Project Origin/Goal
• Exploring emotional impact in games (actual and potential)– Character– Emotions– Story
• Why?– Advance the medium
• Goal: Write a paper
Angles
• Psychological• Educational• Traditional Media
• Game Design• Philosophical
• Improvisational• Dramatic• Social/Cultural• Many more…
Limiting our scope
• Criteria– 3D– Story/world-based– Player controls an individual character or small party
• Game Genres– RPG (online and offline)– FPS– 3rd Person Action/Adventure
Playing
• Playing games– Alone– Together
• Talking to other players (surveys)
Visit to EA
How are we proceeding?
• Honing in on thesis– Continuing research– Interviewing designers– Establishing dialogue with developers
– Begin to establish vocabulary
Granular Goals
• Comprehensive Paper– Synopsis
• Website/Forum• Presentation
– To Developers– Conferences– Publication
• Vocabulary
Goals
• Precedent for research• Lay groundwork for more ETC work in this realm– Continued research– Practical applications