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Representational Roleplay in a Virtual World: Applying Dramaturgical Analysis to World of Warcraft
Špán, Adam ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Kabele, Jiří (referee)
This thesis explores the possibilities of applying dramaturgical analysis to the virtual world of the computer game World of Warcraft. In this virtual world, some players engage in so-called representational roleplay. This is a complex social activity that entails a number of specific rules and practices. The aim of this thesis was to test the applicability of four different dramaturgical concepts (character, regions, scene, and exhibition) to actors' performances in the virtual world. The findings of this thesis are based on several months of ethnographic research and 16 semi-structured interviews. Analysis of these data revealed a number of similarities and a high degree of applicability of dramaturgical sociology to representational roleplay in the virtual world of World of Warcraft. The various dramaturgical metaphors were further extended to include new concepts in the context of the virtual world. These include the "character flaw" which consists of rejecting the consequences of fateful moments, "always IC" roleplayers who ignore the existence of a back region, the "immersive march" which describes the dramatic transitions between scenes, and the "exhibition with a passive curator" which reflects the distinctiveness of the curator in the virtual world.
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Comparison of profesional reviews and user comments on Metacritic in the case of The Last of Us Part II
Kafka, Pavel ; Švelch, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Houška, Jan (referee)
The subject of this thesis is to analyze and compare professional reviews and user comments on the aggregator Metacritic in the case of The Last of Us Part II. The goal of this thesis is to find out what distinguishes professional video game reviews from user comments, what dominant themes they contain and which of them play a major role in the final evaluation, on the example of The Last of Us Part II. First four chapters of the theoretical part of this thesis deal with the theoretical basis of the areas of game review and its function, review bombing, identification with protagonist and representation of female characters. The theoretical part ends with the introduction of The Last of Us Part II and the aggregator Metacritic. The research part contains a total of two surveys. The first two chapters are devoted to the introduction of methodologies of individual surveys and the definition of their research samples. The first research uses quantitative methods to describe the course of the user score over time. The second research uses qualitative thematic analysis to identify dominant themes in 10 professional reviews and 100 user comments. The dominant themes of these two research samples and their impact on the final evaluation are then compared with each other. The thesis ends with a discussion,...
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Speech Acts in Videogames
Šurýn, David ; Zmrzlá, Petra (referee) ; Sučková, Magda (advisor)
This bachelor thesis introduces a new approach of classifying interactions in video games based on the interaction between addressor and addressee and includes an analysis and comparison of speech acts in video games Life Is Strange and Call of Duty. This classification can be used to aid the process of analysis of speech acts in other video games and also assist game developers in the process of creating in-game interactions. To create such classification, the relation between the player and an interactable in-game element had to be prioritised. Then, the main classes of interactions in video games are introduced with each class containing specific types of speech acts. The analysis of speech acts in Life Is Strange and Call of Duty serves as an example of how this classification can be used and also shows many examples of how the game conveys information to the player. The list of interactions in this paper is not complete, but includes the most common and universal ones.
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Computer games - a phenomenon in translation
Wicha, Lukáš ; Jettmarová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Švelch, Jaroslav (referee)
The topic of computer/video games and their translation has only recently attracted attention of translation scholars. The thesis aims at introducing the phenomenon as a legitimate topic of translation studies, presenting it as a specific and influential medium with an extensive user subculture. A description of the overall process of game localization, and specifically its practice in the Czech Republic are included. Lexical analysis of selected computer game reviews and online discussions is complemented with a questionnaire survey to reveal if and how computer games and game- focused articles influence the constitution of a characteristic sociolect and its usage outside the gamer subculture. Concepts used in intercultural and interlingual transfer of computer games are defined and compared with established terms in translation studies. A comparative analysis of original and Czech versions of two computer games is carried out to identify translation methods used in the transfer of culture- and language-specific elements in order to determine whether the process of computer game translation exhibits any specific features that may justify the introduction of new terms into translation studies. Specific features of computer games in translation are described and an analysis of several games...
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Let's Play videos from the point of view of copyright law
Hálek, Jakub ; Žikovská, Petra (referee)
Let's Play videos from the point of view of copyright law Abstract This Master's Thesis examines Let's Play videos (that are a new but significant and popular part of the entertainment industry) from the point of view of copyright law, especially the Czech one. The view of the European Union law is of course not omitted. With respect to the global nature of the issue, the Thesis includes selected foreign legislation, case law and expert opinions. Since the issue of Let's Play videos is new and almost unexplored, this Thesis examines and defines not only Let's Play videos but also their creators. It also identifies sources of income from Let's Play videos, persons involved and their interests, which can collide with each other. Given the existential interdependence of Let's Play videos on videogames, this Thesis examines even some relevant copyright aspects of videogames. Besides the question of copyright classification of Let's Play videos, the Thesis also deals with not so obvious consequences of such classification. There are analyzed possible legal titles for the use of video games and their elements in the creation, publication and monetization of Let's Play videos as well. Subsequently, this Thesis also examines and analyses the current worldwide licensing practice in this field. Despite the fact, that...
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Computer Games as a New Media Phenomenon
Rylich, Jan ; Chýla, Roman (advisor) ; Šisler, Vít (referee)
Computer Games as a New Media Phenomenon Jan Rylich 1 1 [ T H E S I S ] Jan Rylich Abstract: This thesis is focused on the development of computer games and video games, evolution of gaming and game technologies and their impact on our society. In addition to an important historical context and practical and theoretical analysis of game genres and potential of games, key chapters of this thesis are devoted to the importance of games and their impact on various aspects of our lives, from economic and demographic factors to influence on our culture and contemporary art. This thesis also aims to introduce computer games and video games in the context of "neglected media" and the theory of "remediation".
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Fan content analysis - modding in videogames and its community
Opekar, Tomáš ; Krobová, Tereza (advisor) ; Reifová, Irena (referee)
This thesis explores a specific form of fan-content creation namely videogame modding. The goal is to explore and compare these forms of content and its communities which are present around selected videogames: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Cities: Skylines. The theoretical part of this thesis firstly describes media audiences and their functions in contemporary new media environment. Concern is then shifted to problematic of fandom and fan-content production. Theme of the next part is mainly modding itself, its essence is then described, various aspects of modding research are presented and modding communities and aspects of their functions are introduced. The analytic part firstly describes selected videogames and their mechanics. Later, thesis explores the forms of modifications and corresponding communities, for both games, while also concerned with feedback of other players presented in discussions. It has come to light, that this particular type of fan-content is in general very diverse and very popullar among other players, while, for both games, approach to modifications by gamers and developers is in some aspects slightly different.
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Comparison of e-sports and selected sports from the marketing perspective
Žežulka, Martin ; Halada, Jan (advisor) ; Vranka, Marek (referee)
The goal of this bachelor's thesis is to introduce the topic of electronic sports and the use of its marketing potential to the reader. It also focuses on its parallels with traditional sports and tries to show on examples of sponsoring, product placement, corporate social responsibilities, and pitfalls the differences and similarities of both fields. In the first part, the work deals with the phenomenology of sport, thanks to which it is possible to answer the question of whether esport can be considered a sport. Furthermore, the work deals with the history of esport in order to put the reader into the context of today's situation. The following chapters then explain the researched marketing tools and media on which we can watch sports and traditional sports. In the practical part, their specific implementations in both sectors are shown on specific examples.
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