Worlds at Play-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Worlds at Play

Published:2014-08-01 Issue:s1 Volume:35 Page:237-250
ISSN:2001-5119
Container-title:Nordicom Review
language:en
Short-container-title:

Author:

Toft-Nielsen Claus

Abstract

Abstract The relationship between the fantasy genre and the medium of computer games has always been a very tight-knit one. The present article explores the close connection between fantasy and computer games through different media, arguing that the fantasy genre's specific ‘mode of function’ is the ability to build complete fictional worlds, whereby it creates specific experiences for its users. Based on empirical data from focus group interviews with players of the most popular Western Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) of all times, World of Warcraft, the article develops the concept of worldness as an experiential, phenomenological understanding of player experience. I discuss how this way of framing a core quality of the fantasy genre (of world-building) functions across single fictional universes and aims to grasp a specific fantasy experience of being in the world. This experience works on the level of genre, by anchoring the specific fantasy world in the larger, surrounding fantasy genre matrix.

Publisher

Walter de Gruyter GmbH

Subject

Communication

Link

https://www.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/nor-2014-0115

Reference41 articles.

1. Anders, P. (1999) Envisioning Cyberspace: Designing 3D Electronic Spaces. New York: McGraw-Hill.

2. Bacon-Smith, C., and Yarbrough, T. (1991) Batman: The Ethnography. In R.E. Pearson and W. Uricchio (eds.), The many lives of the Batman : critical approaches to a superhero and his media (pp. ix, 213 p). New York, London: Routledge; BFI Publishing.

3. Bakhtin, M.M., Emerson, C., Holquist, M., and McGee, V. (1986) Speech genres and other late essays. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press.

4. Bardzell, S., Wu, V., Bardzell, J., and Quagliara, N. (2007) Transmedial interactions and digital games. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the international conference on Advances in computer entertainment technology, Salzburg, Austria.

5. Bartle, R. (1996). Hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades: Players who suit MUDs. Journal of MUD research, 1(1), 19.