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Semiotic and discursive consequences of the cybertextual condition: The case of tragedy

  • Juan J. Vargas-Iglesias EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: May 16, 2019

Abstract

In recognition of the central place that the concept of tragedy holds in the historical understanding of culture and society, this paper features an analysis of its presence, current state, and value in the digital environments of the postmodern era, with special attention to videogames. Thus, the overcoming of a classic model of tragedy in the cybertextual condition is first determined, along with the discursive dimension underlying said overcoming. To this end a theoretical statement to the issue of tragedy is proposed, from the perspective of the cybertext as procedural rhetoric. This will establish the formulation of a semiotic analytical model that problematizes Greimas’ actantial system under the light of the digital and interactive reality of videogames. To avoid this constraint, we propose to attach a new variable to the base of the generative trajectory: the “configurative synthesis,” product of the so-called “gaming/playing function.” This addition will integrate the figures of the game and the player in the dynamic distinction of the “quasi-Actant.” Finally, a sample of 79 cases will be observed in regards to the implications of the cybertextual notion of tragedy to the narrative and discourse of videogames.

Appendix

A
No.TitleYearDeveloper
1Vigilance 1.02001Martin Le Chevallier
2Real Lives2002Educational Simulations
3September 12th: A Toy World2003NewsGaming
4JFK Reloaded2004Traffic Software
5Super Columbine Massacre RPG!2005Danny Ledonne
6The Marriage2006Rod Humble
7McDonald’s Videogame2006Molleindustria
8Darfur is Dying2006Take Action Games
9Oil God2006Arcade Wire
10Passage2007Jason Rohrer
11Pandemic2007Dark Realm Studios
12Points of Entry2007Persuasive Games
13Grand Theft Auto IV2008Rockstar Games
14Sweet Pool2008Nitro+Chiral
15Braid2008Number None
16Oiligarchy2008Molleindustria
17Psychosomnium2008Cactus
18Bars of Black and White2009Gregory Weir
19Don’t Look Back2009Distractionware
20Gray2009Intuition Games
21The Company of Myself2009Eli Piilonen
22Custody2009Akrasia
23Everyday the Same Dream2009Molleindustria
24The Path2009Tale of Tales
25Lose/Lose2009Zack Gage
26One Chance2010Akward Silence Games
27There is No Game2010Kamizoto
28Prior2010Krang Games
29Loved2010Alexander Ocias
30The Arm2010Tipp
31Covetous2010Austin Breed
32Inmortall2010Armor Games
33Jeff Koons Must Die!!!2011Hunter Jonakin
34Let There Be Smite2011Pippin Barr
35The End of Us2011Dikaffe
36Shitty Fucking Art Game2011Haunted Bees
37Sweatshop2011Littleloud
38Spent2011McKinney
39Penny Girl2011Abaraya
40Let’s Play: Ancient Greek Punishment2012Pippin Barr
41A Sad Tale2012Lurk
42Jeremy2012Mike McDee
43Spec Ops: The Line2012Yager Development
44Unmanned2012Molleindustria
45Imscared: A Pixelated Nightmare2012Ivan Zanotti
46Loss2013Amidos
47Press [X] to Give Up2013Bram Michielsen et al.
48Depression Quest2013The Quinnspiracy
49400 Years2013Armor Games
50Certain Defeat2013Leon Arnott
51Pretentious Game2013Keybol Games
52Reunion2013Maan Ashgar et al.
53You Were Hallucinating the Whole Time2013Kazemi
5410 Seconds in Hell2013Amy Dentata
55Naya’s Quest2013Terry Cavanagh
56The Novelist2013Orthogonal Games
57Papers, Please2013Lucas Pope
58Save the Date2013Chris Cornell
59The Stanley Parable2013Galactic Café
60Calm Time2013Goos Entertainment
61Neocolonialism2013Subaltern Games
62The Slaying of Sandy Hook Elementary2013PigPen
63Actual Sunlight2014Will O’Neill
64The Dead Rest Beneath Us2014Florian Veltman
65Exoptable Money2014Wertpol
66Ladylike2014E. Butler and N. Freeman
67I Love You2014Da Neel
68I’m Null2014Zak Ayles
69Entire Screen on One Game2014Tom Murphy VII
70To Build a Better Mousetrap2014Molleindustria
71Queers in Love at the End of the World2014Anna Anthropy
72Life is Strange2015Dontnod Entertainment
73A Good Gardener2015Turn Follow
74Jostle Parent2015Pippin Barr
75Emily is Away2015Kyle Seeley
76Masochisia2015Oldblood
77Presentable Liberty2015Wertpol
78Obéissance2015Merritt Kopas
79Everyday Misanthrope2015Liz England

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Dr. Manuel Ángel Vázquez Medel and Dr. Manuel A. Broullón-Lozano for their kind recommendations in the first drafts of this paper.

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Published Online: 2019-05-16
Published in Print: 2019-07-26

© 2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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