Textual Analysis, Digital Games, Zombies
Abstract
This paper is a contribution to ongoing debates about the value and limitations of textual analysis in digital games research. It is argued that due to the particular nature of digital games, both structural analysis and textual analysis are relevant to game studies. Unfortunately they tend to be conflated. Neither structural nor textual factors will fully determine meaning, but they are aspects of the cycle through which meaning is produced during play. Meaning in games is emergent, and play is a situated practice. Undertaking the textual analysis of a game does not necessarily involve ignoring these points. Textual analysis, like any methodology, does have limitations. The specifics of these limitations, however, will depend on the particular model of textuality employed. These issues are explored through an analysis of the horror survival game, Resident Evil 4. © 2009 Authors & Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA).
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In Resident Evil 4, one form of augmentation is constructed as positive or advantageous, while the other is constructed as a disease or deficit.
“One form of augmentation is constructed as positive or advantageous.The other is constructed as a disease or deficit.(Carr, 2009, p. 5)”
From Methodology, Representation, and Games (2019) · cites this paper as Carr, 2009, p. 5
Cites
A Zombie Manifesto: The Nonhuman Condition in the Era of Advanced Capitalism
Lauro, S. J., & Embry, K. (2008) · boundary 2 · doi:10.1215/01903659-2007-027 · Cited by 260 · cited 3× · see citing works
“(p 103) Furthermore, Lauro and Embry point out that, as a metaphor, the 'zombie reveals much about the way we code inferior subjects as unworthy of life' (p 87).”
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Methodology, Representation, and Games
Carr, D. (2019) · Games and Culture · doi:10.1177/1555412017728641 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationHermeneutic Inquiry for Digital Games Research
Tanenbaum, T. J. (2015) · The Computer Games Journal · doi:10.1007/s40869-015-0005-9 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
- Authors
- Carr, D.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Carr, Diane
- ORCID
- Carr, Diane
- Venue
- DiGRA Digital Library
- Published
- 2009-01-01
- Volume
- 5
- ISSN
- 2342-9666
- OpenAlex
- W2123965055
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 5.04
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Artificial Intelligence in Games
- Keywords
- text analysis, video games, game studies methodology, structural analysis, emergent meaning, play, situated practice, Resident Evil, zombies
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