This dissertation explores the use of play in three ecoaesthetic games and considers their potential for affecting environmental thought. Ecoaesthetic games leverage the power of play as a “foot in the door” for divisive topics. Play, as structured through games, is found to be a powerful generator of meaning. Games specifically are found to be representational, affective, and relational systems that can facilitate critical thinking, sustained reflection, and thoughtful deliberation around intractable problems. My games Tether, recollect, and Fringe-assay modify the well-known games Scrabble, Memory, and Snakes and Ladders, respectively, in order to bring attention to three different but intertwining, environmental crises: language and species endangerment, species extinction, and growing human vulnerability in a climate changed world. In this study, I consider human cognitive tendencies that inhibit our desire to engage with and take action within complex politico-ecological problems. Then, I locate promising game features that can be modified in order to work against such tendencies. The dissertation closes with a consideration of the iterative design process and the insights I gained from each of the games designed for this study.

Student Number : 9903601A - MAFA research report - School of Arts - Faculty of Humanities / This essay will explore the existing definitions of art games that are currently being used in the art game/art mod genre. It will identify the leading theorists within the field, and take into account their definitions whilst at the same time establishing a set of categories within which can be defined the dominant trends in the development of the field. It will also situate art games within an historical context, both within the commercial computer game field as well as the digital art field and attempt to establish some sort of timeline within which we can see the development and emergence of art games in relation to these two disciplines. Two examples of art games, both from different categories will be examined and critiqued in the context of Artistic Computer Game Modification – A 3D game called Escape From Woomera and an art mod or patch called SOD. The art game as an entity will be examined in relation to ideas of the ‘interactive’ and ‘play’, and the implications and potential for fine art practice will be investigated.

Orientador: Milton Terumitsu Sogabe / Resumo: Nesta pesquisa de caráter teórico-pratica, procuramos discutir os processos do desenvolvimento de games, mais especificamente aqueles que existem em paralelo da grande indústria de games. Para contextualizar sua linguagem construímos um breve panorama da sua história e suas manifestações no campo da Arte. Refletimos sobre processos utilizados na produção de games alternativos através da modificação, subversão e apropriação de ferramentas, valores e tecnologias dos games comerciais, através de exemplos e reflexões sobre a Game Art e games independentes. Nossa prática utiliza esses processos e abordagens para desenvolver uma produção de games experimentais. Foram produzidos 4 jogos, entre 2 projetos individuais e 2 coletivos. / Abstract: In this theoretical-practical research, we seek to discuss the processes of game development, more specifically those that exist in parallel to the game industry. To contextualize its language we build a brief overview of its history and its manifestations in the field of Art. We reflect on processes used in the production of alternative games through modification, subversion, and appropriation of commercial game tools, values and technologies in tandem with examples and reflection on Game Art and independent games. Our practice uses these processes and approaches to develop an experimental game production. Four games were made, between 2 individual and 2 collaborative projects. / Mestre

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This article introduces the concept of System Art and lays a foundation for creating a cohesive and functional framework for artistic interactive system analysis. The paper applies Russian Formalist theory for that purpose, explores the existing literature that covers such topics as Art Games and Videogame Formalism, and identifies the gaps in the currently existing works that should be addressed before building such framework: the lack of clearly defined interactive system elements, the lack of artistic device categorization, the lack of understanding of the role meaning plays in an artistic piece, and the lack of understanding different types of Defamiliarization effect – a notion proposed by Russian Formalists (Shklovsky, 2015) and adapted to games by Mitchell (2016). This article builds a foundation for creating an artistic system-oriented analysis theory, that would in turn be able to become a part of a bigger framework for studying digital games as an interdisciplinary form of artistic expression.

The theoretical part various concepts related to personality development of individuals with mental disabilities are explained, also their prosocial education and personality development by art education is mentioned. The practical part focuses on the implementation of a project with an overlap to prosocial education. The project will create a model scheme for working activities with intellectually disabled people.