Table of contents

GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS:
Theories and methods for game studies and design

I CONTEXTS OF THEORY

1) Introduction, part I: Single-player academic game *
2) Introduction, part II: Theories and methods for game studies

II THEORY OF GAME STRUCTURES

3) Introduction to Systems, Rules, and Game Elements
4) Theory of Game Elements
5) Typology of Rules
6) Game Mechanics and Dynamics
7) Library of Game Mechanics
8) Genre Framework: Mechanics and Dynamics meet Theme

III THEORY OF PLAYER EXPERIENCE

9) Key Concepts in Psychology in Terms of Ludology: an Introduction
10) Goals and Plans
11) Emotions and Games, part 1: Definitions
11) Emotions and Games, part 2: Categories & Methods
12) Introduction to Game Rhetoric
13) Library of Multimodal Figures

IV APPLIED LUDOLOGY: METHODS & CASE STUDIES

14) Analysis of Game Systems through Elements & Rules
15) Game Mechanics & Dynamics across Media & Technology
16) Mood Proposals & Emotional Phases: Analysing Emotion Potentials in Games
17) Two Perspectives to Game Genres: Mechanics and Moods
18) Analyses of Game Themes through Game Rhetoric: Paratexts, Figures & Style
19) Theory becomes Design: The GameGame
20) Design by Game Elements: Game Design Document Template

VII GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS

Conclusions

Thesis background

Update, March 2006: Below you'll find some background dating back to 2003. Since that, my chances to work on my thesis have been quite sporadical, as my job responsibilities shifted closer to day-to-day business. My present job desription is one of producer, as I'm looking nover both the business and design requirements of game and research projects, such as a prototyping environment and electronic scratch tickets & online games. My five week study leave in Feb-Mar 2006 gives me chance to try to finish the thesis manuscript, the current version of which has been in the works since 2002.

Here's some background regarding my thesis. I graduated in 1998 with a MA degree from Comparative Literature from the University of Tampere. My Master's thesis was about hypertext theory and net.art. I was very generally interested in emerging digital cultures, and my interests were, at that time, heavily influenced by cultural studies and so-called 'new media theory'.

After graduating, I spent two years working as a copy editor and applying for grants to start my Ph.D. No luck there, which left me quite disillusioned with academic life. I spent three months working for the Hypermedia laboratory in the University, doing research on game typologies for Veikkaus, the Finnish lottery company. These two institutions were to reappear on my story, as we'll see.

After numerous disappointing grant results, the opportunity presented itself to go and work in the new media industry, and I was happy to take it. I worked for more than a year as a concept designer & copywriter. As the industry went into decline, another opportunity presented itself: to return to Hypermedia lab to work as an Assistant Professor.

I got the job and spent the year 2002 there. It was a good year, with the Computer Games and Digital Cultures conference in Tampere and the CC-DES project producing a fine research report. I also did some freelance game design for Fathammer, a Finnish company working in the mobile games industry. Sadly, I did not find time for my thesis. Then Veikkaus approached me and offered a job where I could take time to finish it. It was an offer I could not refuse. And so here we are.

Due to my position in and out of both academia and industry, my approach has become much more design-orientated. I've been associated with ludology, and that's pretty accurate. I respect many kinds of approaches to the study of games and players, just as long as the researchers play games themselves. My own approach has shifted from a broad aesthetic interest into a more detailed (some might say limited ;) understanding how games work; by what means and elements do they produce particular experiences that we dub 'playing games'. How could we knowingly rearrange those elements to produce new games?

To those questions, among others, my thesis tries to find answers. Final note on the thesis' title. It refers to several things: how games are breaking out of physical constraints (ubiquitous games), how similar underlying mechanics are used in numerous games that appear different on the surface. And it's also about the Peter Gabriel song, of course.

Personal info

My name is Aki Järvinen. I have experience from both academic research and commercial game design.

Currently I work as a Game Researcher & Designer at Veikkaus the Finnish National Lottery. Veikkaus operates Lottery games, sports betting, and scratch tickets in Finland. My task is to analyse our games and research & develop new game concepts where elements from gambling and video games - games of chance and games of skill - are mixed. As of late 2004, I've been working in a business unit named Entertainment Market, the task of which is to expand our business into the field of games other than traditional lotteries.

I also write columns, reviews, and a rare feature for Pelaaja, a Finnish gaming magazine.

I've been sporadically active among the academic game research community, presenting papers in conferences and being a part of the Game Studies team during the early stages. Lately I've had the opportunity to concentrate on finishing my thesis. I hope that it will be my worthwhile contribution to this emerging field.

contact:

aki at gameswithoutfrontiers dot net