Film informing design for contemplative gameplay
Tim Marsh, Michael Nitsche, Wei Liu, Peichi Chung, Jay David Bolter, Adrian David Cheok · 2008
Borrowing from film and filmmaking styles, techniques and devices that manipulate spectators ’ attention and experience, this paper proposes an approach to inform design of games and gameplay to manipulate player’s focus of attention and encourage contemplation – in design features, characters, story elements, etc. or even break the player’s engaged attention in the game/virtual world altogether – to provide meaning, experience and opportunities for learning. Focusing on film styles alternative to the continuity style of Hollywood filmmaking, we discuss examples of design for contemplative gameplay in game-based learning environments/serious games, machinima and augmented and mixed reality games in previous, current and future projects. We propose that one goal of game design is to establish a rhythm between contemplation and engagement, and the appropriate rhythm is determined largely by a game’s genre, platform and/or narrative.