Introduction to Game Analysis / Edition 2

by Clara Fernández-Vara

Overview

This accessible textbook gives students the tools they need to analyze games using strategies borrowed from textual analysis. As the field of game studies grows, videogame writing is evolving from the mere evaluation of gameplay, graphics, sound, and replayablity, to more reflective writing that manages to convey the complexity of a game and the way it is played in a cultural context.

Clara Fernández-Vara’s concise primer provides readers with instruction on the basic building blocks of game analysis—examination of context, content and reception, and formal qualities—as well as the vocabulary necessary for talking about videogames' distinguishing characteristics. Examples are drawn from a range of games, both digital and non-digital—from Portal and World of Warcraft to Monopoly—and the book provides a variety of exercises and sample analyses, as well as a comprehensive ludography and glossary.

In this second edition of the popular textbook, Fernández-Vara brings the book firmly up-to-date, pulling in fresh examples from ground-breaking new works in this dynamic field. Introduction to Game Analysis remains a unique practical tool for students who want to become more fluent writers and critics not only of videogames, but also of digital media overall.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815351832
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	02/04/2019
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	334
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Clara Fernández-Vara is Associate Arts Professor at the NYU Game Center, New York University. She teaches courses on game studies and narrative design, and works as a freelance game designer and writer. As a researcher, her main interest is in exploring the integration of stories and gameplay, as well as developing theoretical frameworks to understand games better.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Whys and Wherefores of Game Analysis

Chapter 2: Preparing for the Analysis

Chapter 3: Areas of Analysis 1: Context

Chapter 4 Areas of Analysis 2: Game Overview

Chapter 5 Areas of Analysis 3: Formal Elements

Chapter 6 Writing the Analysis

Chapter 7 Wrapping Things Up

Appendix I: Sample Analyses

Appendix II: List of Other Published Analyses

Glossary

Ludography

Editorial Reviews

Games and play are diverse, and one approach does not suit all of them. Here one can find tools that are appropriate for analysing games from simple to highly complex, while also taking into account their associated forms of play and game cultures.” - Frans Mäyrä, Professor of Information Studies and Interactive Media, Tampere University, Finland

“The book arms anyone interested in videogames with a rich vocabulary and an analytical toolset that is both deep and accessible. My students love how it guides them through the process and helps them uncover meaning by themselves. A must read!” - Víctor Navarro-Remesal, Professor and Game Scholar, Tecnocampus – Universistat Pompeu-Fabra, Spain

From the Publisher