Title: What Makes Casual Games so Appealing, so Attractive: Looking for ‘the Casual’ in Casual Video Games
Abstract: Given that video games are as wonderful as they are, why would someone choose not to play video games? It seems that video games for a long period of time have alienated a large part of the population by way of their themes, their assumptions about the player’s familiarity with video game conventions, and by the demands games have placed on the player’s time. With the Nintendo Wii, Guitar Hero, and downloadable games like Diner Dash, however, video games appear to be reaching beyond the traditional game audience. In this talk, I will discuss why many people do not play video games, and identify the broader appeal of today’s casual games.
Details:
Thursday, April 10
06:00 PM to 08:00 PM
Columbia University
2960 Broadway
New York, NY – 10027
Room: Thompson Hall, Room 510 at Teachers College, Columbia University, between Broadway and Amsterdam on 120th Street. Check in with security (located in between Broadway and Amsterdam on 120th) and they will direct you the correct room.
That sounds like a good talk.
What happened to this talk? Room 510 was empty until I left around 7PM.
I gave a talk in something called room 510 at Thompson Hall? Is there more than one?
I must have been directed to the wrong room. There were two signs that say “casual gaming” that point to the room I was at.
Too bad I missed it. Are you going to do the same talk anytime soon?
Thanks.
There are no immediate plans for repeating the talk, but I am in the process of making a book on casual games, hopefully out next year. Will post updates here.
I went to this talk and thoroughly enjoyed it–gave me a lot to think about.
Do you have the slides for the talk available anywhere? I’m working on a thesis involving game design at the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU, and I’d like to reference some of the ideas you brought up.
Thanks!
Thanks.
I am not putting the slides up as they are, but send me a mail and I can give you a copy.
Great lecture. I think “Usability” supervenes on “Juiciness” in some limited capacity if we want a psychologically realistic model of learning to analyze Usability by (that is, one in which the ability to orient oneself depends on motivation, concentration, confidence etc.) , no?
Peli,
I perfectly understand your argument, but I think it is analytically useful to distinguish between the interface elements that are necessary for understanding what is happening in a game, and those that are more oriented towards sensory/visceral pleasure. They are related, of course, but you can still get something out of analyzing the differences between the two.