Reply to Jenni, "Just a thought.."

I agree with the point “those who study/write about video games should be able to play the games they analyse”. The reason I agree with it is that videogames are about the experience of playing. When playing a game you are subject to emotions that stem from personal experience, for example you are chain sawing away at a zombie’s faces because you are frightened they are going to eat you (your character), while the observer witnesses gore without the emotional attachment. Being that videogames are about actually playing, you can see how it would seem strange that somebody would write about or analyse an experience without having it. Kinda like a food critic writing about the food he saw on his plate, never actually tasting it.

Sure observing a game allows you to see the aesthetics and hear the sounds, even see the reactions of the person playing. But in my opinion these are all secondary to the personal experience of actually playing it yourself. It would be like Jeremy Clarkson analysing a new Ferrari without ever driving it, just watch it go round and round a track. The very last point I would raise which is possibly irrelevant, why would you forgo the chance to game in an academic setting, surely if given the chance to analyse games for a job you would be soo keen to actually play them! (dream job)

James Brewer