World of Scriptcraft? Gamers’ collective remaking

of computer games

Kristine Askwww.kristineask.com

Computergames as code

• How can computer games help us understand code and coding?

• Negotiating the code is a goal in it self

From code to script• A semiotic approach to user/technology

relationships

“A large part of the work of innovators is that of

“inscribing” this vision of a the world in the technical object.”

Akrich 1992: 208

• Data: – 9 Qualitative interviews with players– Ongoing deep ethnographic work in player community: playing,

participating, observing, talking

The Game in question:

MMORPG

Virtual world

Up to 30 000 players

Avatars used to interact with the world

A game platform of many subgames

Primary game: Killing monsters

Raiding•Large groups of players fighting challenging

monsters

•From emergence to mainstream

Raiding = play or work?

Raiding: •Set times•Team effort•Complicated•Little reward for much input•Organized

•Work can still be fun

•Raiding is instrumental, yet passionate

De-scripting a virtual monster

+

24 other avatars

VS

MeBoss monster: Kologarn

• Decoding the clues of the encounter is part of the challenge

• Requires coordination and attentiveness• Limited time to complete

Example: Kologarn

Kologarns abilities are: • Shockwave: Damages all

– Says “Oblivion!”• Stone Grip: Targets 3 and locks them in his hand

– Says: “I will squeeze the life from you!”• Focused eyebeam: Targets and follows players

– Visual: Blue streams across the floor

Extending the code: In game re-scription

• Addons: Usermade software– Bossmods

• Translator, timekeeper and commander

•Bossmods – The raids 26th member

Extending the code: Out of game re-scription

• Code extends outside the game

• Forums as the arena for continuation

The extended code of Kologarn

• 3 page thread

• Suggestions regarding problems and solutions:

“If you're melee and being targetted, just stripe left and follow the left edge of the room to the back. The beams should end before you run into the main raid. 1 time last night someone stripe to the right leading the beams right through the MT* spot. Not cool.”

*MT is a player with a specific task: ensuring the monster only target the most resilient

• Maps to explain positioning

• Links to relevant webpages:– Movies, Strategies, Databases

• Logs

From extending code to re-scription

• Indexicality• Reaction to the script, re-scripted as

more

Collective re-scription

• The re-scription is done by the community– Bossmods are taken for granted– Forums used to recount, interpret and plan– Assembly of tools/technologies:

• Films• Guides• Logs• Forums• Game