Monster Hunt – Forms and Functions of the Monstrous in Video Games

Monsters of all kind are an essential part of video game history. From cute ghosts in Pacman to Donkey Kong, who started as an enemy and later became the anti hero, to zombies in long-lasting series such as Resident Evil or Plants vs. Zombies heimsuchen. Video game villains in Disney’s Wreck It Ralph even visit a support group.

What is so fascinating about monsters in video games? Why to we accept their challenges? What functions do they have in game design, particularly in relation to overarching genres such as horror, fantasy and science fiction? What kind of game forms and aesthetic conventions did evolve around them and how do games offer the possibility to alter one’s perspective in comparison to more traditional media?

This workshop explores the historical development of monsters in video games, their sociocultural implications, aesthetic characteristics, and our hidden fears. Are there variations of genre standards or the possibility to subvert archaic norms in a playful way?

This workshop will be in German.

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Location

Raum 2.2 (Ebene 2)

Dates

  • 16.11.2019 10:00-12:00 Uhr

People at Monster Hunt – Forms and Functions of the Monstrous in Video Games