Beyond Fun and Games

This book charts the course of my attempts to bring meaning for myself and for others about our world s energy resources. This theme was playfully explored through the creation and production of the interactive Forum Theatre piece "Spies in the Oilsands" and a serious videogame called "The Pipeline Pinball Energy Thrill Ride Game." The book also looks at the use of theatre as a model for new ways of analyzing videogames and ultimately looks at both theatre and games as ways of rehearsing the reality of our future. Part One is a review of literary influences that relate to the theoretical aims of the interconnected topics of interactive theatre, serious games, and the social issue of world energy resources. Part Two describes the creative process and production details of the case studies, and Part Three features a synergy between theatre and serious games that I have coined Gamaturgy. Gamaturgy, in both the creative and reflexive realms, as I describe them, is derived from theatrical dramaturgy and provides new ideas for creating and critically analyzing videogames.

Autorentext

In no particular order, Lori Shyba has been a videogame designer, theatre and video producer, magazine publisher, advertising art director, TV talent, digital art curator, and cowgirl among other things. She is currently a faculty member in the Professional and Technical Communication Department, Montana Tech of the University of Montana.