Abstract

MICHAL SZYMANSKI (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan) Commonplaces and imaginary places. Computer games in relation with other media The paper deals with computer games in relation to other artistic media, mainly to paintings and architecture. I want to present computer games as an object of research for an art historian and being exact to show an impact of art field on numerous games. In first part I show games as important visual phenomenon in modern culture and discuss game studies as scientific discipline which examines games. Next, I discuss state of research and which contemporary disciplines explore games. The present state of research brings to a conclusion that a majority of researchers have forgotten about the visual aspects of games, which offer image complexity. I want to prove that the history of art can bring something new to game studies, owing to experience with analysing many visual artifacts. However, in this case the most important thing is to compare two fields, because we can see many references to famous historical monuments as well as historical and modern paintings in games. My purpose is to find citations and allusions to historical objects, paintings and buildings in games. I do not want just to mention these examples, but also examine how these references exist in virtual world of the game and what meaning they generate. As a result, it is really important that games preserve visual stereotypes and create form of „commonplaces”. Indicated notions incorporate this issues to broader context of „visual culture”, where there is no difference between virtual space and reality since everything is a representation. Selected examples come from both historical and fantasy games, which indicates that references to art could be found in many types of games. Firstly, I discuss games in the historical context, in particular Assassin’s Creed series, which is based on famous monuments and characters. I’m going to show quotes from historical architecture and from paintings of great Renaissance masters, as well as interesting allusions to Leonardo da Vinci inventions form his workshop. However, even more fascinating examples can be noticed in games set in fantastic reality, which indeed refer to monuments from many ages. The most important instances in this category are Witcher III and Dark Souls, where we can see medieval architecture, but also citations from other epochs and cultures. As far as Dark Souls is concerned, its quotes have symbolic potential and these meanings co-create the story in the game. At the end, I will discuss category of Indie games (Independent games) being productions created by a small group of people with a low budget but characterize by a distinctive graphic style. These simple and usually two dimensional games are in many cases stylised as paintings or show strong reference to paintings. As an example may serve Tormentum: Dark sorrow, inspired by works of modern painters, and Apotheon, based on black-figured Greek painting.

Authors and Affiliations