Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
at evoking moods and emotions but poor at transmitting rational assertions. Every
medium has particular strengths and weaknesses that must be taken into account
when you want to communicate effectively.
art and entertainment
communication theory still applies to your game, even if your game isn't a serious game
and has no message to convey apart from its innate entertainment or aesthetic value
(that is, if you are making a pure art or entertainment game). The russian scholar of
literature and poetry roman Jakobson used communication theory to explain the dif-
ference between poetry and literature on the one hand and other forms of written text
on the other (1960). he observed that communication can focus on different things. For
example, a message that is focused on the receiver is an instruction or a direct address.
a classic example would be the U.s. army recruiting poster with a picture of Uncle sam
pointing directly at the viewer and text reading “i want YOU for U.s. army.” in contrast,
a message that is focused on the sender is trying to enhance the sender's reputation.
Jakobson called these different focuses
functions
. he also identified the
poetic function
.
The poetic function is in use when the focus of the communication is on the signal itself—
when it calls attention to itself because it is artfully constructed, because it rhymes,
and so on. What we call literature and poetry are forms of communication with a strong
poetic function, and part of appreciating this type of text comes from our admiration for
the craftsmanship that went into constructing the signal.
his observations are equally applicable to any other medium and art form, including
games. We appreciate art games but also entertainment games, in part because we
enjoy and appreciate their skillfully constructed signals.
It is important to note that this model of communication assumes that the signal
travels in one direction. It suggests that a sender has a specific message and that
the receiver does not reply. This model fits broadcast media, in which one powerful
sender (for example, a newspaper or a television network) sends one signal to many
receivers at once. Mass communication of this sort is effective because senders often
have the time and resources to produce long, high-quality signals that are good at
conveying the intended message. However, it turns the audience into passive con-
sumers of signals. This approach does not suit all applications equally well. In an
educational situation, you want the receivers (students) to be active participants and
to play with the message themselves to fully grasp it. That is why we list exercises at
the end of every chapter in this topic and provide interactive examples on the com-
panion website.
How the Medium Affects the Message
To communicate effectively, it is important to choose the most suitable medium.
You have probably heard Marshall McLuhan's famous quote “the medium is the
