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Growing Game Worlds

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Computer Games and New Media Cultures

Abstract

Where is the development of game worlds heading? Looking at a simplified development of digital game worlds, this essay argues for a more rigorous inclusion of physical spaces in our work on game environments. Not only was this physical condition always part of the game world, it becomes evermore important in modern game and media design as new technologies allow new interaction design. Touching on a number of examples, the argument bridges the ideals of early cyberspace apostles with the contested digital game worlds of today’s industry to point to the hybrid game spaces that are emerging in more futuristic designs. The development is presented as a gradual evolution that calls for a critical shift of our scholarly focus.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    On the topic of immersion, also see Härig (Chap. 13) and Pietschmann et al. (Chap. 18).

  2. 2.

    For an attempt to understand Second Life as a hybrid between virtual world and game, see Thimm (Chap. 11).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Literature, Communication & Culture, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Michael Nitsche

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  1. Michael Nitsche
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Correspondence to Michael Nitsche .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute for Educational Science, University of Magdeburg, Zschokkestr. 32, Magdeburg, 39104, Germany

    Johannes Fromme

  2. , School of Education, University of Hamburg, Mollerstr 10, Hamburg, 20146, Germany

    Alexander Unger

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Nitsche, M. (2012). Growing Game Worlds. In: Fromme, J., Unger, A. (eds) Computer Games and New Media Cultures. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2777-9_10

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