TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION IN
VIDEO GAMES
The Importance of User Advocacy
NOVEMBER 30, 2013
DEREK HOLDEN
Foundations in Technical Communication
Derek Holden
Dr. Miriam Williams
ENG 5311
30 November 2013
Technical Communication in Video Games: The Importance of User Advocacy
Abstract
The video gaming industry has experienced an unprecedented boon in profitability and
innovation over the last decade, and has begun to implement new and different kinds of
technology to enhance user experience. As technical communicators often find themselves
employed by producers of technology, they currently have a valuable window of opportunity to
make of use their skills in rhetoric and communication in order to refine user experience in the
video gaming market. This paper argues that many of the skills used by game designers in
crafting virtual worlds are kin to the skills employed by technical communicators to create
effective flows of information, and that close attention to principles of user advocacy can mean
the difference between a successful product and an unsuccessful one. The paper first details the
position held by video games in both society and the economy, then explores the means by
which communication principles may be applied to design of three-dimensional virtual
environments. Finally, the paper suggests ways in which the technical communicator might find
a place of value in the video gaming industry.
Introduction
The history of technical communication is short when compared to that of other practices.
Some argue otherwise, linking its history to that of rhetoric, which is as old as democracy, but a
more traditional thinker in the field of technical communication might argue that, while the
practice of document writing can be traced back thousands of years to monks transcribing
scripture by hand, the identification of such document creation as “technical writing” began with
T.A. Rickard’s 1908 handbook, A Guide to Technical Writing, which Rickard created in an effort
to make communicative documents distributed throughout the coal mining industry clear,
legible, and succinct. In the book, Rickard clarifies a number of rules concerning writing for the
mining industry, when said rules should be applied, and when they shouldn’t, for as he writes in
the preface to his book, “No man can apply a rule intelligently until he understands when to
disregard it”1. Rickard’s book largely concerns itself with proper usage of terminology within the
mining industries, but his advice rings true even today.
Since Rickard’s time, technological industries have sprouted up like dandelions on a
warm spring day, and wherever new technology is hitting the palms of consumers, user-oriented
documents are required. Among the leading employers of technical communicators are the big
names in technology – Apple, Microsoft, Texas Instruments – all employ their share of technical
writers whose duties may range from in-house data management to writers of proposals and
instruction manuals. But one industry where technical communicators have not yet carved
themselves a large niche is the video gaming industry
Many of the professional fields in which technical communicators may find a niche for
themselves require an encyclopedic knowledge of terminology in communication, and
facilitating clear and concise communication in the workplace ought to be a professional
communicator’s first priority. In order to facilitate effective communication, the communicator
in question must be familiar with audience theory, which Robert R. Johnson tells us “Audience
1
Rickard, Thomas Arthur. A Guide to Technical Writing. Mining and Scientific Press (1908): p 5. Print.
theory historically has been central to technical communication. The very nature of technical
communication begs for conceptions of audience because technical writers are fundamentally
charged with the responsibility of translating information from one context to another”2. In his
article, Audience Involved: Toward a Participatory Model of Writing, Johnson argues that
technical communicators must keep in mind the contextual lens through which their audience
will view the documents they create and cater to that lens. As a technical communicator, one
must act as an advocate for the intended audience when producing any manner of document or
composition.
Technical communicators have managed to squeeze themselves into a variety of
industries and practices. A technical writer might work in human resources, advertising, or data
processing; wherever they go, “A technical writer must understand complex technology
information and be able to use language arts skills to communicate the information”3. Thus, it
stands to reason that technical communicators might well find a niche for themselves in the
entertainment industry, where technology is employed increasingly often. Technical
communicators have found their footing in the film industry where they are frequently employed
on set as script supervisors, in production studios as film and video editors, and as administrative
assistants to production executives. A more behind the scenes look will find technical writers
working for companies that produce film equipment and editing software. Anywhere that
employees are expected to maintain a fine sense of detail, one is likely to find a technical
communicator hard at work. Why then, has there been little movement in the employment of
2
Johnson, Robert R. “Audience Involved: Toward a Participatory Model of Writing.” Central Works in Technical
Communication. New York: Oxford University Press (2004): p 92. Print.
3
Lazaros, Edward J. “Career Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Professions that Use Language Arts.”
Children’s Technology and Engineering. (Sept 2012): p 24. Print.
technical communicators in the video game industry? Douglas Eyman argues in a 2008 article
that “the computer game industry offers rich opportunities for technical communicators in terms
of employment and increased professional status” and claims “that computer games are complex
rhetorical spaces well suited for technical communication research and theory building”4.
Computer and video games have exploded in relevancy over the past few years, and their
position in both societal and economic circles are not expected to budge in the near future. In this
essay, I propose that technical communicators might use their rhetorical skills and knowledge of
technology to act as advocates for the audience in the video game design process. Indeed, a
professional communicator might, in order to supplement and support a final product, function
well in a variety of roles including:

Devising, revising, editing, and translating End-User License Agreements and Terms and
Conditions (often ignored by consumers)

Implementing new technologies into the video gaming experience, such as social
networking integration and GPS usage

Moderating online forums and FAQs

Writing, designing, and editing of official player’s guides

Assisting in tutorial design

And editing in-game text for grammar and clarity
But before proposing and insurgence of hiring in the video gaming industry, first we must look at
the impact of gaming in societal and economic circles.
Eyman, Douglas. “Computer Gaming and Technical Communication: An Ecological Framework.” Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 242. Print.
4
Video Gaming in Society
In 2012, Macquarie University, located in Sydney Australia, introduced two new
programs of study to its Departments of Computing and Media, Music, Communication, and
Cultural studies, a Bachelor of Information Technology—Games Design and Development, and
a Bachelor of Arts—Major in Interactivity in Games. “ The programs represent an innovative
approach to curriculum structure in this area, combining technical, design and reflective critical
practice to produce rounded graduates with a wide knowledge of issues and practices in
interactive media”5, and both have experienced warm reception. One can expect to see similar
programs develop at other universities in the future, as games have enjoyed a consistently
growing place in society since moving from arcade novelty to household mainstay.
Since 1993 saw the PC release of Doom, gaming has struggled in its relationship with a
societally oriented spotlight. Doom, a first-person shooter game starring a nameless space marine
locked in a conflict with the escaped denizens of Hell, was perhaps one of the most popular PC
games of the 1990s, and
was certainly among the
first to feature graphic
(for its time) blood and
gore effects (Fig. 1). In a
1993 press release,
publisher Id Software
released a statement
Figure 1
Hitchens, Michael, Rowan Tulloch, and Adam Ruch. “A Cross-disciplinary Approach to Degree Programs in
Video Games.” Asian Social Science 8.14 (2012): p 49. Print.
5
saying that they expected Doom’s release to be “the number one cause of decreased productivity
in businesses around the world”6 and indeed, in just two years, over 10 million players had
experienced the game. However, due its graphic (again, for its time) depiction of violence,
mothers of pre-teen and adolescent boys all over were outraged, and ever since, video games
have shouldered blame for nearly every act of violence committed by young, male perpetrators.
On the contrary, however, many recent studies have had researchers saying that they
“have examined video games as models for good principals of learning and teaching, as alternate
spaces for children’s creativity and expertise, and as tools for facilitating learning through role
play and hands-on design”7. In fact, implementation of games in the classroom has been shown
to improve literacy, and using games as training simulators has been revealed as often more
effective than traditional pre-hands-on training methods in the service industry. Rudy McDaniel
cites Coldstone Creamery in his article, “Making the Most of Interactivity Online Version 2.0:
Technical Communication as Procedural Architecture,” as a specific example of a company
turning to video games to train its employees. The company game, Stone City, might be
described as a simulator, where the player/trainee must input commands correctly so that the onscreen ice cream vendor uses the correct amount of ingredients and completes tasks in a timely
fashion, aiming for maximum efficiency and profitability8.
Still, though, there are publications and studies that show video games having a
debilitating effect on certain circles of society. “The topic of video game ‘addiction’ has recently
6
7
"Pac-Man, Tetris - and Now It's Doom's Day", Washington Post, October 10th, 1994
Hamlen, Karla R. “Understanding Children’s Choices and Cognition in Video Game Play: A Synthesis of Three
Studies.” Zeitschrift für Psychologie. Vol 221(2): p 107. Print.
8
McDaniel, Rudy. “Making the Most of Interactivity Online Version 2.0: Technical Communication as Procedural
Architecture.” Technical Communication 56.4 (Nov. 2009): 370-386. Print.
become the focus of media attention and the subject of an important public health debate”9, as
freak occurrences where hours upon hours of consecutive play have resulted in the deaths of a
few gaming “addicts.” However, instances of “problem video game play” appears to vary based
on the genre of game in question and extreme instances resulting in deaths “appear to be best
attributable to mental illness”10, so the jury is still out regarding the nature of video game
addiction, and as Julia Mason relays,
“the Entertainment Software Association [reports] that ‘70[%] of major
employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees,’ and 75% of
managers [report] that their employees liked video-game training ‘more or the
same as traditional training’”11.
In any case, the evidence shows that video games are becoming more and more widely accepted
into society as major producers of games continue to experience economic success.
Video Games in Economy
In past years, video games have been viewed in the public eye as pertaining to a limited
audience, i.e. young males with too much free time. However, though “Long dismissed as a
medium with limited appeal and importance beyond a young male demographic, recent years
have witnessed a rapid diversification and expansion of the video game audience. A recent
Australian survey found that the average age of a video game player is 32, and that females make
9
Elliot, Luther, Andrew Golub, Geoffrey Ream, and Eloise Dunlap. “Video Game Genre as a Predictor of Problem
Use.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Vol 15 No 3 (2012): p 155. Print.
10
Elliot, Luther, Andrew Golub, Geoffrey Ream, and Eloise Dunlap. “Video Game Genre as a Predictor of Problem
Use.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Vol 15 No 3 (2012): p 155. Print.
11
Mason, Julia. “Video Games as Technical Communication Ecology.” Technical Communication Quarterly 22.3
(2013): p 233. Print.
up 47% of the audience”12. The industry’s efforts to diversify its audience has softened the
sometimes harsh criticisms lauded on game producers and widened video games’ acceptance in
households the world over. Douglas Eyman observes that “the video game industry contributed
more than $18 billion to the American economy in 2004”13 (Eyman 244), and the industry has
continued to be successful, creating new jobs every year.
The gaming industry has been so successful that it rivals, and sometimes even surpasses,
the film and television industries in terms of profitability. The Entertainment Software
Association reported that the 2007 best-selling title, Halo 3, took in more revenue in its first day
of sales than both the year’s biggest box office opening weekend for a movie (Spiderman 3) and
the final Harry Potter novel. Likewise, the trend continues today, as recent AAA release title,
Grand Theft Auto V, became the first media title to make over $1 billion dollars in just three
days, smashing 7 Guiness World Records in the process (Pitcher). “What does this mean for
technical communicators? First, it means more jobs: a good number of game development
companies, like other software companies, employ technical communicators”, and said
companies are positioning themselves for even greater success this year.
An average consumer of video games would be able to tell you that the three big names
in gaming right now and for the past decade have been Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, and in
just over the last year, each has released new console hardware poised to move the industry
further down the technological highway. In November of 2012, Nintendo released their new
console, the “Wii U,” capable of high definition graphics and equipped with a second screen
Hitchens, Michael, Rowan Tulloch, and Adam Ruch. “A Cross-disciplinary Approach to Degree Programs in
Video Games.” Asian Social Science 8.14 (2012): p 49. Print.
13
Eyman, Douglas. “Computer Gaming and Technical Communication: An Ecological Framework.” Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 244. Print.
12
built into the controller. In terms of innovation, the console was not lacking, and according to a
document released by Nintendo, 3.91 million units have been sold to date14. The numbers seem
impressive, but the console has actually underperformed on the market, and is emphasized by the
success of Sony’s and Microsoft’s new consoles – the “Playstation 4” and “XBOX ONE”
respectively – which were both released in November 2013 and sold over 1 million units in a
single day. Nintendo’s relatively slow start can be attributed to poor marketing and their
console’s weaker computing power. Analysts have revealed the Wii U’s computing power to be
only slightly greater than current Sony and Microsoft consoles. Meanwhile the brand new
competition from Sony and Microsoft allegedly features ten times the computing power when
compared to current consoles. Nevertheless, all three giants are likely to see a hiring boon as
their new systems begin to integrate new technologies un-utilized in previous console
generations.
New Technologies in New Generations
Transitions between console generations are no longer merely about graphics overhaul. A
new console must bring new technology to the consumer, and the three giants are not
disappointing. This is good news for technical communicators wishing to break into the gaming
industry. As Julia Mason observes, “Modern gamers routinely read and compose technical
genres…about topics that in more professional venues would be labeled interface design,
information management, or systems development”15. Consoles are no longer just media players.
In prior years, players might simply insert a disc and begin playing, but consoles today are more
multifunctional, more like highly specialized home computers. A modern gaming console serves
14
"Consolidated Sales Transition by Region"(PDF). Nintendo. October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
Mason, Julia. “Video Games as Technical Communication Ecology.” Technical Communication Quarterly 22.3
(2013): p 219. Print.
15
as a multimedia hub that can play music and movies in multiple formats, can download apps to
easily access popular online services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, and can sync with
social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
On July 2, 2012, Sony acquired cloud gaming service, Gaikai, for $380 million,
effectively positioning its new console to offer new experiences to consumers. Cloud
saving/sharing has become increasingly popular in the computer industry with both Microsoft
and Apple developing their own cloud services in recent years. Andrew Goldfarb writes of the
acquisition:
“Specific details about how Sony will implement Gaikai’s cloud services haven’t been
revealed, but Gaikai CEO David Perry commented that Sony seeks to ‘harness the power
of the interactive cloud and to continue to grow their ecosystem, to empower developers
with new capabilities, to dramatically improve the reach of exciting content and to bring
breathtaking new experiences to users worldwide.’”16
However Sony decides to implement its newly acquired cloud service, this is but one
example of the gaming industry implementing new technology to improve user
experience.
Over the last few years, as smartphone usage has steadily become the norm, “an
increasing percentage of users of mobile devices [have used] them to play games”17, and
this increase in popularity has fueled a boon of innovation in how mobile games are
designed. A handful of developers in mobile gaming today are making efforts to integrate
16
Goldfarb, Andrew. “Sony to Acquire Gaikai.” Ign.com. 01 July 2012. Web. 30 November 2013.
Soh, Jason O.B. and Bernard C.Y. Tan. “Mobile Gaming.” Communications of the ACM. Vol 51. No 3, (March
2008): p 35. Print.
17
into gameplay other technologies already inherent in mobile devices. Developer Six to
Start released on February 27, 2012 their mobile app, “Zombies, Run!” The premise of
the game casts the user as the games protagonist, not in a virtual sense, but a physical
one. The object of the game is to run. Once the user plugs in his or her headphones and
begins moving, the story begins. The user finds him or herself being chased by hordes of
the undead and must continue moving in order to avoid becoming a victim. The app
makes use of global positioning software to track the user’s speed, distance, and calories
burned, and as the Huffington Post observes,
“The app was co-created by a novelist [Naomi Alderman], so the storyline
is engaging as its fed through your headphones. The missions are of
varying difficulty from serious sprints or long distance jogs. The app even
has interval training, periodically requiring you to speed up because the
zombies are hot on your trail.”18
Other games and apps extend the users experience beyond the device itself. Geocaching
has become a popular activity for smartphone users. Basically a worldwide scavenger hunt, users
of Geocache hide small containers in remote locations, then tag their positions via GPS. It is then
the objective of nearby “geocachers” to locate said containers, whether they be hidden under a
rock or a bridge. “By extending the game beyond the screen and into the physical world, these
games co-opt the player’s sensory experiences of real-world places as potential storytelling tools,
mixing the physical and virtual to create immersive hybrid gameworlds"19
18
Garti-Bar, Mai. “Zombies, Run! Turns Your Daily Run Into a Race for Survival.” Huffingtonpost.com. 20 June 2013.
Web. 30 November 2013.
19
Bunting, Ben S. Jr., Jacob Hughes, and Tim Hetland. “The Player as Author: Exploring the Effects of Mobile
Gaming and the Location-Aware Interface on Storytelling.” Future Internet 4 (2012): p 144. Web. 14 Sept. 2013
What does all this have to do with technical communication? Wherever technology is
being developed, clear and concise communication is required. As game developers continue to
implement new technologies to enhance user experience, and as the industry continues to evolve
and change, technical communicators can find opportunities to assist in optimizing that
experience. It is the responsibility of a professional communicator to be knowledgeable of all
aspects of the industry in which he or she works, and as developers of technologies like touch
screen interfaces, social networking programs, and global positioning software already employ
technical communicators, those communicators might find a position of authority in the video
gaming industry where these technologies are currently being implementing. Additionally,
working with information in three-dimensional virtual worlds presents the technical
communicator with new challenges. As Sean D. Williams queries, “Do our information
architectures break down when the information becomes truly spatial rather than an abstract
hierarchy that we can predict…?”20
Technical Communicators and Virtual Communication
Virtual worlds function as vehicles for both direct and indirect communication in the
corporate world today. As I have already mentioned, Coldstone Creamery and many other
businesses now use video games to train new employees. This is effective because real life
information, unlike that found on a document, is spatial. “Human factors and ergonomic
professionals have long known that people operate in a 3D space”21, so it makes sense that
presenting new information to people in a spatial environment or medium might allow for
Williams, Sean D. “3D Virtual Worlds and Technical Communication: One More Tool in the Kit.”Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 239. Print.
21
Williams, Sean D. “3D Virtual Worlds and Technical Communication: One More Tool in the Kit.”Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 240. Print.
20
quicker mastery of skills or knowledge. This is relevant to technical communicators who are
used to governing the flows of information in a database or document, and skilled technical
communicators might find their sharp analytical and rhetorical skills of use in the design of
intuitive three-dimensional environments. Williams observes:
“Conceptually…the questions we ask about a 3D space closely parallel those we
ask of any information product…

Who are the users?

What are the user’s tasks?

Can the user recover from errors?

How will users employ the information they seek?

What is the context of use?

How do we design our communication products for integration into that context?

How do we aid retention, recall, and scanability?
All of these questions apply as much in a 3D virtual world as they do in 2D,
paper, or screen-based environments, let alone gaming interfaces”22.
Skilled, professional communicators are necessary to the design process of three-
dimensional, virtual environments. The manner in which information is presented to users of a
virtual environment, whether in a corporate or educational context or in the context of video
game designed for entertainment, is of the utmost importance. New users of any virtual
Williams, Sean D. “3D Virtual Worlds and Technical Communication: One More Tool in the Kit.”Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 240. Print.
22
environment are faced with the problem of not knowing where to go and not knowing what to
do, so the way in which learning is facilitated ought to be polished, concise, and clear.
Stephen C. Bronack and his team conducted a study on virtual worlds and their design
and suggest that “there are three critical attributes of effectively designed virtual worlds:

Thematic design of space

Promotion of presence

[and] Awareness of the unique qualities of human behavior in online social
environments”23.
Bronack and company suggest the utilization of metaphor in the design of virtual environments
because effective thematic design can best facilitate communication within the environment. For
instance, an early virtual training session might take place in an environment designed to
resemble “the wild wild west” in order to reinforce the idea that training will be challenging and
unfamiliar. Likewise, rather than
conducting distance meetings
over phone or video chat,
corporations might conduct them
through utilization of virtual
worlds like in Second Life, an
online virtual community where
users can hang out with friends or
Figure 2
Bronack, Stephen C., Amy L. Cheney, Richard E. Riedl, and John H. Tashner. “Designing Virtual Worlds to
Facilitate Meaningful Communication: Issues, Considerations, and Lessons Learned.” Technical Communication
55.3 (Aug 2008): p 262. Print.
23
strangers. Some colleges and universities even use Second Life to host online courses, or class
meetings, as shown in Fig. 224. The same guidelines apply when designing virtual worlds for
games designed for entertainment, where a professional communicator can actively serve as
advocate for the player. One duty of a professional communicator in relation to game design is to
provide input when putting together segments of a game that introduce the player to the
mechanics of how to control action on screen. Sometimes, these segments occur as thinly veiled
training segments, but a team of open-minded communicators and creative designers will find
new and
interesting ways to
Figure 3
present
information to new
users. For
instance, to keep
players on track,
the designers of
Splinter
Cell:Blacklist, project player objectives onto the side of buildings in the environment, as seen in
Fig. 3.
Douglas Eyman observes that “games are all constructed systems that go through the
same development cycles and business processes that any computer application requires”25, and
Araki, Marci and Saul Carliner. “What the Literature Says About Using Game Worlds and Social Worlds In
Cyberspace for Communicating Technical and Educational Content.” Technical Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008):
251-260. Print
25
Eyman, Douglas. “Computer Gaming and Technical Communication: An Ecological Framework.” Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): 243. Print.
24
thus the gaming industry offers similar opportunity for technical communicators to apply their
skills. In order to be of use to the video game design, technical communicators ought to take
heed of Bronack and company’s second and third critical attributes for effectively designed
virtual environments. According to their studies, “no matter how well the space is designed,
participants will only view it as a useful communication medium when they feel they share that
virtual space with others”26, meaning that users will feel more engaged in a virtual environment
only if that environment facilitates communication well enough for users to feel connected with
one another. This sense of presence “describes the awareness of others that comes from being
emotionally and cognitively immersed in a shared environment”27, and to achieve the intended
level of immersion, game developers are inventing innovative ways to facilitate communication
in online virtual worlds. Recently, Rockstar Games released their latest AAA title, Grand Theft
Auto V. Each
player is
Figure 4
equipped with a
cell phone ingame, and, when
connected to the
internet, can pull
up the cell phone
at the touch of the button and scroll through contacts, just like a real phone (Fig. 4). If the player
Bronack, Stephen C., Amy L. Cheney, Richard E. Riedl, and John H. Tashner. “Designing Virtual Worlds to
Facilitate Meaningful Communication: Issues, Considerations, and Lessons Learned.” Technical Communication
55.3 (Aug 2008): 262. Print.
27
Bronack, Stephen C., Amy L. Cheney, Richard E. Riedl, and John H. Tashner. “Designing Virtual Worlds to
Facilitate Meaningful Communication: Issues, Considerations, and Lessons Learned.” Technical Communication
55.3 (Aug 2008): p 264. Print.
26
is using a microphone, he or she can select a contact and will be connected directly to that friend
or acquaintance. This device does an effective job of facilitating communication in a massive
online virtual environment while still keeping with the context of the in-game events.
Additionally, Rockstar effectively exemplifies an awareness of human behavior in online
social environments in the ways that communication is facilitated in Grand Theft Auto Online.
“Considering the ways in which people will act and behave within virtual worlds…is a critical
factor in how successful we will be in our attempts to facilitate meaningful communication
within these virtual worlds”28, and since virtual worlds afford users an extra degree of freedom,
behavior can be unpredictable and erratic at times. Human behavior in virtual environments may
be most accurately predicted by context. Behavior in online business meetings or virtual
classrooms is likely to be predictable and straightforward, such as the situation demands, but
online behavior in a fully realized virtual world – like that found in Grand Theft Auto Online – is
likely to be chaotic far more often. To combat unpredictable behavior, Rockstar has implemented
a karma system; players who spend much of their time online wreaking havoc on other players
rather than playing cooperatively, will in the future be assigned to servers full of players with
similar destructive ambitions. This attention to user experience and fairness makes Grand Theft
Auto Online’s developers out to be knowlegeable rhetors with an exceptional understanding of
communication, so is there really room for technical communicators in the gaming industry?
Doubts and Rebuttals
Bronack, Stephen C., Amy L. Cheney, Richard E. Riedl, and John H. Tashner. “Designing Virtual Worlds to
Facilitate Meaningful Communication: Issues, Considerations, and Lessons Learned.” Technical Communication
55.3 (Aug 2008): p 264. Print.
28
When we think technical writing, we think documents, instruction manuals, proposals,
guides, FAQs, and how-to’s. A lifetime gamer, one old enough to remember the early years,
might be able to recall the joy of thumbing through the instruction manual for each game
purchased, but today, gaming corporations are largely doing away with such things. “Devastating
to such gamers are the recent decisions by two of the largest U.S. game development
companies—Electronic Arts and Ubisoft—to stop including print manuals with their games”29,
and the worst part is that this decision makes perfect economic sense. While somewhat
disappointing for technical writers hoping to bring their skills in document construction to the
gaming industry, there is little reason for developers to continue including game manuals, since
as games have become more complex entertainment experiences, more attention is payed to
teaching the player to operate the game early on. This is more efficiently accomplished in-game
than through reading an instruction manual, but fortunately for professional communicators,
many of the same rules apply: “Understanding the ways gamers and technical communicators are
involved within activity systems…requires us to consider relationships between the people,
institutions, and technologies”30. So while technical communicators may no longer have the
opportunity to contribute in the form of user manuals, they may still act as user advocates, and
the same rhetorical skills can be applied to the manner in which information is presented to the
player in-game.
The problem with wanting to create official documents specifically tailored to help users
of video games is that “Almost everything about a game can be found online if you’re willing to
look. User-run wikis compile all of the important characters and events. Online forums allow
29
Johnson, Stephen. “EA Drops All Game Manuals.” G4tv.com/thefeed. 24 March 2011. Web. 30 November 2013.
Mason, Julia. “Video Games as Technical Communication Ecology.” Technical Communication Quarterly 22.3
(2013): p 221. Print.
30
gamers to tap into a community to get questions answered. Walktrhoughs can get virtually any
gamer unstuck”31. Now that the Internet is so heavily engrained in society, finding information
that at one time could only be found in an expensive illustrated player’s guide is as easy as a
quick Google search. However, as gaming already can be an expensive hobby, there are always
those willing to spend the extra money for a quality product. In an article in the most recent
Game Informer, Joe Juba discusses the challenges facing producers of high-quality player guides
like Prima and BradyGames in the industry today. The design and production of these
guidebooks has had to evolve in order to best present information and be aesthetically pleasing.
Though they cater to a smaller, specific circle of gamers, their fanbase remains loyal, and player
guides are excellent examples of exceptional document design. And recently, producers are
beginning to develop digital versions of printed player guides. Vincent Pargney, managing
director of Piggyback Interactive, tells us “I think there will be more and more connectivity
between the game, the guide book, and a digital product… I think we will see a larger number of
hybrid products; that’s where I think the future is going to be”32. As guide books make the
transition between print and digital forms, technical communicators might do well in assisting in
the translation process to advocate for maximum usability, described by Stephanie Vie as “a
combination of measured performance and assessment of the physical, mental, and affective state
of the user”33. Here, as always, the communicator’s priority ought to be user-advocacy.
Conclusion
31
Juba, Joe. “Constant Companions: Strategy Guides in an Evolving Industry.” Game Informer (December 2013): p
19. Print.
32
Juba, Joe. “Constant Companions: Strategy Guides in an Evolving Industry.” Game Informer (December 2013): p
19. Print.
33
Vie, Stephanie. “Tech Writing, Meet Tomb Raider: Video and Computer Games in the Technical Communication
Classroom.” E-Learning 5.2 (2008): p 158. ERIC. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.
What does the consistent string of successes experienced by producers of quality video
games mean for the field of technical communication? According to Julia Mason, “it could mean
more jobs for technical communicators as software companies become aware of the ‘skills and
expertise [technical communicators] bring to any systems development project”34. After all, in an
industry that is so inherently and specifically tailored to the product user, it is important to
employ professional communicators to act as advocates for the user, keeping in mind the
rhetorical situations that surround a player inhabiting a virtual world, and tailoring the experience
to be as fluid as possible. Douglas Eyman also believes that technical communicators can offer
substantial and valuable perspectives on video game design:
“The computer game industry is growing at a very fast pace; if we position
ourselves to provide technical communication expertise to computer game design
just as we do for other technologies, from mobile communications to automotive
to web-based application, we can expand our employment options and also make
sure that rhetoric, design, and usability have their place alongside narrative and
theories of playability”35.
Video games have enjoyed a profitable and influential seat in our society and economy in recent
years, and their presence is only likely to grow. Undoubtedly, the video gaming industry will
become a haven for many a skilled technical communicator in the future.
Mason, Julia. “Video Games as Technical Communication Ecology.” Technical Communication Quarterly 22.3
(2013): p 225. Print.
35
Eyman, Douglas. “Computer Gaming and Technical Communication: An Ecological Framework.” Technical
Communication 55.3 (Aug 2008): p 248. Print.
34