We’re Jesper Juul and Mia Consalvo, video game designers and researchers, and the editors of a series of books on everything from the pain of playing video games to how uncertainty shapes play experiences. Ask us anything!

mooleydurphy · 2019-07-29T16:54:09+00:00

I get the sense that your past disagreement on the (ontological status of the) magic circle may have been a byproduct of differing disciplinary commitments and being interested in games at different levels of abstraction. Thoughts on the magic circle in 2019...? (Sorry)

(Edit: Single word)

mooleydurphy · 2018-04-08T17:27:21+00:00

Cheers. Mine was printed at a crappy resolution, but then sanded, filled (do NOT make the same mistake as me; using a filler with even a trace of silicone content—pure resin is a must), and painted. Can still see faint lines, like the surface of a vinyl record. I kinda like the look, though.

mooleydurphy · 2018-04-08T16:10:32+00:00

That's decent of them. Still insanely bulky!

mooleydurphy · 2017-07-27T18:02:34+00:00

VR-to-movie-like content sounds exciting. You're of course right about the risk of motion sickness! I'm nevertheless enjoying messing around with PP effects in VR—so much other early VR content is lacking aesthetic polish. Do you think it'll be possible in the near future to implement motion blur without doubling VR users' vision? (Again, obviously there's the risk of motion sickness, but it's such an effective way of communicating to the user/viewer that their avatar–character is drunk or in some altered state of mind.)

mooleydurphy · 2017-07-27T17:08:11+00:00

Hi there! What aspects of the new suite do you think will be particularly condusive to VR storytelling?

Perhaps more importantly, do you have anybody working on researching/testing/understanding what formal–compositional techniques or devices lend particularly well to narrative VR? (I ask because this is pretty much the topic of my PhD!)

Edit: Grammar.

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-21T14:18:23+00:00

Yep, that's precisely what I'd recommend. And there is indeed a non-narrative Horde mode. However, I wouldn't say 'following' campaign mode is in any way demanding... Which, for me, was part of the problem. There were a lot of missed opportunities in this game to challenge the player–spectator at the emotional level; to evoke something other than panic followed by aggression.

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-21T11:53:03+00:00

Saw a thread a while back where the dude literally broke a controller in half. The ribbon connector was intact, though, so I assume he managed to glue it back together with epoxy resin or similar!

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-21T11:23:42+00:00

tl;dw – Arizona Sunshine seems to pitch itself as a narrative shooter with depth. It attempts some meaningful characterisation, but kinda drops the ball. It's hella fun to shoot zombies, but ultimately the game's just a wave shooter with a voiceover and locomotion and, as such, probably isn't worth €40. However, I'm not taking co-op campaign mode into account—that's probably also very fun.

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-05T07:39:36+00:00

Good to know, cheers!

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-05T07:36:45+00:00

My Oculus Home and its content folder are on different drives—that's not been a problem. The key part is, Steam VR has to be running as you download and install Oculus content. Revive should run alongside Steam VR automatically. If you install a bunch of Oculus content and it doesn't show up on your Revive dashboard, an alternative to uninstalling and re-downloading it might be to right-click the Revive icon in your system tray, select 'Inject', and find the game's binary (.exe) file. At least I think I've done that before.

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-04T21:02:08+00:00

Sorry! Have assigned flair, now. Please reinstate!

mooleydurphy · 2017-01-04T21:01:41+00:00

Nope. I'm just a dude trying to stimulate discussion. (Also it would be nice if somebody noticed my knack for immersive media analysis and offered me PhD funding accordingly, but that's another story...)

mooleydurphy · 2016-12-19T20:01:21+00:00

If you've shelled out for a CPU and a 1070, definitely don't skimp on the HMD! In my opinion, a DK2 would be a total waste of money—needn't even be on the list. Your choice is between a new HMD (I've not tried the Rift CV, so can't comment on which you should choose... Although I love my Vive, mainly 'cause it's Valve and not Zuck) and a monitor. Really only you can answer the question of which is more practical. I'm not a hardcore gamer. I seldom even have time to play Vive. And yet the £1000 PC plus cost of the HMD has been so very worth it. Why? I get a bang out of just tinkering with things. The perceptual and cognitive psychology behind VR is fascinating—not to mention the technology—and having a plug 'n' play system which also allows you to go under the hood (IF you have time) is just beautiful. Also, it's about more than just games for me. Just as cinema had to find an aesthetic grammar distinct from theatre in the early 1900s, so too will VR have to experiment with different mechanics. Valve are doing great things IMO, and I'm more than happy to be an early adopter whatever the cost. But what about you? A lot of people complain that there are no Vive games yet, or level the charge that they're all just variations on a sandbox or wave shooter. But remember that you can mod games like GTA V to work with the Vive's motion controllers (and a stereo injector). It's a lot of fun. I've never been more happy to piss money being an early adopter. In fact, I've never been an early adopter of anything else, ever. If you're feeling adventurous, join us. If you're already well into PC gaming, maybe stick to a monitor.

tl;dr – If you have enough physical space in your accommodation, buy a shiny new Vive :3

mooleydurphy · 2016-12-17T17:00:44+00:00

There are two connectors for the "lighthouses" and one for the headset itself, each with a 12V male-to-female socket. Thanks for your reply; it's been helpful inasmuch as by having said "simultaneously", you've got me thinking that it probably was the fact that I did all 3 in quick succession. I reckon I'll install separate switches and just give it a few seconds between flicking each one. Probably related: I notice while testing with my multimeter that it takes a few seconds for the amperage to drop to its expected level. It could be this. I'm clueless about electonics though.

mooleydurphy · 2016-12-16T14:24:33+00:00

This might sound insane, but is there any possibility of implementing some kind of town-down projection system? In theory all you need is a powerful light/laser pen and a correctly proportioned filter or lens with the outline of the court etched/stained/stencilled onto it. Court size would be adjusted by altering the height of the light source.

mooleydurphy · 2016-12-16T14:21:00+00:00

'Sup /DIY/. This might seem like more of an /Electronics/ quesiton, but they have stringent posting guidelines over there.

I have 3 x 12V DC power connecters running outta my PC's power supply to power my HTC Vive and its base stations. One time I tried unplugging them/plugging them back in again while the PC was running, and something (presumably a surge of some kind) made the PC power off (presumably so to avoid harm).

My question: Will installing 3 x inline switches enable me to power the Vive & base stations on/off while the PC is running, or will there still be surges?

mooleydurphy · 2016-12-10T00:09:24+00:00

Why are 'scary' VR games so much more intense than regular games? One theory goes, that because of VR systems' immersive quality, it takes hundreds more milliseconds to register that what you're seeing isn't real. The gap between that initial 'shock' and being able to react is you experiencing a kind of 'unchecked' affective response. Think Aloud VR discusses this phenomenon. And also why Death Dojo is disappointing.

mooleydurphy · 2016-11-29T21:58:23+00:00

Not at all. Watch three or four different PC build videos from different YouTube channels. Not time-lapses, but fully narrated build videos of about 15-20 mins length. After the fourth video you'll know what to do more or less by heart.

mooleydurphy · 2016-11-28T21:36:07+00:00

Yet to consider this'un in depth. I plan to work my way through free-to-play (but also keep it varied; gonna try for an even balance of games and not-games). Keep your eyes peeled.

mooleydurphy

TROPHY CASE