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Author: Ross Clare
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 135015721X
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 241
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Book Description
This volume presents an original framework for the study of video games that use visual materials and narrative conventions from ancient Greece and Rome. It focuses on the culturally rich continuum of ancient Greek and Roman games, treating them not just as representations, but as functional interactive products that require the player to interpret, communicate with and alter them. Tracking the movement of such concepts across different media, the study builds an interconnected picture of antiquity in video games within a wider transmedial environment. Ancient Greece and Rome in Videogames presents a wide array of games from several different genres, ranging from the blood-spilling violence of god-killing and gladiatorial combat to meticulous strategizing over virtual Roman Empires and often bizarre adventures in pseudo-ancient places. Readers encounter instances in which players become intimately engaged with the “epic mode” of spectacle in God of War, moments of negotiation with colonised lands in Rome: Total War and Imperium Romanum, and multi-layered narratives rich with ancient traditions in games such as Eleusis and Salammbo. The case study approach draws on close analysis of outstanding examples of the genre to uncover how both representation and gameplay function in such “ancient games”.
Author: Ross Clare
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 135015721X
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 241
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Book Description
This volume presents an original framework for the study of video games that use visual materials and narrative conventions from ancient Greece and Rome. It focuses on the culturally rich continuum of ancient Greek and Roman games, treating them not just as representations, but as functional interactive products that require the player to interpret, communicate with and alter them. Tracking the movement of such concepts across different media, the study builds an interconnected picture of antiquity in video games within a wider transmedial environment. Ancient Greece and Rome in Videogames presents a wide array of games from several different genres, ranging from the blood-spilling violence of god-killing and gladiatorial combat to meticulous strategizing over virtual Roman Empires and often bizarre adventures in pseudo-ancient places. Readers encounter instances in which players become intimately engaged with the “epic mode” of spectacle in God of War, moments of negotiation with colonised lands in Rome: Total War and Imperium Romanum, and multi-layered narratives rich with ancient traditions in games such as Eleusis and Salammbo. The case study approach draws on close analysis of outstanding examples of the genre to uncover how both representation and gameplay function in such “ancient games”.
Author: Kevin Schut
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441240519
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 281
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Book Description
Video games are big business, generating billions of dollars annually. The long-held stereotype of the gamer as a solitary teen hunched in front of his computer screen for hours is inconsistent with the current makeup of a diverse and vibrant gaming community. The rise of this cultural phenomenon raises a host of questions: Are some games too violent? Do they hurt or help our learning? Do they encourage escapism? How do games portray gender? Such questions have generated lots of talk, but missing from much of the discussion has been a Christian perspective. Kevin Schut, a communications expert and an enthusiastic gamer himself, offers a lively, balanced, and informed Christian evaluation of video games and video game culture. He expertly engages a variety of issues, encouraging readers to consider both the perils and the promise of this major cultural phenomenon. The book includes a foreword by Quentin J. Schultze.
Author: Rosie Sedgwick
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Mythology, Greek
Languages : en
Pages : 92
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Book Description
In 1972, engineer Al Alcorn from Atari created Pong, the virtual table-tennis game that became a classic staple of the video gaming world (Kent). The 1960s to the 1980s contain some of the game industry's most prominent landmarks, from the creation of the first interactive video game Spacewar by Steve Russell in 1961 to Nintendo's release of Donkey Kong in 1981 (Kent). Video games sought to go further in technological advancement, from Square Enix's foray into role-playing games (RPGs) with 1988's first Final Fantasy to Nintendo's critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 1998, one of Nintendo's first games with 3D graphics. From there, developers continued to create new stories in this new and constantly improving genre. The first cited video game taking inspiration from Greek mythology comes with the text-based adventure game1 Madness and the Minotaur by Spectral Associates in 1981 ("Madness and the Minotaur"), and the world of applying Greek mythology to video games only blossomed from there, including the Kid Icarus series (Nintendo 1987-2013) and 2008's Rise of the Argonauts (Liquid Entertainment). The four games I chose as my primary sources for this project come from 2015 to 2020 in publication date. I chose more recently published games because new properties are available for new scholarship and research, and I want to explore uncharted territory in the games I picked. In order of earliest to latest publication, the games are Apotheon (Alientrap 2015), Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (AC:O) (Ubisoft 2018), Hades (Supergiant 2020), and Immortals Fenyx Rising (IFR) (Ubisoft 2020). In order to get the best understanding of how mechanics affect the narrative, all four games are different genres--different types of narratives in different types of gameplay. Where Apotheon is a side-scrolling two-dimensional platformer game, Hades is a dungeon-crawler set in an isometric angle (also known as "two-and-a-half-D"), meaning a three-dimensional perspective that reveals more of the surrounding setting than a top-down or two-dimensional game could achieve. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is an RPG, where players choose one of two possible protagonists, while Immortals Fenyx Rising is an adventurous open-world game with one protagonist, where players explore the world as it unfolds to them. These four games all use Greek mythological influences to further their stories in various ways, and my research finds out how and why they differ in gameplay mechanics, storylines, use of mythologies and culture, and narrative design.
Author: Jennifer R. March
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0141020776
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 414
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Book Description
The figures and events of classical myths underpin our culture and the constellations named after them fill the night sky. Whether it�s the raging Minotaur trapped in the Cretan labyrinth or the twelve labours of Hercules, Aphrodite�s birth from the waves or Zeus visiting Danae as a shower of gold, the mythology of Greece and Rome is full of unforgettable stories. All the stories of the Greek tragedies � Oedipus, Medea, Antigone � are there; all the events of the Trojan wars and of Odysseus and Aeneas� epic journeys; the founding of Athens and of Rome� These are the strangest tales of love, war, betrayal and heroism ever told and, while brilliantly retelling them, this book shows how they echo through the works of much later writers from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Camus and Ted Hughes. Full of attractive illustrations and laid out in eighteen clear chapters (the titles include �Dangerous Women� and �Heroes�), Dr Jennifer March has written a fascinating guide to the myths of classical civilization that is as readable as a novel.
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781339649047
Category : Folklore
Languages : en
Pages : 456
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Book Description
This dissertation treats the reception, performance, and mediation of myth in video games. Myths are included in video games as variants in relation to other myth-variants. This study does not focus on contemporary myths per se, but rather modernized forms of myths modified for a contemporary audience of players, users, and consumers who participate in video game culture. Different video games involve and invoke different mythologies. Thus, different theories about myths are drawn on to extrapolate meaningful applications in the world of each video game. Some case studies involve the creative uses of depth psychology, the hero pattern, otherworldly journeys, mythic-epic story structures, and/or explorations in specific mythological themes and motifs. Pluralistic, folkloristic, and close cross-cultural comparison is exercised on a case-by-case basis— pace universal and wide-range comparativism—to effectively account for comparison and context. Case studies include single-player video games involving different sub-genres, online multiplayer video games, and a massively multiplayer online game that includes field work reports and analysis. The descriptive process and meta-theory that I propose stem from the playfulness that myths presented in video games afford: first, interpretatio ludi is the general process of transposing mythological traditions and systems into dynamic and playable models, or the invention anew of mythological systems tailored to a particular video game world and genre. Players virtually participate in myths as voyeurs, voyagers and (sometimes) builders. This raises important questions regarding artificial and emergent mythmaking occurring on the side of either player response, from the developers, or from instances of co-creation between both. I also present the “agonistic theory of myth” to account for the inherent and pervasive tendency of contestation between myth-variants, myths of divine conflict, and theories about myth(s). A critical review of scholarship on myths and games is also included. This dissertation proposes that mythological studies and game studies can pursue significant collaborative research trajectories. The overall aim of this study is to develop a critical media-conscious approach to myths, and a myth-conscious approach to media.
Author: Adrian Bott
Publisher: Mongoose Publishing
ISBN: 9781904577720
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
A new D20 RPG from Mongoose, set in the hugely popular Ancient world .
Author: Doug Radcliffe
Publisher: Sybex
ISBN: 9780782141665
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 276
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Book Description
Obliterate foes with Greek God Zeus's Bolt, turn enemy fortifications into rubble with a flick of Norse God Heimdall's hand, and banish enemies to the far side of the world with Egyptian God Ptah. Age of Mythology introduces fascinating new strategic dimensions to the world's best-selling real-time-strategy game series, and this exclusive guide will help you master the mythological mayhem. Written with the full support of Ensemble Studios and Microsoft, this ultra-detailed guide is packed with the strategies, tactics, and analysis you need to become an expert Age player. Inside you'll find: * Hardcore, advanced multiplayer strategies straight from Ensemble Studios' best players * Thorough analysis of each culture, including military units, Major and Lesser Gods, and their powers * In-depth stats for everything in the game * Step-by-step walkthrough of the incredible campaign * Detailed economic and military strategies so you can build a thriving economy and survive in combat
Author: Robert E. Vardeman
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 0345508688
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
All the majesty and mayhem of Greek mythology springs to life once more in the powerful second novel based on the bestselling and critically acclaimed God of War® franchise. Once the mighty warrior Kratos was a slave to the gods, bound to do their savage bidding. After destroying Ares, the God of War, Kratos was granted his freedom by Zeus—and even given the ousted god’s throne on Olympus. But the other gods of the pantheon didn’t take kindly to Kratos’s ascension and, in turn, conspired against him. Banished, Kratos must ally himself with the despised Titans, ancient enemies of the Olympians, in order to take revenge and silence the nightmares that haunt him. God of War II takes the videogame’s action to electrifying new heights, and adds ever more fascinating layers to the larger-than-life tale of Kratos.
Author: Bernard Evslin
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1497667046
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 101
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Book Description
In his quest for revenge, a Celtic hero must outwit an ice-breathing dragon and an evil, shape-shifting sorceress Yards shorter than his brothers and sisters, Celtic giant Finn McCool is the runt of the litter. Still, he is eager to fight evil and is consumed by the need to avenge his father’s murder. Thwarting his mission is Drabne of Dole, who can change shape at will. Also known as the Fish Hag and the Winter Witch, she fiercely guards her underworld terrain, keeping a watchful eye on the Salmon of Knowledge, lest he try to teach ignorant creatures what they have no right to learn. Now she is scheming to destroy Finn, who has just been given a precious gift by the Thrig of Tone, himself imprisoned in the wicked sorceress’s spell. Finn will need all his courage and cunning to outwit Drabne and lay a trap for Goll McMorna, the war chief who slew his father. On his journey from boyhood to manhood, Finn meets an ancient wizard, an ice-breathing dragon, and a fiend named Vilemurk, among others, in this imaginative retelling of one of Ireland’s most enduring myths.
Author: Richard Buxton
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
ISBN: 0500776407
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 601
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Book Description
A full, authoritative, and wholly engaging account of these endlessly fascinating tales and of the ancient society in which they were created. Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games. This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape. "Contexts, Sources, Meanings" describes the main literary and artistic sources for Greek myths, and their contexts, such as ritual and theater. "Myths of Origin" includes stories about the beginning of the cosmos, the origins of the gods, the first humans, and the founding of communities. "The Olympians: Power, Honor, Sexuality" examines the activities of all the main divinities. "Heroic exploits" concentrates on the adventures of Perseus, Jason, Herakles, and other heroes. "Family sagas" explores the dramas and catastrophes that befall heroes and heroines. "A Landscape of Myths" sets the stories within the context of the mountains, caves, seas, and rivers of Greece, Crete, Troy, and the Underworld. "Greek Myths after the Greeks" describes the rich tradition of retelling, from the Romans, through the Renaissance, to the twenty-first century. Complemented by lavish illustrations, genealogical tables, box features, and specially commissioned drawings, this will be an essential book for anyone interested in these classic tales and in the world of the ancient Greeks.
