Gaming And The Heroic Life

Video games fuel a fundamental human drive for adventure—like the epic quest to slay zombies, a solo voyage to rescue the princess, or setting off with a clan to defeat the final boss. The desire to be a hero in your journey is something Bobby Angel can relate to. A lifelong gamer, he was the cohost of the God and Gaming series on YouTube and often appears as a guest on Bearded Blevins’s Around the Halo on Twitch. In Gaming and the Heroic Life, Bobby explains that you don’t have to just play the role of hero in a game—you can actually pursue a heroic life by the way you engage the virtual world. Gaming and the Heroic Life is a map to becoming not only a better gamer but also a better person—one who has a purpose and knows where they fit into the world. The book contains three levels: Level One explores why people love games and what games have to do with God. Level Two examines how the Easter eggs of truth, beauty, and goodness in games impact players in much the same way that they impact your relationship with God. Level Three demonstrates how gaming can propel players AFK (away from keyboard) to find purpose and meaning in service to others. Bobby shows where video games intersect with a life of faith in God—how games echo with our call to holiness and how we can respond to that call in both the virtual and real worlds.

"This is a powerful, richly nuanced, evocative work; a stunning and brilliantly innovative pedagogical intervention. It provides ground zero-the starting place for the next generation of theorists who study the self, narrative theory, and the place of games and sport in everyday life. A stunning accomplishment by one of America's major social theorists." Norman K. Denzin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Games of many kinds have been played in all cultures throughout human history. This wide-ranging book explores the social and psychological processes involved in the playing of games. One player (or team) seeks to outwit another by undertaking various physical and communicative moves-not unlike conversations. Games have well-formed "narrative" structures, analogous to myths, that are enacted by each participant to give play to his/her self and its attendant emotions. These plays of the self enable each agent to seek adventures and heroic moments. Going beyond the mythmaking and catharsis that may be achieved by individuals, the author shows how games have been devised and played in particular societies and eras as means of promoting specific ideologies of a society, even social ideals such as utopias.

This book offers a comprehensive and accessible characterisation of the first-person shooter videogame genre. After providing an overview of the history of the first-person shooter videogame genre, Alberto Oya comments on the various defining peculiarities of this genre, namely the first-person perspective, the shooting gaming mechanics, the heroic in-game narrative or background story, and multiplayer gaming. Oya also argues that educators can use first-person shooter videogames to encourage their students to reflect on historical and philosophical issues.

From the award-winning video game writer of such hits as Star Wars Battlefront and BioShock comes an exclusive “compelling look into a world that doesn’t like to spill its secrets to outsiders” (NPR): the video game industry. When his satirical musings in a college newspaper got him discharged from the Air Force, it became clear to Walt Williams that his destiny in life was to be a writer—he just never thought he’d end up writing video games, including some of the biggest franchises today. A veteran video game narrative designer, Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls. As Williams walks you through his unlikely and at times inglorious rise within one of the world’s top gaming companies, he exposes an industry abundant in brain power and out-sized egos, but struggling to stay innovative. Significant Zero also provides clear-eyed criticism of the industry’s addiction to violence and explains how the role of the narrative designer is crucial for expanding the scope of video games into more immersive and emotional experiences. Significant Zero is a rare and illuminating look inside “the video gaming industry in all its lucrative shine and questionable morality…[and] provides a refreshing and realistic portrayal of succeeding at attaining a dream via an unforeseen career trajectory” (Booklist).

"A Modern Hero: Rethinking the Role of Heroism through Films and Video Games" is a thought-provoking book that delves into the concept of heroism in the contemporary media landscape, particularly focusing on the influence of films and video games. This summary highlights the key themes explored in the book and discusses notable examples from popular culture, such as "The Lord of the Rings" film series and the "Metal Gear Solid" video game franchise. In this engaging work, the author challenges traditional notions of heroism and examines how modern media platforms have reshaped our understanding of heroic figures. The book argues that films and video games offer a fertile ground for reimagining heroism, presenting a more nuanced and complex portrayal of hero characters. Drawing upon the epic fantasy world of "The Lord of the Rings" films, the book analyzes the character of Frodo Baggins, who exemplifies a different kind of hero. Rather than relying solely on physical strength and bravery, Frodo embodies moral courage, resilience, and the ability to withstand immense challenges. By exploring Frodo's journey and the conflicts he faces, the author emphasizes the importance of internal struggles, personal growth, and sacrifice as essential components of heroism. Similarly, the book examines the acclaimed video game series "Metal Gear Solid," known for its intricate narratives and multifaceted characters. The protagonist, Solid Snake, represents a departure from traditional hero archetypes. He is burdened with moral ambiguity and confronted with complex choices that blur the line between right and wrong. The book explores how video games, as an interactive medium, allow players to experience the complexities of heroism firsthand, as they navigate moral dilemmas and grapple with the consequences of their actions. Throughout "A Modern Hero," the author challenges readers to reconsider their preconceived notions of heroism and to recognize the evolving nature of the concept in contemporary media. By analyzing films like "The Lord of the Rings" and video games like "Metal Gear Solid," the book demonstrates how these narratives prompt us to explore deeper layers of heroism beyond traditional tropes, inviting us to reflect on the complexities of morality, personal growth, and the power of human resilience. "A Modern Hero: Rethinking the Role of Heroism through Films and Video Games" provides an insightful exploration of how films and video games have redefined our understanding of heroism. By analyzing examples from popular culture, such as "The Lord of the Rings" films and the "Metal Gear Solid" games, the book encourages readers to contemplate the multifaceted nature of hero characters and to embrace a more nuanced and inclusive perspective on heroism in the modern age.

This collection of essays situates the digital gaming phenomenon alongside broader debates in cultural and media studies. Contributors to this volume maintain that computer games are not simply toys, but rather circulate as commodities, new media technologies, and items of visual culture that are embedded in complex social practices. Apart from placing games within longer arcs of cultural history and broader critical debates, the contributors to this volume all adopt a pedagogical and theoretical approach to studying games and gameplay, drawing on the interdisciplinary resources of the humanities and social sciences, particularly new media studies. In eight essays, the authors develop rich and nuanced understandings of the aesthetic appeals and pleasurable engagements of digital gameplay. Topics include the role of “cheats” and “easter eggs” in influencing cheating as an aesthetic phenomenon of gameplay; the relationship between videogames, gambling, and addiction; players’ aesthetic and kinaesthetic interactions with computing technology; and the epistemology and phenomenology of popular strategy-based wargames and their relationship with real-world military applications. Notes and a bibliography accompany each essay, and the work includes several screenshots, images, and photographs.

"This book provides insights to better enhance the understanding of technology's widespread intertwinement with human identity within an advancing technological society"--Provided by publisher.

The Legacy of Heroes is a Fantasy Role Playing Game with a singular focus: imagination. The Legacy of Heroes Player's Guide offers everything you need to bring the myriad characters from movies, literature, mythology and anything else you can imagine to life on the page before you. This book contains 11 races, 11 classes, 40 heroic arcs and all the spells, styles, equipment, magic items and more you need for your own brave heroes to move from character to legend. The Legacy of Heroes exciting Heroic Talent and Heroic Moment systems empower the players to create truly memorable role-playing experiences like never before. This book facilitates that collaboration by giving you, the player, the tools you need for the stories you imagine in an efficient, simple, and familiar system based on the OGL license. The only question is, are you ready for your own legacy? Visit www.thelegacyofheroes.com for support, downloads and more!