Pleasure - Game Invaders: The Theory and Understanding of Computer Games - page 33

• Narrative Potential
• Transformation
• Co - presence
• Presence
We have already discussed the various elements that make up characterization
of aesthetics in general so the best way to get to know them better and to see how
they are useful is to use them to analyze some games. In this chapter we'll stick to
some classics because the scale is more manageable.
SPACEWAR
We already discussed Steven Poole's particular aesthetics of Spacewar at the begin-
ning of this chapter. It is time now to apply our general aesthetics and see what we
get. According to Wikipedia there is only one working PDP-1 in existence. This is
in the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The computer and
display were completely restored after two years of work and apparently Spacewar
is operational on it. We can't all get to Mountain View, California, so, for that reason,
we are going to analyze the version ported to PC. From the start, Spacewar was a
two-player game with each player having a simple hand controller with just four
controls to allow him or her to turn the craft's rocket booster on and off, rotate the
craft clockwise or counterclockwise, and fi re its weapon. (Check out the links at the
back of this topic for pictures of people playing the game in the 1960s.)
Here is Spacewar's analysis using our aesthetics:
Agency : Four keyboard controls allow you to pivot your spacecraft in either
direction, power up your rocket engine, and fi re your weapon, respectively.
However, because you are in space and dealing with inertial physics, maneu-
vering is not easy; in fact, it's a real challenge. And there's this little sun in
the middle of the screen whose gravity sucks you in and around and throws
you back out again; and, if you're not careful, you get sucked right in and
die. Firing your weapons is fun because it's a two-player game and your
opponent is grappling with that inertial physics stuff as well. You have good
intentions and so does your opponent but getting your spaceship to do what
you want it to and destroying your enemy is not easy and the perceivable
consequences are often not what you intended. It is very graceful and fasci-
nating to watch.
• Narrative Potential : It is not a story as such but there are dramatic situations
that build up. Spacecraft collide or get fl ung about by the sun's gravity and
lasers glide gracefully across the vacuum of space. There is defi nitely narra-
tive potential and exercising agency is almost bound to realize it.
• Transformation : We ' re piloting a spaceship and fi ring laser weapons in
deepest space; transformation enough for 1962 and for now, for that matter.