Some methodological questions about studying persuasion in

serious games

Valentina Rao

University of Utrecht / GATE project

V.Rao@uu.nl

Games for non-game purposes: a contradiction?

Games for : health, social policy, advertising, ideology, education

Games for : buying, selling, interacting with other people, dating, making friends, learning, voting; the attitude is

different

Ludification of culture, or exploitation of the game-specific qualities (altered state, suspension of disbelief,

obedience to in-game rules to create acceptance of out-of-game elements) to manipulate players?

Big “serious” productions

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Independent Productions

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://www.molleindustria.org/files/pedopriest.swf

Inspirations for analysis

Casual games

Instrumental play

Rhetoric

Montfort/Bogost’s five levels model:

• Reception/operation

• Interface

• Form/Function

• Code

• Platform

Wardrip-Fruin/Mateas:

Operational logics

Conclusions?

• Media effects: study both structures and reception: a “remediation” of this theory for serious games can maybe help overcome the (fake) separation between ludologists and narratologists?

• Narratology is just ONE of many approaches to content; the textual metaphor is just a metaphor

• Serious games present different playing conditions and a different attitude towards playing (“serious” or otherwise); that should be considered

ANY SUGGESTIONS?!Thank you for your attention

V.Rao@uu.nl

References Bogost, I. Persuasive Games, Cambridge/London: MIT Press, 2007Frasca, G. Playing with Fire: Serious Hype, Serious Opportunites, Serious Games

Source, 2010 http://seriousgamessource.com/features/feature_092906_hype_1.phpGauntlett D. Media Studies 2.0. http://www.theory.org.uk/mediastudies2.htmMontfort, N. and Bogost, I. Racing the Beam. MIT Press, Cambridge MA, 2009.Shrum, L.J. Media Consumption and perceptions of Social Reality In Bryant, J.

Oliver, M. B. Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Taylor and Francis, 1994, 2002, 2009

Wardrip-Fruin, N. Mateas, M. Defining Operational Logics, Digra Conference Proceedings, 2009