Generic Structures, Generic Experiences: A Cognitive Experientialist Approach to Video Game Analysis

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Abstract

The article discusses the issue of how to categorize video games - not the medium of video games, but individual video games. As a lead in to this discussion, the article discusses video game specificity and genericity and moves on to genre theory. On the basis of this discussion, a cognitive experientialist genre framework is sketched, which incorporates both general points from genre theory and theories more specific to the video game domain. The framework is illustrated through a brief example. One virtue of the framework is that it offers a way to bridge the gap between game ontology and player experience; a brief conclusion discusses how the breadth of this gap may depend upon player biographies and also outlines how further work may proceed.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPhilosophy & Technology
Volume27
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)159-175
Number of pages17
ISSN2210-5433
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2014

Keywords

  • Video games
  • Genre
  • Experience
  • Cognition
  • Embodiment

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