Socializing Gamers - Wordplay and the Discourse of Video Games - page 25

can seek instruction from online guides or receive minimal guidance from
the instruction book included with retail version of the game, Uncharted 2
trains players as they play. Early in the game, when left hanging on the rail-
ing, players must make initial decisions with the control sticks to move back
and forth. When reaching a predetermined moment, they are instructed to
“press X to jump.” Later they are met with other instructions about how
to pick things up, how to open doors, and how to aim and shoot a gun. All
of these moments are key to how gamers in Uncharted 2 are taught to play,
a training regimen that prepares gamers for games where they can simply
pick the game up and start playing without reading an instruction manual
in advance. As players proceed through the game, they are also likely to
notice less explicit forms of persuasion. Objects fall behind you in initial
stages that function to block of your path and prevent you from backtrack-
ing or getting lost. Conveniently colored objects, like yellow pipes or white
bricks, stick out from the background to indicate there is something inter-
esting or interactive at that spot. These elements, both explicit and more
subtle, interpolate gamers, encouraging them to pick up and play while
of ering them the ability to move smoothly without needing too much help.
Stripping those instructions from the game would alter how it is played,
forcing players to research how to play or requiring them to search harder
for clues as they play, instead of simply pressing buttons on a controller and
enjoying the 'movie.'
Uncharted 2 is a strong example of how leading console games social-
ize players into games, from the blending of story and gaming to the pro-
motional hype and means by which players are taught to play the game.
These elements shape how players engage games and what they are likely to
expect from future releases. In so doing, these practices of socialization are
a key component of how games work. However, understanding the contex-
tual force of the means by which people are brought into games requires
looking beyond AAA console titles.
WII SPORTS
In stark contrast to the high production value and slick visuals found in
Uncharted 2 , Wii Sports is defi ned by its game play and restructuring of
the playing experience. Wii Sports shipped with Nintendo Wii consoles
sold outside of Japan and of ered players the ability to use the Wii's motion-
based controller to play several popular sports, including tennis, baseball,
and bowling. The Wii was marketed to a broad audience that included
young and old, male and female. A primary appeal of the console was a
mimetic interface that promotes a “very usable” gaming experience that
was well suited for Wii Sports because “most people have seen these sports
performed before.” 15 Nintendo's own marketing pitch for the game pro-
claims, “This is what video games should be: fun for everyone. Wii Sports