Description
Taylor and Francis Understanding Video Games The Essential Introduction 4Th Edition 2020 Edition by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Jonas Heide Smith, Susana Pajares Tosca
From Pong to virtual reality, Understanding Video Games, 4th Edition, takes video game studies into the next decade of the twenty-first century, highlighting changes in the area, including mobile, social, and casual gaming.In this new edition of the pioneering text, students learn to assess the major theories used to analyze games, such as ludology and narratology, and gain familiarity with the commercial and organizational aspects of the game industry. Drawing from historical and contemporary examples, the student-friendly text also explores the aesthetics of games, evaluates the cultural position of video games, and considers the potential effects of both violent and "serious" games.Extensively illustrated and featuring discussion questions, a glossary of key terms, and a detailed video game history timeline, this new edition is an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and teachers interested in examining the ways video games continue to reshape entertainment and society. INTRODUCTION About the Reader/Structure of the Book/The Larger Questions1 STUDYING VIDEO GAMES Who Studies Video Games?/How do you Study Video Games?/Types of Analysis/Schools of Thought?2 THE GAME INDUSTRY The Size of the Game Industry/The Structure of the Game Industry/ The Development Process/Roles in Game Development3 WHAT IS A GAME? General Models for Understanding Games/The Issue of Genre4 HISTORY A Brief Pre-history of Video Games/Does History Matter?/A History of Video Games/The 1970s/The 1980s/The 1990s/The 2000s/ The 2010s and Beyond/Perspectives5 VIDEO GAME AESTHETICS Rules/Geography and Representation/Number of Players/Games without Boundaries6 VIDEO GAMES IN CULTURE The Cultural Position of Video Games/ The Players7 NARRATIVE Storytelling/Reception-The Player's Experience of a Story/A Brief History of Literary Theory and Video Games / Transmedia Games / Final Remarks8 SERIOUS GAMES AND GAMIFICATON-WHEN ENTERTAINMENT IS NOT ENOUGH Overview and thematic areas / Games-for-change/ Games-for-Health / News Games / Political Games/Advertainment /Two research Domains / Serious Games / Gamification Final remarks9 VIDEO GAMES AND RISKS Two Research Perspectives/The Active Media Perspective/The Active User Perspective/Other Questions/Final RemarksVideo Game Timeline