Playing with Videogames

Description

Playing with Videogames documents the richly productive, playful and social cultures of videogaming that support, surround and sustain this most important of digital media forms and yet which remain largely invisible within existing studies.

James Newman details the rich array of activities that surround game-playing, charting the vibrant and productive practices of the vast number of videogame players and the extensive 'shadow' economy of walkthroughs, FAQs, art, narratives, online discussion boards and fan games, as well as the cultures of cheating, copying and piracy that have emerged.

Playing with Videogames offers the reader a comprehensive understanding of the meanings of videogames and videogaming within the contemporary media environment.

Reviews

"A solid resource for students of cultural and media studies." -CHOICE

Contents

Chapter 1. Everybody hates videogames PART 1: VIDEOGAMES AS REPRESENTATIONAL SYSTEMS Chapter 2. Talking about videogames Chapter 3. Videogames and/as stories Chapter 4. Things to make and do: fanart, music and cosplay PART 2: VIDEOGAMES AS CONFIGURATIVE PERFORMANCES Chapter 5. Game Guides, walkthroughs and FAQs Chapter 6. Superplay, Sequence Breaking And Speedrunning PART 3: VIDEOGAMES AS TECHNOLOGY Chapter 7. Codemining, Modding and Gamemaking Notes References

Author Bio

James Newman is Senior Lecturer in Media Communications and Cultural Studies at Bath Spa University. He teaches, researches and writes about videogames and digital media. His books include Videogames (2004), Difficult Questions About Videogames (2004), Teaching Videogames (2006) and 100 Videogames (2007).

Related Subjects

1. Cultural Studies
2. New Media