1st Edition
Embedding Culture into Video Games and Game Design The Palm, the Dogai and the Tombstone
Prologue: The recent passing of a relative or community member
1. Cultural representations in video games
2. Knowing the context: A Torres Strait perspective
Interlude: Preparing for the Tombstone Opening
3. The palm and the Dogai
4. Culturally centred game design
5. Community participation in game design
Interlude: The Tombstone Opening
6. Cultural immersion, rigorous research and ethics in game design
7. Designing to produce deep representations
Epilogue: Caring for the tombstone site
Biography
Rhett Loban is a Lecturer in the School of Education at Macquarie University. His research interests include culture, game-based learning and virtual reality.
This book is a standout contribution to Indigenous video game development and exemplifies what can happen when Design Research, Indigenous Studies, and Game Studies meet. Rhett Loban cleverly weaves between theory and practice while upholding the Torres Strait community, giving us heartfelt insights and a guide to future related work.
Dr Elizabeth LaPensée, Narrative Director at Twin Suns, International Video Game Studio.
This book is a brilliant and innovative piece of work, beautiful to read, and a project painstakingly consulted and developed, to present a range of processes and cultural practices that have rarely been discussed before in public. It sensitively guides game designers through reciprocal work with community.
Associate Professor Neil Harrison, Associate Professor at Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Australia.
Narratives on the Torres Straits Island culture makes the book an intriguing read. The culturally-centred game design captures the cultural connections and representations within the community. Coupled with a methodology which allows for community-participation, the book is engaging and provides the stimulus for discussions on comparative studies.
Associate Professor Dr. Dorothy DeWitt, Associate Professor at Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Malaysia.






