Core Cognition and Embodied Agency in Gaming: Towards a framework for analysing structure and function of computer games

Andreas Lindegaard Gregersen

Core Cognition and Embodied Agency in Gaming: Towards a framework for analysing structure and function of computer games

Institut for Kommunikation

Abstract

Afhandlingen analyserer struktur og funktion i computerspil, hvor det antages at spilstrukturer har den funktion at levere udfordrende interaktion for et kropsbundet individ.

Første kapitel introducerer begrebet "core cognition", som referer til et sæt fælles menneskelige kognitive kompetencer i forbindelse med perception og kognition. Andet kapitel giver en mere dybdegående analyse af intentionel, mål-orienteret handling og kropsbundet bevidsthed som agerende individ. Tredje kapitel gennemgår leg og relaterede fænomener med den foreløbige konklusion at lege, spil og legende adfærd kan indebære mål-orienterede handlinger på forskellig vis og leg og spil skal forstås i tæt sammenhæng med begreber som udforskning og beherskelse.

Anden del beskriver computerspil som materielt og computationelt baserede systemer med flere niveauer, hvor den mest prominente er spilverdenen, eller den virtuelle verden. Spil defineres i overensstemmelse med tidligere definitioner som simulation af spilverdener der rekrutteres til at udgøre en kontrol-relateret udfordring i forhold til en kunstigt skabt konflikt. På basis af "core cognition", analysen af intentionel handling samt leg argumenteres der for at computerspils-interaktion involverer totaliteten af spilsystemet, inklusive den materielle kontrolenhed, computation, verdens-simulation og repræsentation så vel som de strukturer af kunstig konflikt og kontroludfordringer som udgøres af disse niveauer tilsammen. Der gives en relativt grundig analyse af avatar-kontrol i forhold til kropsbundet handling med begrebet "body-image-in-action", og der argumenteres også for at spilsimulation og repræsentation er gearet til "core cognition" samt at "core cognition" kan udgøre en fælles semantik for fysiske processer og kropsbundet handling i en tidslig og rumlig sammenhæng. Denne fælles semantik kan forbinde akademiske områder der ellers har tenderet mod udsagn om mediespecificitet eller narrative strukturer i stedet for fælles mentale strukturer. Næste kapitel giver korte eksempler på spilanalyse som en demonstration af begrebsapparatets anvendelighed.

De sidste to kapitler i afhandlingen analyserer de to centrale begreber "simulation" og "regler" ved hjælp af begrebsapparatet fra de foregående kapitler. Kapitlet om simulation argumenterer for, at simulation kan forstås både som modellering af materielle systemer samt som modellering af aktivitet i en materiel kontekst. Denn distinktion er nødvendig for at kunne analysere hvad spil kan siges at udgøre en simulation af. Der argumenteres også for at simulationer i den første forstand ikke nødvendigvis indebærer interaktivitet og at repræsentation er et nødvendigt aspekt af al simulation. Kapitlet om regler giver en redegørelse for og diskussion af regler som de kan forstås uden for computerspilssammenhænge. De resulterende distinktioner anvendes til at analysere skak og fodbold for at vise de iboende og substantielle forskelle mellem to slags spil, dvs. formaliserede brætspil overfor spil som involverer præcis udførelse af kropsbundne færdigheder i at manipulere den materielle virkelighed. Der argumenteres yderligere for at centrale positioner i computerspilslitteraturen opererer med internt inkonsistente regelbegreber, dvs. streng matematisk formalisme overfor abstrakte funktioner som kontroludfordringer. Endelig argumenteres for at det foreslåede studie af computerspil som en delmængde af spil (dvs. ludologi) er nødt til at anerkende forskelle i spilstrukturer som de forefindes på tværs af materielle, sproglige og computationelle kontekster for menneskelig aktivitet.

Endelig giver en kort konklusion en oversigt over bidraget til feltet inklusive nøglebegreber.

Originalsprog	Engelsk

Udgivelsessted	København
Forlag	Museum Tusculanum
Vol/bind	1
Antal sider	243
Status	Udgivet - 2008

Emneord

Det Humanistiske Fakultet
Computerspilsteori
Computerspilsanalyse
Kognition
Kognitiv teori
Handlingsteori
Spil
Leg

Citationsformater

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title = "Core Cognition and Embodied Agency in Gaming: Towards a framework for analysing structure and function of computer games",

abstract = "The dissertation is premised on the assumption that video game structure is geared towards the functionality of challenging interaction by embodied human individuals. The first chapter introduces {"}core cognition{"}, referring to a stable and common human embodiment of cognitive powers related to perception and cognition. The next chapter analyses intentional goal-related action and embodied awareness of action in depth. This is followed by a discussion of play and related phenomena leading to the preliminary conclusion that play and playfulness may involve goal-related actions in several ways and that play and games should necessarily be understood in connection with such processes as exploration and mastery. The second part describes computer video game systems as materially and computationally based systems of simulation and representation with multiple levels, the most prominent being that of the game world, or virtual world. Games are, in accordance with previous claims, defined as simulations of game worlds which are recruited for game functionalities of challenges of control in relation to artificial conflict. On the basis of core cognition, intentional agency, and play-related phenomena the case is made that computer game interaction as intentional, embodied activity involves the totality of the computer game system including material control interface, computation, world simulation and representation as well as the structures of artificial conflict and challenges inherent in these levels altogether. Avatar control is dealt with in detail in relation to embodiment through the concept of {"}body-image-in-action{"}. It is also argued that game simulation and representation is tailored to core cognition. Core cognition is the base of a shared semantics of physical processes, embodied actions and events in a spatial setting, which can be used to connect academic positions that may otherwise tend towards claims of media specificity or narrative structure instead of shared mental structure. The next chapter offers some sketched game analyses as examples of the utility of the analytical framework of core cognition, embodied action abilities and game system interaction.The dissertation ends with two chapters dedicated to central concepts in the recent literature on computer games analysis, namely simulation and rules. The core cognition and embodied agency framework is applied to these concepts in turn. The chapter on simulation argues that simulation can be understood both as modelling of material systems and as modelling of activity in material contexts and that this distinction is necessary to understand what games may be said to be simulations of. It is also argued that simulations in the first sense need not be interactive and that representation is integral to simulation. The chapter on rules gives a review and detailed discussion of rules as understood outside the realm of computer games. The resulting distinctions are applied to an analysis of chess and football to show the inherent and very substantial differences between these two kinds of games, i.e. formalised board games vs. games involving precise execution of embodied skills for manipulation of material reality. It is further argued that recent proposals in the literature operate with internally inconsistent rule conceptualisation, i.e. strict mathematical formalisms vs. abstract functionalisms of challenge and control. It is also argued that the proposed study of computer games as a subset of games (i.e. ludology) needs to acknowledge differences in game structures across material, linguistic, and computational contexts for human activity.A brief conclusion lists the primary contributions including key terms.",

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N2 - The dissertation is premised on the assumption that video game structure is geared towards the functionality of challenging interaction by embodied human individuals. The first chapter introduces "core cognition", referring to a stable and common human embodiment of cognitive powers related to perception and cognition. The next chapter analyses intentional goal-related action and embodied awareness of action in depth. This is followed by a discussion of play and related phenomena leading to the preliminary conclusion that play and playfulness may involve goal-related actions in several ways and that play and games should necessarily be understood in connection with such processes as exploration and mastery. The second part describes computer video game systems as materially and computationally based systems of simulation and representation with multiple levels, the most prominent being that of the game world, or virtual world. Games are, in accordance with previous claims, defined as simulations of game worlds which are recruited for game functionalities of challenges of control in relation to artificial conflict. On the basis of core cognition, intentional agency, and play-related phenomena the case is made that computer game interaction as intentional, embodied activity involves the totality of the computer game system including material control interface, computation, world simulation and representation as well as the structures of artificial conflict and challenges inherent in these levels altogether. Avatar control is dealt with in detail in relation to embodiment through the concept of "body-image-in-action". It is also argued that game simulation and representation is tailored to core cognition. Core cognition is the base of a shared semantics of physical processes, embodied actions and events in a spatial setting, which can be used to connect academic positions that may otherwise tend towards claims of media specificity or narrative structure instead of shared mental structure. The next chapter offers some sketched game analyses as examples of the utility of the analytical framework of core cognition, embodied action abilities and game system interaction.The dissertation ends with two chapters dedicated to central concepts in the recent literature on computer games analysis, namely simulation and rules. The core cognition and embodied agency framework is applied to these concepts in turn. The chapter on simulation argues that simulation can be understood both as modelling of material systems and as modelling of activity in material contexts and that this distinction is necessary to understand what games may be said to be simulations of. It is also argued that simulations in the first sense need not be interactive and that representation is integral to simulation. The chapter on rules gives a review and detailed discussion of rules as understood outside the realm of computer games. The resulting distinctions are applied to an analysis of chess and football to show the inherent and very substantial differences between these two kinds of games, i.e. formalised board games vs. games involving precise execution of embodied skills for manipulation of material reality. It is further argued that recent proposals in the literature operate with internally inconsistent rule conceptualisation, i.e. strict mathematical formalisms vs. abstract functionalisms of challenge and control. It is also argued that the proposed study of computer games as a subset of games (i.e. ludology) needs to acknowledge differences in game structures across material, linguistic, and computational contexts for human activity.A brief conclusion lists the primary contributions including key terms.

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KW - Games

KW - Play

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VL - 1

BT - Core Cognition and Embodied Agency in Gaming

PB - Museum Tusculanum

CY - København

ER -

Core Cognition and Embodied Agency in Gaming: Towards a framework for analysing structure and function of computer games

Abstract

Emneord

Fingeraftryk

Citationsformater