CONTEXTUAL
REVIEW
What makes digital entertainment so compelling? Is it the ease and passivity with which it can be consumed? Is it a result of the sheer enormity of entertainment options it provides? Or perhaps is it the result of a simple human desire to escape our physical realm, and engage with the vast possibility held in virtual space? Over the past hundred years our means of digitally entertaining ourselves have multiplied and evolved in unpredictable ways. From Radio and Black and White Film, to an Internet filled with media beyond reckoning. As our technologies have rapidly advanced, so has our obsession with digital entertainment. Among the many different forms of digital entertainment available, one in particular, has grown over the past few decades from a niche activity to a major cultural keystone: video games. The heterogeneous landscape of video games has seen a steep increase in playership and popularity. The once simplistic experiences have become complex, their virtual spaces being realized in ever greater fidelity, and now filled with users by the millions.
Among the unique entertainment aspects of video games is their capacity to act as virtual community spaces. Multiplayer experiences allow users from across the world to interact and socialize in virtual environments by communicating through a complex web of player character movements, text communications, and spoken word. For younger generations, video games spaces have, in some cases, eclipsed traditional social media as the place of social interaction. Users enter these virtual spaces not just to play or compete, but to socialize and build communities. The combined virtual space held in video games has grown many times larger than the physical space of our own world, and it is filled with the avatars of millions of users communicating on the virtual stage. How this relatively new form of interaction has and will continue to affect our real world is only beginning to be uncovered.
Among the unique entertainment aspects of video games is their capacity to act as virtual community spaces. Multiplayer experiences allow users from across the world to interact and socialize in virtual environments by communicating through a complex web of player character movements, text communications, and spoken word. For younger generations, video games spaces have, in some cases, eclipsed traditional social media as the place of social interaction. Users enter these virtual spaces not just to play or compete, but to socialize and build communities. The combined virtual space held in video games has grown many times larger than the physical space of our own world, and it is filled with the avatars of millions of users communicating on the virtual stage. How this relatively new form of interaction has and will continue to affect our real world is only beginning to be uncovered.
How users communicate in the virtual space of video games is a question with many numerous answers. Communication via text-based messages is typically possible as is communication via a form of voice-based chat. These two methods do not differ significantly from existing forms of communication in physical spaces, where they could be compared to communication via writing or speaking respectively. However, unique within the virtual world is nonverbal communication, a mode of expression unto itself that thrives in video games.
Nonverbal communication is an assumed aspect of in-person communications. Every gesture, from facial expressions to body language, acts as a form of nonverbal expression. In video game spaces however, nonverbal communication takes on a life of its own. In the video game space nonverbal communication becomes a unique form of interaction with vast layers of contextual and cultural implications built into each character’s movement. Whether it be controlling a player character to jump up and down, or using tools to emphasize areas of importance, how our characters interact within the game space reflects the thoughts of our physical selves. Understanding nonverbal communication in video game spaces can provide invaluable insights not only into its communities but also into our contemporary culture as a whole.
Nonverbal communication can take numerous forms and can vary greatly from game space to game space. Each video game space comprises its own world, and everything from the user’s characters in that world, to the way the world looks, and even to how the user is able to perceive the world, is a matter of context. Although generalities in game forms exist to a degree, no two game spaces are identical. Thematically the world of Defense of the Ancients 2, and Dark Souls 3 might seem similar, but the two games differ radically in everything from play to visual style. User perspective in particular is a critical part of perceiving any game space, and while user perspectives can vary, some of the
Nonverbal communication is an assumed aspect of in-person communications. Every gesture, from facial expressions to body language, acts as a form of nonverbal expression. In video game spaces however, nonverbal communication takes on a life of its own. In the video game space nonverbal communication becomes a unique form of interaction with vast layers of contextual and cultural implications built into each character’s movement. Whether it be controlling a player character to jump up and down, or using tools to emphasize areas of importance, how our characters interact within the game space reflects the thoughts of our physical selves. Understanding nonverbal communication in video game spaces can provide invaluable insights not only into its communities but also into our contemporary culture as a whole.
Nonverbal communication can take numerous forms and can vary greatly from game space to game space. Each video game space comprises its own world, and everything from the user’s characters in that world, to the way the world looks, and even to how the user is able to perceive the world, is a matter of context. Although generalities in game forms exist to a degree, no two game spaces are identical. Thematically the world of Defense of the Ancients 2, and Dark Souls 3 might seem similar, but the two games differ radically in everything from play to visual style. User perspective in particular is a critical part of perceiving any game space, and while user perspectives can vary, some of the
most common user perspectives are first-person, third-person, and third-person isometric. Each perspective provides a different viewing point relative to the user’s character. From a first-person perspective, the user sees through the eyes of their character; from a third-person perspective, the user sees their character from a removed point behind the character; from third-person isometric perspective, the user looks down on their character from a slanted viewing point above their character. Each perspective informs not just how the user controls their character, but how they view the characters of other players, and by extension how they view nonverbal acts of communication There are numerous examples of similar forms of nonverbal communication crossing the boundaries of varying game perspectives.
Due to the sheer number of video game spaces which allow for person to person interaction, and the vast number of unique nonverbal forms of communication which exist in each, contextual study of nonverbal communication requires the use of a specific lens. For this reason, three video game spaces will be analyzed in this contextual review: Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA2), Fortnite, and Dark Souls 3 (DS3). These three game spaces have been chosen due to a combination of both the universal and specific manners in which they address nonverbal communication in their virtual spaces. Each of these game spaces includes forms of nonverbal communication that can be found in both the other two game spaces. In addition though, each of these game spaces has forms of nonverbal communication specific to their individual game space. Furthermore, the goals and activities performed in each of these three game spaces differ, ranging from the highly competitive team based DOTA2 game space, to the single player focused casual DS3 game space. As a result between these three game spaces a number of nonverbal communications, both similar in form are vastly different, can be witnessed. Each individual form of nonverbal communication on its own serving to express a wide range of intentions in a wide variety of situations.
Defense of the Ancients 2
Defense of the Ancients 2, or DOTA2, is a game space viewed from a third-person isometric viewpoint. DOTA2 is often referred to as a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game: two teams of players are placed opposite each other in an arena each with their own base. Each of these teams’ goal is to eliminate the opponents base, which requires players to perform specialized roles and exercise precise skill both individually and as a team within the shared multiplayer virtual space. Communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is therefore critical in this environment for players who need to work as a team to achieve their competitive goal. Yet communication also forms a part of casual interactions within the game space, both between team members and opponents. Whereas verbal communication in this space can only be shared between team members, nonverbal communication allows for a range of communication between all players within the arena. Utilized for quick coordination or for quirky interaction, nonverbal communication is a critical outlet for expression in the DOTA2 game space.
Nonverbal communication forms in DOTA2 are extensive and include: Attacking, Movement, Spell Usage, Item Usage, Skins, Taunts, Emotes, Tipping, Voice Wheel Lines, Text Wheel Lines, Event Items, Bounties, Feeding, Item Dropping, Pings, Mini-Map, Drawing. These examples include nonverbal communications that are both unique to DOTA2 and shared in many game spaces.
Pings
A Ping points to and highlights a specific area within the game arena. When an area or object (objects include players, items, structures and beyond) within the DOTA2 arena is Pinged, a brightly colored ripple effect is shown directly
around the Pinged location or object. The colored ripple created by the Ping corresponds to the player performing the Ping. In addition, an exclamation point is shown at the Pinged area or object, along with a loud chiming sound which is heard by all players on the Pinging user’s team. The Ping is perhaps the quickest and most effective tool to gain the attention of one’s team and highlight a specific map area or relevant object. The visuals and sound accompanying the Ping are designed to grab the attention of one’s team, and are not shared with the opposing team. A Ping is quick and easy (it is performed by clicking the mouse button while holding down a corresponding key) and can be used to get the attention of one’s team, to coordinate among players, or for self-expression. Pinging is a form of communication unlike any experienced in physical spaces: it allows for coordination and limited conversation about objects and places distant from the user’s character within the game. It provokes attention in an unfamiliar way, and although visually and auditorily simplistic as a method for expression, it can be used to imply complex thoughts and feelings. Spam Pinging, a particular use of the Ping, where users repeatedly Ping the same location or player, can express a desperate need of attention or frustration with a certain user or situation. The Ping is emblematic of the complexity of meaning expressed by the simple use of sound and light. It is a form of communication both unique to game spaces and deep in cultural meaning.
Voice Wheel Lines
Voice Wheel Lines are nonverbal communications unique to DOTA2. The Voice Wheel is a quickly accessible menu that players can enter at any point during a game of DOTA2 to access a number of pre-selected, recorded, Voice Lines which can then be played for all users within the game space to hear. The Voice Lines playable via the Voice Wheel range from animal noises or instrumental sounds to common spoken phrases and recorded speech pulled from events within the DOTA2 community. While Voice Wheel Lines are spoken
communications, all the lines are pre-recorded and entered into the game by its designers and as a result they are not verbalized by the user themselves. The pre-recorded nature of the Voice Lines has forced players to adapt them to fit the context they are used in, thereby generating a multilayered contextual meaning. A “Mooing” sound, for instance, might be used to express both joy or disappointment based on context. Other usable Voice Lines are pulled from the recordings of broadcasters discussing live events in DOTA2’s history, and therefore have a built-in historical context. Voice Lines such as these can be used as complex metaphors combining contexts to create new meaning. The phenomenon is not dissimilar from the iconic usage of metaphor in the popular episode “Darmok'' of the television show “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” In this episode, two individuals are stranded together in a harsh planetary setting and forced to work together to survive. However while one of the individuals speaks English, the others communicates in a language based entirely on metaphor. The various metaphors spoken by this individual are each meant to be utilized in context to express certain thoughts and intentions. Over the course of the episode the English speaking individual learns to interpret the various metaphors as the two fight to survive their situation. Similarly, Voice Wheel Lines in DOTA2 can be viewed as metaphors, which when used in context, can communicate thoughts and intention. In practice, each individual Voice Wheel Line is a combination of its original past meaning and context, plus the meaning which is derived from the current context it is used in. The possible range of expression which can be accessed through use of the Voice Wheel Lines is therefore the result of a complex web of historical and cultural context.
Movement
Movement is a nonverbal means of communication present in a vast number of video game spaces, and while the form and capacity of movements for in-game characters differ, they can all be used as means of nonverbal communication. In DOTA2 movement is controlled by clicking on a location.
Upon doing so one’s character moves to the position via the shortest route possible. Movement is a key function in a majority of video games that take place within a virtual space. Traversing between locations is often critical to completing in-game goals, yet with functional aspects of movements also come nonverbal expressions. Just as traveling from one location to another has implications on thought and intent in physical space, so too does it in video games. Despite designed limitations on movement, there is still much to be expressed using simple character controls. In DOTA2 choosing to follow or distance oneself from both teammates and opponents has implications. Moving in unexpected directions or intentionally performing bizarre movements can communicate meaning, from excitement to dissatisfaction, much as our gesticulations in physical spaces provide insight into our thoughts.
Fortnite
Fortnite is a third-person shooter game where users take control of a character which they use to interact with and combat other user’s characters. The main play mode in Fortnite is what is referred to as a Battle Royale game. In this game mode multiple users, either individually or in teams, are placed in a large virtual space with strict borders. As the game progresses the borders of the virtual realm gradually contract inwards, continuously limiting the available game space. Users in this shrinking game space are tasked with collecting and competing for an array of finite supplies, with the ultimate goal of defeating one another until only a single user or team is left standing. While the core concept of Fortnite is about defeating one’s opponents, the capacity to work cooperatively in teams, or simply converse on an uncompetitive server allows for a vast range of nonverbal communication.
The list of potential means of nonverbal communication in Fortnite includes the following: Skins, Emotes, Pings, Quick Chat, Notes, Markers, Weapon Usage, Movement, Jumping, Building. A number of comparable nonverbal
communications exist between the Fortnite and DOTA2. While the type of nonverbal communication may be similar in mechanics, in its own contextual and cultural game space, nonverbal communication can vary significantly.
Pings
Pings are a form of nonverbal communication that exist in both Fortnite and DOTA2, and while similarities in application exist, the form and function are quite unique. In Fortnite, a variety of Ping forms can be accessed. A user can choose from a number of different Pings to signal to other teammates points of interest in the distance. In comparison to the single Ping form present in DOTA2, in Fortnite each unique Ping is accompanied by its own icon. In Fortnite however, a Ping can be only placed relative to the view of the player character, thus the Ping can be placed within the user’s specific line of sight, but not beyond. The various Pings available can be used to mark useful items, enemies, and coordinate movements between teammates. They can be actively used to enhance cooperation and help facilitate information exchange between teammates. The different types of Pings can be used also to express other thoughts beyond their initial design. Context and culture all inform how a specific Ping might be interpreted and what it may communicate.
Skins
Skins are another fascinating aspect of nonverbal communication in Fortnite. Skins refer to the various options available for visual customization of one’s character. Skins in Fortnite, and numerous similar game spaces, can be applied to base character models to drastically change the character’s in-game appearance. Skins represent perhaps the most basic form of expressive nonverbal communication; they range from a simple change in clothes to turning the character into distinct persons and creatures. The in-game Skin is
akin to our real-world clothing and general appearance. Similar to how our clothes and makeup communicate emotions and feelings in physical spaces, the way a user chooses to Skin their character in virtual space has implications on how other users will see them. Monetization however, plays a large role in how users can express themselves in-game, with most Skins having purchasing costs. Concerns over bullying within the Fortnite game space have been tied to Skin usage, or lack thereof. Expensive and difficult to attain Skins can be seen as a mark of privilege, while wearing a basic Skin can be a cause for ridicule. Though game spaces could in theory be free of the same financial conflicts present in physical spaces, the monetization of Skins and other forms of nonverbal communication, raises concerns about the monetization of personal expression becoming a cultural norm.
Emotes
Another critical method of nonverbal communication in Fortnite comes in the form of Emotes. Emotes can be assigned to a user’s character and allow that character to perform expressive movements at the push of a button. Emotes can range from unique expressive movements to short choreographed dances. Dance-based emotes in particular have garnered a large amount of attention and popularity; the numerous dances a user can make their character perform have allowed for increasing nonverbal expression within the game space. Nevertheless, despite the numerous options afforded to Emotes, criticism has been leveled at many of the Emotes included in Fortnite. Several Emotes replicate existing dances that were choreographed by creatives in physical spaces, creatives who have not been credited for the usage of their dances. And yet despite the monetization of in-game dances, which users must purchase in order to use, these same creatives also see no compensation for their choreography. Appropriation and monetization of Emotes have become a critical source of conflict within Fortnite’s game space. While the Emotes provided to users certainly heighten the capacity for nonverbal expression, their monetization and appropriation raise concerns and shed light on the culture of the game itself.
Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3 is a third-person adventure game in which users take control of a character traveling across dangerous terrain, tasked with defeating adversaries of ever increasing difficulty. The play style DS3 is similar to that of other single-player game experiences, where the computer-controlled enemies must be defeated by the user in the service of an extended narrative structure. However DS3 differs from single-player experiences in that it allows users to enter the game world of others, and have other users join their game world. The game world for each DS3 user is specific to their copy of the game; however, users can utilize in-game items to invade another users’ game world, helping or hindering their progress. Similarly, the same user's individual game world may be invaded by others with goals of their own. The reasons a user might invade, or invite another user into their game world, are numerous. Hostile invasions can allow an invading user to steal unique items from the game world of another user; however, these same invaders can choose to assist other users in defeating computer-controlled enemies or navigating traps. What makes DS3 unique in its take on person-to-person interactions is that the primary objective of the game lies outside the multiplayer realm. A game of DS3 can be fully completed without any person-to-person interaction; however, if sought, person-to-person interactions can be made numerous.
Nonverbal communication in DS3 is made unique by its multiplayer structure. DS3, unlike the other game spaces discussed, provides no options for verbal communication. Nonverbal communication is therefore the only option for expression within DS3, and this has allowed it to develop in peculiar ways. The options for nonverbal communication in DS3 include the following: Character Builds, Gestures, Messages, Item Usage, Attacking, Spell Usage, Movement, Adapted Armour Usage, Weapons, Item Drops, Adapted Item Usage, “Trolling”.
The lack of verbal communication methods in DS3 makes it a game space where all communications have to be expressed via character animations. And in DS3, character animations are primarily controlled by three nonverbal communication forms: Movement, Gestures, and Attacking.
Movement, Gestures, Attacking
Movement in DS3 is controlled by the usage of four directional keys and two modifying keys. The four directional keys determine in which direction the character moves, and the two modifying keys determine whether that character walks, runs, or rolls in any given direction. Gestures are controlled by hitting a single key and selecting the desired Gesture from a menu. Each Gesture makes the character complete a specific gesticulation, and this can vary from the player character completing waving motions, to pointing, sitting and beyond. Gestures within DS3 are limited and consequently each of the thirty-three Gestures is utilized for a variety of expressive means. Finally, Attacking in DS3 is performed by using one of two specific inputs, and can be modified using a number of supporting key inputs. Each of the two main Attack inputs informs which hand the character uses to attack, and the modifier keys inform what kind of Attack will be initiated. Attacks can be made strong or weak, and can include rolls and jumps among other inputs. Further complicating the Attack animations are the weapons available to the player character in DS3. There are a vast number of weapons in DS3, each of which carries its own unique Attack animations depending on the type of Attack inputted. In context, this results in a wide range of possible character animations that can each be completed using a variety of Attack types and weapons.
The reason for discussing the various means of animating a character in DS3 at once is that together they inform the complex choreography of nonverbal communication in DS3. Performing Gestures, followed by Attacks and distinct Movements can be used to illustrate a wide range expression within the DS3 game space. An entire culture of communication, based on adapted character animation, has evolved within this game space. Fueled by a need to communicate in an environment which, by design, makes communication difficult. Coordination when working cooperatively, or aggression when combatting foes, can all be expressed via the usage of these character animations. Users within the DS3 game space have developed a
distinct method of communication despite the various prescriptions on moving forms within game space. The potential to learn from and adapt these nonverbal communicative tools elsewhere has implications for the entirety of gaming culture.
The massive number of methods for nonverbal communication in video game spaces can be overwhelming for both new and veteran users. However, analyzing common and distinct traits between nonverbal communication forms across game spaces provides insight into the culture of these various game spaces. There is a great deal to be learnt about video game culture, and human culture as a whole, from examination of nonverbal communication in various game spaces. Which game spaces are popular, and how those game spaces engage with nonverbal communication, has implications for all of society. For example, numerous accounts indicate that video game spaces are locations where issues concerning sexism and racism are rampant. The Gamergate controversy which began in 2014, and which has to some extent persisted in the greater gaming community since, was defined by vicious verbal attacks and threats against female game developers and female gamers within both game communities and on social media. Although the concerns which brought about the controversy surrounding Gamergate were thoroughly dismissed as fallacious, numerous hostile gamers used the situation as an excuse to vilify attempts to make gaming communities more inclusive, or simply used it as an excuse to expound sexist agendas. Years later, these same conflicts are still relevant in gaming communities and on a national political scale.
Concerns regarding appropriative practices and aggressive monetization have also been discussed. The game designers of Fortnite in particular have, as mentioned, come under scrutiny for appropriating popular dance moves from creatives in the physical world and animating them into Fortnite as Emotes. The Emotes based on these dance moves are then sold to users, which monetarily profits the game designers, but in no way provides attribution or compensation to the original creators of these dances. Numerous lawsuits have been filed
against the creators of Fortnite in an attempt to gain rightful compensation; however, none have resulted in verdicts thus far.
While video game spaces have the potential to allow for user expression in ways not available in physical space, these benefits can be undone by cultures of toxicity and hate. Accounts regarding the use of nonverbal communication for bigoted means have been recorded. In one specific example, a beckoning Gesture within the game Player Unknown Battlegrounds has been exploited for use as a Cat Call, being repeatedly utilized to harass female players within the game space. While nonverbal communication can allow users to interact on a level playing field, it can also portray the same divisions seen in physical spaces.
As video game spaces continue to develop and attract larger audiences of diverse players, investigations into how video game cultures evolve become increasingly critical. Exploring communication modes within the video game space can assist in facilitating a welcoming environment for users of all backgrounds. Nonverbal communication can help further our capacity to interact as individuals regardless of the form or space. The design choices which lead to the creation and shaping of communication in game spaces have impacts throughout society. Experimentation and investigation into how communicative designs affect the game space and its culture may impact all virtual spaces to come. As with all things, how we chose to design our world, virtual or physical, determines our existence within it.