Narrative & Play Theory, Ethics

Lecture on Narrative and Play Theory

Narrative Theory:

A story is a fabula, a product of imagination, that is presented in a certain manner (a representation).

The story can start at any place, time, or event, and is an event in itself, transitioning from one state to the next. From truth to post truth? Confusion to clarity?

To act is to cause or experience an event.

Game Theory:

A method of strategy, used in psychology. Several players and you have to figure out what the other person is doing so that you know what to do.

Anticipating what the other person will do and pick the best set of results.

Play Theory:

The Play Theory of Communication (1967) by William Stephenson

Without media we don’t know who we are. We base ourselves off our media.

He says: Work favours pain, play favours pleasure. Play lets us differentiate the fake from the real.

Katie Salen: Using games helps people to think deeper and more abstractly about everything else through game design. ‘Incentifies' people to want to get better at them. Getting closer to an end goal. Trial and error. Teamwork and collaboration.

Rules of Play - Game Design Fundamental (2003) by Eric Zimmerman & Katie Salem

Zimmerman: Play is the opposite of rules. The acceptance of rules allows free play.

See Game Thinking Slide on Gray’s Slideshow - use Serious Games field for my topic?

Using games to explore serious topics: arthritis example (speak to Gray about this for project)

Jane McGonigal’s app Super Better (2012) - Watch this TED Talk and write notes

Ethics talk:

The people who you impact will get left with what you do. You could carry on as a designer, but your subjects will be left up on the internet on your blog for ever after, so you need to be careful with what you do. It’s not just consent, it’s also giving them reassurance.

Figure out what you’re going to do before you get your people.

Use Consent Forms from Massey - check the wording and content with your supervisor first

Have an idea what you want to do with your people. Find people educated in the fields you’re looking into.

Can’t talk to 16 and under directly.