Kent Academic Repository Full text document (pdf) Citation for published version Moser, Shelby (2017) Digitally Interactive Works and Video Games: A Philosophical Exploration. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, University of Kent,. DOI Link to record in KAR http://kar.kent.ac.uk/66616/ Document Version UNSPECIFIED Copyright & reuse Content in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated all content is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of research The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record. Enquiries For any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: [email protected] If you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.html Digitally Interactive Works and Video Games: A Philosophical Exploration Shelby Moser A thesis submitted to the University of Kent for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of History and Philosophy of Art September 2017 79,372 words 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 SECTION 1: DIGITALLY INTERACTIVE WORKS ................................................................................................... 9 Computer Art .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter Perceiving Digital )nteractivity Applying Kendall Waltons Categories of Art to 1.1 Categories of Art ........................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 The Perceptual Features of Computer Art ......................................................................................... 14 1.3 Implications .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2: Classifying Interactivity ................................................................................................................... 25 .......................................................................... 25 2.2 Categorising Interactive Art ..................................................................................................................... 26 A Brief Characterisation of the Term )nteractive 2.3 Engagement .................................................................................................................................................... 27 2.4 Participatory Works .................................................................................................................................... 28 2.5 Interactive Works ......................................................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 3: The Digital Medium: Specificity and Appreciation ............................................................... 36 3.1 The Evolution of the Digital Category .................................................................................................. 36 3.2 Digital Versus Analogue ............................................................................................................................. 37 3.3 Transmissibility and Reproduction ...................................................................................................... 44 3.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 49 Chapter 4: Ontological Bastards: The Problem of Digitally Interactive Works for Theories of Art ................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 4.1 The Autographic-Allographic Distinction........................................................................................... 50 4.2. The Type-Token Distinction ................................................................................................................... 55 SECTION 2: VIDEO GAMES ........................................................................................................................................ 61 Chapter 5: Video Games, Art Games, and Players ....................................................................................... 62 5.1 What (Video) Games Are ........................................................................................................................... 62 5.2 Game Art and Art Games ........................................................................................................................... 67 5.3 Art Games ........................................................................................................................................................ 70 5.4 Stages of Video Game Development ..................................................................................................... 73 5.5 Art or Aesthetic ............................................................................................................................................. 78 5.6 Player Types ................................................................................................................................................... 81 Chapter 6: The Ontology of Interactivity and Player Engagement ....................................................... 84 6.1 On the Ontologies of Interactivity .......................................................................................................... 84 6.2 Clarifying Display Variability ................................................................................................................... 87 6.3 Interactivity and Player Engagement ................................................................................................... 90 2 6.4 Performances Versus Performance Works ........................................................................................ 94 6.5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 96 Chapter 7: An Algorithmic Ontology: Video Games and Rules .............................................................. 97 7.1 Games and Rules ........................................................................................................................................... 98 7.2 An Algorithmic Ontology ......................................................................................................................... 100 7.3 Some Initial Problems............................................................................................................................... 105 7.4 In Search of a Unified Theory ................................................................................................................ 107 Chapter 8: Some Ontology of How to Destroy a Video Game ............................................................... 112 8.1 Abstract or Concrete? ............................................................................................................................... 112 8.2 Abstract Ontology Candidates ............................................................................................................... 113 8.3 The Components of a Video Game ....................................................................................................... 116 8.4 How to Destroy Video Games ................................................................................................................ 118 Chapter 9: Me, Myself & My Avatar: Virtual Reality and Empathy ..................................................... 121 9.1 VR Games ....................................................................................................................................................... 122 9.2 Empathy ......................................................................................................................................................... 124 9.3 VR Games and Empathy ........................................................................................................................... 128 9.4 Empathy and Prosocial Behavior ......................................................................................................... 132 9.5 Objections .....................................................................................................................................................