ABSTRACT So far the field of game studies has mostly bypassed the everyday meanings attached to t... more ABSTRACT So far the field of game studies has mostly bypassed the everyday meanings attached to the material manifestations of digital games. Based on qualitative survey data, this article examines what kind of personal and collective values are attached to the physical copies of games, including the storage medium and packaging. The results show how materiality resonates with the reliability and unambiguity of ownership.
Game Studies Special Issue on Game Reward Systems (2011)
The idea for the theme of this issue came almost two years ago in the outdoor seating area of a p... more The idea for the theme of this issue came almost two years ago in the outdoor seating area of a pub in the western outskirts of London. It was not just that the both of us had studied achievements and were trying to figure out their place in gameplay and gaming culture. There was something in the air, no matter if you talked to academics at DiGRA, developers at DICE and GDC, or gamers and writers all over the place. The promise/threat of games becoming simple reward dispensers, and life becoming games was everywhere.
Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonpla... more Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonplace. Currently the brick and mortar retailers and physical copies still hold a dominant position in the overall market but online market--including online distribution of full game titles, subscription-based models, downloadable content, virtual commodities and related value-added services--is quickly developing. Still we know very little of the player attitudes towards digital distribution of games.
Mitä tapahtuu, kun pelaajat ottavat pelit omaan käyttöönsä ja alkavat osallistua pelien tuotantoo... more Mitä tapahtuu, kun pelaajat ottavat pelit omaan käyttöönsä ja alkavat osallistua pelien tuotantoon ja niiden käyttötapojen muotoiluun? Olli Sotamaan väitöskirja The Player s Game: Towards Understanding Player Production among Computer Game Cultures kysyy, missä määrin digitaaliset pelit syntyvät niin käsitteellisesti kuin käytännön arjessa pelisuunnittelijoiden ja pelaajien yhteistyönä.
ABSTRACT The paper provides a cultural and economic background for the rise of the service paradi... more ABSTRACT The paper provides a cultural and economic background for the rise of the service paradigm in the realm of games. Both the complicated relation between products and services and a variety of contemporary examples are examined in order to develop a detailed understanding of the ecology of games-related services. From mapping the current situation we move on to create a particular player service model.
Abstract The actual meanings computer game modders attach to their actions and practices remain h... more Abstract The actual meanings computer game modders attach to their actions and practices remain heavily underresearched. This article takes a look at the attitudes and everyday practices of the people who make game modifications, with special focus on the forms and consequences of collaboration between hobbyists. The case discussed in the article is the shooter-game Operation Flashpoint (OFP) and the modding scene around it. The article proposes that there is no such thing as an average computer game modder.
On modder labour, commodification of play, and mod competitions
Abstract As the boundaries between play and work are becoming increasingly blurred among digital ... more Abstract As the boundaries between play and work are becoming increasingly blurred among digital games, avid player labour is increasingly harnessed as a source of revenue. This article focuses on" modders", hobbyists who build on existing retail game titles, and the strategies the game industry uses to motivate and persuade these hobbyists to produce content that most effectively benefits the industry.
ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the role of players in game design. The objective of this pape... more ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the role of players in game design. The objective of this paper is to provide some clarity on the issue of player-centred design by analysing the notions on player in current game design literature. This research also discusses the potentials a multifaceted approach on players can offer for the design of games. The article starts by analysing different approaches on player from abstract ideal player to player profiles and players as co-creators.
ABSTRACT In order to understand what a game is and how to design good games, we need to understan... more ABSTRACT In order to understand what a game is and how to design good games, we need to understand the players as well as the act and the experience of playing. However, the players are not typically very much involved in game design processes, especially in their early stages. To develop and evaluate methods of player research and ways to integrate them into game design processes, we conducted a study with self-documentation sets.
The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) studies has lately undergone some significant trans... more The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) studies has lately undergone some significant transitions. The focus of research has shifted from tasks to actions, from offices to the streets and the home, from laboratories to settings where people actually spend their time and from simple “ease of use” to evaluating the suitable level at which an activity should be challenging.
Rahapelaamisen haasteet digitaalisessa mediassa on Pena-tutkimushankkeen loppuraportti. Tutkimus ... more Rahapelaamisen haasteet digitaalisessa mediassa on Pena-tutkimushankkeen loppuraportti. Tutkimus tehtiin Tampereen yliopiston hypermedialaboratoriossa vuoden 2000 syksyllä, ja sen tavoitteena oli määritellä pelien ja leikkien muotoja sekä käsitteellistää raha-ja videopelien maailmaa. Toimeenpanijana ja rahoittajana oli Oy Veikkaus Ab.
Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonpla... more Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonplace. At the same time we know very little of the player attitudes towards digital distribution of games. Therefore the study at hand focuses on examining the players' experiences and notions concerning online distribution.
Abstract This paper investigates some aspects of how location-based game concepts are challenging... more Abstract This paper investigates some aspects of how location-based game concepts are challenging the traditions of gaming. The initial hypothesis is that location-based gaming that utilizes city space as a game board seem to be in conflict with the classical definitions of 'play'and 'game'. The nature of pervasive gaming is investigated in relation to different levels of mobile use and the social construction of urban space.
Abstract. The paper investigates the role of domestic technologies in constructing conceptions of... more Abstract. The paper investigates the role of domestic technologies in constructing conceptions of home. Rich qualitative data on Finnish households is analyzed in order to clarify the processes through which particular domestic objects and devices get their meanings. Interactions and atmosphere of the contemporary media-rich home are defined through the dynamics between private and public, individual and cultural and personal and familial.
ABSTRACT This paper suggests that the digital games industry products are not limited to games-re... more ABSTRACT This paper suggests that the digital games industry products are not limited to games-related hardware and software or the related spin-off industry products. Further, consumers “labour” with games is transformed into a product that is sold to advertisers and sponsors. In case of gamer-made modifications, this commodification of leisure is taken into extreme. It is obvious that the cultivation of unpaid modder labour necessitates different methods than the traditional forms of labour.
Page 1. 1 Unpublished seminar paper // Please do not quote without permission. Computer Game Modd... more Page 1. 1 Unpublished seminar paper // Please do not quote without permission. Computer Game Modding, Intermediality and Participatory Culture Olli Sotamaa University of Tampere [email protected] Introduction Artistic freedom. Do what you want. But just make sure that the money ain't gone. The Jam, All Mod Cons The lines by Paul Weller captured a moment in time in the late 70's but interestingly they also reveal something of the dynamics of 21st century mod scene.
ABSTRACT So far the field of game studies has mostly bypassed the everyday meanings attached to t... more ABSTRACT So far the field of game studies has mostly bypassed the everyday meanings attached to the material manifestations of digital games. Based on qualitative survey data, this article examines what kind of personal and collective values are attached to the physical copies of games, including the storage medium and packaging. The results show how materiality resonates with the reliability and unambiguity of ownership.
Game Studies Special Issue on Game Reward Systems (2011)
The idea for the theme of this issue came almost two years ago in the outdoor seating area of a p... more The idea for the theme of this issue came almost two years ago in the outdoor seating area of a pub in the western outskirts of London. It was not just that the both of us had studied achievements and were trying to figure out their place in gameplay and gaming culture. There was something in the air, no matter if you talked to academics at DiGRA, developers at DICE and GDC, or gamers and writers all over the place. The promise/threat of games becoming simple reward dispensers, and life becoming games was everywhere.
Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonpla... more Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonplace. Currently the brick and mortar retailers and physical copies still hold a dominant position in the overall market but online market--including online distribution of full game titles, subscription-based models, downloadable content, virtual commodities and related value-added services--is quickly developing. Still we know very little of the player attitudes towards digital distribution of games.
Mitä tapahtuu, kun pelaajat ottavat pelit omaan käyttöönsä ja alkavat osallistua pelien tuotantoo... more Mitä tapahtuu, kun pelaajat ottavat pelit omaan käyttöönsä ja alkavat osallistua pelien tuotantoon ja niiden käyttötapojen muotoiluun? Olli Sotamaan väitöskirja The Player s Game: Towards Understanding Player Production among Computer Game Cultures kysyy, missä määrin digitaaliset pelit syntyvät niin käsitteellisesti kuin käytännön arjessa pelisuunnittelijoiden ja pelaajien yhteistyönä.
ABSTRACT The paper provides a cultural and economic background for the rise of the service paradi... more ABSTRACT The paper provides a cultural and economic background for the rise of the service paradigm in the realm of games. Both the complicated relation between products and services and a variety of contemporary examples are examined in order to develop a detailed understanding of the ecology of games-related services. From mapping the current situation we move on to create a particular player service model.
Abstract The actual meanings computer game modders attach to their actions and practices remain h... more Abstract The actual meanings computer game modders attach to their actions and practices remain heavily underresearched. This article takes a look at the attitudes and everyday practices of the people who make game modifications, with special focus on the forms and consequences of collaboration between hobbyists. The case discussed in the article is the shooter-game Operation Flashpoint (OFP) and the modding scene around it. The article proposes that there is no such thing as an average computer game modder.
On modder labour, commodification of play, and mod competitions
Abstract As the boundaries between play and work are becoming increasingly blurred among digital ... more Abstract As the boundaries between play and work are becoming increasingly blurred among digital games, avid player labour is increasingly harnessed as a source of revenue. This article focuses on" modders", hobbyists who build on existing retail game titles, and the strategies the game industry uses to motivate and persuade these hobbyists to produce content that most effectively benefits the industry.
ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the role of players in game design. The objective of this pape... more ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the role of players in game design. The objective of this paper is to provide some clarity on the issue of player-centred design by analysing the notions on player in current game design literature. This research also discusses the potentials a multifaceted approach on players can offer for the design of games. The article starts by analysing different approaches on player from abstract ideal player to player profiles and players as co-creators.
ABSTRACT In order to understand what a game is and how to design good games, we need to understan... more ABSTRACT In order to understand what a game is and how to design good games, we need to understand the players as well as the act and the experience of playing. However, the players are not typically very much involved in game design processes, especially in their early stages. To develop and evaluate methods of player research and ways to integrate them into game design processes, we conducted a study with self-documentation sets.
The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) studies has lately undergone some significant trans... more The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) studies has lately undergone some significant transitions. The focus of research has shifted from tasks to actions, from offices to the streets and the home, from laboratories to settings where people actually spend their time and from simple “ease of use” to evaluating the suitable level at which an activity should be challenging.
Rahapelaamisen haasteet digitaalisessa mediassa on Pena-tutkimushankkeen loppuraportti. Tutkimus ... more Rahapelaamisen haasteet digitaalisessa mediassa on Pena-tutkimushankkeen loppuraportti. Tutkimus tehtiin Tampereen yliopiston hypermedialaboratoriossa vuoden 2000 syksyllä, ja sen tavoitteena oli määritellä pelien ja leikkien muotoja sekä käsitteellistää raha-ja videopelien maailmaa. Toimeenpanijana ja rahoittajana oli Oy Veikkaus Ab.
Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonpla... more Abstract The online distribution of games has in the past few years become increasingly commonplace. At the same time we know very little of the player attitudes towards digital distribution of games. Therefore the study at hand focuses on examining the players' experiences and notions concerning online distribution.
Abstract This paper investigates some aspects of how location-based game concepts are challenging... more Abstract This paper investigates some aspects of how location-based game concepts are challenging the traditions of gaming. The initial hypothesis is that location-based gaming that utilizes city space as a game board seem to be in conflict with the classical definitions of 'play'and 'game'. The nature of pervasive gaming is investigated in relation to different levels of mobile use and the social construction of urban space.
Abstract. The paper investigates the role of domestic technologies in constructing conceptions of... more Abstract. The paper investigates the role of domestic technologies in constructing conceptions of home. Rich qualitative data on Finnish households is analyzed in order to clarify the processes through which particular domestic objects and devices get their meanings. Interactions and atmosphere of the contemporary media-rich home are defined through the dynamics between private and public, individual and cultural and personal and familial.
ABSTRACT This paper suggests that the digital games industry products are not limited to games-re... more ABSTRACT This paper suggests that the digital games industry products are not limited to games-related hardware and software or the related spin-off industry products. Further, consumers “labour” with games is transformed into a product that is sold to advertisers and sponsors. In case of gamer-made modifications, this commodification of leisure is taken into extreme. It is obvious that the cultivation of unpaid modder labour necessitates different methods than the traditional forms of labour.
Page 1. 1 Unpublished seminar paper // Please do not quote without permission. Computer Game Modd... more Page 1. 1 Unpublished seminar paper // Please do not quote without permission. Computer Game Modding, Intermediality and Participatory Culture Olli Sotamaa University of Tampere [email protected] Introduction Artistic freedom. Do what you want. But just make sure that the money ain't gone. The Jam, All Mod Cons The lines by Paul Weller captured a moment in time in the late 70's but interestingly they also reveal something of the dynamics of 21st century mod scene.
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