All Sources in Curation

All Sources

Source 1

Source 1: Flow and Immersion in Video Games

Citation: Michailidis et al., (2018). Frontiers in Psychology. Link Category: #immersion #psychology

• What it covers: This academic paper scientifically defines “immersion” and distinguishes it from the concept of “flow state.” It reviews decades of psychological research to create a unified model of how players engage with virtual worlds.
• Why it is valuable: It provides the necessary scientific vocabulary for the project. Understanding the cognitive difference between “being in the zone” (flow) and “feeling present” (immersion) is critical for analyzing RPGs.
• Who would benefit: Students writing academic papers on gaming or developers trying to understand the “why” behind player retention.
• Limitations: It is a dense academic text filled with jargon, making it less accessible for casual readers.

Link to original

Source 2

Source 2: Dicey Rules: System Design in Baldur's Gate 3

Citation: Janik, T. (2024). DiGRA Digital Library. Link Category: #systems #mechanics

• What it covers: A recent academic analysis of how Larian Studios translated the complex, math-heavy rules of Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition) into a fluid video game experience. It focuses on the automation of dice rolls.
• Why it is valuable: It bridges tabletop theory and software engineering. For a Computing Applications major, seeing how “pen and paper” logic is refactored into automated code is incredibly relevant.
• Who would benefit: System designers and programmers interested in the adaptation of analog rule sets into digital environments.
• Limitations: It requires some familiarity with D&D rules (like d20 rolls and modifiers) to fully grasp the complexities.

Link to original

Source 3

Source 3: Choice Architecture in Fallout: New Vegas

Citation: Sawyer, J. (2012). GDC Vault. Link Category: #agency #narrative

• What it covers: Josh Sawyer, the game director of Fallout: New Vegas, breaks down the “Choice Architecture” used in the game. He explains the reputation system, faction disguises, and how they structured dialogue trees to ensure players felt genuine agency.
• Why it is valuable: It offers direct insight from a master of the genre. Sawyer explains the logic behind the choices such as how they tracked variables to prevent game-breaking bugs while maintaining narrative freedom.
• Who would benefit: Narrative designers and writers who need concrete examples of how to structure branching storylines.
• Limitations: The talk is highly technical regarding Obsidian’s specific proprietary tools.

Link to original

Source 4

Source 4: The Design in Narrative Design

Citation: Horneman, J. GDC Archive. Link Category: #systems #agency

• What it covers: Horneman argues that narrative design is a system akin to combat or economy design. He details how quest structures, tracking variables, and game logic are just as important to the story as the actual dialogue written by the writers.
• Why it is valuable: This source validates the “Computing Applications” angle of my project. It shifts the focus from “writing good sentences” to “engineering good story systems,” which is the core of my interest.
• Who would benefit: Programmers who want to work in story-heavy games but don’t consider themselves “writers.”
• Limitations: It is abstract and high-level; it doesn’t provide specific code snippets or tutorials.

Link to original

Source 5

Source 5: Power Progression in Games

Citation: Game Developer Magazine Archives. Link Category: #systems #psychology

• What it covers: This article breaks down the psychology of “leveling up” and progression loops. It explains the balance between intrinsic motivation (mastery of skills) and extrinsic motivation (loot, XP, and badges) to keep players hooked.
• Why it is valuable: RPGs live or die by their progression systems. This source explains the mathematical and psychological hooks that make “grinding” feel rewarding rather than tedious.
• Who would benefit: Game designers focusing on economy balance and player retention strategies.
• Limitations: It focuses heavily on the “hook” of engagement, which can veer into “addiction mechanics” rather than pure artistic immersion.

Link to original

Source 6

Source 6: The Secret of Immersive Game HUDs

Citation: Game Maker’s Toolkit. YouTube. Link Category: #ux #immersion

• What it covers: This video essay analyzes “diegetic” interfaces such as UI elements that exist within the game world (like the health bar on the character’s back in Dead Space) versus traditional overlays. It argues for minimizing menus to maintain immersion.
• Why it is valuable: Immersion isn’t just about writing; it’s about what the player sees. This source covers the visual/UI aspect of the project, ensuring the collection isn’t just textheavy theory.
• Who would benefit: UI/UX designers and indie developers looking for creative ways to display information without cluttering the screen.
• Limitations: It focuses strictly on visual presentation and does not cover the coding backend required to implement these systems.

Link to original

Source 7

Source: Disco Elysium and Narrative Superposition

Citation: Post45. (2024). Contemporary Literature Analysis. Link Category: #agency #narrative

• What it covers: An in-depth analysis of how Disco Elysium creates the illusion of infinite player choice (“superposition”) while actually maintaining a rigid deterministic text. It argues that true narrative agency comes from the player’s internal interpretation, not just changing the ending.
• Why it is valuable: It challenges the traditional RPG definition of “Agency.” Instead of “Changing the World,” it defines agency as “Changing the Meaning,” which is a crucial distinction for modern narrative design.
• Who would benefit: Narrative designers and writers struggling to write branching storylines who need a more manageable framework.
• Limitations: It uses complex literary theory terminology which may be dense for those without a humanities background.

Link to original

Source 8

Source: UO's Resource System (The Ecology)

Citation: Koster, R. (2006). Raph Koster’s Website. Link Category: #systems `#mechanics

• What it covers: The lead designer of Ultima Online details the exact code logic used for the ecology such asPRODUCE FUR, EAT GRASS, DESIRE GOLD. He explains the math behind the “resource system” that was meant to drive the economy and why they had to disable it.
• Why it is valuable: It serves as the ultimate case study in “Systemic Fragility.” It demonstrates that when you design a living world, you cannot just code the biology; you must also code for the chaotic human element (the players) who will inevitably break it.
• Who would benefit: Systems designers and AI engineers trying to create self-sustaining virtual worlds.
• Limitations: It is a retrospective on a 1997 game, so the specific code examples are outdated, even if the design philosophy is timeless.

Link to original

Source 9

Source: MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research

Citation: Hunicke, R., LeBlanc, M., & Zubek, R. (2004). Proceedings of the AAAI Workshop on Challenges in Game AI. Link Category: #systems #mechanics

• What it covers: This is a relatively famous paper in game engineering. It breaks games down into three layers: Mechanics (the code/rules), Dynamics (the system in motion), and Aesthetics (the player’s immersion).
• Why it is valuable: It is literally the “Architecture” of your title. It explains how you write code (Mechanics) to create an emotional response (Immersion). It proves that immersion is an output of a system, not just “good graphics.
• Who would benefit: Systems designers who need a framework to explain why a mechanic feels “fun” or “immersive.”
• Limitations: It is a theoretical framework, so it does not provide specific code examples for any particular engine.

Link to original

Source 10

Source: Narrative Legos

Citation: Levine, K. (2014). GDC Vault. Link Category: #agency #systems #narrative

• What it covers: Ken Levine, the creator of BioShock, critiques linear RPGs, arguing that once a scripted story is played, the agency is dead. He proposes “Narrative Legos” which is the concept of breaking characters into systemic variables (Passions, Hatreds, Needs) that the game engine can recombine endlessly to generate new stories.
• Why it is valuable: It treats storytelling as a machine system. Instead of writing a static script, Levine proposes programming a “Narrative Engine.” This fits the project perfectly by framing Agency as an engineering challenge rather than a writing challenge.
• Who would benefit: Narrative designers and AI programmers trying to build replayable RPGs where choices actually matter.
• Limitations: The concept is extremely difficult to implement; Levine himself spent a decade trying to build this system for his next game

Link to original

Source 11

Source 11: Diegesis and Designing for Immersion

Citation: Lucas, F. (2018). Game Developer. Link Category: #immersion #ux

• What it covers: A definitive breakdown of “Diegetic UI” which are interfaces that exist within the game world (like the map in Firewatch or the holographic ammo counter in Dead Space) versus non-diegetic overlays.
• Why it is valuable: This article provides a clear, definitional framework for a concept that is often misunderstood. By categorizing UI into specific types (diegetic, spatial, meta), it gives the collection precise terminology for analyzing interface design beyond vague feelings of immersion.
• Who would benefit: UI artists who want to stop making boring pause menus and start building interfaces that feel “real.”
• Limitations: It acknowledges that diegetic UI can sometimes hurt usability (e.g., reading a tiny map in the dark), forcing a trade-off between realism and function.

Link to original

Source 12

Source 21: Narrative Sorcery: Coherent Storytelling in an Open World

Citation: Ingold, J. (2016). GDC Vault. Link Category: #ux #narrative

• What it covers: Jon Ingold (Inkle Studios) details the “Defensive Logic” used in Sorcery!. He explains how they code fallback options (like “Ready myself”) to ensure that no matter what weird state the player is in, the narrative never breaks or halts.
• Why it is valuable: It reframes narrative logic as a User Experience (UX) challenge. The goal isn’t just to tell a story; it’s to engineer a system that proactively responds to user input without error, ensuring the “flow” of the experience is never interrupted by logic bugs.
• Who would benefit: Technical Narrative Designers and UX leads who need to prevent “dead ends” in branching stories.
• Limitations: It is highly technical regarding the “Ink” scripting language, focusing on the backend logic rather than the visual interface.

Link to original

Source 13

Source 24: The Environmental Horror of Elden Ring

Citation: Hemmann, K. (2023). Unwinnable Magazine. Link Category: #immersion #narrative

• What it covers: An analysis of the Caelid region in Elden Ring, contrasting it with typical green post-apocalyptic settings. It argues that the landscape itself narrates a story of ecological collapse and the failure of stewardship, creating horror through rot and stagnation rather than traditional scares.
• Why it is valuable: This essay is valuable because it bridges the gap between mechanical immersion and narrative theme. It provides a specific case study of how level design functions as a storytelling device, offering a concrete example for the collection rather than just abstract theory.
• Who would benefit: Level designers and narrative writers looking to create horror atmospheres without relying on scripted sequences or jump scares.
• Limitations: It focuses heavily on a specific zone (Caelid) rather than the game’s mechanics as a whole.

Link to original

Source 14

Source 26: The Proteus Effect

Citation: Yee, N., & Bailenson, J. (2007). Human Communication Research. Category: #psychology #immersion

• What it covers: The original study that coined the “Proteus Effect” or the phenomenon where a player’s behavior changes based on the appearance of their avatar. For example, players assigned taller avatars negotiated more aggressively, while those with attractive avatars stood closer to other characters and disclosed more personal information.
• Why it is valuable: This article is valuable because it provides empirical proof that role-playing is not just a conscious acting choice, but a subconscious psychological reaction to visual design. It proves that the visual assets directly manipulate player behavior, meaning designers can code player personality through character design.
• Who would benefit: Character artists and RPG designers who want to subtly influence how players act without using dialogue or rules.
• Limitations: The original study focused on social VR and negotiations, so the direct application to single-player combat is inferential rather than proven.

Link to original