This paper introduces a comparative analytical system that seeks to document the evolution of the game experience in the history of video games. Following an overview of formal and ontological inspections of games, ten interactive figures – domains of human agency typically modelled by game systems – are presented. The study of figures in art history traces the emergence and resurgence of different types of characters, poses or scenes, and indeed this is the meaning that is ascribed to the term here; games propose different “roles” depending on the specific ways they model this agency. These concepts are ideal to segment any game experience, and each of these segments are then analyzed with four conceptual categories: three layers of interface (the manipulation, mapping and feedback layers), and the ludic modes of engagement associated with each figure. The presentation of the system is encapsulated in an argument about the recurring fascination for VR technology in the world of video game; the analytical system will be able to document the actual integration of such elements along with other important parts of the ludic mediation.

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From Video Games to Virtual Reality (and Back). Introducing HACS (Historical-Analytical Comparative System) for the Documentation of Experiential Configurations in Gaming History

Videogames are a rich domain for scholarship, and their dynamic content makes them a new and unique challenge for information retrieval (IR). Recent work has made it possible to cite specific moments in a videogame (like pages in a book), but currently finding those moments to cite is laborious because there are no videogame moment search engines. We conducted an in-depth interview study with ten users across a variety of user profiles: developers, educators, speedrunners, scholars, and streamers. From these interviews, we identify the unique needs of each user profile for retrieving moments from videogames. We outline implications for future research in retrieval and design implications for new tools focused on interactive media.

Understanding user needs in videogame moment retrieval

Game development artifacts resulting from the creation process of video games, such as design documents, style guides, test builds, and marketing materials, provide rich contextual informa...

Describing, organizing, and maintaining video game development artifacts

A lot of studies for video games are progressing because of the expansion of research interest in video games. But it can be said that there is a lack of means to access video games as research materials. Therefore, cataloging or metadata model for video games has been discussed since 2010. Opinions are divided among researchers on the FRBR’s potential of description for video game resources. In this research, we design application model for video games based on IFLA LRM for the purpose of implementation in Media-Arts Database. The database is the only one comprehensive database produced by Agency for Cultural Affairs including bibliographic records of video game in Japan. We are proceeding research activities through cataloging practice of Ritsumeikan Center for Game Studies (RCGS), Ritsumeikan University. At First, we discuss the functional requirements for video game cataloging. Secondly, For the design of the metadata model, definitions, interpretation and criteria for record distinction were specified for the four entities of Work, Expression, Manifestation, and Item. Furthermore, the existing list of bibliographic relationships is deficient in the recording relationships of the video game. We created a vocabulary of bibliographic relationships required for the description of the video game by analysing some examples of the records in Media-arts Database and interview data to the catalogers. Thirdly, the designed model was verified through application for two cases. It was confirmed that the metadata model has potential of description to satisfy the above functional requirements.

A Development of the Metadata Model for Video Game Cataloging: For the Implementation of Media-Arts Database

Authority lists or indices are key components of cataloging and metadata work as they provide critical anchoring points to disambiguate between various entities. This article describes the creation...

Creating and Using a Glacier Authority Index to Document Climate Change

This article outlines the creation of computer game platform and media format Linked Open Data (LOD) controlled vocabularies by the Game Metadata and Citation Project (GAMECIP). We discuss the need for more consistent and accurate information in computer game library records, define what we mean by “platform” and “media format,” and then elaborate on our research process and issues encountered along the way. Our vocabularies were constructed with the Simple Knowledge Organization System to take advantage of its properties and hierarchical structure. After describing our LOD schema in detail, we conclude with a discussion of future work and a call for more collaboration.

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Mitch Mastroni

Papers

Implementing Controlled Vocabularies for Computer Game Platforms and Media Formats in SKOS