My main research focuses on how computer games tell stories and how they do this differently from books or films. As more and more game franchises tell their stories transmedially, it is also interesting to see how the different media are used to contribute to the narrative as a whole.
My lectures are on digital media (history); inter-, intra- cross- and transmediality; and comparative media studies with a special interest in computer games.
This dissertation discusses narrative games, or what I call story-structured games, seeing that i... more This dissertation discusses narrative games, or what I call story-structured games, seeing that in these games it is the game script that determines what happens next. They are also referred to as games of progression, as opposed to rule-based games, which are called games of emergence. However, as I explained in the introduction, these two categories are not clear-cut. Games of emergence often have (extra-diegetic) stories, while games of progression also have rule-based gameplay elements. As I further pointed out in the introduction, computer games were appropriated by literary and film studies before game studies established itself as a separate academic field. As a result, the first years of game studies were dominated by a struggle for authority between the narratologists and the ludologists. And, although this difference of opinion was eventually laid to rest, both the earlier appropriation and the power struggle resulted in a certain suspicion of games of progression, in favour of game rules and consequently of games of emergence. Despite this fact, terminology and techniques from literary and film studies were still used to study progression games, as they undeniably possess diegetic narrative aspects. But computer games are not books or films. Consequently, the way they ‘tell stories’ should differ from the way the other two media do. Therefore, I wanted to explore how games tell stories and how this differs from narratives in books and films. I furthermore wanted to see whether the use of narrative theory from literary and film studies had had a negative influence on the study of story-structured games. Finally, as computer games incontrovertibly depend on technical and hardware affordances, I wanted to look into the way this might have affected progressive games, especially their narrative, and if and how this might have changed over the years.
In this article we examine location, space and spatial representation in two classic adventure ga... more In this article we examine location, space and spatial representation in two classic adventure games belonging to the same game series: Gabriel Knight Sins of the Fathers, a one screen at a time point-and-click adventure and Gabriel Knight Blood of the Sacred Blood of the Damned, a 3D game. Our aim was to see if the changes in the audiovisual representation of the gamespace in the 3D game would affect gameplay or whether gameplay and representation are independent entities, as some researches have proposed. What we found was that location and space are experienced differently in the 3D game. Furthermore we found that players of the game series had to learn a new visual grammar to bring the 3D game to a successful end. We will therefore propose that gameplay and the representation of gamespace are linked; perhaps even to such an extent that some types of games benefit from a particular audiovisual representation.
Even though these claims have been disproven in many studies on the subject, 2015 saw the return ... more Even though these claims have been disproven in many studies on the subject, 2015 saw the return of anti-games arguments and/or unsubstantiated claims about the negative effects of games and game violence on the human psyche. In this article, I want to argue that fear of the new often causes such claims, looking especially at previous controversies related to computer games to show that histoire se repete.
In 2007, Ubisoft launched ASSASSIN’S CREED, a game set in the Near East during the Third Crusade.... more In 2007, Ubisoft launched ASSASSIN’S CREED, a game set in the Near East during the Third Crusade. The protagonist, Altaïr, is an Assassin of Arab origin. He is depicted as an Arab man, blending in naturally with the rich oriental surroundings. However, when he speaks we hear an American accent. This raises the question if he really is different or if he is just another American game hero.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2016
Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storyte... more Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storytelling still needs to be researched as the terminology has proven to be multi-interpretable. Transmedia storytelling involving computer games is even less-well researched. This article will look into both issues. First it will take a critical look at transmedia storytelling to show the difference between it and other terms such as convergence, cross-media storytelling and radical intertextuality. Next, the article will look at the role of games in transmedia storytelling, focusing on the Assassin's Creed Desmond Saga to determine if games can be used as a narrative element in transmedia storytelling or if games are only a more active way to take part in the storyworld.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2016
Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storyte... more Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storytelling still needs to be researched as the terminology has proven to be multi-interpretable. Transmedia storytelling involving computer games is even less-well researched. This article will look into both issues. First it will take a critical look at transmedia storytelling to show the difference between it and other terms such as convergence, cross-media storytelling and radical intertextuality. Next, the article will look at the role of games in transmedia storytelling, focusing on the Assassin's Creed Desmond Saga to determine if games can be used as a narrative element in transmedia storytelling or if games are only a more active way to take part in the storyworld.
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adaptations of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present day film going audience, become a prominent figure in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In this article I will illustrate how Aragorn is portrayed in the original work and how his character is shown in other versions across several media. As every medium has its own narrative techniques and technical limitations I will use theories by Wendy Doniger and Northrop Frye to establish the fundamental elements of Aragorn’s character. These will then be used to examine how well every adaptation has succeeded in portraying the essence of the character.
Inspired by research by Carrie Heeter et al. and the MIT Games-to-Teach project, we set up a smal... more Inspired by research by Carrie Heeter et al. and the MIT Games-to-Teach project, we set up a small-scale empirical study on two educational games on Art aimed at primary school children. We found that both boys and girls liked to play these games; that one game scored better on our “fun index” and that girls had less mouse skills and lacked certain game skills. This did not, however, affect their test score, on the contrary, the girls improved more than the boys. To our amazement, we also found that the girls especially anticipated to have learned less from the more entertaining game, which might suggest that even at this early age they think that learning cannot be fun.
As soon as mankind moved from being hunters and gatherers to settle down and become farmers, they... more As soon as mankind moved from being hunters and gatherers to settle down and become farmers, they felt the need to protect themselves with walls and barriers, to shield themselves from wild animals, marauders and even enemy clans. Some of these barriers are still in place like the great wall of China. Others, like Hadrian’s wall built by the Romans in the North of England to fend of the Picts, have crumbled, its stones used for other purposes like the building of other walled strongholds. And even though new inventions, most notably the canon, showed that every barrier has its weaknesses mankind did not stop building walled cities and elaborate walled defences. In the 20th century Hitler had enormous defence works put up such as the Panther-Wotan line and the Atlantic Wall to try and secure the territories his armies had conquered. Even today barriers and walls are erected like Trump’s Mexican wall or Hungary’s eastern wall to keep out immigrants. In a way these physical walls still...
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adaptations of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present day film going audience, become a prominent figure in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In this
Online Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, 2015
Although the protagonist of the Gabriel Knight game series (1993, 1995, 1999) is a modern hero, G... more Although the protagonist of the Gabriel Knight game series (1993, 1995, 1999) is a modern hero, Gabriel’s journey contains elements we also find in other Hero myths. Furthermore, the series contains many religious elements, supernatural motifs, as well as a more than superficial link with the story of the Messiah. Using Wendy Doniger’s theory of the micromyth as a point of departure, this article will take a closer look at these aspects of the games, as well as at how they are interlinked. The release of the remastered version of the first game also gives room to a ponder whether a new generation of players will comprehend such aspects
So-called games of progression are often film adaptations or are adapted themselves into other me... more So-called games of progression are often film adaptations or are adapted themselves into other media. Computer games are also used in transmedia storytelling. As these games use (visual) narrative techniques, it is natural to use research methodologies from literary and film studies to analyse them, especially when the game is compared to its filmic or literary counterpart. In this article, focussing on the terms genre and mise-en-scène, I point out some of the problems such comparisons can elicit. I will show that genre, in itself already a contested term, is used differently in literary-, film-, and gamestudies. In addition, the changing game demographics have prompted a rethinking of the term for computer games. In mise-en-scène the way a game visualizes setting and props depends on the technical capabilities of the system the game is played on. In newer games film style cinematography is possible but not all gamers are versed in film cues. Furthermore, modern style games increasingly put the camera in the hands of the gamer. Therefore, a comparatist should always be aware of the specificities of the particular medium. Note: an updated version of this article can be found in my dissertation (Chapter V)
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adapta-tions of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present-day film-going audience, become a prominent ...
Computerspellen zijn een geïntegreerd onderdeel geworden van de hedendaagse populaire cultuur. Ze... more Computerspellen zijn een geïntegreerd onderdeel geworden van de hedendaagse populaire cultuur. Ze vormen ook een industrie die wat budgettering betreft die van de filmwereld overstijgt. Diezelfde filmwereld is tegenwoordig echter nauw verknoopt met de ...
This dissertation discusses narrative games, or what I call story-structured games, seeing that i... more This dissertation discusses narrative games, or what I call story-structured games, seeing that in these games it is the game script that determines what happens next. They are also referred to as games of progression, as opposed to rule-based games, which are called games of emergence. However, as I explained in the introduction, these two categories are not clear-cut. Games of emergence often have (extra-diegetic) stories, while games of progression also have rule-based gameplay elements. As I further pointed out in the introduction, computer games were appropriated by literary and film studies before game studies established itself as a separate academic field. As a result, the first years of game studies were dominated by a struggle for authority between the narratologists and the ludologists. And, although this difference of opinion was eventually laid to rest, both the earlier appropriation and the power struggle resulted in a certain suspicion of games of progression, in favour of game rules and consequently of games of emergence. Despite this fact, terminology and techniques from literary and film studies were still used to study progression games, as they undeniably possess diegetic narrative aspects. But computer games are not books or films. Consequently, the way they ‘tell stories’ should differ from the way the other two media do. Therefore, I wanted to explore how games tell stories and how this differs from narratives in books and films. I furthermore wanted to see whether the use of narrative theory from literary and film studies had had a negative influence on the study of story-structured games. Finally, as computer games incontrovertibly depend on technical and hardware affordances, I wanted to look into the way this might have affected progressive games, especially their narrative, and if and how this might have changed over the years.
In this article we examine location, space and spatial representation in two classic adventure ga... more In this article we examine location, space and spatial representation in two classic adventure games belonging to the same game series: Gabriel Knight Sins of the Fathers, a one screen at a time point-and-click adventure and Gabriel Knight Blood of the Sacred Blood of the Damned, a 3D game. Our aim was to see if the changes in the audiovisual representation of the gamespace in the 3D game would affect gameplay or whether gameplay and representation are independent entities, as some researches have proposed. What we found was that location and space are experienced differently in the 3D game. Furthermore we found that players of the game series had to learn a new visual grammar to bring the 3D game to a successful end. We will therefore propose that gameplay and the representation of gamespace are linked; perhaps even to such an extent that some types of games benefit from a particular audiovisual representation.
Even though these claims have been disproven in many studies on the subject, 2015 saw the return ... more Even though these claims have been disproven in many studies on the subject, 2015 saw the return of anti-games arguments and/or unsubstantiated claims about the negative effects of games and game violence on the human psyche. In this article, I want to argue that fear of the new often causes such claims, looking especially at previous controversies related to computer games to show that histoire se repete.
In 2007, Ubisoft launched ASSASSIN’S CREED, a game set in the Near East during the Third Crusade.... more In 2007, Ubisoft launched ASSASSIN’S CREED, a game set in the Near East during the Third Crusade. The protagonist, Altaïr, is an Assassin of Arab origin. He is depicted as an Arab man, blending in naturally with the rich oriental surroundings. However, when he speaks we hear an American accent. This raises the question if he really is different or if he is just another American game hero.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2016
Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storyte... more Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storytelling still needs to be researched as the terminology has proven to be multi-interpretable. Transmedia storytelling involving computer games is even less-well researched. This article will look into both issues. First it will take a critical look at transmedia storytelling to show the difference between it and other terms such as convergence, cross-media storytelling and radical intertextuality. Next, the article will look at the role of games in transmedia storytelling, focusing on the Assassin's Creed Desmond Saga to determine if games can be used as a narrative element in transmedia storytelling or if games are only a more active way to take part in the storyworld.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2016
Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storyte... more Although, the term itself was coined more than ten years ago by Henry Jenkins, transmedia storytelling still needs to be researched as the terminology has proven to be multi-interpretable. Transmedia storytelling involving computer games is even less-well researched. This article will look into both issues. First it will take a critical look at transmedia storytelling to show the difference between it and other terms such as convergence, cross-media storytelling and radical intertextuality. Next, the article will look at the role of games in transmedia storytelling, focusing on the Assassin's Creed Desmond Saga to determine if games can be used as a narrative element in transmedia storytelling or if games are only a more active way to take part in the storyworld.
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adaptations of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present day film going audience, become a prominent figure in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In this article I will illustrate how Aragorn is portrayed in the original work and how his character is shown in other versions across several media. As every medium has its own narrative techniques and technical limitations I will use theories by Wendy Doniger and Northrop Frye to establish the fundamental elements of Aragorn’s character. These will then be used to examine how well every adaptation has succeeded in portraying the essence of the character.
Inspired by research by Carrie Heeter et al. and the MIT Games-to-Teach project, we set up a smal... more Inspired by research by Carrie Heeter et al. and the MIT Games-to-Teach project, we set up a small-scale empirical study on two educational games on Art aimed at primary school children. We found that both boys and girls liked to play these games; that one game scored better on our “fun index” and that girls had less mouse skills and lacked certain game skills. This did not, however, affect their test score, on the contrary, the girls improved more than the boys. To our amazement, we also found that the girls especially anticipated to have learned less from the more entertaining game, which might suggest that even at this early age they think that learning cannot be fun.
As soon as mankind moved from being hunters and gatherers to settle down and become farmers, they... more As soon as mankind moved from being hunters and gatherers to settle down and become farmers, they felt the need to protect themselves with walls and barriers, to shield themselves from wild animals, marauders and even enemy clans. Some of these barriers are still in place like the great wall of China. Others, like Hadrian’s wall built by the Romans in the North of England to fend of the Picts, have crumbled, its stones used for other purposes like the building of other walled strongholds. And even though new inventions, most notably the canon, showed that every barrier has its weaknesses mankind did not stop building walled cities and elaborate walled defences. In the 20th century Hitler had enormous defence works put up such as the Panther-Wotan line and the Atlantic Wall to try and secure the territories his armies had conquered. Even today barriers and walls are erected like Trump’s Mexican wall or Hungary’s eastern wall to keep out immigrants. In a way these physical walls still...
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adaptations of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present day film going audience, become a prominent figure in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In this
Online Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, 2015
Although the protagonist of the Gabriel Knight game series (1993, 1995, 1999) is a modern hero, G... more Although the protagonist of the Gabriel Knight game series (1993, 1995, 1999) is a modern hero, Gabriel’s journey contains elements we also find in other Hero myths. Furthermore, the series contains many religious elements, supernatural motifs, as well as a more than superficial link with the story of the Messiah. Using Wendy Doniger’s theory of the micromyth as a point of departure, this article will take a closer look at these aspects of the games, as well as at how they are interlinked. The release of the remastered version of the first game also gives room to a ponder whether a new generation of players will comprehend such aspects
So-called games of progression are often film adaptations or are adapted themselves into other me... more So-called games of progression are often film adaptations or are adapted themselves into other media. Computer games are also used in transmedia storytelling. As these games use (visual) narrative techniques, it is natural to use research methodologies from literary and film studies to analyse them, especially when the game is compared to its filmic or literary counterpart. In this article, focussing on the terms genre and mise-en-scène, I point out some of the problems such comparisons can elicit. I will show that genre, in itself already a contested term, is used differently in literary-, film-, and gamestudies. In addition, the changing game demographics have prompted a rethinking of the term for computer games. In mise-en-scène the way a game visualizes setting and props depends on the technical capabilities of the system the game is played on. In newer games film style cinematography is possible but not all gamers are versed in film cues. Furthermore, modern style games increasingly put the camera in the hands of the gamer. Therefore, a comparatist should always be aware of the specificities of the particular medium. Note: an updated version of this article can be found in my dissertation (Chapter V)
The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of t... more The release of the Peter Jackson film trilogy has renewed interest in both the original Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and in old and new adapta-tions of the book. Because of the film the character of Aragorn has, at least for the present-day film-going audience, become a prominent ...
Computerspellen zijn een geïntegreerd onderdeel geworden van de hedendaagse populaire cultuur. Ze... more Computerspellen zijn een geïntegreerd onderdeel geworden van de hedendaagse populaire cultuur. Ze vormen ook een industrie die wat budgettering betreft die van de filmwereld overstijgt. Diezelfde filmwereld is tegenwoordig echter nauw verknoopt met de ...
In their article 'Transmedial worlds: Rethinking cyberworld design', Klastrup and Tosca show that... more In their article 'Transmedial worlds: Rethinking cyberworld design', Klastrup and Tosca show that the core elements of a Transmedial World are: Mythos, the lore of the world, the central knowledge necessary to interpret and successfully interact with events in the world; Topos, the setting and detailed geography of the world; and Ethos, the explicit and implicit ethics and (moral) codex of behaviour. Though other terms are used, in essence similar distinctions are made in game worlds and storyworlds. In this article, I will first discuss the game world and the storyworld and show that the storyworld in games is different from that in non-interactive narrative media. I then focus on the Mythos and Ethos elements in the world of the Assassin's Creed series as both govern the moral choices in the series and, by doing so, subtly direct the behaviour of the player.
This special issue of the Tijdschrift voor Media Geschiedenis was edited by Ivo Blom and Myself. ... more This special issue of the Tijdschrift voor Media Geschiedenis was edited by Ivo Blom and Myself. Contributing authors René Glas, Maaike Lauwaert, Joseph Wachelder, Johan van de Walle, David Nieborg, Angela Ndalianis, Joris Dormans
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