oskari o. kallio COMEDY IN THE LUDONARRATIVE defining a f r a m e w o r k for c ategorization of g a m e s f eaturing h umor t hrough t h e i r l udic and n arrative e lements Master’s Thesis Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture COMEDY IN THE LUDONARRATIVE Defining a Framework for Categorization of Games Featuring Humor Through Their Ludic and Narrative Elements Oskari O. Kallio, 2018 Master’s Thesis (Master of Arts) Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture Department of Media, Visual Communication Design TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 VI 88 Acknowledgements The Three Comical Conflicts 8 VI.I 89 Abstract The Inner Conflict Within a Comical Character 9 VI.I.I 91 Abstrakti Game Design as a Method of Disclosing the Inner Conflict 95 VI.II Interpersonal Conflict Between Two or More Characters 10 VI.II.I 97 I Introduction Stereotype Threat 11 VI.III 99 I.I Foreword Global Conflict Between a Character and a World 12 VI.III.I 101 I.II Thesis Statement & Research Question Absurd Worlds 13 I.III Contents and Objectives 14 VII 106 I.IV Methods of Research Case Studies 108 VII.I Grim Fandango 18 VII.I.I 110 II About Comedy And Humor What’s The Deal With The Dead ? 19 VII.I.II 116 II.I Logic on Leisure Deaths and Dead Ends 21 VII.I.III 119 II.II Video Game Medium as a Template for Comedic Narratives Converting Tragedy into Vigor 23 VII.II 122 II.II.I The Complexity of Ludonarrative Comedy Portal 2 28 VII.II.I 123 II.II.II The Visuality of Ludonarrative Comedy Comedy Is a Performance 126 VII.II.II The Thematic Framework 34 VII.II.III 133 III Selected Chronology of Comedic Video Games Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 35 VII.III (S e r i es) 135 III.I The Graphic Adventure The Sims 38 VII.III.I 136 III.II Parody Life of Experimentation 45 VII.III.II 140 III.III Player, the Comedian Virtual Life as a Set of Assumptions 143 VII.III.III A Game about Nothing 48 VII.III.IV 145 IV The Two Schools of Ludonarrative Comedy Virtual Insanity 51 IV.I Embedded Comedy 54 VIII 148 IV.I.I The Problem of Interactive Comic Timing Conclusions 57 IV.II Emergent Comedy 59 156 IV.II.I The Rule Is to Break References 157 Literature 64 161 V Comic Enhancers and The Role in Ludonarratives Video Games 66 164 V.I Humorous Worlds Films & Television Series 68 V.II Environmental Storytelling and Its Relation to Comedy 71 V.III The Importance of Established Normality 75 V.IV Comedy as a Method of Restoring the Sense of Proportion 79 V.V Embracing Superiority Humor in Video Games 80 V.V.I Insult Comedy as a Game Mechanic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would never have been possible without the support and guidance of the kind people at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. I would first like to thank my thesis supervisor, Professor Masood Masoodian for his guidance and great advise during the writing process. My graditude also goes to Zachary Dodson and Saku Heinänen for their inspiration during my time at Aalto University. Special thanks should also be given to Elvi ja Eilo Erikssonin Opintorahastosäätiö for their financial support. I would also like to thank Aino Salo for the support and encouragement she has shown during these long months it has taken me to finalize this thesis. Furthermore, I am extremely grateful to Simo Loikkanen for his assistance with this paper. Last but not least, I would like to thank my parents for their love and support. ABSTRACT ABSTRAKTI ABSTRACT ABSTRAKTI Although humor is a prevalent component of numerous video Vaikka huumori on olennainen osa monia videopelejä, toistai- games, thus far it has not been converted to an established genre seksi sitä ei ole onnistuttu muuntamaan omaksi vakiintuneeksi of its own. Comedy—the deliberate act to harness and perform tyylisuunnakseen. Komiikka, eli sellainen tarkoituksellinen humor—represents one, but an important segment of the emo- toiminta, joka valjastaa huumoria ja panee sitä täytäntöön, tional range that games should aspire to cover in order for them edustaa yksittäistä mutta yhtäältä tärkeää tunnealuetta, jota to be considered an artistic medium. This study examines the elektronisten pelien tulisi pyrkiä kattamaan jotta niistä voitai- prospects, but also the challenges, that interactivity introduces siin keskustella taiteellisena ilmaisukanavana. Tämä tutkimus to comedic narratives. The theoretical substructure of this thesis pyrkii osaltaan tarkastelemaan niin näkymiä kuin myös haasteita, comes from the academic field of humor studies, and from vari- joita vuorovaikutteisuus tuo mukanaan koomisiin kerrontoi- ous expert opinions as well. Ludonarrative comedy is approached hin. Opinnäytetyön teoreettinen pohjarakenne tulee huumorin through examples that illustrate trends that can be discerned ja pelien tutkimuksen akateemiselta kentältä, sekä erinäisistä from games that introduce humor through their narrative and asiantuntijoiden näkemyksistä. Ludonarratiivista komiikkaa 8 gameplay-related, i.e. ludic, elements. The findings confirm the lähestytään sellaisten esimerkkien avulla, jotka havainnollis- 9 initial hypothesis that there are enough conventions present tavat trendejä peleissä, joissa huumori ilmentyy tarinallisten ja for ludonarrative comedy genre to surface. As a conclusion for pelillisyyteen liittyvien ominaisuuksiensa kautta. Tutkielman the findings, a proposition for a general framework for defining tulokset vahvistavat alkuperäistä hypoteesia siitä, että tälläkin comedic video games is presented. hetkellä on olemassa riittävästi konventioita ludonarratiivisen komiikan vaikiinnuttamiseksi omaksi lajityypikseen. Tulosten päätelmänä esitetään ehdotus yleisestä rakenteesta koomisten videopelien määrittelemisen perusteeksi. AUTHOR LEVEL KIRJOITTAJA TASO Oskari O. Kallio Master’s Thesis Oskari O. Kallio Maisterin opinnäytetyö COMEDY IN THE LUDONARRATIVE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OPISTO OSASTO Aalto University Aalto-yliopiston Department of Media Median laitos School of Arts, Design and Architecture taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu PROGRAM THESIS SUPERVISOR OHJELMA OPINNÄYTETYÖN OHJAAJA Visual Communication Design Masood Masoodian Visuaalisen viestinnän muotoilu Masood Masoodian DATE KEYWORDS PÄIVÄMÄÄRÄ AVAINSANAT Comedy, Video Games, Narrative, Humor, Komiikka, Videopelit, Narratiivi, Huumori, April, 2018 Huhtikuu, 2018 Ludonarrative, Ludology, Narratology Ludonarratiivi, Ludologia, Narratologia COMEDY IN THE LUDONARRATIVE OSKARI O. KALLIO OSKARI O. KALLIO INTRODUCTION I FOREWORD I . I Foreword More often than with films or books, video games are catego- rized by the loops of their gameplay rather than the emotions they evoke in their audience. “Platformer,” “roguelike,” and “open world role-playing game” are common terms in video game classification. These labels—although obscure to the general public—inform the player about the mechanics and the structure of the game of which they are descriptive. What the terms are not revealing, is the frame of mind they put the player in. With I any discussion of video games, mechanics become an unavoid- able talking point, but behind them is a theme, or an idea, that ideally conducts the course of action. There are cross-medium Introduction genres that are illustrative of the mood of a production, such as 11 “horror” and “fantasy,” yet games are rarely labeled with terms like “romance,” “drama,” or “comedy.” This thesis delves into the often overlooked category of video games—comedy. ludonarrative The term , coined by game designer Clint 1 Hocking in (2007) , comes from the Latin word ludus, roughly translating into “game,” and the word narrative, referring to a meaningful recount of connected events. Ludonarrative refers to the junction of gameplay and narrative elements in video games. In this thesis, video games which through their narrative and COMEDY IN THE LUDONARRATIVE gameplay elements aim to induce humor, are referred as ludonar- rative comedies. The research problem, and the aim of this study is to definine a framework for categorization of games that feature humor through their narrative and ludic elements. 1 Hocking, C. (2007). Ludonarrative Dissonance in Bioshock. [online] Click Nothing. Available at: clicknothing.typepad.com/click_nothing/2007/10/ludonarrative-d.html [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018]. OSKARI O. KALLIO I INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION I CONTENTS AND OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS I . II I . III Thesis Statement & Research Question Contents and Objectives 2 Although humor is a prevalent element in many games, only a few Hookam and Meany (2015: 25–36) proclaim that for video game of them seem to warrant the “comedy” label. The few comic games comedy to be recognized as a genre, there must first be a con- that do exist, are proof of the comedic capability that the medium sensus on the elements that contribute to it. This thesis aims to THESIS STATEMENT & RESEARCH QUESTION RESEARCH & STATEMENT THESIS holds. Comedy is difficult, even more so when the element of define the qualities that make ludonarrative comedy distinct interactivity is made part of the equation. Amusement—being from comedy in other media, and identify the problems in its one of the more demanding feelings to evoke—not only creates execution. Topics, such as what type of comedy best corresponds unprecedented challenges when interactivity becomes part of the to the strengths of the medium, and what happens when comedy equation, but also exciting possibilities. Ludonarrative comedy is used as a framework for gameplay, are inspected. The research has not been fully deciphered yet, which makes it a compelling is qualitative and done