All click and no play? Game comics, comic games, and user agency

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Purely formal definitions of comics risk being too restrictive or generic, hypostatising medial affordances and building an implied canon that treats historically and culturally situated developments as absolute features of the medium.

“Nonetheless, purely formal definitions risk being too restrictive or generic, hypostatising medial affordances and building an implied canon that reads historically and culturally situated developments as absolute features of the medium”

• cites Wilde, 2015 sourceSupported
• cites Busi Rizzi, 2023Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Goodbrey's understanding of game comics is restrictive.

“Goodbrey's understanding of game comics is rather restrictive (the difficulty of such an endeavour has already been discussed by Backe, 2020)”

• cites Goodbrey, 2017Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Goodbrey, 2020 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Backe, 2020 sourceSupported

May combine two claims.

Comics rarely use POV shots, and visual closeness to characters entails aligning with their focalisation and ocularisation, which implies making choices on their behalf and internal interactivity despite no strict avatar.

“Comics, in particular, rarely adopt POV shots; this suggests that the simple visual closeness to characters throughout the story entails aligning to their focalisation and ocularisation”

• Also stated in: § Reframing interactivity: from interaction to user agency · hedged

  “This would imply making choices on their behalf, and internal interactivity despite the lack of an avatar strictu sensu.”

• cites Mikkonen 2017 sourcePartly supported

  In “Spatial Attachment and the Process of Following” (page not supplied), Mikkonen says that continuously showing a character can create spatial attachment and that alignment can involve access to the character’s perspective. The cited passages do not establish that comics rarely use POV shots or that visual closeness by itself entails sharing a character’s focalisation and ocularisation. They also do not support the added claim about making choices on a character’s behalf or internal interactivity without an avatar. (LLM, conf=0.82)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
• cites Eder 2010 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Comics always invite a reading that is not only linear and sequential because of tabularity and braiding.

“comics always invite a reading that is not just linear and sequential.This is due to their tabularity -the holistic effect provided by page layout (Fresnault-Deruelle, 1976foot_4 )and to what Groensteen calls 'braiding ' (1999, p. 171-186)”

• cites Fresnault-Deruelle, 1976 sourcePartly supported

  On p. 7, Fresnault-Deruelle distinguishes the strip as temporal and linear from the page as spatial and tabular, supporting the point that page layout offers more than sequential reading. But the distinction does not support the claim that comics always invite tabular reading: the paper specifically characterizes strips as linear. The citing sentence attributes braiding to Groensteen, not to this source. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
• cites Groensteen, 1999Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Digital comics can include sounds and animations, a property the paper calls multimediality.

“digital comics may include sounds and animations (multimediality)”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Digital comics can control reading pace, producing a sometimes partially homochronous mode and a potentially twofold temporality.

“they may dictate their reading pace, resulting in a (sometimes partially) homochronous mode and opening to a potentially twofold temporality (spatial and/or chronological)”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Digital comics can present one panel at a time on screen and link it to other panels through hyperlinks or protocols from cinema and video games.

“the screen(s) may isolate one panel at a time, connecting it to other panels through protocols coming from the digital environment at large (e.g., hyperlinks), or from cinema, video games, etc.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Homestuck is an extensive serial webcomic hosted on a dedicated website, published over seven years, over 8000 pages, weaving GIFs, Flash animations, a musical soundtrack, and games.

“Homestuck by Andrew Hussie is an extensive serial webcomic, hosted on a dedicated websitefoot_6 , published over seven years; the webcomic comes in at over 8000 pages, weaving together a multimedia tapestry of GIFs, Flash animations, a musical soundtrack (mostly 8-bit songs) and games.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Linked digital comics are defined by inter-panel succession through scrolling or panel delivery.

“The second category, linked digital comics, encompasses those characterised by an inter-panel succession based on the scrolling mechanism and those based on panel delivery.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Homestuck's reading progression may start from any page if one has the link.

“The reading progression, provided that one has the link, may start from any pagewhich is not the case for most objects examined here.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Homothetic digital comics are static and keep the panel, strip, and page structure of print comics, either maintaining or emulating traditional format.

“These comics are static and preserve the panel/strip/page structure characteristic of print ones, either maintaining or emulating the format of traditional comics.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Homestuck relies on panel-to-panel progression by clicking hyperlinks, with branching paths that eventually allow only one way through, making it a hybrid between the second and third categories of digital comics.

“Since it also relies on a panel-to-panel progression that unfolds by clicking on hyperlinks (the plot progression occasionally features some branching paths, but they eventually only allow one way through), it is a hybrid between my second and third categories of digital comics.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Hypercomics with branched narratives belong to linked digital comics, use both progression mechanisms, and make advancement from one panel to another depend on user choices.

“Within this category and relying on both progression mechanisms -we find hypercomics with branched narratives, where advancement from one panel to another is contingent on users' choices.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Expanded digital comics incorporate intra-panel expansions, enabling a different perceptual and navigational experience of the storyworld than traditional comics.

“The third category, which I propose to call expanded digital comics, consists of comics that incorporate intra-panel expansions, thus allowing for a different experience (in terms of perception and navigation) of the storyworld compared to traditional comics.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Expanded digital comics divide into comics with enhanced panels (motion, AR, multimedia) and comics with explorable panels (playable, VR).

“This can be further divided into two groups: comics featuring enhanced panels, such as motion comics, augmented reality (AR) comics, and those that add multimedia elements to the static presentation of the narrative; and those featuring explorable panels, such as playable comics and virtual reality (VR) comics, which allow users to navigate and interact with their storyworlds.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Digital comics can permit interactivity and explorability, in contrast to paper comics' browsability.

“finally, they may allow for a certain degree of interactivity and what I propose to call 'explorability', in contrast with paper comics' 'browsability'.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Homestuck has practically no speech or thought balloons and frames its metareferential narrative through remediation of a chatlog and a retro text-based adventure game with an inventory system and minigames, allowing only a limited range of actions.

“Homestuck has practically no speech or thought balloons: a chatlog and a retro text-based adventure game, equipped with an extremely convoluted inventory system called Sylladex and with embedded minigames, only allowing for a limited range of (very odd) actions”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Digital comics are non-prototypical comics whose digital materiality brings hybridisation, remediation, and convergence with other media such as animation, hypertext, and video games.

“In light of this, digital comics are then non-prototypical comics, resting on a different materiality (the digital support), which entails crucial processes of hybridisation, remediation and convergence with other medial objects (animations, hypertexts, and indeed video games).”

May combine two claims.

Participatory practices existed in comics culture before the digital turn, and the digital turn accelerated, geographically expanded, and disintermediated most of them.

“Similarly, several participatory practices existed in comics culture way before the digital turn, although the latter has accelerated, expanded geographically, and disintermediated most of them”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Hoverboard's design imparts a form of internal/ontological interactivity that at first glance seems to clearly prioritise video game mechanics over the traditional interpretive agency of comics.

“The design imparts a form of internal/ontological interactivity that, at first glance, seems to clearly prioritise video game mechanics over the traditional interpretive agency of comics.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Homestuck's in-jokes are closely tied to its socially participated creation process, initially because Hussie developed the story in direct response to forum suggestions.

“These in-jokes, in turn, are deeply enmeshed with Homestuck's socially participated creation process: initially, Hussie developed the story in direct response to suggestions from the comic's forum.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Digital comics remain comics when they are identified as such and their overall balance stays close enough to the conceptual centre of comicsness.

“what keeps digital comics together with comics is the combination of being identified as such, and the fact that the overall balance remains close enough to the conceptual centre of comicsness.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In Icarus Needs, interaction is less about moving the character and more about traversing separate lexia of the storyworld; users' input reveals a limited subset of panels at a time (a grid of no more than 3x3 panels) around the protagonist's position.

“Coherently with the functioning of hypermedia, the interaction is less about properly moving the character and more about traversing separate lexia of the comic's storyworld: the users' input reveals a limited subset of panels at a time (forming a grid of no more than 3x3 panels), surrounding the protagonist's position.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In Meanwhile, interactivity is rather internal than external, and while it can be placed in a hybrid position between Ryan's internal/exploratory and internal/ontological categories, the latter is clearly predominant.

“Following what I said about comics and focalisation, interactivity can be considered rather internal than externalalso because the CYOA functioning clearly takes over the hypermedial structuring, which means that, while Meanwhile can be placed in a somewhat hybrid position between Ryan's internal/exploratory and internal/ontological categories, the latter is clearly predominant.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

The author proposes reframing interactivity as part of a broader set of interactions with texts, implying four types of user agency: narrative, material, interpretive, and social.

“I propose reframing interactivity to become part of a broader set of interactions with texts, which implies four types of user agency: narrative, material, interpretive, and social.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

Meanwhile largely adopts the language of comics (static, hand-drawn panels in a sequence, expressing temporality through spatiality) while intensely dialoguing with hypermedia, advancing from one panel to the next through user clicks, which assigns it to the category of linked digital comics.

“On the other, it intensely dialogues with the idea of hypermedia (see Lombard-Cook, 2015), advancing from one panel to the next through user clicks (this assigns Meanwhile to my second category, that of linked digital comics).”

• cites Lombard-Cook, 2015 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Meanwhile's mechanism guides the reader's navigation, frequently but not invariably offering multiple pathways.

“This mechanism guides the reader's navigation, frequently (but not invariably) offering multiple pathways.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

These dimensions of interactivity are foundational to comics, though they may be obscured when interactivity is considered only in its limited sense.

“These dimensions of interactivity are foundational to the medium, though they may be obscured when only considering interactivity in its limited sense.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Digital comics that display most non-prototypical affordances while also being wordless or abstract are fuzzier objects.

“digital comics displaying most of these non-prototypical affordances and being at the same time, for example, wordless or abstract, would be fuzzier objects.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The structure of Icarus Needs aims to preserve the user's interpretive agency and freedom in reading directions, as confirmed by the possibility of retracing one's steps.

“This structure aims to preserve the user's interpretive agency and freedom in terms of reading directions (which is confirmed by the possibility of retracing one's steps);”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Meanwhile offers multicursal paths ostensibly offering 3,856 possible narrative permutations.

“offering multicursal paths ostensibly offering 3,856 possible narrative permutations.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Interpretive processes are twofold: users fill various textual lacunae and weave connections between different elements in the text.

“these processes are twofold: on the one hand, users fill various types of textual lacunae; on the other, they weave connections between different elements in the text.”

May combine two claims.

Homestuck is notable for the extent of its transmedia expansion and fantext, both of which are due to the fundamental role of fans.

“Furthermore, Homestuck stands out for the extent of its transmedia expansion and fantext, both of which owe to the fundamental role of fans.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Meanwhile keeps inactive panels visible but desaturated, offering a holistic view of the story path that can be virtually navigated before being activated, and allows zooming in and out.

“It keeps inactive panels visible but desaturated, offering a holistic view of the story path (that can thus be virtually navigated before being activated) and allowing for zooming in and out.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The web of material, interpretive, and social agency in Homestuck integrates its relatively low narrative agency.

“This intricate web of material, interpretive and social agency thus integrates the relatively low narrative agency elicited by Homestuck.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Meanwhile became known in its enhanced version in print form (2010), which is peculiar, since as a book it is quite a complicated read.

“It then became known in its enhanced version in print form (2010), which is peculiar, since, while inventive, as a book it is quite a complicated read.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

This turns Hoverboard into a quest centred on interpretive agency, and its narrative agency into an internal/exploratory endeavour, reminiscent of walking simulators.

“This turns the comic into a quest centred on interpretive agency, and its narrative agency into an internal/exploratory endeavour, reminiscent of walking simulators.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

XKCD is accompanied by a Wiki curated by its users, contextualising its many intertextual references, expanding on the scientific themes that often appear in its episodes, and explaining their mechanics in the case of special episodes.

“Xkcd is accompanied by a Wiki curated by its users, contextualising its many intertextual references, expanding on the scientific themes that often appear in its episodes, and explaining their mechanics in the case of special episodes.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Comic games have a quite salient narrative component, although they may occupy various positions between Ryan's narrative games and playable stories.

“Their narrative component would be quite salientalthough they may occupy various positions between Ryan's narrative games and playable stories”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Meanwhile presents considerable challenges in navigability due to the overabundance of non-related panels jumbled in the small space of a page, hindering material agency and complicating interpretive agency-notably users' ability to parse the narrative flow and follow its unfolding.

“Indeed, it presents considerable challenges in navigability due to the overabundance of non-related panels jumbled in the small space of a page, hindering material agency, and complicating interpretive agencynotably, the users' ability to parse the narrative flow and follow its unfolding.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The interpretive processes have both hermeneutic and ludic components and impose a considerable toll on interaction even without material change of state.

“This series of processes has both a hermeneutic and a ludic component, which bears a considerable toll on the interaction with a text despite not resulting in a material change of state of the latter.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Icarus Needs is a standalone experimental object; although Goodbrey's website offers a forum and chat for engagement, accessing these features is not immediate, hindering social agency, and interactions are quite scarce.

“The comic is a standalone experimental object (along with several other fascinating experiments by the same author), and although the interface offered by Goodbrey's website does propose a forum and chat for engagement, accessing these features is not immediate, hindering social agency (interactions are indeed quite scarce).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Comic games can be considered video games because a community of users and creators consensually recognises them as such.

“they can be considered video games since a community of users and creators consensually recognises them as such.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Comic games are playable, rule-based, goal-oriented multimedial digital objects that require meaningful, non-trivial user interaction to advance their story.

“On a formal level, they are playable, rule-based, goal-oriented multimedial digital objects, that rely on (meaningful, non-trivial) user interaction to progress their storyfoot_3 .”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Interpretive agency involves cognitive and hermeneutic processes concerning the textual and visual levels of comics and comics-like artefacts.

“Interpretive agency involves the cognitive and hermeneutic processes, in this case concerning the textual and visual levels of comics and comics-like artefacts.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Material agency relates to physical actions and gestures users choose or are allowed to undertake, emerging from materiality and design of supports, platforms, and interfaces and the affordances they configure.

“Material agency, close to Ryan's idea of peripheral interactivity, relates to the physical actions and gestures users choose (and are allowed) to undertake, emerging from the materiality and design of the supports, platforms and interfaces that host and mediate users' interaction, and the affordances they configure.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In Icarus Needs, pressing direction arrows reconfigures the whole set of visible panels and activates a different central panel where the protagonist stands, preserving the staticity of paper comics while allowing navigation of the storyworld.

“Technically, then, rather than having Icarus walk through the panels, each time users press the direction arrows they reconfigure the whole set of visible panels, activating a different central panel where the protagonist stand, which keeps the staticity of paper comics intact while allowing for a navigation of the storyworld.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

If users keep venturing beyond the playground and defying explicit rules in Hoverboard, they are ushered into a much broader space.

“However, if users keep venturing beyond, moving away from the playground and defying what seem to be explicit rules, they are ushered into a much broader space.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Interactivity results primarily from the qualities of the system and the processes it allows, although those processes depend on medium affordances and require active user participation.

“Here, I will argue that interactivity results firstly from the qualities of the system (the specific medial object) and the processes it allows for, although the latter depend in turn on the affordances of the medium and eventually need users to play a crucial, active role in exchanging information with the system itself.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Meanwhile leverages a delicate balance between interpretive and material agency.

“In addition to this, the app leverages a delicate balance between interpretive and material agency.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Reading protocols are the crucial constitutive element in the meaning-making of digital comics.

“I propose distinguishing three fundamental categories of digital comics based on their reading protocols, which I see as the crucial constitutive element in their meaningmaking.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Meanwhile was born as a semi-independent book with a parallel life as a Javascript-based webcomic in 2005 (the webpage is no longer retrievable), realised by Jason Shiga alone.

“Meanwhile was born as a semi-independent book with a parallel life as a Javascript-based webcomic in 2005 (the webpage is no longer retrievable), realised by Jason Shiga alone.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

This vast navigable storyworld in Hoverboard is static, punctuated with textual dialogues, and noninteractive, displaying numerous references to pop culture and nerd subculture; it can be considered an expanded digital comic featuring a single enhanced panel.

“This vast, navigable storyworld is static, punctuated with textual dialogues, and noninteractive, displaying numerous references to pop culture and nerd subculture, as in XKCD's trademark; referring to my taxonomy, it can be considered an expanded digital comic featuring a single enhanced panel.”

May combine two claims.

Hussie recognized and adopted fan contributions, weaving them into the comic's creation and later into the design of the video games based on it.

“Hussie acknowledged and embraced fan contributions, incorporating them into the comic's creative process and later in the conceptualisation of the video games derived from the comic (see Busi Rizzi, 2020).”

• cites Busi Rizzi, 2020Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Users must activate the repertoire of semiotic, intertextual, and real-life references to process narrative, sequential, and visual gaps.

“users are required to activate the network of semiotic, intertextual, and real-life references that Iser called 'repertoire' to process three types of gaps”

• cites Iser, 1978Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites McCloud, 1993Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

The concept of interactivity is central to Goodbrey's idea of game comics, and this centrality produces shortcomings.

“The concept of interactivity is central in Goodbrey's idea of 'game comics'; I argue, however, that this engenders some shortcomings.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The degree of interactivity and ergodicity of hypercomics is contentious.

“While the degree of interactivity and ergodicity of hypercomics is contentious”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Hoverboard reveals itself not as a retro game in comic form; its initial attire is only a disguise, embedded into an extremely broader comic storyworld, to be explored following the stick figure avatar, the only dynamic element in a universe of still figures.

“Hence, Hoverboard reveals itself not as a retro game in comic form; its initial attire is only a disguise, embedded into an extremely broader comic storyworld, to be explored following the stick figure avatar, the only dynamic element in a universe of still figures.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

XKCD special episodes often experiment with the affordances of the digital, as in Right Click, Throw Calculator, and especially Click and Drag, an explorable panel consisting of 2592 sections of 2048x2048 pixels.

“Indeed, special XKCD episodes often experiment with the affordances of the digital (see the episodes Right Click, Throw Calculator, and especially the very famous Click and Drag, an explorable panel consisting of 2592 sections of 2048x2048 pixels).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Hoverboard begins with what looks like a single-panel space, seemingly plunging users into a retro video game playground, rendered in XKCD's signature minimalist, cartoonish style.

“The episode begins with what looks like a single-panel space, seemingly plunging users into a retro video game playground, rendered in XKCD's signature minimalist, cartoonish style.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

To fully realize its purpose of preserving interpretive agency, Icarus Needs should have allowed users to freely navigate and have an overview of its entire body, thus activating the cognitive network connecting distant panels.

“nonetheless, to fully realize this purpose, the comic should have provided its users with the possibility of freely navigating and having an overview of its entire body (thus activating the entire cognitive network connecting distant panels).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Objects that can be considered game comics come from branched comics and playable comics, two subcategories in the author's taxonomy.

“I believe that objects that can be considered 'game comics' stem from both what I called branched and playable comicstwo different subcategories in my taxonomy.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Material interaction variables entail different cognitive demands, affecting absorption, embodiment, and agency.

“these variables entail different cognitive demands, affecting absorption, embodiment, and agency.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Munroe consistently engages with recurring motifs that spark ongoing community dialogue, despite being relatively elusive, which leaves the precise influence on his work of its fanbase (the effect of their social agency) somewhat enigmatic.

“Munroe consistently engages with recurring motifs that spark ongoing community dialogue, despite being relatively elusive, which leaves the precise influence on his work of its fanbase (the effect of their social agency) somewhat enigmatic.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

A narrow concept of interactivity does not cover all types of ludic interaction users may have with a medial artefact.

“I also believe that the concept of interactivity in its narrow sense does not cover all types of (ludic) interactions users may have with a medial artefact.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

This mechanic means that the character's movement in Icarus Needs is not autonomous but guided by the webcomic's design, which continually reiterates the comics' grid-like configuration.

“Nonetheless, this mechanic entails that the character's movement is not autonomous, but guided by the webcomic's design that continuously, phantasmally reiterates the comics' grid-like configuration.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Ryan's two classifications of interactivity partially conflate rather than complement each other.

“However, rather than complementing each other, the two classifications partially conflate.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Social agency concerns all social behaviours and practices enacted by users.

“Finally, social agency concerns all social behaviours and practices enacted by users.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The experience of Homestuck depends on users' capacity to decode its complex discourse, which requires moving back and forth in the webcomic to retrieve references (Postema's weaving).

“Indeed, the whole experience of the comic is contingent upon the users' ability to decode its intricate discourse, which implies going back and forth in the webcomic to retrieve references (Postema's weaving, combining material and interpretive agency).”

• cites Postema's weavingNot matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Comic games are video games that remediate the visual and semantic characteristics of comics and have a salient relation to digital comics because of shared digital mediation.

“Comic games would be those that remediate (Bolter and Grusin, 1999) the visual and semantic characteristics of comics (the parameters that I discussed in the previous section), standing in a more salient relation with digital comics in reason of the common digital mediation.”

• cites Bolter and Grusin, 1999Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Backe, 2020 sourceNot checked yet

  Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

If users try to exit the play area in Hoverboard, a message appears inviting them, rather forcefully, to return to it.

“If users try to exit the play area, a message appears inviting them, rather forcefully, to return to it.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Hypermedia and hypertexts require some interaction to be traversed, but the types and degrees of interaction they enliven are still debated.

“While hypermedia and hypertexts certainly require some kind of interaction to be traversed, the types and degrees of interaction they enliven are still a matter of debate.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Material agency, which seemed limited by Hoverboard's deceptively simple mechanics, becomes the catalyst for subverting the interaction with and perception of the very nature of Hoverboard.

“Material agency, which seemed limited by the game's deceptively simple mechanics, becomes thus the catalyst for subverting the interaction with and perception of the very nature of Hoverboard.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Digital comics can be divided into three fundamental categories based on reading protocols: homothetic, linked, and expanded digital comics.

“I propose distinguishing three fundamental categories of digital comics based on their reading protocols, which I see as the crucial constitutive element in their meaningmaking.”

• Also stated in: § Multimedial, hypermedial, interactive: digital comics and game comics · plain

  “The second category, linked digital comics, encompasses those characterised by an inter-panel succession based on the scrolling mechanism and those based on panel delivery.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Liberated is the only object discussed that does not identify as a digital comic; it is an action-adventure game narrating a dark, cyberpunk tale of a society on the brink of authoritarianism.

“Liberated is the only object discussed here that does not identify as a digital comic.Instead, it is an action-adventure game narrating a dark, cyberpunk tale of a society on the brink of authoritarianism.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

This opens a sort of safe mode juxtaposed to the primary progression, phantasmally recreating a grid-like path and letting users foresee and retrace their steps (although the app does not allow backwards steps), both strategies stressing interpretive agency.

“This opens to a sort of safe mode juxtaposed to the primary progression, phantasmally recreating a grid-like path and letting users foresee and retrace their steps (although the app does not allow for backwards steps)both strategies stressing their interpretive agency.”

May combine two claims.

In Homestuck, the interactivity that is staged and foregrounded is largely illusory and limited to minor, self-contained parts of the narrative; it first appears to offer internal/ontological interactivity but in fact permits only external/exploratory interactivity.

“However, the interactivity that Homestuck stages and foregrounds is mostly apparent, eventually being confined to trivial, contained sites of the story: the comic starts by mimicking an internal/ontological interactivity, yet quickly reveals as only allowing an external/exploratory one.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The passage from game comics to comic-like games is first signalled by a turn in authorship, pointing to studios rather than single artists: Liberated is credited to Atomic Wolf (developer) and Walkabout Games (publisher).

“More than by the fact that the game is sold on the Steam platform, the passage from game comics to comic-like games is first signalled by a turn in authorship, pointing to studios rather than single artists: the work is credited to Atomic Wolf (developer) and Walkabout Games (publisher).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Liberated's gameplay mainly involves action and puzzle-solving.

“The gameplay mainly involves action and puzzle-solving.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In Liberated, captions are resignified as loci for explanations and suggestions to users, balloons and onomatopoeia appear and disappear and are doubled by voiceovers, and animations and sounds are featured.

“Nonetheless, captions are resignified as the loci for explanations and suggestions to the users, balloons and onomatopoeia appear and disappear and are doubled by voiceovers, and animations and sounds are featured.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In Liberated, the plot progresses both between panels (especially in scene changes) and within panels, but most of the gameplay happens within single panels, which become screens to an explorable diegetic space.

“The plot progresses both between panels (especially in scene changes) and within panels, but most of the gameplay happens within single panels, which become screens to an explorable diegetic space.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Ryan's 2011 classification divides interactivity into four levels: peripheral interactivity (simple gestures like clicking hyperlinks), hypertexts and branching narratives (affecting narrative discourse and story presentation), variations in a partially predefined story (in most video games), and real-time story generation (still hypothetical, as in the Holodeck); Ryan also adds 'meta-intera

“Some years later (2011), Ryan proposed a different classification, dividing interactivity into four levels: the first ('peripheral interactivity') concerns simple gestures, such as clicking on hyperlinks to progress through the story; the second, affecting narrative discourse and story presentation, is that of hypertexts and branching narratives; the third, engendering variations in a partially”

• cites Ryan, 2011Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Murray, 2016Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Liberated's visual interface remediates a black-and-white noir comic style, featuring the division into panels and the coexistence of images and written text that characterises comics.

“Liberated's visual interface remediates a black-and-white noir comic style, featuring the division into panels and the coexistence of images and written text that characterises the latter.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Liberated begins with a menu asking whether users want to engage as players (stressing challenges and task completion, that is, narrative agency) or readers (foregrounding the advancing of the story, hence, interpretive agency).

“The game begins with a menu asking whether users want to engage as players (stressing challenges and task completion, that is, narrative agency) or readers (foregrounding the advancing of the story, hence, interpretive agency).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Technical issues and the use of time-sensitive playable sequences, frequently brought up in user comments, have affected Liberated's gameplay experience, leading to a limited, dissatisfactory material agency.

“Additionally, technical issues and the use of time-sensitive playable sequences, frequently brought up in user comments, have affected the gameplay experience, leading to a limited, dissatisfactory material agency.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Part of the reason Liberated lacks convincing comicsness may be that it is only available for the Windows environment, which strays away from the prototypical reading practices of comics, even digital ones (which typically take place on a tablet or smartphone).

“Part of it may be because it is only available for the Windows environment, which strays away from the prototypical reading practices of comics, even digital ones (which typically take place on a tablet or smartphone).”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Digital comics are typically read on tablets or smartphones, so a Windows-only game strays from prototypical reading practices.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

It also suggests abandoning the illusion of arranging these objects along a discrete linear continuum, as Astrid Ensslin's work does.

“It also suggests abandoning the illusion of arranging these objects along a discrete linear continuum, as, for example, does Astrid Ensslin's nonetheless brilliant work (2014).”

• cites Ensslin, 2014 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Another reason Liberated lacks convincing comicsness lies in its inability to seamlessly merge the languages of comics and games and meaningfully integrate the gameplay into its overarching narrative, showcasing several sites of limited (internal/ontological) interactivity, which has earned the game very mild reviews.

“Another reason lies in its inability to seamlessly merge the languages of comics and games and meaningfully integrate the gameplay into its overarching narrative, showcasing several sites of limited (internal/ontological) interactivity, which has earned the game very mild reviews.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

While on a formal level Liberated could be counted as a hybrid touching the category of expanded (enhanced) digital comics, it never manages to reach a convincing comicsness.

“While on a formal level it could be counted as a hybrid touching the category of expanded (enhanced) digital comics, eventually Liberated never manages to reach a convincing comicsness.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Analysing game comics in relation to hypermediality and interactivity illuminates the complex interplay between digital objects and their users.

“Analysing game comics in relation to hypermediality and interactivity illuminates the complex interplay between digital objects and their users.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Once past an imaginary comic book cover, Liberated unfolds across four chapters (disguised as comic issues), presenting users with pages that eventually spring life to still panels.

“Once past an imaginary comic book cover, the game unfolds across four chapters (disguised as comic issues), presenting users with pages that eventually spring life to still panels.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Considering game comics helps rethink interactivity as part of the larger framework of interactions between texts and users, acknowledging that agency is not just about direct repercussions of users' actions in terms of explicit choice or control, but also about seemingly trivial actions a text may require and the interpretive and participatory dimensions inherent in users' engagement with Narr

“Considering game comics helps rethink interactivity as part of the larger framework of interactions that take place between, and connect, texts and their users, acknowledging that agency is not just about the direct repercussions of users' actions in terms of explicit/apparent choice or control, but also about the seemingly trivial actions that a text may require its users to perform, and the”