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Civilization Beyond Earth: On Speculative Colonization

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2019

Abstract

The following essay confounds the distinction between the 'real' and gamic worlds in order to tease out the overlaps between cultural analysis and critical gaming. Part 1 departs from a Heideggerian analysis of 'world,' and pro￾ceeds to approach the gamic civilisation which is grounded therein.

The fundamental tendency of the ludonarrative is shown to be making the world-in-itself into the world-for-us. Part 2 of￾fers a processual analysis of the power relations which underpin the civilization's progress - the gamic experience follows three stages: from the topical, through the topographical, towards the topological.

This progression shows the player as being ever more integrated within the circuit of man/machine interaction. This gamic econo￾my progresses irregularly towards the moment of the virtual world's topological saturation.

It is at this point that the player becomes inscribed herself as standing-reserve.