Understanding the Worlds of Video Games
Understanding the Worlds of Video Games
Understanding the Worlds of Video Games
By John Hill
November 21, 2022
Summary
A new book published by Thames & Hudson and an exhibition now on display at the Museum of Modern Art respectively map the interactive worlds of video games and investigate how people conceive of space and time through interactive design.
It is hard to deny the appeal architects have with video games, with their imagined worlds populated by buildings, creatures, and landscapes both familiar and alien.
Unlike architecture and film - two other sympathetic fields that have been studied together in some depth - there has not been much in the way of books and exhibitions exploring the relationship between architecture and video games.
Maps are common features of video games, yet in various ways: in how a game is literally viewed; as built-in components of video games that help players navigate the larger virtual environments they move through; and as old-fashioned printed maps in guidebooks that give hardcore players tips on specific games.
There are nearly 500 illustrations in the book, all of them are by the authors; this means readers that are familiar with the games will have a better understanding of what the maps and diagrams represent.
Open since September 10 in the Museum of Modern Art's small street-level gallery, Never Alone features "Notable examples of interactive design from MoMA's collection, including computer interfaces, icons, apps, and 35 video games." Even though the exhibition broadly looks at the interface between people and digital environments over the last half-century, video games grab all of the attention, especially considering that 10 of the 35 games can be played by museum visitors.
These games fit more easily into a museum context than games like Minecraft, but they also signal how much more potential there is for designers to explore with digital interfaces.
Reference
Hill , J. (2022, November 21). Understanding the worlds of video games . World. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from https://www.world-architects.com/en/architecture-news/found/understanding-the-worlds-of-video-games