{"id":148,"date":"2017-04-05T10:05:19","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T14:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/?p=148"},"modified":"2017-10-27T11:38:41","modified_gmt":"2017-10-27T15:38:41","slug":"getting-started-in-video-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/2017\/04\/05\/getting-started-in-video-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Started in Video Games"},"content":{"rendered":"Newcomers to the video game community have a high bar to entry. Video games are complex beasts of entertainment and art, often making them difficult to approach and hard to understand; heck, even skills learned in a certain\u00a0type\u00a0of video game aren&#8217;t transferable to another type of video game. And all of this is already ignoring the lack of understanding and definition to the idea of game literacy within the industry. I&#8217;ll include the video that inspired me to make this post here, for clarification:\r\n\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Basic Game Literacy - Why It&#039;s Hard to Learn How to Play - Extra Credits\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QNV2xtiBk5U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<!--more-->The bit that inspired this post was when Daniel (the host of Extra Credits) talked about a lack of games for beginners, and the failure of individuals to create comprehensive and consistent lists of starting recommendations. That&#8217;s what I want this to be: a list of games that can be used to teach basic game mechanics and ease new players into the medium, accompanied by explanations for their inclusion in the list. By no means do I make the claim that this\u00a0list will be any more coherent than the ones that Daniel criticizes. Rather, I hope to in some way add to the conversation and possibilities of helping new players join the video game community and better outline the needs of beginning players. I will acknowledge that as a computer-based gamer myself, I will primarily provide computer-based games in this list. So without further ado, the list.\r\n<h1>Pong<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_156\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-156\" class=\"wp-image-156 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/pong-start-screen-300x217.png\" alt=\"Pong start screen\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/pong-start-screen-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/pong-start-screen-768x556.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/pong-start-screen.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-156\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt\">Image Source: https:\/\/www.sitepoint.com\/building-a-pong-clone-in-unity-ui-and-gameplay\/<\/span><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nWhat better place for beginners to start than one of the video games that kickstarted the industry? Pong is a classic,\u00a0released in 1972 in arcades across the country. It didn&#8217;t take long for this arcade hit to be remade into a home edition. But what makes it so great for beginning players? Its mechanics are simple and its gameplay is easily relatable. The controls are very simple: control your bar and keep the ball from crossing your side. And this is what makes the game relatable as well, the gameplay is familiar. Pong is practically identical to ping pong, hence the video game&#8217;s name. This combination\u00a0provides a good starting point for new players, as well as a valuable history lesson for them to see where the industry started. There&#8217;s a free version of the game available online here:\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ponggame.org\/\">Pong Game<\/a><\/span>.\r\n<h1>Bejeweled 2<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_167\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-167\" class=\"wp-image-167 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/bejeweled-2-logo-300x140.jpg\" alt=\"Bejeweled 2 Logo\" width=\"300\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/bejeweled-2-logo-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/bejeweled-2-logo.jpg 460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-167\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt\">Image Source: http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/3300\/<\/span><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nWhat some might consider an odd inclusion, Bejeweled offers many things to learn to the beginning player. It begins to &#8220;take off the training wheels&#8221; by\u00a0introducing less familiar mechanics, as well as the common idea of a leveling system. It begins to facilitate the basics of pattern recognition and\u00a0strategizing. The classic mode allows players to go at their own pace, and really think about the moves they&#8217;re making and how it impacts their performance in the game. They might not have to play long to grasp this game, but its teachings create fundamentals to most video games. You can find a free version to play here:\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zone.msn.com\/gameplayer\/gameplayer.aspx?game=bejeweled2\">Bejeweled 2<\/a><\/span>.\r\n<h1>Threes!<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_177\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-177\" class=\"wp-image-177 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-300x300.png\" alt=\"Threes! Logo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-65x65.png 65w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo-125x125.png 125w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/threes-logo.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-177\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt\">Image Source: https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Threes<\/span><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nAlright, now it&#8217;s time to get a little closer to &#8220;real&#8221; games. This cute little app has simple mechanics, but its adorable-faced characters and intriguing strategy will draw anyone in. Cobine 1 and 2 to get three, then combine like multiples of three to keep playing. Addicting and plenty of fun, it&#8217;s a fantastic addition to this list. And the best part is that it&#8217;s available on iOS (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/threes\/id779157948?mt=8\">Threes! iOS<\/a>)<\/span> and Android (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=vo.threes.free&amp;hl=en\">Threes! Android<\/a>)<\/span>, so anyone with a smartphone should have access to it!\r\n<h1>Limbo<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_181\" style=\"width: 229px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-181\" class=\"wp-image-181 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/limbo-logo-219x300.jpg\" alt=\"Limbo Cover Art\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/limbo-logo-219x300.jpg 219w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/limbo-logo.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-181\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt\">Image Source: https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Limbo_(video_game)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nSpeaking of &#8220;real&#8221; games, Limbo is about as real as it gets. This point and click, puzzle-solving adventure title is set in a dark and sinister world, where you must help guide a little boy and keep him from certain doom. The mechanics are simple, but the gameplay and puzzles definitely put this game a cut above those I&#8217;ve listed previously. You can purchase and download it through Steam here:\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/48000\/\">Limbo Steam Game<\/a><\/span>.\r\n<h1>Portal<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_183\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-183\" class=\"wp-image-183 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-humanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/portal-logo-300x140.jpg\" alt=\"Portal Logo\" width=\"300\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/portal-logo-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/portal-logo.jpg 460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-183\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt\">Image Source: http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/400\/<\/span><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nArguably one of the most popular games of all time, Portal stands out as an excellent game that just about anyone could get into. Simple, yet interesting mechanics are seamlessly put into use and the puzzles scale excellently. The humor of the game helps ease frustration from puzzles, the gameplay is solid, and almost anyone in gaming knows about it. This is about as good as it gets for starting players. You can purchase and download the game through Steam here:\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/400\/\">Portal Steam Game<\/a><\/span>.\r\n<h1><\/h1>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Newcomers to the video game community have a high bar to entry. Video games are complex beasts of entertainment and art, often making them difficult to approach and hard to understand; heck, even skills learned in a certain\u00a0type\u00a0of video game aren&#8217;t transferable to another type of video game. And all of this is already ignoring&#8230;  <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/2017\/04\/05\/getting-started-in-video-games\/\" class=\"more-link\" title=\"Read Getting Started in Video Games\">Read more &raquo;<\/a>","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17],"tags":[51,46,66,43,45,44,52,19,42],"class_list":["post-148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-video-games","tag-beginners","tag-bejeweled-2","tag-day-of-dh","tag-game-literacy","tag-game-mechanics","tag-pong","tag-threes","tag-video-games","tag-video-games-for-beginners"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8keRV-2o","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":708,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions\/708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/digital-scholarship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}