Thinking about Video Games

The growth in popularity and complexity of video games has spurred new interest in how games are developed and in the research and technology behind them. David Heineman brings together some of the most iconic, influential, and interesting voices from across the gaming industry and asks them to weigh in on the past, present, and future of video games. Among them are legendary game designers Nolan Bushnell (Pong) and Eugene Jarvis (Defender), who talk about their history of innovations from the earliest days of the video game industry through to the present; contemporary trailblazers Kellee Santiago (Journey) and Casey Hudson (Mass Effect), who discuss contemporary relationships between those who create games and those who play them; and scholars Ian Bogost (How to Do Things With Videogames) and Edward Castronova (Exodus to the Virtual World), who discuss how to research and write about games in ways that engage a range of audiences. These experts and others offer fascinating perspectives on video games, game studies, gaming culture, and the game industry more broadly.

Autorentext

David S. Heineman is Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Inhalt

Preface
Introduction
Section 1: Games and History
Introduction to Section 1

1. Nolan Bushnell: Learning from the Past
2. Chris Melissinos: Art and Video Games
3. Eugene Jarvis: Games and Design
4. Henry Lowood: Archiving and Games
   Section 2: Games and Economy
   Introduction to Section 2
5. Ed Fries: The Economics and Politics of a Launch
6. Kellee Santiago: Independent Game Development
7. Chris Grant: Games and Press
8. Edward Castronova: Games, Economics, and Policies
   Section 3: Games and Culture
   Introduction to Section 3
9. Jamie Dillion: Gamers, Community, and Charity
10. Casey Hudson: Games and Emotion
11. Ian Bogost: Anxieties, Procedures, and Game Studies
    Conclusion
    Notes
    Works Cited
    Participants
    Index