Towards a “Filipino” Video Game: Teaching Filipino Identity and Culture for Video Game Development (original) (raw)

Towards a “Filipino” Video Game: Teaching Filipino Culture and Identity for Video Game Development

Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association

This paper uses the author’s experiences of teaching the Filipino module of a multidisciplinary video game development class as a case study in teaching Filipino culture and identity as an element of video game development. A preliminary definition of “Filipino video game” as having Filipino narratives and subject matter, made by Filipino video game developers, and catering to a Filipino audience, is proposed. The realities and limitations of video game development and the video game market in the Philippines is also discussed to show how the dominance of Western video game industry, in terms of the dominance of outsource work for Filipino video game developers and the dominance of non-Filipino video games played by Filipino players, has hindered the development of original Filipino video games. Using four Filipino video games as primary texts discussed in class, students were exposed to Filipinomade video games, and shown how these games use Filipino history, culture, and politics ...

The Identity of Filipino Video Games Historical Case Study

Espiritu, E., 2023

In the twenty-first century, video games are a growing medium as technological advances have made them more accessible in this era. The history of video games will be addressed in relation to the major emphasis of the paper, which is Filipino video game development. By examining the evolution of video games, we can better understand the difficulty of producing a Filipino video game. This study identifies several challenges faced in Filipino video game development, including the inability to integrate Filipino culture into games, the question of accuracy in the application of Philippine mythology and history, and certain Filipino video games' ambiguous and paradoxical political positions. Accordingly, suggested solutions conclude that academic institutions should play a pivotal role in the development of Filipino video games, as well as embracing "Filipinoness" when creating video games can enable creators or future developers to rediscover their own heritage.

Introduction: A Game's Study Manifesto

2013

We also acknowledge that literature is only one constituent of Western culture; that non-western cultures are comprised of various components, including literature and media; that media and literature are but components of global culture; and that the terms 'western' and 'non-western' reify the Orientalism identified by Edward Said (1978). Finally, we note that digital games are not literature, but we find much promise in their consideration as popular global fiction.

Diving Deep into the Playground: A Sociocultural History and Evolution of Games in the Philippines

2022

In this paper, the history and evolution of games in the Philippines, in its sociocultural context, is discussed through the four different eras ranging from pre-Spanish era, Spanish era, American era, up until the 21st century era. In each era, examples of games are discussed to be able to compare and contrast the sociocultural aspects behind these games, as well as to be able to identify the kind of influences that made each era of Filipino game lore distinct and unique to each other.

A Psycho-Cultural Approach to Video Games

Jerome Bruner has helped to shape the notion of constructivism, which is of prime significance when looking at pedagogy in games and much of the learning that occurs in games is constructive. In one of his more recent works, “The Culture of Education” (1996), he discusses the importance of nine tenets to the development and maintenance of culture. Many of these touch on recurring themes in many discussions of games (Beavis, 1999; Kafai, 2001; Wolf & Perron, 2003). Bruner believes that “education is not an island, but part of the continent of culture.” (1996, p11) The same can be said of games. Bruner’s tenets guide such a ‘psycho-cultural’ approach to education and this paper will examine these tenets through the lens of game design.

USING VIDEO GAMES IN INTERCULTURAL, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

2018

There is growing attention to using video games for educational purposes, however, many educators struggle to find the right context to bring video games in the classroom. This article examines AAA entertainment games (titles developed by a large studio, funded by a massive budget) and serious video games (games designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment) to suggest the ways how video games could be used in classrooms to promote cultural values, human rights, world peace, to reduce stereotype thinking and prejudice, and to develop critical thinking. Selected video games challenge the learner to move beyond known paradigms, to play with cultural identities, to experience new cultures and life circumstances interactively, and to take actions to help change the situation for better in real life. The main focus of the paper is placed on games designed from 2006 to 2018 with an intended outcome to help people learn about current global challenges, including migrant issues, refugee problems, human rights, world peace, intercultural communication, etc. Some advantages and disadvantages of these video games are discussed. Additionally, several learning elements common to video games that could be used in intercultural, diversity and inclusive education are presented. Finally, this article describes some activities to conduct when using video games in the classroom and presents a task-based project involving the use of video games.

Enacting Culture in Gaming: A Video Gamer's Literacy Experiences and Practices

Current Issues in Education, 2011

Video games are growing as a subject for scholarly analysis (Gee, 2003; Selfe & Hawisher 2004; Selfe & Hawisher 2004, 2007): This discussion argues that video games are another simulacra for postmodern cultural critique. Video games do cultural work by allowing gamers to play out socially constructed hopes and fears. As cultural products mediated by overarching values, video games enact the culture from which they come and to which they are marketed, including features of individualism, militarization, and perseverance. Following Brian Street’s (2003) ideological model of literacy, this analysis of a particular gamer’s literacy practices found them heavily influenced by contemporary culture: Video game environments require gamers to read dynamic semiotic systems (Gee, 2003) that position them to be cultural critics on the one hand and learners acquiring new literacy practices on the other. “Brent,” a creative writer, creates fictional worlds in his writing that reinscribe co...

Why Game Studies Now? Video Games: A New Art Form

Games and Culture, 2006

Video games are a new art form, and this, the author argues, is one good reason why now is the right time for game studies. As a new art form, one largely immune to traditional tools developed for the analysis of literature and film, video games will challenge researchers to develop new analytical tools and will become a new type of "equipment for living," to use Kenneth Burke's phrase for the role of literature. This article discusses several of the features that make video games a unique art form, features that will, the author believes, come to play a role in analyses of games in the emerging field of game studies.