well played: interpreting prince of persia: the sands of time
DESCRIPTION
This presentation engages in an in-depth close reading of the game, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, in order to parse out various meanings to be found in the experience of playing the game. The experience is approached from the perspective of its narrative development and its game design. This enables an analysis of the relationship between the game’s story and its gameplay. Sequences in the game are analyzed in detail in order to illustrate and interpret how these various components of a game can come together to create fulfilling a playing experience unique to this medium.TRANSCRIPT
Well PlayedInterpreting Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Drew Davidson
Analysis
Narrative
Gameplay
Units Operations (?)
Full Disclosure
Played game 4 times
Gamecube and PS2
Some GameFAQs
Spoiler Alert!
Narrative
On Your Mark...
Meeting Farah
Lost my Sleeves
Hiss!
My Dad’s a Sand Zombie!
Got a Better Sword
Lost my Shirt
Heading on Up...
No!
Up, Up...
The Hourglass...
Gameplay
Platforming
Parkour
Puzzling
More Puzzling
Fight Club
Fighting with Farah
Odd Angles
Saving Progress
The Fountain of Health
Overall Experience
Throughline (Subtext)
Balance / Imbalance
Cinematics
Ludic Narrans
Throughline (Subtext)
Honor and (Fantastic) Redemption
(Rewind time) Put things right
Trailer
The Game
Close Reading
Save Files
Balance/Imbalance
Narrative
Gameplay
Units
Cinematics
In-Game
Rendered
Showing Story and Game
Heroics (Hollywood)
Start
Game Intro
2%
The Maharajah’s Treasure Vaults
Balance
Exposition
Start of Involvement
7%
“Had I Really Seen Her?”
Cinematics
Rising Action
More Involved
Goal
10%
A Secret Passage
Cinematics
More Rising Action
Start of Immersion
Regret
14%
A Booby-Trapped Courtyard
Imbalance
Clear Conflict
Immersed
Almost Lost It Though
21%
Climbing the Tower
Balance
More Action
More Immersed
69%The Hall of Learning
Balance
Toward the Goal
Hints of Love Story
Very Immersed
Rhythm
81%At Last We’re Here!
Imbalance
Heading toward Climax
Fighting
Getting Invested
Almost lost it here
83%
The Hourglass
Cinematics
So Close
Invested
Honor and Glory
90%
“Farah, Come Back!”
Cinematics
Climax
Platforming/Puzzling
Immersed
The End?
98%
Honor and Glory
Imbalance
Denouement, Conclusion
Finishing
Redemption
Ludic Narrans
Let’s Revisit the Start of the Game
And so...
Interpret / Analyze
Narrative, Gameplay, Units
Meaning of a Game
Well Played