Game Art & Design

I've been busy working on projects for World Building and Game Art Project classes simultaneously, whew!  I devised a fun little method for applying a carved effect into materials in 3ds Max to share with class and thought I should post it here too:

I haven't perfected this for use in my project yet but I was so happy to have figured out how to do what I wanted that I thought I should share with you! If you look at the screenshot I took below, there is a faint area on the face of the lower box that appears to be recessed. I will have a lot of stone building surfaces that I'd like to add fancy carved details to, without having to unwrap and create a unique texture for each one, so I had the idea to make a carved effect and just apply it as a decal in Max, and it worked. Later I will create more interesting carvings and increase the thickness of the lines so that they appear deeper, but for now this is what I did.

I followed this tutorial meant for text, and just substituted a vector object I created in Illustrator (this gives it a very crisp line): http://www.sketchpad.net/cleartext1.htm After I had my effect created I didn't merge I just hid all but the two shadow and highlight layers that produce the effect, and saved that as a .tga with no alpha or layers for my diffuse texture. Then I used ctrl click on the layer icons for both those layers to select just the black and white areas, inverted that selection, and filled the remainder with black. I saved that with no alpha or layers as my opacity texture.

I set up my marble material in one material slot, and set up my effect material in another material slot, simply putting my effect texture in Diffuse and my opacity texture in the Opacity slot. I also deselected the Tile setting for both of them. Then I made a new material and clicked the Standard button and selected Composite. I dragged (drug?) my marble material into the Base Material slot of the Composite, and my effect material into the Mat.1 slot, and unchecked all the unused Mat. boxes. Then for this test I selected a face of my box, set it to a new Material ID (for me it was 3 because 2 was already used) and drug my composite material from the material window onto my box, and it worked! I couldn't figure how to get it to show in viewport, but it rendered just fine.

It looks like we have everything ready to publish for the Westwood Game Club developer's challenge.  I'm really pleased with the new floor and wall tiles as well as the Stalker creature concept I whipped up as Emmanuel requested.  He had some very clever ideas for game mechanics, so I think it will be a fun little twist on the maze game.

This time for the IGDA Women in Games March '09 newsletter, in an article on female gamers and their avatars.   http://www.igda.org/women/newsletter/Newsletter_200903.html#avatar

Research Paper, Research Methodologies course

Video game violence is not real, and actually may offer players a healthy release for difficult emotions.  This is a point of view that seems to rarely be considered by either side as the debate over the existence of deleterious effects from kids’ exposure to video game violence rages on.  Unfortunately, when parents and society in general focus on the negative effects of popular kids’ pastimes, children’s needs for exploration, experimentation and individuality are relegated to the back burner. Blanket bans against entire categories of an activity are easier for parents to dole out than carefully measured supervision and vigilance. The parental issue of our times is the influence of games that contain violent themes, and for too many years the prevalent approach has been the identical to the real source of childhood problems: lazy parenting. It is time we examine the possibility that kids who enjoy violent themed games would be far better served by active support and supervision of their favorite pastimes than the current environment of criticism, restriction and disregard.

Despite their sinister reputation, video games themselves (multiplayer excluded) never physically hurt anyone.  In a virtual world, you can take your car and mow down a million innocent pedestrians, yank out someone's spine, feed on rotting corpses and even fly a plane into the Twin Towers, and yet never shed a drop of real life blood.  With all of the atrocities the human race can conceive of -- and many that only fantasy creatures could enact -- available to our children at the push of a button, it is no wonder that video games are seen by so many as an acidic poison, gnawing hungrily on the very fabric of civilized society.  But what if that vile symptom we are witnessing is really the emotional equivalent of a fever?  When the human body is attacked by malicious microbes, a healthy immune system responds by cranking the body's temperature up so high as to make it inhospitable to the invaders.  From the outside, many people mistake this uncomfortable response as a symptom of the illness itself needing to be quashed.  In reality though, fever reducing drugs actually suppress the healthy response, making the body more vulnerable to its attackers.  There is concern that uncontrolled fever might climb so high that it damages the brain, and in rare cases of severe illness it can, but even then it is the illness -- not fever itself -- that is the enemy.  In a similar way, violently themed video games, like many other pastimes, are both created as an outgrowth of human experience and made popular by fulfilling very human needs and desires.  Philosophical assumptions aside, video games don't actually harm real people.  Instead, what if engaging in imaginary violence is a natural response to a world that has changed the way basic childhood needs for exploration, experimentation and expression of individuality are met?

First it is important to note that violent themes in play are not at all isolated to video games, or even to modern times.  For many generations concerns have been raised about the violent content of many much less contentious childhood activities and interests.  Participation in, and even spectatorship of, "rough" sports such as football and boxing have caused countless mothers to wring their hands in worry.  Board games and card games like Clue, War and Battleship have long carried violent themes.  Hunting, fishing and archery are all hobbies that some families embrace while others find them detestable.  Some families even ban completely imaginative play like cops and robbers or sword fighting, with or without toy weapons or troops.  Television and film are notorious sources of real and imaginary violence as well.  Reading material -- from fiction and nonfiction books, to magazines and comics -- is probably the most bottomless source of descriptive, violent ideas.  Interactivity, believability, immersion; video games allow children to experience a hitherto unheard of combination of the elements that make any of these mediums deeply engaging and believable, yet none of the elements themselves are new.  Ultimately, violence in video games is something to be viewed in the broader context of violent subject matter and activities that have always been accessible to children. 

The idea that emotional release through imaginative interaction could provide real life stress relief is not new or isolated either.  In the sixties, an unconventional form of therapy called primal scream therapy became popular (primal scream therapy, 2009).  Participants would be directed to re-experience past painful emotions in a therapeutic setting and encouraged to scream and convulse in response to rid themselves of suppressed emotional pain. In general, the idea was that through the venting of strong emotions in a safe environment, patients were subsequently freed of the negative energy attached to those emotions that had to remain pent up in the restrictive "real world."  Lacking an accepted level of clinical or academic support for these methods, scream therapy eventually fell out of favor.  Still, the practice of emotionally distressed people venting real, negative emotions in such a way that no one really gets hurt is not limited to quackery.  Processing difficult emotions through talk and crying in a therapist's office is almost universally expected.  Conventional wisdom chimes in to say that journaling thoughts never meant to be shared is therapeutic.  We have all been reassured by a friend at some time, "go ahead and vent" so we could rant at length about some subject that did not affect the listener personally.  Parents tell their kids, "Punch a pillow, not your sister."  Pop psychologist John Gray even popularized what he termed "Feeling Letters" which comprises similarly candid letter writing and a response to one's self as the writer wished their target would respond.  What these conventional techniques have in common is the ability they impart onto a person experiencing difficult feelings to explore them in a way that releases the emotion, but carries no risk of harming the individual or their target.  If merely entertaining a violent thought or enacting a nonviolent substitute was harmful, such common methods of release would also be subject to intense scrutiny.

The idea that video games might have therapeutic potential is also not novel.  While not parallel to scream therapy by any means, Virtual Reality and Interactive Simulation are being studied as potential instruments for the alleviation of pain (Wiederhold, 2007).  For patients for whom medication provides inadequate pain relief and for whom ordinary visualization techniques are not effective, intense immersion in a virtual world has been shown to be a very successful distraction method.  According to the study done by doctors Mark and Brenda Wiederhold, "Immersion relates to how “present” the user feels in the world and how “real” the environment seems. When immersion is high, much of the user’s attention is focused on the virtual environment, leaving little left to focus on other things, such as pain."  The subject matter of the virtual reality is not the focus of the research, but rather the level of immersion and hence distraction it provides.  The immersive quality of video games is a subject of great interest to the marketers of video games, who understand that escapism is a primary motivator behind many video game purchases (Inzauto, 2007).  One might be tempted to question whether the so-called "addictive" quality of games offsets such potential benefits; however the concept of addiction is also complex.  The popular assumption that games derive their attractiveness through wielding some coercive control over the player is vastly over simplified and unsupported by any kind of legitimate research.  Any pleasurable experience can become "addictive" and used as a tool for self destruction by addicts.  Food, sex, pain medication: these are just a few examples of beneficial -- even necessary -- paraphernalia that can definitely be abused by addicts.  In the medical world, addiction is not addressed through mass prohibition of substances of abuse, but through treatment of individual addicts.  The potential for a material to be “addictive” does not prove that it should be restricted from people who would use it for beneficial purposes.   

It is clear from the previously discussed study that some aspect of the unreality of video games can be beneficial, but violent video games need not be medically therapeutic in order to confer positive benefits to the player either.  We already know that non-violent games can be created to teach intentionally, as evidenced by the "serious games" genre, but there is evidence that even violent games help players develop useful real-world skills as well.  By examining the results of a number of previously published studies, a researcher from the Department of Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice at Texas A&M uncovered an association specifically between "higher visuospatial cognition" and the play of violent video games (Ferguson, 2007).  This confusing phrase is defined as including, "visual rotation, visual memory, visual attention and selection or related abilities."  The A&M study even includes a summary of research on one violent game that actually improved rates of "treatment adherence, quality of life, cancer knowledge and self efficacy" in a group of youths with cancer.  At the same time, the study identified significant bias in a number of previously published studies linking aggressive behavior to playing violent video games.  These examples further support the concept that even games that contain violent themes have positive real-life effects.  Using hand-eye coordination to play a game develops real life hand-eye coordination, and in the same way, coping with feelings of aggression in a way that does not actually hurt anyone might also teach players to manage volatile real world emotions in ways that are non-violent in reality.  

In the end however, the potential for even violent games to be therapeutic through the controlled, harmless release of unhealthy emotions appears to be largely uninvestigated, at least in such a targeted context.  Examining the question makes the subject appear worth a deeper look though.  It should not be ignored that the typical video game experience is crafted as an elaborate story for ordinary people, and not with therapeutic intentions.  It is hard to imagine that an intentionally therapeutic game could even make it into the hands of a truly troubled child in the typical situations that make the news anyway.  In a sense, what we are exploring is a form of self medication which could potentially share qualities of either positive or negative activities that are already used for similar purposes, such as exercise or drug abuse.  If nothing else, the door should be left open for researchers to discover whether -- while it might not lead to a prescription therapy -- video game violence might still be constructive in some contexts and not just mindless destruction.  Perhaps more intentional game design that offers some real world solutions to the real struggles of at-risk groups is in order, but in the meantime, it is important to reframe the focus from the doomsday assumptions, and direct our attention back towards reality and the positive impact that involved parenting and a supportive environment can have. 

In order to understand the importance of parental support and supervision of any childhood activity, it is valuable to examine what experts have determined to be necessary elements of healthy childhood development.  A 2004 American Psychological Association study of emotional support from parents early in life defined a helpful set of critical factors to developmental health (Shaw, 2004).  Included in the list of factors examined are 1) a parent’s understanding of a child’s problems and worries, 2) how much a child could confide in his or her parents 3) how much love and affection was given the child by his or her parents, 4) how much time and attention was given by parents, 5) how much effort the parent put into supervising and evaluating the child’s upbringing, and 6) how much teaching the child received from the parent about life.  There is no mention of how strict or restrictive a parent is, or which activities the parents allowed their child access to.  In summary, one may conclude that individualized supervision and attention are paramount to a child's developmental health.

On the flip side, determining what is detrimental to childhood development can be harder to quantify.  Whenever children act out in destructive ways, the tendency is to look backward at collective experiences for common ingredients that could have been the cause.  But how many dysfunctional children in the news have eaten at McDonalds, attended daycare, rode the bus to school, or read Goodnight Moon as a toddler?  Common factors will naturally be numerous.  It seems like common sense to assume that violent themed games would have a more destructive impact than such seemingly benign factors, but assumptions are not valid research.  The example influences of diet, child care situations and reading materials certainly do have psychological impact as well.  Healthy children do not make the news, and there is far less coverage of the types of activities that they have participated in without consequence.  This backwards examination simply creates an environment where any group's pet target can too easily be fingered as a culprit through momentum generated by the assumption.  Parents are far from helpless to effect their children's healthy development however.

By its very definition, supervision is the best safeguard against unnoticed results from any activity.  Evaluating one's child's upbringing in the ways researchers advocate requires intimate knowledge of their activities, their likes and dislikes, and their propensities.  Obtaining that kind of knowledge requires direct involvement.  A small non-probability sampling of school children and adults reflecting on childhood experiences unanimously indicated that parental supervision of favorite pastimes would have a positive effect (Morgan, 2009).  Interacting with a child while they participate in their favorite activities is an exceptional way to convey an acceptance of his or her individuality, while also allowing the parent to impart useful information at critical junctures.  Watching a movie together for example, allows a parent to witness a child's reaction to the depiction of a shooting, and react accordingly.  Little Joey might need some reassurance that while the violence looks very real, and the people being filmed are real, no one was actually hurt, or he may need to be reminded that real violence should not be taken lightly.  When children feel that their preferences are accepted and their individuality respected, they are less likely to rebel and seek out deceitful ways to fulfill their needs and desires.  If Jenny declares, "I want that toy!" every time a television commercial comes on, her parents can acknowledge, "Yes, those toys do look neat.  I can keep them in mind when I'm thinking about birthday presents."  It is not necessary for children to get everything they want, when they know their desires are understood, considered, and accepted.  Perhaps even more importantly, children who are supervised and supported in their preferred activities have outlets for their energy and needs for exploration, experimentation and expression of individuality, made safe by parental interaction.

When violent themed video games are demonized in the public realm, two major problems arise.  When society labels a phenomenon as "bad," some parents become more critical and controlling, while other parents abdicate responsibility altogether.  Parental pressure transfers from parent to child either way, which increases the already difficult task of growing up healthy.  The opposite effect from the one intended develops, where kids feel even more attracted to violent games because of the taboo, and actually seek out increased exposure to violent games, but in an environment devoid of constructive parental input.  Condemnation results in restriction of social activities as well, whereas socially supported activities receive funding and provide children with outlets.  Kids have to grow and play somewhere.  It is not enough to simply prohibit activities; we must also provide viable options. 

Children who enjoy violent themed video games would be better served in all respects by societal attitudes that supported activities that are non-violent in reality.  Children who enjoy violent video games should be treated based on their real behaviors and earned trust, rather than given punishments to preempt an offense.  97% of children ages 12-17 play video games of all kinds today (Lenhart, Kahne, Middaugh, Macgill, Evans, Vitak 2008).  If the majority of children who play violent games do not act out, the media reaction to isolated incidents that are tenuously connected with games should not go overboard either.  Research should be done to find out what truly interests children about these games, free from the antagonistic slant of wanting to know just to put a stop to it.  Game development as a future career choice and the potential for games to serve the common good should also be explored.  Ultimately though, parental involvement is the crucial component of the important lesson that with freedom comes responsibility.

Bibliography

Benjamin A. Shaw, N. K.-D. (2004, March 21). Emotional Support From Parents Early in Life, Aging, and Health. Psychology and Aging , 19 (No. 1), pp. 4-12.

Ferguson, C. (2007, December). The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Meta-analytic Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Violent Video Games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78(4), 309-316. Retrieved January 31, 2009, doi:10.1007/s11126-007-9056-9

Ferguson, C. (2008, January). The school shooting/violent video game link: causal relationship or moral panic?. Journal of Investigative Psychology & Offender Profiling, 5(1/2), 25-37. Retrieved January 31, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Inzauto, E. (2007, March 25). Video Games as an Escape. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from Gamernode Web site: http://www.gamernode.com/features/2088-video-games-as-an-escape/index.html

Lenhart, A., Kahne, J., Middaugh, E., Macgill, A. R., Evans, C., &Vitak, J. (2008). Teens’ gaming experiences are diverse and include significant social interaction and civic engagement. Pew Internet: Teens, Video Games and Civics, Retrieved February 20, 2009,from http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_Report_FINAL.pdf.

Morgan, L. (2009, February). Violence and Play: a survey of childhood experiences with violent themed play and parental attitudes. Unpublished.

Porter, G., & Starcevic, V. (2007, October). Are violent video games harmful?. Australasian Psychiatry, 15(5), 422-426. Retrieved January 31, 2009, doi:10.1080/10398560701463343

primal scream therapy. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primal scream therapy

Unsworth, G., Devilly, G., & Ward, T. (2007, August). The effect of playing violent video games on adolescents: Should parents be quaking in their boots?. Psychology, Crime & Law, 13(4), 383-394. Retrieved January 31, 2009, doi:10.1080/10683160601060655

Wiederhold, M., & Wiederhold, B. (2007, September 2). Virtual Reality and Interactive Simulation for Pain Distraction. Pain Medicine, 8, S182-S188. Retrieved February 1, 2009, doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00381.x

Wiederhold, M., & Wiederhold, B. (2007, September 2). Virtual Reality and Interactive Simulation for Pain Distraction. Pain Medicine, 8, S182-S188. Retrieved February 1, 2009, doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00381.x

I was quoted in Tech News World, woot!
Where Are the Video Games Women Really Want?

My full comments:

1. Are there any differences between the gaming habits of female gamers and male gamers?  Of course!  About as many differences as there are between any two gamers, and probably more.  It is a mistake to suggest that the differences are universal to everyone of the same gender, however.

2. Do I agree that women are more casual gamers?  Absolutely not!  There may still be fewer women gamers than men, but gamers are gamers and their tastes are varied regardless of their gender.  It is true that women have been excluded and discouraged from playing games for many years, but that has little to do with their actual interest in games.  All gamers enjoy a variety of games, from easy to intense play, at varying times for varying reasons.  The style of game a person will be drawn to is no more defined by gender than a preference for cars or dolls.  It's the age old question of nature versus nurture.  Some women have been socialized to dislike games it's true, but games are fun, exiciting, rewarding, scary, liberating, touching etc.  Suggesting that women like only a certain style of games is like suggesting that women like only a certain kind of book: highly offensive and patently untrue.

3. Since I answered the previous question in the negative, I would like to say that the less the industry tries to meet the needs of an imaginary demographic, the better.  "Women" are no more a singular category than fingerprints.

4. What the industry can do to address the needs of female gamers is to treat them as individuals rather than a demographic.  No two people of either gender have the same definition of what is fun.  Games have not come as far as they have by being designed to appeal specifically to men, and they won't come any further by appealing specifically to women.  Make games from the heart that are fun to to you as a developer, not games designed to appeal to a "market."  Make niche games and make blockbuster games.  Just keep making games fun.

5. I think the success of the Wii has been instrumental in generating the interest of people who enjoy games, period.  Only the myopic would define "traditional" gamers as teenage males.  97% of kids play games (http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/09/16/videogames.survey.ap/).  This industry is in its infancy!

6. I think every improvement to gaming will improve gaming options for women.  I will be so glad when this ceases to be news.