Group items tagged

A dystopia based on investigation into behavioral economics that envisions video games that are "compelling" and addictive but not fun and rewarding

From the introduction:"Space functions in video games in a multitude of manners, many of which have been examined at length, but for the purposes of this analysis, I focus on several contemporary games that feature dystopian environments and also implement the oft-cited concept of intertextuality in their treatment of visual design. More specifically, I examine the visual design of video games that feature a dystopian setting, and use intertextuality to depict distinct, cohesive game worlds. Through the practice of drawing inspiration across mediums and recontextualizing existing aesthetics in hostile, alien, and oppressive environments, designers employ intertextuality within the spatial context of the 3D game environment and juxtapose the perceived nostalgia of historical visual references with the intrinsic oppression of a dystopian game world. This analysis rejects the notion that the postmodern practice of intertextuality is an intrinsically negative one that dilutes our past - rather, in the games that are mentioned - intertextuality does the opposite. It puts the player in contact with the aesthetic trappings of the past, and in turn, creates an ongoing visual lexicon within a specific, nuanced cultural chronology of the dystopian aesthetic."