DIGITAL GAMES AS CYBERTEXTS AND ERGODIC PHENOMENA
THE CASE OF SUBNAUTICA (2014)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33871/19805071.2024.31.2.9617Keywords:
Cybertext, Ergodic Literature, Aesthetic experience, SubnauticaAbstract
The aim of this research is to discuss digital games from the cyber textual perspective of the ergodic phenomena theorized by Espen Aarseth (1997). The idea of cybertext is proposed so that various objects can be contemplated within literary studies, making up those whose main characteristic is the ergodic phenomenon, that is, the possibility of interpretation and multiple exploration of the text by the reader, as is the case with video games. Through a case study of the game Subnautica (2014), we point out how these proposals contribute to an analysis of the exploration and interpretation of users' aesthetic experiences in games that benefit from graphic advancement. In doing so, we identify ergodic structures in the game that enable unique forms of experience, and reflect on how these are evoked through game design. We also consider that, as suggested by Aarseth (1997) and Sicart (2005), these theories emphasize the place of game users in an interactive context surrounded by moral and ethical values: they are consumers who produce their experiences and interpretations based on coded architectures.
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