The purpose of stale hermeneutic

Mr. Aarseth, the author of this paper, decipher the meaning of “ergodic” in the first few sessions, describing the problems to interpret ergodic art, and tried to explicate the architecture of computer games like Doom and programs like The Speaking Clock with existing theories.

No intent to be obdurate. But it is inexplicable and impenetrable to attempt to explain new matters like computer games with slick existing understanding and innumerable amount of profound theories and academic vocabularies. Probably that game designers themselves feel it eerie to read these doctoral thesis which are analyzing their own games with obsolete philosophies because none of those “ergodic discourse”, “relationship between narrative and ergodic”, “three temporal levels of time”, or any other stale hermeneutic interpretations were applied in making those popular computer games. People like Mr. Aarseth are completing the long paper for his own degree, but have no benefit driving computer games into a new era, like numberless game programmers and designers do.

And then I asked myself, what is the purpose of spending two hours reading this long essay? Yeah of course those arduous academic vocabularies is the aporia of his essay (I‘m using his theory), and the epiphany is that I tried to interpret every words with the dictionary, finally evoked another great leap of my English vocabulary comprehension. That is one benefit, sadly, I gotta admit.

Another ultimate purpose could be to let us understanding the importance of creating a player dominated game-play environment, which everyone can create their own maps and scenarios, sharing them on the internet and play together.

However we (digital generation, which hold a game-boy since we are six) all recognized this kind of game-play since the very early age of PC game. I created scenarios for Age of Empire II and I was a star on the “Zone”, even some fans opened websites interrupting the strategies and walkthroughs of my maps. Counter-strike, Warcraft, Sims, Sim-city, even Civilization are paradise for players who like to create things and share them with others. In my opinion, games which last longest provide the freedom to players creating new items and new worlds. So, the element of player dominated game-world development is not innovative and admiring anymore, but essential for many successful games in the 00’s world.

So, thanks, Mr. Aarseth, you enhanced my English vocabulary storage. For other purposes, your essay is too old to meet the new era.