Hong-Ng, Wi

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    Towards a multidisciplinary approach on video game studies: A case study of Portal
    (2012) Hong-Ng, Wi; Flores, Leonardo; College of Arts and Sciences - Arts; Leonard, Mary; Irizarry Rodríguez, José M.; Carroll, Kevin; Department of English; Chizmadia, Lysa
    This thesis discusses how video games entered academia as an area of study and how Narratology and Ludology became the leading approaches. It discusses the benefits and shortcomings of each of them through a case study of the first person shooter game Portal (2007). Narratology discusses the structure of a game narrative whereas Ludology focuses on the mechanics of the games. This study concludes that both of these approaches are too focused on the content of video games and neglect other significant aspects, such as the hardware that makes the content possible. The study presents a brief history of the video game detailing how each successive generation of hardware allows for the development and creation of new video game genres. It also provides game designers the ability to tell more complex stories through the use of computer generated full motion video and the ability it gives to the player to directly interact with the game. The third chapter examines how video games became a subject of interest during the late 1980’s as interactive fiction and as popular culture. It discusses the emergence of Narratology and Ludology, their importance in the field of video game studies, and their impact on future video game studies. To understand how each of these approaches work, this thesis conducts a case study of the first person shooter game Portal and provides a discussion of the benefits and the shortcomings of each approach. It concludes with recommendations about how to advance the study of this medium of artistic expression.