[game_preservation] Game Canon

[Jose P. Zagal]

Game Plan by Ste Curran (http://books.google.com/books?id=TXcWlWkIZ0AC) 
is another nice example of this approach.


Jose Zagal

On 8/3/2010 1:27 PM, Martin Goldberg wrote:

> What you guys are all describing with your individual viewpoints and

> processes in this matter reminded me of a book by some friends of mine

> (Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton) from last year.  Vintage Games -

>

> http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Games-Insider-History-Influential/dp/0240811461/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280858796&sr=8-1

>

> Rather than lists of canon games in a genre they took the approach of

> each chapter being about what they considered the most influential

> game of that genre, interweaving the games that preceeded it and that

> were later influenced by it in an intersting narrative.  The basic

> formula for each chapter/game is:

>

> - briefly introduce the game and proceed to give a summary of why it

> was successful and the many clones it produced.

>

> - present the games that came before and paved the way for the main

> focus of each chapter, the influential game itself.

>

> - Discuss any major industry influence and cultural ties and how the

> game was a product of or influenced them.

>

> - identify what the important aspects of the game were itself – what

> innovations it introduced, or important game play and graphical

> elements it included.

>

> - List/discuss some later very popular games that were influenced by

> it and focus on how those games also produced innovations in their own

> right in their attempts to expand on the basic formula

>

> - Discuss the genre itself in closing.

>

> You can read a review I did last year for a little more insight in to the book:

>

> http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=403

>

> To me I like that approach because it gives more context to the game/s

> in a genre you're presenting rather than subjective lists that canons

> can turn in to.  It's also a way to get past the issue of "in order to

> focus on some games, you must ignore others" that Devin points out.

>

>

> Marty

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-- 
José P. Zagal
Assistant Professor
College of Computing and Digital Media
DePaul University

http://www.ludoliteracy.com/

http://facsrv.cs.depaul.edu/~jzagal