Author Archives: lankoski

GameSpy have compiled interesting list of cinematics in games: GameSpy’s Top 25 Video Game Cinematic Moments. Some game openings and cut-scenes there supports nicely Rune Klevjer’s argument on the role of cinematic in games: they function as a method of pretelling, setting up the stage for action (see In Defence of Cut-Scenes).

JiiTuomas refered on argument about philosophy of science at Rule7, which started as something else. Got interested what kind of RPG forum Rule7 is and started to read. Some arguments in thread made me write this comment. Especially view expressed by ChessyPig (which few seem to agree) raises multiple problems in terms of what isContinue reading “On Philosophy of Science and RPG”

The central question in Gallagher’s book is how embodiment shapes human cognition. He is combining phenomenology with empirical studies in, e.g., neurology, like what different pathologies, to reveal about how the brain and body work.

You can watch presentations, including mine, at Philosophy of Computer Games at tv.unimore.it.

Note for myself for performance review Building and Reconstructing Character (among others) has been used as course material in SMST319-07B Game Studies course (University of Waikato, New Zealand / Screen & Media Studies).

It might be that spatial conceptualization and abstract reasoning is connectected. Lakoff and Johnson argues in their book Philosophy in the flesh that basis of our thinking is in our bodies and what kind of relations our bodies have with environment we are living in. Multiple essays in Spatial schemas and abstract thought traces questionsContinue reading “Spatial conceptualization, Abstract Reasoning, and Games”

It seems that UIAH email system is totally dysfunctional and has being so for some time now. Currently I haven’t received any emails outside UIAH after 1800 yesturday (I know that I should have got at least some admin messages). Hopefully they will arrive sometime in the future. Admins and consultants are trying to fixContinue reading “Email Problems”

In digra list there is discussion on serious games with claims like game is only game if it is played. This view highlights the process nature of the games. On the other hand, the claim make obvious there is confusion what term games refers (Here I do not mean that we need definition composed byContinue reading “What a Game or Role-Playing Game Means?”

There has been discussion on whether table-top RPGs are stories or drama and does they have plot in Roolipelaaja forum. That discussion made me think about some basic concept and views on RPGs. Johannes Kellomäki argued that from narratologist point of view games are stories; RPGs represents human actions. I took that he meant thatContinue reading “Plots and Attractors”

There are notes at Wonderland on Will Wright Keynote at SXSW. Wright comments, e.g., on difference between stories and games (like, stories are about empathy, games about agency) and player telling stories on game events.