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saroz162's review against another edition
4.0
This one really livened up a boring, early-early-morning desk shift, two days in a row. This book didn't arrive in my mail until months after I requested it, and I admit I resisted reading for yet a further period of time because of my own stupid error. When I requested a review copy, I thought it was about tabletop gaming, something many of my friends love, and I was interested in learning more about the subject. I was therefore a little bit dispirited when I found the book to be about video gaming, something I engage in very, very infrequently, and haven't had any significant interest in since I was about 12. Again, I've got friends who love video games, but I figured any examination of the topic would be more about the trends of development and marketing than any sort of social study. Boy, was I wrong.
Although I had to just sort of nod my way through Rossignol's initial anecdotes of sabotaging his job to take up gaming journalism, once he got into actually examining the culture I was hooked. The section on London was probably the most pedestrian, yet necessary to offer some comparisons with the more unexpected gaming cultures of both Reykjavik and (especially) Seoul. Since I did, as an early teen, dabble with text-based MMORGs, I was really interested to read about their development into full-on graphical communities, and I found the development of "alternative" gaming - such as gaming designed to educate or propagandize - really, really interesting. I completely sped through the book.
Perhaps my biggest disappointment was how, as a journalist, Rossignol asks some questions about our social development into gaming communities, without either answering some of those questions or even proposing theories. I got the definite impression he didn't *want* to answer some of those questions, because they would work against his own belief that giving your life over to gaming is completely natural and worthwhile. (And I'm speaking mostly of his own choices, here; he never confronts the idea that allowing his gaming habit to ruin his stable job is an incredibly childish thing to do.) As a result, the book - while a fascinating social snapshot - is significantly one-sided. Overall, however, I found it a quick and pleasantly surprising read, if demanding of a little more realistic contemplation than the author was willing to give.
Although I had to just sort of nod my way through Rossignol's initial anecdotes of sabotaging his job to take up gaming journalism, once he got into actually examining the culture I was hooked. The section on London was probably the most pedestrian, yet necessary to offer some comparisons with the more unexpected gaming cultures of both Reykjavik and (especially) Seoul. Since I did, as an early teen, dabble with text-based MMORGs, I was really interested to read about their development into full-on graphical communities, and I found the development of "alternative" gaming - such as gaming designed to educate or propagandize - really, really interesting. I completely sped through the book.
Perhaps my biggest disappointment was how, as a journalist, Rossignol asks some questions about our social development into gaming communities, without either answering some of those questions or even proposing theories. I got the definite impression he didn't *want* to answer some of those questions, because they would work against his own belief that giving your life over to gaming is completely natural and worthwhile. (And I'm speaking mostly of his own choices, here; he never confronts the idea that allowing his gaming habit to ruin his stable job is an incredibly childish thing to do.) As a result, the book - while a fascinating social snapshot - is significantly one-sided. Overall, however, I found it a quick and pleasantly surprising read, if demanding of a little more realistic contemplation than the author was willing to give.
crowyhead's review against another edition
3.0
I was all set not to like Jim Rossignol. When someone opens a book with a description of how they lost their job because they spent all their time playing Quake instead, it doesn't quite win my sympathy or admiration. Rossignol was lucky, though; through his connections in the gaming world, he eventually landed a job working for a videogame magazine and writing about his travels in the world of gaming.
Out of this came this book, a "tour guide" of three different gaming communities. The cities he travels to are Seoul, London, and Reyjkavik, but the only time his actual location really matters is in Seoul, where gaming culture is like nothing US or Europe has ever seen. What's more important are the games. Rossignol explores the world of people who mod games like Quake, in effect creating entirely new games based off of the platform of the original. He tries to describe the density and intrigue of EVE Online, and the politics of this and other online, multiplayer games.
Those who are interested in the shifting nature of videogames, of the ideas behind player-driven games, and the weird politics of online gaming, will enjoy this book. However, if you have already done any in-depth reading in the field, you probably will not find anything here that you haven't already run across.
Out of this came this book, a "tour guide" of three different gaming communities. The cities he travels to are Seoul, London, and Reyjkavik, but the only time his actual location really matters is in Seoul, where gaming culture is like nothing US or Europe has ever seen. What's more important are the games. Rossignol explores the world of people who mod games like Quake, in effect creating entirely new games based off of the platform of the original. He tries to describe the density and intrigue of EVE Online, and the politics of this and other online, multiplayer games.
Those who are interested in the shifting nature of videogames, of the ideas behind player-driven games, and the weird politics of online gaming, will enjoy this book. However, if you have already done any in-depth reading in the field, you probably will not find anything here that you haven't already run across.
pearwaldorf's review
4.0
We do not really have a framework to talk about the influence of games intelligently or games as an art form. Jim Rossignol's book makes a great leap towards that. Highly recommended for anybody interested in games or their effect on society.
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