Games as Mediums for Interactions
Games as Mediums for Interactions
Games as Mediums for Interactions
We often play games; but we don’t realize that many of the underlying mechanics and actions that we take are interactions between the players; the game; and one other. Games are mediums for interactions that can take on many forms.
But what are these interactions meant to convey? Why are they important? And why should these interactions matter for applied games and games-based learning?
This article will explore the aspects of games as mediums for interactions. It’ll examine games as constructs for occupying a particular space and how players interact with it. Games will also be explored as pieces of art and how they influence narrative aspects such as stories.
Often, the interactive elements of games are shaped by their genre and themes. This will be discussed in addition to how games are often structured as a means for social interactions. This kind of structure can serve as a means of establishing socially normative activities between and amongst players.
All these factors feed into developing and curating the player experience and how games can serve as a means of modeling interaction. Finally, this article will close on how interaction in games can be leveraged for teaching, training, learning, and development with applied games.
Games as Space
First, it’s important to explore the concept of games as space. Games take up space in several different dimensions. That can be physical space in terms of board games, card games, and physical games like sports. They can also consume mental, cultural, and virtual space in terms of video games, console, games, and online games.
It’s important to examine games as a means of interacting with partial realities. Those “realities” are different from the outside and real world through players liminal transition into the magic circle. When players transit this space into the game world, they must adapt and change to the different rules, expectations, and context provided in the game. This can be physical like the ability of characters to phase through walls given a special ability or the need and desire to lie and deceive in social deduction games.
These aspects are further exacerbated with the differences of “distances” in games. Games that are based in the real world (such as many sports) are based on the physical measure of different boundaries. This can often be seen in the size of a physical pitch like in European football or the height of an outfield wall in baseball. They both represent physical limitations to the play area.
This can also be seen in tabletop games where there is a reliance on dexterity of players such as with Crokinole or Carrom. However, other digital games and some tabletop games expand on this concept of distance as an abstraction for something else. Trekking through History represents differences in time through a timeline whereas digital and video games represent distance through game-related measurement units or through adjacency with game components.
No matter how these distances are measured, players are often challenged to traverse and cover these distances to achieve some kind of game goal or objective.
The advent of augmented reality technology now allows players to interact with elements that are part of a game world as well as the physical world. This can be seen in “half-objects” which are components that serve both a physical as well as an in-game function. Their properties can be inspected by the game, but it also allows players to interact with them in a physical environment. This was experienced on a wide scale through the popularity and prevalence of Pokemon GO as players explored physical spaces in an effort to more fully interact with the game.
Games as Art
One of the comparisons made between games and other mediums is that they can be interpreted as artforms. Games do have some characteristics that are recognizable as artistry; but they are also considered a unique medium that can be labeled as “hybrid” or otherwise fulfilling different expectations.
Additionally, games share similarities with other mediums such as video games that are technology driven. As such, they often include in game avatars and virtual non-player characters that player characters and interact with and develop a rapport.
These often highly stylized characters often accompany other more raw elements of digital games such as algorithms, data, and user input which go towards developing a curated experience for players. These types of data points are interpreted by video games and can provide players with the form of interactive feedback. A feature that is often emulated with interactive movies; attractions; and other media that include “Choose Your Own Adventure.”
All these forms of interaction provide consumers, viewers, and players with a means for interacting with the medium that cannot be replicated with other forms of media. Thus, video games especially offer unique opportunities for artistic expression and emotional engagement between the player and the medium.
However, it’s been argued that games may lack a key point of narrative depth compared to other mediums such as literature, movies, and television which can possess a greater emotional range. This doesn’t necessarily represent a limiter; but provides means for games to expand and adapt and create narrative focused experiences and narrative spaces.
Narrative Space
The immersion of games can also create narrative experiences akin to literature that allows players to interact with games in way that enhances storytelling. This can often be observed in survival horror games such as the Resident Evil franchise where the narrative of the game and players’ actions synergize with one another to move the story along through player survival.
Therefore, it’s been argued that video games could represent the ultimate medium for storytelling. This is because, unlike other forms of narrative mediums, video games immerse players by making them active participants in the story. This is often seen in interactive storytelling in which players have the agency to influence the narrative through their actions and choices.
By making players the co-author of the narrative experience, they engage with it and create a unique and powerful connection to the story and characters of the game. Often, this is seen on both a macro and micro level. This occurs through the wider and longer character arcs of the game, as well as through individual interactions between the player-character and programmed characters such as NPCs that contribute to players deeper interpretation of the gaming experience.
These richer experiences can be observed in games like Celeste and The Witcher 3, where gameplay leads characters to specific decision points where their actions reinforce the theme of the game and create a direct connection between players and the overall story.
Therefore, by viewing games as an extension and evolution of traditional literature, designers and developers can envision within them new ways to experience and craft stories. This is often first observed through how players interpret and act within the theme of the game.
Games and Themes
Game themes can encompass many different aspects. But one of the most common of those is how players approach the game via its main structure. Many are competitive; but they don’t have to be. Collaborative and cooperative elements can incentivize players to pursue inclusivity and group cohesion.
This is especially important for games that rely on some kind of social aspect. Particularly if these games foster the development of social capital that bring together players of different philosophies, different worldviews, and different networks such as with massive multilayer online games (MMOs). The development of these social networks through MMOs can be significant as it provides an outlet for players to interact and engage with one another through the game’s framework. This can be done via in-game characters or through players’ real-life personalities. Ultimately the choice is theirs.
The embodiment of characters which fit the theme of the game can also boost engagement and participation as players align themselves with their own expectations and what they can gain by interacting with other players. This is perhaps best seen in the origin of tabletop role-playing games that can foster long term relationships in real life that extend beyond the game itself.
This outcome is further promoted through party games that offer cooperative play such as It Takes Two that enhances social interaction and collaboration in person. This is often observed in contrast with certain mobile games where the social engagement is minimal and mostly transactional as can be seen in games like Words with Friends.
Perhaps the biggest difference in thematic expectations in games can be seen in the Call of Duty franchise versus Animal Crossing games. Both rely on a robust online community, yet the former is based on a competitive and fast paced environment that rewards aggression. Conversely, Animal Crossing promotes cooperative play in a laid-back community where most player-to-player interactions are positive due to the game’s structure and limited forms of communication.
Overall, the level of interaction in games as they relate to theme is based on the kind of interactions that players have with one another. Shorter and more discrete interactions often do not promote more robust player interactions. Whereas more narrative and cooperative games often warrant greater social interactions between players.
Social Interactions
One cannot often talk about interactions with games in modernity without also discussing the social interactions that often take place in many different modalities. This often speaks to the stereotypical “gamer” as a male and socially isolated individual. Hower, this no longer the case as both adults and children from diverse backgrounds game regularly.
Therefore, video games can form the structure, basis, and catalyst for more meaningful social interactions between players. This can be accomplished because players all have some kind of inherent social needs and games can serve as medium to address those needs.
This can be observed in dynamic and socially interactive serious games which both enhance learning as well as provide valuable social experiences between players and learners. As discussed before, cooperative games that require some kind of social interaction with each other can foster teamwork, communication, and the development of social skills in a mediated and structured way.
The structure of games to facilitate social interaction is especially important for those with social challenges such as players on the autism spectrum or with social anxiety. The framework of games allows players to interact with each other at a prescribed pace which can serve as an analog for real-world interactions. Therefore, the continued play of these games can lead to the formation of strong, positive, and socially normative connections among players.
Socially Normative
Social normalization appears to be a major theme when addressing the interactive components of modern digital games. This is especially so with massive multiplayer online games (MMOs) which can often function as “third spaces” for informal connection and association in a virtual space.
Though, this experience is not exclusive to MMOs as games with natural social elements already engender easier interactions between players to maintain engagement. These intentional design choices can aid players in real world social interaction as games like Pokemon GO have dictated when players in a digital space must interact physically with one another in the real world.
Games that can foster these semi ludic-social spaces go onto to create a means for players to develop “ludic rapport” with one another. The result of which, is the development of emotional experiences and motivations that are distinct, separate, and different from real life interactions. This effect is what makes these kinds of games socially engaging.
These social outcomes are so powerful that it has led to the prioritized development of community building in games as means of scaffolding positive social experiences. This is most often seen in online multiplayer games. Especially those that include some kind of cooperative or collaborative elements in which players must form alliances to achieve more.
This has, however, not always been the case. One of the earliest inroads towards large online multiplayer bases occurred through the advent of Xbox Live and the Halo 2 community where inter-personal communications norms were not initially established or enforced. This was combined with player anonymity and lack of regulations which allowed toxic behaviors on the platform and within the game community to proliferate.
The establishment of toxicity was further exacerbated by changing player and gamer demographics. This was embodied in controversies like Gamergate which highlighted ongoing harassment as well as identified gate-keeping behavior and tribalism in the gaming community.
Controversies such as these have highlighted the growing concerns of creating, moderating, and proliferating online social spaces. The further growth of which means that positive player experiences are integral to the spirit of the game.
Player Experience
All forms of game interaction ultimately serve the player experience. For most commercial games that includes its enjoyment by players rather than conforming to particular style or genre considerations.
Enjoyment by players can be an elusive goal as they are often motivated by diverse and sometimes conflicting goals such as freedom of choice; mystery of play; and social interactions between and amongst non-player characters and player characters.
Therefore, designers often focus on the interactivity of storytelling experiences to make players feel like they are an integral part of the story and a critical element towards its ultimate progression. This kind of interactive connection goes beyond only aesthetic considerations such as graphics or style. Conversely, forced social interactions can be equally detrimental for the player experience as individuals may not yet be ready and willing to interact with other players. Rather, social behaviors should be focused on voluntary and meaningful interactions that are critical for supporting the overall player journey.
When the player experience is also paired with the learner experience, the goal becomes to reduce negative gaming behavior while also promoting learning outcomes. This is accomplished by reducing factors of frustration and anxiety that may cause players to stop playing. The worst of these effects can often be negated through in-game social interactions where other players can commiserate about the difficulty and challenges of games. This connection allows them to share, cooperate, and collaborate with one another against the challenges of the game itself.
The formation of these initial social interactions with one another also aids in sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that is reflected based on time investment. Therefore, interactive entities and objectives should be designed with purpose to support players ultimate goals and desires to advance and progress – often in line with the needs of designers.
This means that not only do games serve as formats for interaction; but they can do so in a way that provides meaningful and varied experiences. Outcomes which can be more easily obtained when designers more purposely model interactions within their games.
Modelling Interaction
Games include a means for players to interact with them. Therefore, it’s also important to consider for educators and designers how those interactions in games are modeled. This is especially important for serious games as the interactive learning decisions provide a means for players to learn through a feedback loop in a low-risk environment.
Often the way that this design begins is to focus on the game goals of players which should guide all game elements. Those goals should be achieved through different game mechanics in which players can interact with to achieve a successful outcome.
The process of learning how to interact with games in this manner can be reduced through either high player literacy or through focusing on multi-sensory and accessible experiences that simplify interactions. The usual focus for digital game developers is to focus on input techniques (i.e. controllers) and output techniques (i.e. visual and auditory information). However, other means of input and output should be explored to make games more accessible and interactive for learners.
A common way that is achieved now, is through the application of virtual reality and augmented reality where the individual can interact with the environment, objectives, and characters to create a deeper meaning with the story and the game. However, this can also be achieved with non-digital games by providing a means for players to interact with the game and each other that is not merely based on one functionality (i.e. speech) but instead allows other forms of interaction (i.e. through blind bidding).
The integration of these different player aspects all serves the player experience and better immersion through spatial presence and perceived realism for players. The more advanced and adaptive games can even anticipate, detect, and respond to players’ behavior and provide feedback to them through means not anticipated by designers and educators.
Overall, both games for entertainment and serious games can serve as a unique lens through which to explore the concepts of interaction between players and content. This is especially true for applied games as this format serves as an additional means with which to scaffold content for mastery and understanding.
Applied Games
Applied games represent a means for educators to use games for teaching and learning. One of the most common applications of this is educational games which carefully integrate educational content aligned with game mechanics that create an immersive and engaging learning experience.
This is not easy to achieve as applied educational games abstract some of the content and apply it to fit within the theme and narrative of the game. However, the content cannot be so abstracted that the objectives and the outcomes for the learner are lost. Therefore, the correct amount of abstraction can be difficult to maintain to achieve learner engagement as well as high application of learning content.
The right balance is usually reached by pairing the work of educators with designers. Their skill sets complement one another as educators can apply their effective teaching methods while designers can interpret and design gamified solutions that honor the content while also creating engaging experiences.
The area where both can find common ground is through scaffolding where learners and players determine how to play and progress in the game by taking on increasingly more difficult challenges that are based on what they have learned and applied in the past.
Some of the most successful applied games are found in different subject areas and disciplines. Video games have been involved with teaching learners reading and writing and generally support literacy for players. This goes hand and hand with other games in aiding the development and acquisition of new languages by making the learning process more engaging and interactive.
There are observed ancillary benefits of gameplay. Video games specifically have demonstrated improvements in players’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and memory. This has been paired with games’ abilities to simplify complex topics and information and demonstrate them in a more digestible format that doesn’t share only concepts; but show how they are used in practice.
Takeaways
This article discussed games as a medium for interaction. It first examined games as a means of defining and creating space for players. This consequently influences how games are seen and interpreted as forms of art and their comparisons to other mediums such as literature.
Games can also be interpreted as narrative spaces for players as well as means to convey a story through an established theme. Those themes also come with specific general considerations for players as they examine how to interact with the game; player characters; and non-player characters. Certain games lend themselves to more competitive aspects whereas others cultivate a more cooperative spirit of interaction.
Perhaps one of the most hotly discussed areas of game interaction is how they structure and influence how players interact socially within it. This article discussed how those interactions are influenced by the game and how they create normative practices and expectations for players.
Finally, this article closed on examining interaction as an integral part of the player experience as well as how both educators and designers can model interaction in serious games as well as games-based learning. This was examined specifically as applied games can be used to for teaching, learning, and development practices.
This article examined games as mediums for interaction. To learn more about gamification, check out the free course on Gamification Explained.
Dave Eng, EdD
Principal
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Cite this Article
Eng, D. (2024, October 1). Games as Mediums for Interaction. Retrieved MONTH DATE, YEAR, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2024/10/1/games-as-mediums-for-interactions
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