Θ Games: Game_Studies: Articles

Site list:

Amory et. al. - Computer Games as a Learning Resource Paper by Alan Amory, Kevin Naicker, Jackie Vincent and Claudia Adams evaluating how biology students use computer games and how games can be used in teaching.
Castronova, Edward: Virtual Worlds: A First-Hand Account of Market and Society on the Cyberian Frontier Abstract of report on the economy of Everquest, arguing that this virtual world has as real an economy as most nation states. Full text by subscription only.
Kennerly, David. "Fun is Fine: Toward a Philosophy of Game Design" Argues that honest game design begins and ends with "fun" considered philosophically.
Goldstein, Jeffrey. "Does Playing Violent Video Games Cause Aggressive Behavior?" Quick and very sharp critique of the validity of recent research on video games and violence.
Juul, Jesper. "A clash between game and narrative" MA thesis by a Danish ludologist arguing that games are not narrative. Links to his other work. 1999.
Unsworth, John. "Living Inside the (Operating) System: Community in Virtual Reality" Essay discussing communities in MOOs, using PMC-MOO as a case study and discussing scholarly and pedagogical trajectories of MOOs. 1996.
Klevjer, Rune. "In Defence of Cutscenes" Article situating cutscenes in games in relation to popular culture and narrative, arguing against the radical ludologist position that they are extraneous.
Pargman, Daniel. "Code begets community" Extracts of a PhD thesis on SvenskMUD and the management of a virtual gaming community.
Richard A. Bartle. "Players Who Suit MUDs" Discusses whether MUDs are games, pass times, sports or entertainments and suggests four kinds of player: achiever, explorer, socializer or killer.
Friedman, Ted. "Making Sense of Software: Computer Games and Interactive Textuality" Essay about video games including an analysis of SimCity written by Ted Friedman.
Anderson, Craig A. and Karen E. Dill. "Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life" Abstract of article showing increased aggression in video game players. Full text by subscription.