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Virtual Landscapes Virtual Landscapes A PRACTICE-BASED EXPLORATION OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT DESIGN IN COMPUTER & VIDEO GAMES VOL.I of II Umran Ali University Of Salford School of Arts & Media Supervisors: Dr Marianne Patera & Professor Erik Knudsen A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of. Doctor of Philosophy © Copyright 2016 i Declaration I, Umran Ali, declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordance to the regulations of University of Salford, and is an original piece of research, except where indicated by reference in the text. Signed………………………………………………………………... Date…………………………………………………………………... Umran Ali © Copyright 2016 ii ―I'm designing the outlands of my latest experience. It's a game to end all games: as the user, I want to feel Iike I‘m there, on the game grid... to brace against the digital breeze whipping past my face, unforgiving and undefined. It feels like I'm on a precipice and I can see the promise land just across the way, there –a land when the biological and virtual worlds meet. Now all I need is a compass to navigate ever forward.‖ Kevin Flynn - Advanced Computer Programming, TRON: Legacy iii Table of Contents – Volume I Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. xiv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... xvii Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... xix Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... xx Chapter 1 : Introduction................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Virtual Natural Environment ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Motivation ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Research Questions............................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Research Objectives ............................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Scope of the Research ......................................................................................................... 5 1.6 Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.6.1 Theoretical Framework and Literature Reviews ..................................................... 6 1.6.2 Studies............................................................................................................................ 7 1.6.3 Scenism & Conclusion ................................................................................................. 9 1.7 How to navigate through the thesis ............................................................................... 10 1.8 Digital Artefact Guide...................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2 : Literature Review .................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Structuring the review...................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Emergence of Computer & Video Games .................................................................... 15 2.3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 15 2.3.2 Background ................................................................................................................. 15 2.3.3 Section Summary: Emergence of Games ................................................................ 16 2.4 Technology & Design ....................................................................................................... 16 2.4.1 Section Summary: Games as a construct ................................................................ 21 2.5 Games Design .................................................................................................................... 22 2.5.1 Defining Games & Design ........................................................................................ 22 2.5.2 History of Games Design .......................................................................................... 23 2.5.3 The Role of the Games Designer .............................................................................. 25 2.5.4 Gameplay: Play and the Magic Circle ..................................................................... 27 2.5.5 Immersion ................................................................................................................... 30 2.5.6 Section Summary: Emergence of Games Design ................................................... 33 iv 2.6 Gameworld ......................................................................................................................... 34 2.6.1 Gameworld Dimensions ........................................................................................... 34 2.6.2 Openworld Games ..................................................................................................... 36 2.7 Game Space ........................................................................................................................ 41 2.7.1 Defining Gamespace .................................................................................................. 41 2.7.2 History of Gamespace Theory .................................................................................. 42 2.7.3 Section Summary: Gameworlds & Gamespace ..................................................... 49 2.8 Level Design ...................................................................................................................... 50 2.8.1 Defining Level Design ............................................................................................... 50 2.8.2 Section Summary: Level Design .............................................................................. 55 2.9 The Importance of Architecture ..................................................................................... 55 2.10 Architecture and Games Design Theory ...................................................................... 57 2.11 Contemporary Games Design & Architecture............................................................. 59 2.11.1 Section Summary: Contemporary games design & Architecture ....................... 63 2.12 Architecture and Games Design Practice: The Witness ............................................. 64 2.12.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 64 2.12.2 Cross Collaboration ................................................................................................... 64 2.12.3 Barriers to Collaboration ........................................................................................... 65 2.12.4 Design Process ............................................................................................................ 66 2.12.5 Conclusion................................................................................................................... 71 2.12.6 Section Summary: Architecture and Games Design Practice: ............................. 73 2.13 The Future .......................................................................................................................... 73 2.14 The Future: Identifying the Gap .................................................................................... 75 Chapter 3 : Methodology ............................................................................................................ 76 3.1 Establishing a Research position ................................................................................... 76 3.2 Art & Design Research ..................................................................................................... 81 3.3 Practice as Research .......................................................................................................... 82 3.3.1 Practice Based Research ............................................................................................ 84 3.3.2 Practice Led Research ................................................................................................ 84 3.4 Reflective Practice ............................................................................................................. 85 3.5 Action Research ................................................................................................................. 87 3.6 Role Duality Insider Vs. Outsider ................................................................................. 88 3.7 Research Strategy .............................................................................................................
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