Generic structures, generic experiences

a cognitive experientialist approach to video game analysis

Andreas Gregersen

pp. 159-175

in: Patrick J. Coppock, Graeme Kirkpatrick, Olli T. Leino, Anita Leirfall (eds), The philosophy of computer games, Philosophy & Technology 27 (2), 2014.

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of how to categorize video games—not the medium of video games, but individual video games. As a lead in to this discussion, the article discusses video game specificity and genericity and moves on to genre theory. On the basis of this discussion, a cognitive experientialist genre framework is sketched, which incorporates both general points from genre theory and theories more specific to the video game domain. The framework is illustrated through a brief example. One virtue of the framework is that it offers a way to bridge the gap between game ontology and player experience; a brief conclusion discusses how the breadth of this gap may depend upon player biographies and also outlines how further work may proceed.