Morphological study of the video games
Julian Alvarez1&2, Damien Djaouti2, Rashid Ghassempouri2
Pr. Jean-Pierre Jessel1 and Pr. Gilles Méthel2
1
2
IRIT-SIRV, University of Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
LARA- Axe Arts Numériques, ESAV - University of Toulouse le Mirail, Toulouse, France
alvarez@irit.fr
Abstract
The aim of this article is to present the tool V.E.Ga.S. which intend to classify video games,
study their nature and to corroborate hypothesis by a pragmatic approach. The approach,
inspired by the methodology of Vladimir Propp and the writings of Salen and Zimmerman
consists in studying a significant number of video games in order to repertoriate a collection
of elementary 'blocks' of interactions and objectives which go into their composition. Basing
our study on this 'blocks' and crossing them with other fields, we will try to classify and study
video games
Syllabus
Our approach is to contribute to discover the very nature of the video game by an approach as
well experimental as pragmatic. The objective being to discover the formal mechanisms of the
video games to use them in the field of the communication and marketing. The reference to
Propp is on the very first pages of his pioneer work, when he postulates that to really get to
know what is a folktale one have to study all the aspects in order to establish a classification
(p. 11 & 12).
The idea of a classification of the video games is not something new. The brothers L.
Diberder as well as Stéphane Natkin have already classified them. But in all this
classifications although they act as references ; we rapidly have found slants or absences.
That's what Matthieu Letourneux denounces in his article “The question about the style of
video games“ (p. 40 & 41). He means that all classification is condamned to be outdated ,
because the technological evolution offers constantly new perspectives. We are though in
front of a paradox. Because in accordance with Propp it's essential to classify in order to
study: " The accuracy of the further study depends on the accuracy of the classification."
(translated from french). How be able to make a definition of a video game if its classification
is rapidly wrong?
It seems at this level of the reflection that Propp offers a key to try to answer the paradoxe:
“Although their is a place for the classification as a basis of every research it must be the
result of a further study. Or, we observe the opposite situation: Most of researchers start by
classifying, thus introducing facts ,when in fact , they should rather deduce.“ (translated from
french).
To follow the methodology of Propp thus implies to establish a classification which will be
deduced by a "preliminary further examination". This approach of a " analytical study" has to
be run in a " formal and abstract way " and will lead to find recurrent " functions " that
composes the element that is studied (p. 27).
In order to manage "preliminary further examination" of our video games, we have chosen the
approach made by the game designers Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman. Because theirs
"fundamental principles" are elements you can put together in order to construct any game,
that is similar with the functions of Propp which are combined in order to make up any tale.
Thus , in order to be faithful to the "formal and abstract" appearance of Propp, we only retain
in our study "the fundamental principals" being in touch with the "outside" defined by
Winnicott. At last as underlined by Salen and Zimmerman, we will play the video games,
because the theoretical approach is not sufficient: " A game design education cannot consist
of a purely theoretical approach to games. This is true of any design field." (p.11).
We hope that following this methodology will allow us to elaborate a tool dedicated to the
morphologic study of video games in order to classifie, study their very nature and
corroborate hypothesis in a pragmatic approach.
In this paper, we will first define the field of the study and the protocole that we decided in a
first experimental approach. We will see how we will analyse and repertoriate the video
games taking into account their way of interactivity. In a second time we will use the results
obtained during our first approach in order to refine the experimental protocole and identifie
new "ingredients". All along these two parts , we also will try to transmit our way of thinking.
References
Gilles Brougère (2005). Jouer/Apprendre. Economica/Anthropos.
Roger Caillois (1958). Les jeux et les Hommes. Le masque et le vertige. Gallimard, Nrf.
Alain et Frédéric Le Diberder (1998). L’univers des jeux vidéo. Ed. La découverte.
Sébastien Genvo (2005). Le game design de jeux vidéo. L’Harmattan.
Stéphane Natkin (2004). Jeux vidéo et médias du XXIè siècle. Vuibert.
Vladimir Propp 1970, "Morphologie du conte" (1928). Seuil.
Katie Salen/Eric Zimmerman (2004). Rules of Play. The MIT press.
D. W. Winnicott (2002). Jeu et réalité (1971). folio essais.