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The style of video games graphics: analyzing the functions of visual styles in storytelling and gameplay in video games

Resource type
Thesis type
(Thesis) M.A.
Date created
2012-10-09
Authors/Contributors
Author (aut): Wu, Yin
Abstract
Every video game has a distinct visual style however the functions of visual style in game graphics have rarely been investigated in terms of medium-specific design decisions. This thesis suggests that visual style in a video game shapes players’ gaming experience in terms of three salient dimensions: narrative pleasure, ludic challenge, and aesthetic reward. The thesis first develops a context based on the fields of aesthetics, art history, visual psychology, narrative studies and new media studies. Next it builds an analytical framework with two visual styles categories containing six separate modes. This research uses examples drawn from 29 games to illustrate and to instantiate the categories and the modes. The application of this analytical framework against the games reveals a series of design heuristics. Finally, the thesis findings, framework, and heuristics are tested in the detailed close reading and analysis of visual style in two representative video games.
Document
Identifier
etd7521
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Permissions
The author granted permission for the file to be printed, but not for the text to be copied and pasted.
Scholarly level
Supervisor or Senior Supervisor
Thesis advisor (ths): Bizzocchi, Jim
Download file Size
etd7521_YWu.pdf 7.52 MB

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