For next week’s 5a7 Symposium Salvador Garcia-Martinez, Leif Penzendorfer, and myself (Carolyn Jong) will be hosting a discussion on methods for researching motion-based video games. We will also give a brief presentation on the projects or areas of interest we are planning to explore through our upcoming study. Below is an abstract we have collectively written that summarizes some of the things we will be talking about next week.
“We propose and evaluate a set of methods applicable to the study of motion-based videogames, including games for Microsoft’s Kinect, Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s Move. The first of these methods is an adapted form of participant-observation consisting of videotaped play sessions in which participants and researchers play games together in both cooperative and competitive modes. These sessions are bracketed by informal interviews and questionnaires designed to gather additional information about perceived gameplay experiences. The data gathered using these methods can then be juxtaposed with the analysis of online player-generated gameplay and review videos in order to contrast videos produced under laboratory conditions with other forms of videogame play and performance.
This paper will present the results of an initial case study, including the relative contribution of each of these methods to three interrelated projects investigating mimicry, affect, and gestural training and control. The first project deals with the manner in which players translate the motions of sports into their virtual equivalents. The second project explores the role of humour in videogames using this type of technology and how it supports game design. The third project investigates the training and discipline of player’s bodies, analyzing changes in movement patterns and the perceived goals and strategies of players as they learn to interact with Kinect Sports. The authors hypothesize that the researcher’s active involvement in gameplay is especially valuable for this area of study because it provides experiential information that cannot be gathered through observation alone.”
Where: Technoculture, Art, and Games (TAG) LAB, EV 11.425, Corner of Guy and St. Catherine O.
When: Wednesday, April 4, 5pm-7pm
Who: Anyone is welcome, please feel free to bring friends or colleagues who might be interested.
What: Discussion on methods for the analysis of motion-based video games, hosted by Carolyn Jong, Salvador Garcia-Martinez, and Leif Penzendorfer.
Hope to see you all there. As usual it’s BYOB.