Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
I.

II.

Introduction

v
vii
9
13

Terminology

14

Demographics

18

GameStudies

25

Researchaimsandquestions

29

Approach

31

Genreandthecomputergame

35

Genreinliteratureandfilm

36

Theoriginsofgamegenres

38

Lackofconsensus

43

Gamegenresarenottranshistorical

47

Hownewsubgenresandnewgenrescomeabout

48

Mixedgenregames

50

Gamescanchangegenre

51

Alternativetaxonomies

55

Shouldgamesusethesamegenrecategoriesasgenrefictionandfilm?

61

Themeritsofthegameskillstaxonomy

74

Thefutureofgenreandthecomputergame

77

Concludingremarks

78

III. HereBeDragons:the(pre)historyoftheadventuregame

81

Thewhereforeandthewhyofadventuregames

83

Tolkienandtheoriginofthefantasygenre

85

DUNGEONSANDDRAGONS;ontinsoldiersandaculturalphenomenon

88

ADVENTUREandZORK,thebirthoftextadventures

92

Thetransitionfromtexttographics,SierraOnlineandKINGSQUEST.

99

LongingfortheMiddleAges

108

Concludingremarks

112
9

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IV. Thinkingoutofthebox(andbackintheplane)

115

ModalitiesofSpace

117

LocationandSpaceinGABRIELKNIGHTSINSOFTHEFATHERS

120

LocationandSpaceinGABRIELKNIGHTBLOODOFTHESACREDBLOODOFTHEDAMNED

126

Visualconventions:rulesandtheirrepresentation

133

Reasonsforchoosing2Dor3D

138

Concludingremarks

140

V. ComputerGamesasaComparativeMedium

143

Adaptation,crossmediaandtransmediastorytelling

144

SettingLocation

160

SettingCamera

170

SettingColour

173

SettingProps

177

Implicationsforcomparatists

183

VI. RemediatingCharacter

189

TolkiensAragorn

190

RalphBakshisAragorn

202

SibleyandBakewellsAragorn

206

PeterJacksonsAragorn

208

ComputerGameAragorn

211

AMan,lean,dark,tall

216

Addendum

217

VII.

ComputerGamesasaNarrativeMedium

219

Howdogamestellstories?

219

Gamesofprogressioninlightofestablishednarrativetheory

222

Thediachronicaspect

226

Towardsanewnarratologyforcomputergames

227

Criticalnotesandsuggestionsforfutureresearch

229

Summary

233

Decomputergamealsnarratiefmedium

243

10

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AppendixAGameGenreTaxonomies

253

GameTheorists

253

Popular

254

Statistics

256

AppendixBUbisoftsASSASSINSCREEDfranchise

257

ASSASSIN'SCREED

257

ASSASSINSCREED(mobilegame)

258

AssassinsCreed:GraphicNovel

259

ASSASSIN'SCREEDALTAR'SCHRONICLES

260

ASSASSIN'SCREED:E3CINEMATICTRAILER

261

ASSASSIN'SCREEDTWITTERASSASSINATIONEXPERIENCE

261

ASSASSIN'SCREED:LINEAGE

262

Assassin'sCreed:1Desmond

263

ASSASSIN'SCREEDII

265

Assassin'sCreedRenaissance

267

ASSASSIN'SCREEDIIMOBILEGAME

267

ASSASSIN'SCREEDIIDISCOVERY

268

ASSASSIN'SCREEDBLOODLINES

269

ASSASSINSCREEDII:MULTIPLAYER

270

ASSASSINSCREEDBROTHERHOODE3TRAILER

270

ASSASSINSCREEDPROJECTLEGACY

271

AssassinsCreedTheFall

272

Assassin'sCreed:2Aquilus

273

ASSASSINSCREEDASCENDANCE

274

ASSASSINSCREEDBROTHERHOOD

275

AssassinsCreedBrotherhood

277

ASSASSINSCREED:LOSTLEGACY

278

AppendixCArticlesandtalks

281

Bibliography

283

ListofPrimarySourcesReferredto.

295

ComputerGames

295

NonComputerGames

299

Films

299
11

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12

Documentaries

300

TVSeries

300

RadioPlays

300

Books,ComicbooksandGraphicNovels

300