Time Matters
"As in interpersonal relationships, the duration of familiarity is important to the nature of the relationship between viewers and a character (R.B. Rubin & McHugh, 1987). The longer an audience member is exposed to a character, the more likely he or she is able to imagine being that character" [Neill, 1996]
I had saved this quote for some time now - feeling that it was important. Over the last few weeks, I have read and re-read it, trying to contextualize it in terms of my play experience with Final Fantasy and my overall goal of understanding how we - anyone who plays games actually - learn to play. I think this quote is quite appropriate.
This is a situation where video games have an advantage over film. The duration of play – play time – increases player identification with the character that they are navigating. Whereas, a film is limited to time restraints based on audience attention span and other time limiting restrictions. A film is (usually) meant to be viewed in one, uninterrupted session – a fluid momentum of action, plot, narrative and character development.
Video games are in an opposite position. The games are (again, usually) not designed to be played in one sitting. And a player succeeds in completing the game from start to finish in one sitting, it doesn’t necessarily enhance the play experience (in terms of identification and attachment to characters etc.). Games (more often than not) designed for re-playability, where different choices made by the player causes (at times slight) alterations to the narrative and flow of the game. In the case of films – although one can watch the film again and again, the act of re-watching does not alter the outcome of the characters and narrative of the film. Therefore, time watched does not (in comparison to video games) enhance identification because as the viewer watches a film repeatedly, the character’s actions become predictable and one could argue that identification actually decreases through each viewing.
A video game player can alter the character through time via their game play decisions (within or outside of the game’s designed structure). With each attempted action, a player potentially increases their notion of identification of the character they are playing. Indeed, there is a point where (excessive) actions become meaningless and therefore decreasing the opportunity for identification – for example when a player repeatedly dies attempting to progress within the game. Cut scenes are skipped and the player becomes increasingly irritated, removing them from the mystical space of play into a space where they become more aware of their inabilities, the interface, controls and knowledge (or lack thereof) that is impeding progress. In such a case, the space within which identification occurs is broken. In this sense, we can see that identification is linked to immersion.
I had saved this quote for some time now - feeling that it was important. Over the last few weeks, I have read and re-read it, trying to contextualize it in terms of my play experience with Final Fantasy and my overall goal of understanding how we - anyone who plays games actually - learn to play. I think this quote is quite appropriate.
This is a situation where video games have an advantage over film. The duration of play – play time – increases player identification with the character that they are navigating. Whereas, a film is limited to time restraints based on audience attention span and other time limiting restrictions. A film is (usually) meant to be viewed in one, uninterrupted session – a fluid momentum of action, plot, narrative and character development.
Video games are in an opposite position. The games are (again, usually) not designed to be played in one sitting. And a player succeeds in completing the game from start to finish in one sitting, it doesn’t necessarily enhance the play experience (in terms of identification and attachment to characters etc.). Games (more often than not) designed for re-playability, where different choices made by the player causes (at times slight) alterations to the narrative and flow of the game. In the case of films – although one can watch the film again and again, the act of re-watching does not alter the outcome of the characters and narrative of the film. Therefore, time watched does not (in comparison to video games) enhance identification because as the viewer watches a film repeatedly, the character’s actions become predictable and one could argue that identification actually decreases through each viewing.
A video game player can alter the character through time via their game play decisions (within or outside of the game’s designed structure). With each attempted action, a player potentially increases their notion of identification of the character they are playing. Indeed, there is a point where (excessive) actions become meaningless and therefore decreasing the opportunity for identification – for example when a player repeatedly dies attempting to progress within the game. Cut scenes are skipped and the player becomes increasingly irritated, removing them from the mystical space of play into a space where they become more aware of their inabilities, the interface, controls and knowledge (or lack thereof) that is impeding progress. In such a case, the space within which identification occurs is broken. In this sense, we can see that identification is linked to immersion.
posted by Kelly at 3:30 p.m.
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