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EventsandCollusions:aglossaryforthemicroethnographyofvideogameplay[draftversion]

PublishedinGamesandCulture,4(2)April2009SethGiddings,UniversityoftheWestofEngland,Bristol

seth.giddings@uwe.ac.uk http://www.badnewthings.co.uk

TwoMicrosoftXBoxconsolesarelinkedtogetherinasmallterracedhouseinsouthBristol.

Oneinthefrontroomisconnectedtoalargetelevisionscreen,theotherinthedining

roomtoadataprojectorpointedatawallclearedoffurnitureandpictures.Ittakessome

timetopersuadetheconsolestospeaktooneanother,torecognizethattheyshoulddivide

avideogame,Halo2,betweenthem,fourplayersperconsole,butgenerateavirtualworld

inwhichalleightcaninteract.Eachofthetwoscreens(thetelevisionandthewall

projection)issplitintofoursubscreens,eachsubscreendisplayingthegamesvirtualworld

fromthepointofviewofoneplayer.Throughtheirownwindow,eachplayerseesthegame

worldfromthepositionoftheiravatar,afirstpersonviewpoint,fromwhichtheycanseethe

avatarsof

the

other

players.

The

players

sit

together,

and

their

virtual

representatives

leap

andsprintthroughthegameandacrossthescreens,triggeringafrenzyofvirtualgunfire.

Itquicklybecomesapparentthatmyfellowplayers,despitetheirclaimstoincompetence,

aremuchmoreaccomplishedthanmeatthisgame.Deniedtheleisurelyandtentative

explorationofcontrols,conventionsandgameworldthatasingleplayerversionofthe

gamewouldallow,Iamleftflailingaround.Unabletosimultaneouslymovethroughthe

virtualspace,identifyusefulpowerupsandammunitionandaimmyvirtualweaponatmy

onscreenenemies,myavatarisshotrepeatedly,hittingthefloorwithfrustratingregularity

andfrequency.Ineachofthesedeathsmyscreenpointofviewisspunthrough90degrees

asmyavatarhitsthefloor,capturingbeforemomentaryvirtualoblivionandrespawning

theperpetrator

of

this

temporary

downfall,

skipping

blithely

away

to

engage

with

more

worthyopponents.

Itryinsteadtoexplorethegameworld,totakemyavatarforawalk.Thevirtual

environmentisspectacularlyrendered,abeautifulalienlandscape.Itsoonbecomesclear,

however,thatitsostensiblyopenvistasareillusoryallpathscurvegentlybackintothe

mayhem.Enticingfoothillsareinreality,barrierstotheinaccessiblemountainsbeyond.This

isnotaworldbutapark,agardenlandscapedforvirtualwarfare,anarena.Positioningmy

avatarbehindarockasfarfromtheexplosionsandtinyleapingfiguresinthemiddle

distanceaspossible,Iinsteadheadoffinactualspacethistimetothekitchen.Bothmy

physicalbodyandmyavatartakeabreakfromthisintenseandfrustratingplay.

DrinkingabeerandeatingcrispsIwatchmyactualopponentsnow,ratherthanthescreens.

Incontrasttotheintenseonscreenactivityleapingfighters,explodingvehicles,wildvirtual

cameraswingstheplayersareimmobile.Occasionalunexpecteddeathsorparticularly

spectacularmomentsofactionaremetwithcursesorlaughter,andtheendofamatchis

markedbythestretchingofbacksandarms,butinplaytheplayersarestill,eyeswideand

rarelyblinking,motionevidentonlyinthemicromovementsofthumbsoncontrollerbuttons

andanaloguesticks.AphrasefromDonnaHaraways,AManifestoforCyborgsflitsinto

mymind:ourmachinesaredisturbinglylively,andweourselvesfrighteninglyinert

(Haraway,1990,p.194).Myownsenseofheterogeneousagencyinthegame(paradoxically

highlightedbymyineptitude),ofdrivingmyavatartowildmovement,totriggeringactions,

operatingmachinery,

firing

weapons,

navigating

spaces

and

buildings,

is

palpable

and

intense,yetprofoundlyatoddswiththissceneoftransfixedbodiesandminds.Theyseem

mailto:seth.giddings@uwe.ac.ukhttp://www.badnewthings.co.uk/http://www.badnewthings.co.uk/http://www.badnewthings.co.uk/mailto:seth.giddings@uwe.ac.uk

8/13/2019 Events and Collusions

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nottobeinitiatingtheonscreenactionormakingchoicesasconventionalcelebrationsof

interactivitymightassumebutratherrespondingtothedemandsofthemachines(both

thehardwareandsoftware).

Thetermcyborgdoesnotseemtoohyperbolichere.Ontheonehand,theplayersare

temporarily,but

intensely,

locked

in

acircuita

cybernetic

feedback

loopin

which

they,

theconsoles,controllers,andthegamesoftwarearenodes.Thelinguisticconfusionevident

inmyaccountofthegameaboveistelling:Ireferringattimestomyphysicalbodyand

senseofself,butattimestomyactionsinthegame.Thereisalinguisticandexperiential

blurringofboundariesbetweenhumanandmachines:inthegameIisatoncemyself,

myavatar,andmyselfandavatar;ahybridhumanandtechnologicalentity.

Another,verydifferent,space,butagainludicallycharged.Weareonafamilyholiday,

campingintheDooneValleyontheedgeofExmoorinDorset.ThesettingforR.D.

Blackmores19thcenturynovelLornaDoone,thesmall,enclosedvalleyisfullofreferencestoitsliteraryincarnation.Thelocalheritageandtouristindustryhaserectedsignsindicating

bothcontemporaryfootpathsandsitesthoughttocorrespondtoplacesandeventsinthe

book.Thisisthenanactualplaceoverlaidordramatizedbythevirtualtimespaceof

literature.

Onourwalkbacktothecampsitealongtheriver,mywifePennyenergizesourflagging

childrenbypointingoutmushroomsgrowingamongstthegrassandmentioningMarioKart.Thistriggersanexplosionofactivityintheboys.Theysprintacrossthefield,slowingdown

thenacceleratingnoisilyastheyreachanotherpatchofmushrooms.MarioKart:DoubleDash!!isavideogamefortheNintendoGameCubeandafirmfavouriteinourhouse.Oneconventionofthisgenreofgameanarcadestyleracinggameistheinclusionofpower

upsoritemsthat bestowtemporarypowersonthecar/avatar.Mushrooms,inthis

particulargame,givethecar/avatarabriefbutoftendecisiveturnofspeed.IntheDoone

Valley,actualfungusbecomesanalogouswiththebrightredandwhitemushroomsinthe

game,virtualpowerupsinanactualgame.

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AnxiousObjectsWhataretheobjectsofstudyingameplayresearch?Whoorwhataretheagentsandwhat

isthenatureofthefieldinwhichethnographicfieldworkmightbeconducted?Thesetwo

shortstories

indicate

that

some

understanding

and

analysis

of

the

forms,

aesthetics

and

conventionsofvideogamesaspopulardigitalmediaisveryuseful,asisthe

acknowledgementanddescriptionofthephysicalandsocialcontextinwhichtheseforms

andconventionsarerealized,vivified.

Buthowtoarticulatethese,howtodescribe,andanalyzeparticularandgeneralmomentsor

modesofgameplay,factoringinbothmediaformandlivedexperience?How,forinstance,

toaccountforthemachinationsofaffect,asvirtualworldsareactualizedinthevery

differenttimespaceofoutdoorplay?And,crucially,whatisthenatureofthegameplayer

intheseintimatecircuitsoftwitchingthumbsandlivelymachines?

Thisarticle

sets

out

aworking

glossary

of

concepts

and

terms

that

have

arisen

from

some

recentanalyticalandethnographicresearch.Someofthesetermsareappropriatedor

repurposedfromexistingtheoreticalandethnographicapproaches;afewarenewtothe

field.Iwillrefertotworecentsmallscaleresearchprojectsthatmakeuseofvideotorecord

andanalyzevideogameplay.Iwilladdressthemethodologicaldemandsofstudyingthe

relationshipsbetweenthevirtualandtheactual,cyberspaceanddomesticspace,in

everydaypopulardigitalculture.Ialsoattempttoidentifyandtheorizebothhumanand

nonhumanagentsinthemomentoreventofgameplay:theobjectofstudyhereisneither

humanplayersnordynamicsoftwarebutwhathappenswhentheycometogetherto

generateaneventofgameplay.

A

methodological

requirement

for

these

studies

was

the

breaking

down

of

an

entrenched

divisionofepistemologicallabourinnewmediaresearch:thatbetweenempiricaland

ethnographicworkontheonehandandtextualoraestheticanalysisontheother.

Videogamesareatoncecomputersoftwarewithproceduralagenciesandautonomous

operations,computerhardware,andmediatextswithscreenimages,sounds,environments,

anddramas.Iproposethenontheonehand(withapologiestoEspenAarseth),a

cybertextualanalysis,andontheother,averysmallscaleethnographyofvideogames,

videogameplayandvideogameplayers.Asynthesisbetweentheseanalyticaland

ethnographicmethodsisneeded,givenmyunwillingnesstoestablishanaprioriasymmetry

betweenvideogame(astext),videogameplay(asconsumptionorpractice)and

videogameplayer(asembodiedmediasubject).Iadoptthetermmicroethnography(and

adapted

it

as

a

methodology)

to

describe

this

synthetic

approach,

subsequently

suggesting

microethologyasamorepreciseterm.

CybertextualAnalysisVideogamesareasignificantpopularformofscreenmedia,oftendrawingonfilmsand

televisionfortheircharacters,images,andscenarios.Theyarealsocomputersoftwareand

assuch,theiralgorithmicandproceduraloperationsandstructureslieoutsidethepurview

ofestablishedmodesoftextualanalysisinliterary,film,andmediastudies.Newmedia

studiesandgamestudieshavebeguntheprojectofcybertextualanalysis(Aarseth,1997;

Bolter&Grusin,1999;Lister,Dovey,Giddings,Kelly,&Grant,2003;Manovich,2001).Espen

Aarsethsbook,Cybertext:PerspectivesonErgodicLiteratureforinstance,bothengageswiththedistinctinternaloperationsofcomputerbasedmedia,andemphasizestheroleofthe

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reader/playerinrealizingthesecyberneticoperationsineachactofreading/playing

(Aarseth,1997;seealsoSalen&Zimmerman,2003;Giddings&Kennedy,2008).

Part(icipant)sAarseths(1997)diagramofatextbasedcomputeradventuregameindicatesthedynamic,

cyberneticcircuits

of

agency

between

software

and

hardware

components,

between

databasesandsoftwareengines,userinputandalgorithmicprocessingofinformationand

responses.Hisalternativetermforthesecomponents,part(icipant)s,isarichoneasit

emphasizestheactiveroleoftheseparts,partsthatcometogethertoconstituteany

particularinstantiationoftheadventuregameinplay.AlthoughAarsethdoesnotpursue

this,thediagramsrefusaltograntanyotherstatustothehumanpart(icipant)issuggestive

forrethinkingtherelationshipsbetween,andstatusof,thehumanandthetechnologicalin

videogameplay.

ageneralizedconceptualization ofthefunctionality ofatypical,butadvanced,adventuregame

(Aarseth1997:103).

Popularcomputermediathenmustbeconceptualizedasbothsymbolicandmaterial.On

theone

hand,

videogames

are

toys,

popular

media,

performative

events,

often

characterizedbysymboliccontentderivedfromestablishedpopularscreenmedia.Onthe

otherhand,theanalysisofvideogamesasacomputerbasedmediumdemandsthe

descriptionofaspecialcategoryofnonhumans,softwareentities(inthelanguageof

computing,agents)thatactmoreorlessautonomously,oreffectemergentbehaviour.

Weshouldresistconceivingofthevideogameasadiscreteandwholeobject.The

videogameisconstitutedbysoftwarecomponentsthateffecttheirownoperationsand

semiautonomousagencywithinthevideogamesystem.Gameworldsandtemporalities,

modesofpresentation,puzzlesandcombat,engagementwithcomputercontrolled

characters,areallconstantlyconfiguringtheplayersexperienceandrespondingtothe

playersresponses.

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MicroethnographyIusethetermmicroethnographytodescribeanonscientific,improvised,opportunistic

approachtorecording,describing,andanalyzingbriefmomentsofeverydaytechnocultural

activity.Ithasprovedausefulterm,referringontheonehandtothesmallscaleandshort

durationnatureoftheeventsIamconcernedwith,andtheirtransitoryandmomentary

nature.On

the

other

hand,

the

term

alludes

to

the

technological

construction

of

this

ethnographicresearch.Themicroethnographyisbroughtintobeingbytheactofvideo

recordinganditsvariousactors(camera,tripod,PC,etc.),allofwhichareintegral

part(icipant)softheeventunderscrutinyandthescrutinyasevent.Thepresenceofthe

researcherandtheresearchtechnologiesareinseparablefromthenetworksunderstudy.

Theytooare(madeof)part(icipant)s.Thepart(icipant)sofcentralconcerntothisstudy

however,arethecomputerhardware,software,andhumanbodies,theirparts,andtheir

comingtogetherintheintenseandintimatecircuitsofgameplay.

Amicroethnographicapproachsuggestsmethodologicalstrategies,bothforanalyzing

gameplayandforidentifyingandconceptualizingrelationshipsbetweentechnologyagency

andaesthetics

in

everyday

technoculture

across

and

between

the

virtual

and

the

actual.

It

drawsonconceptualandempiricalworkfromcyberculturalstudiesandscienceand

technologystudies.Thesefieldsofstudyareconcernedwith,ontheonehand,the

questioningofsecuredistinctionsbetweenpeople,culture,technologies,andthematerial

world;andontheotherwiththetracingofthetransmissionortranslationofagencyamong

humanandnonhumanentities.Assuch,amicroethnographyapproachhastoaddressand

challengetheanthropocentrismofethnographyandanthropologytoattendtononhuman

aswellashumanagenciesinplay.

EventTheobjectofstudyforamicroethnographyofvideogameplaythenisnotamediacultural

practice,

a

human

subject,

or

a

set

of

technologies,

but

rather

the

event

in

which

the

three

cometogether(withthehumanandnonhumanresearchers).Or,moreaccurately,itisthe

eventthatisconstitutedby,andconstitutes,thesepart(icipant)s.Moreover,theevent

foregroundsthetemporaldimensionofvideogameplay,emphasizesthedynamicbetween

theelementsinplay:entitiescomingtogether,materialandaestheticchainsofcauseand

effectorfeedback.DanFlemings(1996)considerationoftheeffectsofdiversecontextsfor

(inthiscase)toysinplayisrelevanthere:

Theeffectswearegoingtobeinterestedinaresimultaneouslyintheformationof

anobjectandinthatobjectsconsequenceswithintheprocessesthatformedit.Ina

way,therefore,itmightbebettertotalkabouteventsratherthanobjects.(pp.

10

11)

Thisresonateswithactornetworktheorysinsistenceon,ontheonehand,theindivisibility

ofhumanandnonhumanagentsandforcesinanytechnosocialnetworkorevent,andon

theother,theimportanceofthenetworkoverindividualobjectsorsubjects.Totakethe

eventastheprimaryobjectofstudy,then,istolookfortherelationshipsconstitutedby,and

constituting,hybridandheterogeneousagents,ratherthanmakingassumptionsaboutthe

primacyofeitherhumanortechnologicalactors.AsBrunoLatour(1992)putsit,

Thedistinctionsbetweenhumansandnonhumans,embodiedordisembodiedskills,

impersonationormachination,arelessinterestingthanthecompletechainalong

whichcompetencesandactionsaredistributed.(p.243)

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Actornetworktheorydemonstratesthattakingtherelationshipsandnetworksthat

constituteobjectsandsubjectsasthefocusofenquiry,ratherthantheobjectsandsubjects

themselves,isapplicabletoalltechnoculturalphenomena,largeandsmall,synchronicand

diachronic.WhereasIwouldarguethatanemphasisontheeventualcouldinformthestudy

ofalltechnoculturalphenomena(notonlythoseinvolvingsophisticatedtechnologies),itis

particularlyuseful

in

the

description

and

analysis

of

videogame

play.

Gameplay

is

avivid

exampleofthegenerationofnewrelationshipsanddistributionsofeffect,affect,and

feedbackineverydaydigitalculture,oftechnicitiesnotreducibletohumanidentityand

competence;aphenomenonthatcanonlybeadequatelyaddressedthrough

acknowledgementofitsbringingtogetherofheterogeneouspart(icipant)s.

Toexplainthismoreclearly,Iwillreferbrieflytoavideomicroethnographicstudyofthe

playingof,andaround,thePCgameLegoRacers2bymytwosons(thenaged3and4years;Giddings,2003,2007).Thecomputergameoffersbotharacetrackanditssurrounding

islandenvironmentforexplorationbyvirtualLegocarsandpeople.Afterenthusiastically

exploringthevirtualenvironmentofthegamesfirstlevel(SandyBay),theboys

transposedits

topography

into

actual

Lego.

Those

features

of

the

game

that

afforded

them

themostpleasure,mountains,cliffs,abeachandthesea,wereeitherconstructedwithLego

orMegaBlocksordrawnonpapertobelainonthefloor.Carsanddriverswereassembled

fromactualLegoandthevirtualracewasnoisilyactualizedinandaroundthenewgame

world.

Childrensplayisoftencharacterizedbythetranslationortranspositionofcharacters,

topographies,andactionfromliteratureandmedia.Inthiseventthough,itbecameclear

thatitwasnotonlythegeographicalfeaturesofSandyBaythatwereactualized(its

mountains

and

coast)

but

also

elements

and

forces

arising

from

its

existence

as

a

ludic

virtualworld.Thisgameworldiscodedtogenerateparticularphysicalforcesand

behaviours,notablyfriction,accelerationandgravity,simulatedforcesdesignedtofacilitate

gameplay,andexplorationratherthancloselyreplicateactualworldphysics.Thereare

resonancesherewiththemushroomstoryrecountedearlier:IntheDooneValley,the

powerupfeatureofvideogames,andits(virtual)dynamicconsequences,weretransposed

fromgameworldtoactualworld.Theemblemmushroomcarrieditsaffectandeffect,

fromthevirtualtotheactual.

Videogameworldsareconstitutedbydifferentpart(icipant)s,differenttypesofvirtual

phenomena,includingobjectsandforces.ThevirtualspaceofLegoRacers2subjectsitsplayerstoarangeofsimulatedphysicalforces.Mostnotably,theboysquickly(and

apparentlyunselfconsciously),acclimatizedthemselvestotheeffectsandpossibilitiesof

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weakenedvirtualgravity.Inbalancingtheforwardmomentumofthecarsinresponsetothe

playersinputwithalunardownwardpull,thisvirtualphysicsbecamealudicelementinits

ownright,asevidencedbytheseboysdelightindrivingtheiravatarcarsupsheercliffsand

plungingthemintothesea.Andagain,theirtranslationofthisvirtualphenomenoninto

actualmovementanddynamicsastheyshifttheirplasticcarsbetweenthebreakneck

velocitiesof

the

living

room

circuit

and

the

slow

motion

bounce

and

plummet

over

the

brick

mountainshighlightsthesevirtualoperations.Aplayfulandvertiginouskinaesthesiais

codedintothegameworld,affordingnewkindsofgames.Itexistsbetweentheoperations

ofalgorithmsandvariablesandtheirengineeringofembodiedsensesofcontroland

resistance.Inthestudyofthisevent,itbecameapparentthatclearconceptualdistinctions

betweenvirtualandactualspaceareunsustainable.Throughplay,theseboysshiftedacross

thesetwospaceswithease,theirplayadaptingtothedifferentenvironments,

environmentalresources,andthecapabilitiesandpossibilitiestheyafforded.Thevirtual

spaceinthiseventofgameplaydoesnottranscendtheeverydayandembodied,itisareal

spacetobeexploredandinwhichtheplayercanact,andbeactedon.Thevirtualandthe

actualarebothreal,andinthiseventwereeachcontainedwithintheother,intertwining,

eachinflected

by

the

other.

Neither

pre

exist

the

play

event

itself

though,

rather

they

are

reciprocallygenerated,producedinandthroughplayevents.1

Videogamesareoftencelebratedasinteractivemedia,asfacilitatinghumanactivityand

agencyinmediacultureandonthescreen.Yetitbecomesclearherethatvideogameplayers

areactedonasmuchastheyact,thattheymustworkoutwhatthemachinewantsthemto

do(orwhatitwillallowthemtodo)aswellasengagewithitimaginatively.Akeytermhere

isagency,orperhapsthelesspoliticallyloadedbehaviour.Neitheragencynorbehaviourcan

berestrictedtothehumanparticipantshere.Moreover,wearenotlookingatclear

distinctionsbetweenhumansubjectsandnonhumanobjects,butthegameeventasone

constitutedbytheplayfultranslationofagency,theeccentriccircuitsofeffectandaffect,

between

human

and

nonhuman

components.

MicroethologyThetermethnographythewritingofpeopleitselfestablishesthehumanasthekey

objectofresearch.Assuch,itisnotadequatetothestudyofeventsconstitutedbyhuman

andnonhumanactors.2InitsplaceIadoptandadaptethology.Thetermethologyoriginates

inthestudyofanimalbehaviour,theaffectsandcapacitiesofanimalsandtheir

environment.GillesDeleuze(1992),withhisrejectionofontologicaldistinctionsbetween

animalandhumanbodies(andpartsofbodies)aswellasbetweentheartificialandthe

natural,extendsethologytostudies,

Which

define

bodies,

animals

or

humans

by

the

affects

they

are

capable

of

.

.

.

Ethologyisfirstofallthestudyoftherelationsofspeedandslowness,ofthe

capacitiesforaffectingandbeingaffectedthatcharacterizeeachthing.Foreach

thingtheserelationsandcapacitieshaveanamplitude,thresholds(maximumand

minimum)andvariationsortransformationsthatarepeculiartothem.Andthey

select,intheworldorinNature,thatwhichcorrespondstothething;thatis,they

selectwhataffectsorisaffectedbythething,whatmovesorismovedbyit...an

animal,athing,isneverseparablefromitsrelationswiththeworld...Thespeedor

slownessofmetabolisms,perceptions,actionsandreactionslinktogetherto

constituteaparticularindividualintheworld.(pp.627628)

ItshouldbenotedthatDeleuzes(1992)useofthetermaffectisnotlimitedtothe

experientialandemotionalaspectsofhumanembodimentandsubjectivity,althoughthese

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latterwouldbeincludedwithinit,or,rather,constitutedasparticularproductsofit.

BodiesforDeleuze(followingSpinoza)arealsoanimals,microscopicparticles,organs,

machines,abodyofliterature,andchemicals.Asthequoteaboveindicates,bodiesare

definedinpartbytheiraffectonthebodiesaroundandwithinthemandbytheaffectthese

otherbodieshaveonthem.Ethologysconcerntheniswithbehaviour.

Animalsaredefinedlessbytheabstractnotionsofgenusandspeciesthanbya

capacityforbeingaffected,bytheaffectionsofwhichtheyarecapablebythe

excitationstowhichtheyreactwithinthelimitsoftheircapability.(Deleuze,1988,p.

27)

Ifthehumanistetymologicalrootsofthetermethnographyareshedalongwithits

anthropocentricpractices,thenwhatthestudyofgameplayneedsisamicroethology,a

studyanddescriptionofthebehaviours,affects,andmutualbecomingsofamicroworldor

themicronatureofpart(icipant)s,offingersandthumbs,mushroomsanddataprojectors,

algorithmsandaptitude,playingbodiesbothhumanandnonhuman,ratherthantheapriori

establishmentof

human,

machinic,

or

textual

bodies

as

the

objects

of

study.

BeyondIdentificationConventionally,infilmandmediastudies,anyeventofscreenmediaengagementis

primarilyreadintermsofpsychicidentificationbyahumansubjectwithrepresentationsof

humansubjectsonthescreen(e.g.,Metz,1985).Inthesmallstudiesunderconsideration

here,suchassumptionsareundermined.Invideogames,ononelevel,theshiftingofplayers

identificationwithscreenimagesisdrivenmorebythedemandsofthevariousgamesin

playthananysenseofideologicalinvestmentbyasubjectpositionedinrelationtoafictional

protagonist.

Otheragenciesareimaginativelydisplacedontoothernonhumanpart(icipant)sintheshift

fromplayinvirtualtoactualworlds.InSuperMonkeyBallforexample,althoughtheplayerchoosesamonkeycharacteraccordingtopersonaltaste(allareextremelycute),to

undertaketheadventureforthem,themonkeysarenotavatars.Thegamedynamicrequires

theplayertocontrolthemonkeysenvironment:itisthevirtuallandscape/architectureor

platformthatistippedandtilted,themonkey(initsball)thatrollsforwardthroughthe

level.Thegamemechanicisbasedinconflictbetweentheplayerandtheveryelementof

thegameimmediatelyengagedwithbytheplayer.Theplatform,whethernarrowbridgeor

trickyjump,

would

seem

to

be

at

once

the

avatar

(the

game

element

under

the

players

control)andtheenemy.Theoriesofidentificationwouldlooktotheplayerssubjective

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investmentintheanthropomorphicmonkeyinhisorherbattleswithhisorher

environment.Yetinthegameworld,theplayersagencyisexercisedthroughthe

environment:theplayerandplatformarelockedtogetherinafeedbacklooptopropelthe

monkey(motivatedonlybyvirtualgravity)toitsgoal.

Anothermicroethnographic

study

illustrates

how

identification

with

(or,

at

least,

pleasure

in

playingwith)screenmediacharactersbecomes,invideogameplay,onlyoneaffectional

relationshipamongmany(Giddings&Kennedy,2008).Inthisstudy,twoplayers(the

researchersthemselves)cooperativelylearntoplaythevideogameLegoStarWars.Theresearchaimwastoidentify,describe,andtheorizethevariousagentsatplay,particularly

thegameworldanditsnonplayercharacterdenizensandtheireffectsandaffectsonthe

humanplayers.Onemomentinthisplayeventillustratessomethingoftheapplication,and

limitation,ofthenotionofidentificationinvideogameplay.Italsoindicatessomethingof

thefrustrationsandexcitementofconstitutinganewgameworld:

H:ImChewie!

H:Youre

Yoda!

You

get

to

be

...Mr.

Wise.

H:ShallIseeifyoucangetkilled?[ratherthanshootingatSeth/YodaasHelen

intends,Helen/Chewiejumpsupanddownonthespot]

S(laughing):Deathbyleapfrog!

H(laughing):Youmayhavethewisewords,butIhavethefancymoves!

[untilthispointSeth/YodahadbeenwalkingslowlyaroundS.findsthatusingthe

jumpbutton(X)andtheleftanaloguesticktriggersamoreenergeticmovement]

S:Imjustmovingthestickalittlebit...Andhesflippingout...

H:Woohoo!Hesfantastic!

H:Yoda!Calmdown!(Giddings&Kennedy,2008,p.23)

Here

then,

the

initial

pleasure

of

the

players

in

recognizing

their

avatars

from

their

knowledgeofthecinematicworldofStarWarsquicklyshiftstoanexplorationofthematerialaffordancesthattheseavatarspossesswithinthegameworldaselementsofthat

softwareworld.Aestheticpleasuresfamiliarfromcinemaandtelevisiondonotdisappear;

rathertheybecomeonepleasureinaset,someofwhichareuniquetodigitalmedia.Or

rather,theyenterintocircuitsofeffectandaffectwiththesenewerpleasures.Hence,the

playershilarityattheYodaavatarsflippingoutisdrivenbytheincongruityofthe

meditative,sagelikefilmcharacterexplodingintospectacularcyberneticactionatthe

slightestnudgeofananaloguestick.

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Ananalyticalfocusonavatarsandnonplayercharacterdenizensrunstheriskofreinforcing

anthropocentrismhowever.Itshouldbenotedthatmuchoftheprogresstowardthe

successfulinstantiationoftheLegoStarWarsgameeventwasachievedbyonesetofactualcomponents(eyes,brains,thumbs,controllers,buttons,etc.)respondingtothesuggestions

ordemands

of

virtual

components.

Grates,

levers,

vents,

and

doors

glow

as

avatars

approachthem,willingtheuseoftheForce(thecirclebuttononthePlayStation2

controller)torevealsecretsortreasure,ordirectingthumbstonudgesticksthatinturn

propelavatarsinthedirectionsofactionsthatthegameasludicsoftwaresystemasa

wholeprefersordemands.Thathumanpart(icipant)sarealsocomposedofpartsthatcome

intoplaywiththepartsofthegamesystemisevidentinthenumerousoccasionsinwhich

theplayersbrainattemptstofireasoftweapon,buthisorherthumbinsistsonmakingthe

avatarjump,whereashisorhereyesmaywellbetrackingacharacteronscreenthatisnot

actuallytheiravatar.

Ashasalreadybeenobserved,toconductamicroethologyimpliesaconcernwiththe

materialoperations

of

affect

as

well

as

(or

before)

any

concern

with

psychic

engagement

withavatarsorotherdiscretegameelements.Asthetermidentificationindicates,notions

of(human)identityandsubjectivityproveveryresilient.Studiesofvideogameplayand

playerstodatenearlyalwaysreproduceaprioriassumptionsoftheprimacyofhuman

agencyandidentity.Theseassumptionsshouldbequestionedon(atleast)twocounts.

First,theplayfulandaestheticrelationshipsbetweenthehumanandthenonhumanthat

constitutethevideogameplayeventarenotonlypsychic,imaginary,significatory,ortextual.

Theyarealsomaterial:mechanicalandcyberneticcircuitsofembodiedfeedbackacrossthe

virtualandtheactual.Second,despitepostmodernistandpoststructuralistclaimstoits

multiplicityoritsdecentring,thecoherenthumansubjectremainsafoundationalobjectof

knowledge

in

cultural

theory.

Although

the

part(icipant)s

in

and

of

Aarseths

(1997)

game/systemarebyandlargenonhuman,theirrefusaltobeamalgamatedintoacoherent

objectorwhole(thegameoracomputer)resonateswithrecentworkinsciencestudies

andmediastudiesthateffectsanalogousoperationsonthefigureofthecoherenthuman

subject.DonnaHaraways(2004)workinthisfieldiskey.Shedescribesobject/bodiesthat

donotpreexistbutwhoseboundariesmaterializeinsocialinteractionamonghumansand

nonhumans,materialsemioticactorsthatincludethemachinesandotherinstrumentsthat

mediateexchangesatcrucialinterfacesandthatfunctionasdelegatesforotheractors

functionsandpurposes(p.68).MatthewFuller(2005),inhisstudyofthetechnocultural

ecologyofpirateradio,paraphrasesNietzschethus,

The

subject

is

merely

a

regent

at

the

head

of

a

communality

of

processes

all

of

whichareinacontinualstateofagitation,inandoutsideofanynamedbody,with

relationsbetweenthemfluctuating.Thesubjectthusemergesfromthesustained

interactionsofthesesubordinateforms...Thesubjectisacaseofperspectival

positionratherthanacategoricalaprioriconditionofknowledge(p.63).

IntheLegoRacersevent,theboyswouldseemtoslipbetweenanumberofidentifications:beingthevirtualLegomenandbeingthevirtualLegocardriverdyadorthe

caritself;beingtheconstructorsofthesemen,cars,andcarmen;beingatoncethechild

playingwiththeactualLegocarmenandcoextensivewiththecarorcarmentheyare

propellingaroundtheroom;beingtheplayerofavideogameandbeingametaplayer

perhapsthecomputer(orgamesystem)itselfinanactualgame.Thenamingofthese

hybridentitiesisnotarhetoricalormetaphoricalmovehowever:amicroethological

8/13/2019 Events and Collusions

11/12

approachwouldlookfortheaffectedandaffectingbodies(orpart(icipant)s)inthisevent.

Thustheplayersherearegeneratedbythegameevent,compiledfrompartsthatare

humanandnonhuman,virtualandactual.

Conclusion:CollusionMicroethnography/microethology

bring

to

cybertextual

analysis

an

attention

to

the

operationsofvirtualcircuitsandcomponentswith,andas,theirrelationshipstohuman

players,hardware,andactualenvironments.Akeychallengeforamicroethologyof

gameplayistodescribeandanalyzethesematerialeventsasgeneratedandconstitutedby

variousbodiesandagentspart(icipant)sbothhumanandnonhuman,hardandsoft

withoutreinscribinghumanistaprioridistinctionsbetweensubjectandobject.Assumptions

orassertionsofsubject/objectdistinctionsingameplay,atbestallowattentiontoonly

someofthegameplayeventscomponents:thescreenimagesbutnotthehumanplayers

behaviours;physicalmovementsbutnotrulesets,andsoon.Butatworse,suchdistinctions

denythecoconstitutionalnatureofgameplayasintense,intimate,andcyberneticas

relationsandtransformationsofspeed,slowness,andaffectbetweenallpart(icipant)s:they

breakthe

circuit.

Whatmightthestartingpoint,thefocus,beofamicroethologyofgameplay?Inplaceof

identificationastheprivilegedtermfortherelationshipofhumanandnonhumanin

videogameplay,Isuggestcollusion.Thewordhasaludicetymology(colusion),soto

colludeisnotonlytoworkwithanotheroractinconcertwith,butalsotoactinplay,

tocometogetherin,andas,play.Theworddoesnotinitselfassumeanythingaboutthe

natureofthecolludingentities,butindicatesthevideogamesmaterialdistributionof

agenciesandthepositioningofagents,bodies,orpart(icipant)s.Theeventisconstitutedby

thecomingtogetherinplay,thecollusionofmaterialandimaginaryelements:the

operationsofgames(theirconventions,rules,andprescriptions),embodiedknowledgeand

technicities

(and

pleasures,

anxieties,

frustrations,

imagination),

play

practices

(role

play,

toyplay),screenmediaimagesandcharacters,virtualgameworlds(andtheirphysics,

automata,andaffordances),andallsortsofbodies.

Questioningtheconceptualcentralityofthehumansubjectdoesnotmeanthathuman

desires,anxieties,identifications,andinvestmentsarenotinplayinmediatechnoculture.In

theeventsbrieflydescribedabove,thedifferentgamesarespunintobeing,throughthe

tastes,personalities,andabilitiesthetechnicitiesofthehumanpart(icipant)saswellas

thematerialaffordancesofcomputerhardwareandsoftwaresimulacra,andbeyondinto

whateverresourcesareathandforplay,includingactualtoadstoolsandfields.Ifcodeand

informationmustbeunderstoodasreal,material,oftheworld,thensotoocanthe

intangible

yet

real,

embodied

yet

distributed,

monstrous,

operations

of

human

partsperception,imagination,creativity,anxiety,playwithoutalwaysalreadyreducingtheseto

thereassuringsynechdochesofidentityandsubjectivity.

8/13/2019 Events and Collusions

12/12

Notes1.SeeGiddings(2007)forafulleraccountofthisstudy

2.Indeed,followingLatour(1992),thereisnoinstanceofcultureorsociallifeconstituted

onlybyhumanactors:Theculturalisalwaystechnocultural.

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