DESIGNING MEANING-MAKING IN VIDEOGAMES

Abstract

Popular definitions of videogames often emphasize its goal-oriented entertainment value--that games revolve around players overcoming challenges in order to attain positive outcomes. In addition, salient non-academic discourse on the effects of videogames tend to focus on the negative effects of videogame addiction or videogame violence. Instead, this thesis focuses on the positive potential of videogames, contending that games can be designed to stimulate thought and provoke conversations not just pertaining to in-game elements, but also about the material world around us. We investigate the extended meaning-making phenomenon, where players derive from game elements subjective interpretations that have real-world significance beyond the game. We begin by looking at the intersection of play and meaning-making from different theoretical backgrounds, covering existing literature on relevant game design techniques, semiotic theory, the psychological need-for-closure, levels of immersion during play, and the cognitive limits of the human brain. Through the close reading of Spec Ops: The Line and The Beginner’s Guide, I investigate the conditions under which players engage in this extended meaning-making process. With the data collected, I propose that a combination of (a) dissonance, (b) lightened cognitive load, (c) real world references, and (d) personal interest and relatability, increases the likelihood of extended meaning-making, inviting players to take away new understandings of the real world we live in. We hope that these findings allow future game designers to better create games that are not just entertaining but also thought-provoking.