Construct of the Real and the Rhetoric of Games

Welcome to Week 4 of Track 1: Game Studies reading club! So far in our Game Studies track, we have discussed in-depth the definitions of play and game, the complex Narratology vs. Ludology debate on whether or not games should be only read as texts (literary approach) or as rule-based structures (formalist approach), and the paratextuality of games that reveals the game medium's rich, cultural and social dimensions. Now, we are prepared to examine the "reality" in games through the ludological theory of procedural rhetoric!

Ian Bogost, the creator of the Procedural Rhetoric theory, defines his type of rhetoric as "the practice of using processes persuasively" (Bogost, Persuasive Games). Since video games contain procedurality, or the computational processes that execute rule-based representations, we can apply procedural rhetoric theory to examine the procedurality of video games, and understand how video games "speak" to us and "persuade" us via rules, computational processes, and logic.

Through procedural rhetoric, we can explore the "hidden messages" behind the game reality, which are often ideologically driven. As Huizinga reminds us, the act of "play" is always meaningful, in that playing gave birth to social structures that sustain all human civilizations. A video game, or an individual "magic circle" where collaborative play occurs, sometimes exists not only as an entertaining "play-thing", but as a messenger of ideologies and social realities hidden behind its fantasy-like representations. Yes, video games can be ideological, too. It is the focus of our reading this week.

There are 5 main readings for this week. Under optional readings section, I have provided a couple of games for you to play. For the sake of clarity, I have organized the texts in a linear fashion, under subheadings, to be read in successive order. Enjoy!

-- Sherry Jones (Track 1: Game Studies Facilitator)

**This week's recorded live streaming video is published at the end of the page.

Main Readings

• [ARTICLE] "The Rhetoric of Video Games" by Ian Bogost
• [ARTICLE] "On Technical Agency and Procedural Rhetoric: A Quick Response to Joshua McVeigh-Schulz" by Ian Bogost
• [ARTICLE] "Comparative Video Game Criticism" by Ian Bogost
• [ARTICLE] "Bioshock: Complex and Alternate Histories" by Ryan Lizardi
• [ARTICLE] "Virtual Torture: Videogames and the War on Terror" by Mark L. Sample

Optional Readings

• [ARTICLE] "Molleindustria: 10 Years Of Radical Socio-Political Video Games" by IndieStatik
• [GAME] Every Day the Same Dream
• [GAME] The Free Culture Game: A Playable Theory

Recorded Live Streaming Video

Published: August 14, 2014, 5pm-6:30pm MST.