J. Martin
Writer, Ph.D., Professor of Game Design, Science Advisor/Creative Director. Not necessarily in that order. Book companion site at ludotronics.net | creative project at voidpunk.com | blog at betweendrafts.com
Biography
Freelance writer, science advisor/consultant, and creative director; co-founder/managing director of the independent game developer studio Linking People Ltd., Hong Kong (2006–10); co-founder of the freelance network Sinnflut-Projekt for creative media professionals, Germany; board member of the writers guild Landesverband NRW Freier Deutscher Autorenverband/Schutzverband Deutscher Schriftsteller.Education
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PhD in American Studies
M.A. in English & American Studies
M.A. English Language History & Medieval Literature
M.A. Modern German Philology
Additional graduate studies in Modern Japan and Philosophy
CompTIA A+ Computer Support Technician certification
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Teaching: game design methodologies; innovative & independent game design; dramatic structure; ethical and cultural aspect; sociological & psychological aspects.
Research: motivation & emotion in game-based learning and gamification/ludification; player & character bonding in game space.
Personal Interests
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Pretty much everything plus running and modern/contemporary classical music.
Websites
Books
Articles
Shared Realities, Solitary Actions: Media Languages as Agents of Formation, Reinforcement, and Change
Published: Sep 01, 2023 by Narratives Crossing Boundaries Storytelling in a Transmedial and Transdisciplinary Context
Authors: J. Martin
Subjects:
Computer Game Development
Narratives in any medium can be powerful agents on the personal and societal level—as formative agents, agents of reinforcement, and agents of change. However, in contrast to the personal and societal impact of individual books or films, the impact of games still seems to be restricted to the personal level. This contribution explores some of the conditions that help or hinder individual games to have a societal impact similar to narratives in other media.
Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: An Integrated Design Approach for Learning Experiences in Video Games
Published: Sep 01, 2018 by ResearchGate
Authors: J. Martin
Subjects:
Computer Game Development
This paper outlines an approach for task and challenge design in video games to integrate learning experiences with playing experiences in systematic and testable ways. After introducing basic game-based learning processes in the context of an updated flow model, the approach is outlined from assembling learning outcomes (typology) to applying a learning organization (taxonomy) to creating learning opportunities (tasks and challenges), which can then be empirically tested during development.
Tuning Aristotle: An Applied Model of Emotions for Interactive Dramatic Structures
Published: May 01, 2017 by ResearchGate
Authors: J. Martin
Subjects:
Computer Game Development
This paper proposes a class-based model of emotions that is built on the original Aristotelian separation of pity and fear, supplemented by fiero as a third class for interactive media and video games. It shows how this tripartite model can aid design processes for dramatically complete games without privileging certain parts of the dramatic structure over others, and how it can offer a holistic and testable emotional playing experience.
Making Sense: Juxtaposing Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Design Elements to Create Meaning, Reinforce Emotions, and Strengthen Player Memory Formation and Retrieval
Published: Jul 01, 2016 by ResearchGate
Authors:
Subjects:
Computer Game Development
In this paper, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic design elements are introduced with regard to their sense-specific narrative qualities or properties. Discussing perceived hierarchies of different sensory stimuli and their reciprocal effects through contrast and agreement, the paper shows how different forms of juxtaposition create meaning, reinforce player emotions, strengthen memory formation and retrieval.
A Functional Model for Dialogic Speech in Video Game Design
Published: Oct 01, 2015 by ResearchGate
Authors: J. Martin
Subjects:
Computer Game Development
This paper introduces a functional model for dialogic speech in video games. Loosely based on linguistic frameworks for real-life speech, it discusses how insights from this field can inform a more simplified model for dramatic speech.
Photos
News
The Ludotronics Book Companion Site Is Finally Complete
By: J. Martin
Subjects: Computer Game Development
As promised inside the book, the illustrations and checklist packages are now online and available for download at my book companion site ludotronics.net!
Both packages are available in various formats: the illustrations in 72dpi RPG PNG and 300dpi CMYK JPG, both as individual images and as PDFs, and the checklists & documentation objectives as interactive online PDF and for print in 300dpi CMYK and 300dpi grayscale.
Enjoy!