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"Orders came to him through a monitor": Analysis of metagames about the nature of video games
Šanda, Štěpán ; Šisler, Vít (advisor) ; Pýcha, Čeněk (referee)
One of the themes embodied in artistically ambitious computer games is the reflection on their videogame nature. For example, they use narrative, visual or procedural means to comment on or critique usually unproblematized game principles, rules, or general perceptions of games. Such games are sometimes subsumed under the broader notion of the metagame, which this thesis discusses and summarises based on readings. Drawing on Teresa de la Hera's theoretical model, the empirical section uses a multimodal analysis of five selected self-reflexive metagames to explore how and what these works say about the video game medium. The text argues that self-reflexive or self-referential games follow the tradition of Brechtian epic theatre, for example, by turning the player's attention to himself and the conditions under which he plays and how the games themselves affect him. In doing so, it concludes that self-reflexive games are multimodal and creative representations of the game's persuasiveness
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How gamers community percieve new game journalism
Šanda, Štěpán ; Hroch, Miloš (advisor) ; Švelch, Jaroslav (referee)
The thesis focuses on the reactions of readers to new ways of journalistic texts about computer games. These reactions often present themselves as a negative and intense rejection of writing about computer games beyond traditional modes of game journalism. Therefore, the thesis' main objective is to set these reactions to the context of changes in game culture and gamers' identity. The theoretical part describes the historical development of the computer games medium. It also summarizes Czech game journalism's evolution and describes the theoretical concepts of computer games as a specific medium, emphasizing the relationship between the medium and its consumer. The first part is enclosed by a chapter on fan cultures, especially on the gaming community. The central part of the research analyses users' comments, which react to analysed journalistic texts. Part of the analysis is also comprised of interviews with the authors of these texts. Such a constructed sample reveals that gamers and publicists perceive the computer games' nature and their roles in society differently. Furthermore, analysis has shown emphasis on identitarian themes in gaming community which manifested in rejecting the messages of analysed texts with reference to individual characteristics of its authors.
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