Tutorial

NOTE: This is the rough draft of the intro to Press Start to Begin. It is supposed to provide an outline for me as the writer and you as the reader. It should be giving you a bit of the scope of what the work will entail, thus preventing anyone from getting the wrong idea of what the book will be about.

Feel free to comment below.

Tutorial

Welcome to the the tutorial. This is the area in which no lives are lost, ammo is infinite, and the result is taken from here and into the game. This is an area that is as picture perfect as you could hope for, a hold-my-hand, spoon-feed-me-the-answers section.

It won't last long.

What you have here is my own personal vindication, apology, and analysis of video games as an interactive form, an artistic experience, and (to quote Shakespeare's The Tempest) a 'brave new world' of narrative. It will expose and explore what it means to be a gamer in a theoretical sense, one based upon theories and responses, personal experiences, and a subjective view of why games matter.

This is not designed to be an entry-level book to critical theory, nor is it meant to be wrapped within the dense language of typical theoretical expression. Rather, I hope this to be an insight for the uninitiated, a justification for the devout, and mentally expansive for all.

Good luck.

Tools for the N00b

In the following pages, you'll see a number of words that are perhaps used differently than what you're accustomed to. This manual will help to explicate some of the terms; feel free to refer here often.

Gamer: The thinking player who manipulates the controller. {I feel that 'gamer' and 'player', while synonyms, have a distinction that I want to preserve. In particular, I see the 'player' as the one who is invested in the machinations of the ludic aspect--the fun, playing part. The 'gamer', on the other hand, should be understood as the person behind the player, the thinker, the human.}

Ludic: The playable aspect of video games. {Early video game theory circled around the concept of 'ludic' versus 'narrative' interpretations of a game; that is, how 'fun' is it versus how 'story-centric' it is. This book will explore and explode the binary.}

Narrative: The story aspect of video games. {Narrative is all about exploring a story and is one of the fundamental ways of human communication. Nevertheless, within the game it is often violently usurped, convoluted, or ignored.}

Avatar: The on-screen character that the gamer manipulates. {There are convincing arguments for a distinction to be placed in between 'playable characters' and 'avatar', with the latter maintaining a level of customizability that is not present in a 'playable character'; however, the concept of a narrative character--as opposed to a playable character--is referred to in the book as, simply, a 'character'. To prevent confusion, 'avatar' is used specifically as defined here.}

Seizure Disclaimer

This book is academic in that it is designed to appeal to those who wish to follow gaming as the latest narrative evolution, of understanding a uniquely digital exploration of the human experience. It is not meant to be a definitive treatise on the industry, nor is it based upon academia's current trends of thought on the subject. Instead it is my own explication of why gaming matters to gamers, and it is filled with personal anecdotes, extrapolations, and interpretations. I have relied on certain texts, not the least of which being Jean Baudrillard's Simulation and Simulacra McKenzie Wark's peerless Gam3r 7h30ry, to help expand and/or lift off my thoughts. Endnotes have been assembled to give appropriate credit.

Level Map

This book is broken into three main levels:

Exploration:

Dealing with the major themes of this book, Exploration is designed to familiarize you with the concepts that are at play, what is being pursued by the gamers, and what import it carries. Here are the foregrounding, developmental theses that provide the foundations off of which subsequent interpretations are based.

Experience:

Within Experience will be numerous essays about video games, with close, analytical expressions about each. The main points of these essays are all loosely assembled within the Exploration level. Every game says something about us and our society in some way--often, it's something that has been said in another place by a different game. Rather than trying to point out which game said what first (or better), I have instead focused on the games that I personally have found compelling. Some essays are autobiographical in tone--they reflect upon gaming experiences that I have had throughout my years as a gamer. Others are deeper paths that pull heavily from theoretical texts and discuss abstract concepts. Consider this a permanent spoiler warning, however: Any and all games discussed in this book are considered from a narrative whole, and no piece will be hidden for the neophyte. I will talk about the endings, beginnings, and everything in between wherever I see fit.

Exit:

Final thoughts, explanations, and examples will be found here. Think of this as the 'last words' section before the credits roll. The major thrust of this book is comprised in the first two sections of Exploration and Experience, so this last part of the book is notably smaller. Much like the denouement in literature should be similarly brief, this exit is perfunctory and, in a sense, valedictory.

Personalizing the Character

This is an individual work, in as much as any writer's work is 'individual.' Still, I take full responsibility for thoughts, connections, and assumptions made within this text. I do not pretend at any greater understanding of video game design, production, distribution, or interaction than what is contained herein. As a long time gamer and enthusiast for the pastime, I feel that this is a natural extension of what I have experienced throughout my life. Again, this book is part autobiographical; that is part of its tone. I have refrained from revealing any personally identifying information about any of the people mentioned in this book, though any and all cited texts, insofar as available and possible, have been noted and listed in the 'Works Cited' portion of the level Exit.