Perception is reality: my take on playing video games

Started by Legend, Feb 20, 2019, 08:49 AM

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Legend

Games have raw analytical value. Number of levels, audio quality, resolution, and everything else are fairly difinitive. Fundamentally video games are programs and they have a core that inherently lacks room for interpretation.


This analytical core is not however directly experienced by players. Instead there is a layer of abstraction and players are left to interpret what is shown on screen. This is the percieved experience.

All games have at least a small difference between the analytical experience and the percieved experience. Take for example Tetris. Even though the player knows the exact rules of the game, the player is still interpreting the tetrominos as objects and is slightly personifying them.

Other times a game can have a huge difference between the analytical experience and the percieved experience. Elite Dangerous was this way for me for my first 100 hours. I knew nothing about the game and loved thinking things were more developed than they actually were. For example I bought a ship with a second seat in the cockpit and was really excited to find someone/thing to sit in it. In reality, the seat was just for show at the time.

The main takeaway from this post is that my percieved experience in Elite was what I cared about. Up till I checked online, it didn't matter if the seat was developed or not. Perception is reality and my percieved experience was a valid review of the game. If a person thinks a game works one way then it doesn't matter how it really works.


kitler53

the same argument applies to loads of things.   why do we call it "religion" and not "mental illness".


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Xevross

the same argument applies to loads of things.   why do we call it "religion" and not "mental illness".
I'm as strong an atheist as you'll ever find but that's just offensive and inappropriate.

@OP, I think that's true. Some of the best games are one's which create almost illusions to enhance the player experience.

kitler53

I'm as strong an atheist as you'll ever find but that's just offensive and inappropriate.

@OP, I think that's true. Some of the best games are one's which create almost illusions to enhance the player experience.
only because you perceive religion as a legitimate institution.  if i was to preach to you the truth of the flying spaghetti monster you'd have no problems labeling me crazy.


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