Playing with progression, immersion, and sociality: Developing a framework for studying meaning in APPMMAGs, a case study [Full text]
Matt Bouchard [1]
| Abstract: Conventional video games are not only immersive, but also difficult to play; in addition, they require a considerable amount of time to learn and play. These features help in creating a sense of purpose or meaning in the game. However, in a game with no graphics, sound, story, or difficulty, how do players find or create this meaning for their in-game actions? This article explores Abstract Persistent Progressive Massively Multiplayer Asynchronous Games (APPMMAGs) – a class of games that do not possess any of the usual features associated with conventional video games. To explore these games, a theoretical framework is proposed that examines some common rhetorics of video game meaning-making – specifically, progression, immersion, and sociality – in the context of APPMMAGs. Keywords: Meaning-making, video games, casual games, social games, MMORPGs |
[1] Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, Canada, matt.bouchard@gmail.com