiedza: Horror w badaniach kulturowych, 2016
Rozdział poświęcony jest teoretycznemu ujęciu podobieństw i różnic między głównymi motywami i wąt... more Rozdział poświęcony jest teoretycznemu ujęciu podobieństw i różnic między głównymi motywami i wątkami w japońskich i amerykańskich tekstach fantastyki grozy.
The Silent Hill franchise is beyond doubt one of the most popular and well-known survival horror ... more The Silent Hill franchise is beyond doubt one of the most popular and well-known survival horror video game franchises today. The Internet tools allow the fans of the franchise join their efforts to understand the game better, as well as spread the knowledge of the game and offer help in understanding it. As they devote time and effort to activities such as writing plot anylises, creating walkthroughs and fan documentaries, discussions and searching for new information, the players take on the roles of not only the audience, but also critics of and experts in the Silent Hill franchise.
Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również pr... more Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również proponowanych przez niego podejść analitycznych, do polskich badań kulturoznawczych oraz literaturoznawczych; mimo iż Toop i jego prace są jednym z głównych punktów odniesienia dla sound studies, jego twórczość pozostaje w dużej mierze nieopisana w polskiej literaturze akademickiej. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia zarys charakteru dzieł i rozważań Toopa, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem jego najważniejszych książek, jak również demonstruje zastosowanie jego refleksji i narzędzi analitycznych w kontekście literaturoznawczym, a konkretnie w kontekście badań nad fantastyką grozy.
Wydany przez wytwórnię Quantic Dream dramat interaktywny Beyond: Two Souls w reżyserii Davida Cag... more Wydany przez wytwórnię Quantic Dream dramat interaktywny Beyond: Two Souls w reżyserii Davida Cage’a jest doskonałym przykładem stopienia w jednej produkcji dwóch mediów. Łącząc w sobie cechy typowe dla kina z cechami typowymi dla gier wideo, takie jak obsada oparta na sławnych aktorach filmowych znanych z przemysłu kinowego oraz znanych aktorach głosowych znanych z gier wideo, złożona, pełna rozmachu fabuła, niesłychanie staranne dopracowanie graficzne oraz mocno zintegrowana interaktywność, Beyond: Two Souls znakomicie ilustruje stopniowe zanikanie bariery pomiędzy kinem a grą.
The novel Chorus of Mushrooms, written by Hiromi Goto, a Japanese-Canadian author, is a peculiar ... more The novel Chorus of Mushrooms, written by Hiromi Goto, a Japanese-Canadian author, is a peculiar search for identity and the language necessary for expressing that identity. From experiments with words, memories, and stories with which the protagonist attempts to construct her own self, emerges the concept of the scattered, relative Japanese-Canadian identity. The text emphasizes the problem of the dissonance between the ability to speak and the ability to express oneself, and reveals the complicated web of relations between words and communication, body and identity, and truth and memories.
The paper considers one of the most recent and most popular phenomena of the Internet, i.e. memes... more The paper considers one of the most recent and most popular phenomena of the Internet, i.e. memes. Beginning with a succinct origins of the term “meme” and its current functions in the Internet environment, the paper introduces various definitions of the term, constructed by academic scholars and Internet users alike. The primary focus is on the way in which memes operate within our culture, as well as on the life-cycle of memes and the manner in which memes migrate from one kind of media into other. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of memes crossing the boundaries between the virtual reality of the Internet and the physical reality of Internet users. All those matters are illustrated by concrete examples.
Kairo, a 2001 existential horror directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a both fascinating and disturbi... more Kairo, a 2001 existential horror directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a both fascinating and disturbing vision of people losing the essence of their humanness in the face of technological progress. The film touches upon a matter of universal relevance─the gradual replacing of interpersonal bonds and relations with a new bond created by the Internet: the bond between the man and the machine. Within that new bond the cyborg is born, a product of our social reality. Kurosawa’s work demonstrates how the Internet influences people and their relationships, with special emphasis on the lonely human beings, who bring into existence lonely cyborgs.
Despite the access to a plethora of works concerning Japan─not only academic papers but also book... more Despite the access to a plethora of works concerning Japan─not only academic papers but also books and textbooks─Japan and the Japanese are still a mystery to the Polish. The continuous fabrication of Orientalist images and themes in journalism and other publications renders the understanding of another culture difficult; exaggerated exotics spur more enthusiasm and popularity than ordinary facts. Neither understanding nor cultural diplomacy can be established between Poland and Japan when one of the countries concerned is not a real country, but an imaginary place. The border between the real Japan and the Orientalist Japan can be easily seen in the popular work of a Polish journalist, Japoński Wachlarz.
Authored Cultures / Authoring Cultures: Negotiating Control over Media Texts is an international ... more Authored Cultures / Authoring Cultures: Negotiating Control over Media Texts is an international conference that seeks to examine the theoretical and practical transformations of the roles of authors and readers. We wish to inquire into how the notion of authorship differs geographically and historically, across various media texts and in various practices, including translation and adaptation. We invite papers approaching the problem of authorship from a variety of perspectives – both theoretical and practical – and in multiple disciplines.
To some, the VR technology seems like not only a tremendous development, but—more importantly—the... more To some, the VR technology seems like not only a tremendous development, but—more importantly—the natural next step in game design. However, flat, non-interactive screens have been the default display device for digital games for a very long time and the newly emerging VR environment involves problems with immersion/incorporation. The first important issue concerns its emersive qualities. The other issue is the problem of the expected and perceived quality of the games and the resulting situation where non-VR games are still expected to uphold the highest achieveable standards while the VR titles are not.
Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również pr... more Podstawowym celem artykułu było wprowadzenie spostrzeżeń i refleksji Davida Toopa, jak również proponowanych przez niego podejść analitycznych, do polskich badań kulturoznawczych oraz literaturoznawczych; mimo iż Toop i jego prace są jednym z głównych punktów odniesienia dla sound studies, jego twórczość pozostaje w dużej mierze nieopisana w polskiej literaturze akademickiej. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia zarys charakteru dzieł i rozważań Toopa, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem jego najważniejszych książek, jak również demonstruje zastosowanie jego refleksji i narzędzi analitycznych w kontekście literaturoznawczym, a konkretnie w kontekście badań nad fantastyką grozy
Horror fiction plays an important part in the cultural landscape of contemporary world, being int... more Horror fiction plays an important part in the cultural landscape of contemporary world, being integral to the popular culture in many modern societies. This chapter compares and contrasts the structure and characteristics of horror narratives from two distinct cultures—American and Japanese—with a focus on the mechanisms that make them successful, and on their culturally-specific aspects. The aim of this work is to shed light on the differences and similarities in the depiction of fear and horror in American and Japanese realities, while at the same time emphasizing narrative patterns in the context of their respective cultures
The paper considers selected aspects of the phenomenon of Internet memes. Beginning with a succin... more The paper considers selected aspects of the phenomenon of Internet memes. Beginning with a succinct origins of the term “meme” and its current functions in the Internet environment, the paper introduces various definitions of the term, constructed by academic scholars and Internet users alike. The primary focus is on the way in which memes operate within our culture, as well as on the life-cycle of memes and the manner in which memes migrate from one kind of media into other. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of memes crossing the boundaries between the virtual reality of the Internet and the physical reality of Internet users. All those matters are illustrated by concrete examples
This paper concerns Internet user narratives concer ning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō’s ... more This paper concerns Internet user narratives concer ning the 2000 film adaptation of Junji Itō’s manga, Uzumaki , of the same title and their characteristic traits . The focus are the individual testimonies of Interne t users who make up the nonJapanese, English-speaking audience of the film, an d the image of reception of it that they paint. A closer analysis of narratives about Uzumaki reveals a variety of ideas and attitudes regarding not only Japanese popular culture, but cinema and adaptations in general as well as specific patt erns of response—including the technical aspects of the film text and more com prehensive cultural nuances.
Thanatomorphose and Contracted: Feminine body and sexuality in horror and the horror of feminine ... more Thanatomorphose and Contracted: Feminine body and sexuality in horror and the horror of feminine body and sexualityThe paper juxtaposes two films — Thanatomorphose directed by Éric Falardeau 2012 and Contracted directed by Eric England 2013 — in order to illustrate how both use similar themes of rot, disfigurement and decay of the body to paint different images of the female body and its aesthetic and functional value. Through the use of close reading, the analysis focuses on the manner in which the aforementioned themes in the discussed film texts are expressed within the boundaries of horror discourse to emphasize issues such as abuse, objectification and self-harm.
Images. The International Journal of European Film, Performing Arts and Audiovisual Communication
The article discusses selected aspects of the 2020 game Tell Me Why, focusing on particular gamep... more The article discusses selected aspects of the 2020 game Tell Me Why, focusing on particular gameplay mechanics pertaining to player choices and the manner in which they influence player emotions, as well as on the representation of trans experience in the game. The authors draw both on affect theory and on approaches derived from game studies concerning the presence of emotions in gameplay. In the final part of the text, trans representation in Tell Me Why is analysed and juxtaposed with the readings typically found in the game’s reviews.
This article identifies and examines a couple of selected issues regarding speculative digital ga... more 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 possibl...
This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focu... more This book is devoted to emotional and narrative immersion in the experience of gameplay. The focus of our research is the complex interplay between the story and mechanics in digital games. Our goal is to demonstrate how the narrative and the ludic elements together can form unique player experiences. The volume is a collection of case studies involving close reading of selected independent titles, with focus placed on the themes, motifs and experimental approaches to gameplay present therein.
Katarzyna Marak's chapter focuses on the manner in which performative play-paratextual Let... more Katarzyna Marak's chapter focuses on the manner in which performative play-paratextual Let's Play videos-can contribute to a better understanding of digital games in scholarly research and attempts at close reading of the given game text. Using selected examples, the paper demonstrates how a scholar, using Let's Plays, can expand their knowledge concerning possible gameplay experiences of other players, as well as explore the relevant cultural and linguistic limitations of the analyzed game.
Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book co... more Horror fiction is an important part of the popular culture in many modern societies. This book compares and contrasts horror narratives from two distinct cultures--American and Japanese--with a focus on the characteristic mechanisms that make them successful, and on their culturally-specific aspects. Including a number of narratives belonging to film, literature, comics and video games, this book provides a comprehensive perspective of the genre. This book sheds light on the differences and similarities in the depiction of fear and horror in America and Japan, while emphasizing narrative patterns in the context of their respective cultures.
W szerokim wachlarzu cyfrowych narzędzi i możliwości, które pojawiły się wraz z Internetem w życi... more W szerokim wachlarzu cyfrowych narzędzi i możliwości, które pojawiły się wraz z Internetem w życiu odbiorców najróżniejszych tekstów, na szczególną uwagę z punktu widzenia literaturoznawstwa zasługują narzędzia umożliwiające łączenie się i integrację ogromnych liczb fanów tych tekstów. Dzięki tym narzędziom fani mogą teraz łączyć swoje starania mające na celu lepsze zrozumienie tekstów (forensic efforts). Niektóre teksty z uwagi na swój charakter z samego swojego założenia zachęcają graczy do tworzenia społeczności fandomu dochodzeniowego (forensic fandom), do zagłębiania się w tekst i drążenia, aby odkryć więcej – tam, gdzie inne fandomy ograniczają się wyłącznie do – choćby i wyjątkowo entuzjastycznej – konsumpcji lub oddają się kreatywnej twórczości opartej na niuansach tekstu i swojej interpretacji tegoż, fandom dochodzeniowy poświęca czas i starania właśnie niuansom tekstu oraz samej interpretacji celem optymalizacji zrozumienia tekstu w obrębie danej społeczności fanowskiej. T...
The complicated affair between the cinema and the genius of Edgar Allan Poe goes back almost to t... more The complicated affair between the cinema and the genius of Edgar Allan Poe goes back almost to the beginning of the cinema itself. As Mark Neimeyer points out in Poe and Popular Culture, “[s]ince almost the first decade of the twentieth century, directors have been turning to Poe for inspiration, adapting his works with greater or lesser faithfulness” (Neimeyer, in Hayes 2002: 216). Some of the works have enjoyed better popularity than others, being apted and re-adapted many times by different directors in different time periods, such as The Fall of the House of Usher or The Tell-tale heart; others, such as The Golden Beetle, did not1. Among this vast number of adaptations of Poe’s works, a very original, innovative short story Ligeia seems to remain rather obscure. Apart from being en excellent representative of Poe’s work, Ligeia is also noteworthy for its remarkably intense, almost oppressive, dark atmosphere and, first and foremost, a truly unique main character, the titular Li...
Images. The International Journal of European Film, Performing Arts and Audiovisual Communication
The focus of this article are independent digital horror games and their characteristics; the goa... more The focus of this article are independent digital horror games and their characteristics; the goal was to briefly describe the independent horror scene and highlight some of the artistic and technical trends which manifest themselves in the titles belonging to that scene. Due to the sheer number of available games, the scope of the paper is narrowed down to only selected characteristics and trends distinguishable in game texts published between the years 2010 and 2020. The aim of the article is to present a selection of observations and conclusions concerning the independent games scene and to hopefully point to what these games can tell scholars about the way both the players and the developers perceive the horror genre.
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horror discourse to emphasize issues such as abuse, objectification and self-harm.
horror discourse to emphasize issues such as abuse, objectification and self-harm.