[game_preservation] Descriptive terms for Video Games

[Andrew Armstrong]

Oh I agree absolutely Andrew; library systems existed before we had easy 
to use electronic based databases, multiple categories should be the norm.

Andrew

On 11/06/2011 21:29, Andrew Perti wrote:

> It's my contention that we have to completely redefine categorization 

> techniques for video games.  Many games span several genres and 

> placing any given game under a single subject heading by way of a 

> "personal judgment call" is quite limiting.  Using a single genre may 

> have been necessary for physical cataloging and library systems to 

> account for research and accessibility.  We are now in a digital era 

> and I feel as though a multifaceted approach is something that we all 

> need to explore.

>

> Andrew Perti

> Founder | Seattle Interactive Media Museum

> andrew.perti at thesimm.org  |www.thesimm.org

> Mobile: 518 653-5864

>

> On 6/11/2011 1:12 PM, Andrew Armstrong wrote:

>> I found it hilarious to think that everything can be slotted in a 2d 

>> wheel; like Pirates! and so many others, things simply can be of 

>> multiple categories - they don't have to fit a nice neat pie chart! :)

>>

>> If it's serious, Journalists sure do want to make it hard on 

>> themselves don't they?

>>

>> Andrew

>>

>> On 11/06/2011 02:32, Rowan Kaiser wrote:

>>> I'm not sure what's wrong with calling Survival Horror 

>>> "Action-Exploration." But I find it more interesting as an attempt 

>>> to standardize all games within a conceptual framework. Given what a 

>>> mess conventional genres are - go on, label Sid Meier's Pirates! - 

>>> any attempt with a finished product is noble.

>>>

>>>

>>> Rowan

>>>

>>> On Fri, Jun 10, 2011 at 6:26 PM, Jim Leonard <trixter at oldskool.org 

>>> <mailto:trixter at oldskool.org>> wrote:

>>>

>>>     That looks like it was done for comedic effect.  If not, then it

>>>     has some odd choices, like Survival Horror being predominantly

>>>     "Action-Exploration"?  And Driving being

>>>     "Action-Exploration-Conflict"?

>>>

>>>

>>>     On 6/10/2011 12:49 PM, Rowan Kaiser wrote:

>>>

>>>         Another interesting resource might be the Escapist's Genre

>>>         Wheel, which

>>>         is quite clever although I'm not sure it jumps out as being

>>>         more than that:

>>>

>>>         http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_283/8400-Introducing-The-Escapists-Genre-Wheel

>>>

>>>         On Fri, Jun 10, 2011 at 7:37 AM, Pugh, Richard

>>>         <rpugh at loc.gov <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov>

>>>         <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov>>> wrote:

>>>

>>>            Greetings all!

>>>

>>>            Thank you for your suggestions; I'll be looking into them

>>>         later this

>>>            today.  Some of you asked for additional information on

>>>         our project.

>>>

>>>            Generally these terms will be used in a subject or genre

>>>         heading

>>>            style.  That is, when one searches the catalog by subject

>>>         or genre,

>>>            these headings will be referenced.  For good or ill,

>>>         these terms

>>>            will be treated the same way as standard LCSH or LCGFH

>>>         terms.  As

>>>            such, we're looking for descriptors like "First person

>>>         action" or

>>>            "Real time strategy;" terms that identify what a game

>>>         "is" rather

>>>            than what it's about.  For that, we can usually find a

>>>         workable

>>>            LCSH; emphasis on "usually."  Genres are a different story.

>>>

>>>            As Mr. Handy pointed out, the LC model is not necessarily

>>>         the best

>>>            one.  In this case that's probably true.  However, NAVCC

>>>         is part of

>>>            LC, so we must use an LC-style approach.  Internal

>>>         politics are

>>>            involved.  Need I say more...?

>>>

>>>            We're hoping that if we can build a thesaurus that is "LCSH

>>>            compatible," the powers that be will accept it.  Even so,

>>>         we're

>>>            expecting some resistance, because the use of non-LC

>>>         terms (even

>>>            ones from well-established thesauri), is actively

>>>         discouraged, no

>>>            matter what the circumstances.  We're facing an uphill

>>>         battle, but

>>>            we'll do the best we can.

>>>

>>>            One list we've been looking at is the one from Allgame:

>>>

>>>         http://www.allgame.com/genres.php

>>>

>>>            Perhaps if we combine this with concepts covered in the

>>>         other lists,

>>>            we'll have a working base.  I'm tinkering with the

>>>         Allgame list at

>>>            the moment, and it has promise.  I'll let you know how it

>>>         turns out.

>>>

>>>            Richard J. Pugh

>>>            Motion Picture, Broadcast, & Recorded Sound Division

>>>            National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of

>>>         Congress

>>>         (202) 707-6636 <tel:%28202%29%20707-6636>

>>>         <tel:%28202%29%20707-6636> / rpugh at loc.gov

>>>         <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov>

>>>         <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov <mailto:rpugh at loc.gov>>

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>>>

>>>

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>>>

>>>

>>>     -- 

>>>     Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org <mailto:trixter at oldskool.org>)

>>>     http://www.oldskool.org/

>>>     Check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/

>>>     A child borne of the home computer wars:

>>>     http://trixter.oldskool.org/

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>>>

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