Final Project - Appendix A - Relational Aesthetics Rubric for Video Games

1. Name of Video Game: __________________________________________
2. Time played: Circle estimated time frame and enter the number
A. Hours:_______
B. Days:________
C. Weeks:_______
D. Months:______
E. Years:_______
3. Genre: For convenience, Kücklich (1998) classified video games in the five genres of action games, adventure games, role playing games, simulation games, and strategy games. Using a Likert scale, quantify how much the video game fits or is like a specific genre by marking the scale appropriately. Apply all the genre types to each video game: Least Like Specific Game Type Most Like
A. Action Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B. Adventure Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
C. Role Playing Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
D. Simulation Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
E. Strategy Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. What player to player interactions (information exchanges) are available to players in this video game? Please circle each of the following that and rate how frequently you use that utility to interact or exchange information by marking the scale appropriately. Be sure to include the passive use of an interaction, i.e., reading trade chat, being aware of other characters movements, etc.
A. Texting to an individual
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B. Texting to a specific group whose identities are known
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

C. Texting to a general group whose identities are not known
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

D. Chat groups or channels
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

E. General chat channels
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

F. Guild chat channels
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

G. Calendars
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

H. Invitations
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I. Moving other characters from one area to another (assisting another player)
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

J. Giving other characters “buffs” to increase game survivability or damage ability.
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

K. Emoting (a text representation of an action which may or may not be
accompanied with visual gestures) with preset phrases
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

L. Emoting (a text representation of an action or thought or whatever) with
original phrases
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

M. Trading items or money
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. Selling or advertising
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

O. Mail of text
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

P. Mail of items
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Q. Mail of money
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

R. Preset audio exchanges
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

S. Player voice capabilities
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

T. Crafting items for others
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

U. Grouping in a party for common goals or socialization
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

V. Posted achievements of self or others
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

W. Viewing a symbol of your party members with current health status
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

X. Petition to and discussion with game master
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Y. Reporting behaviors that do not comply with EULA
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Z. Reporting non participants in battlegrounds
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

AA. Visual display of other characters movement within area that you are in and
visual display of their actions, spells, etc.
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BB. Duels
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

CC. Trade chat as running social commentary on overt game behaviors
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DD. Look up information about class, rank, guild and location of any player in
your faction on your server
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

EE. Looking for groups with whom you have common goals
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

FF. Listing of similar ranked players in area
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

GG. Listing of in game members of any guild on your faction
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

HH. Friend lists and notification when friends log on or log off
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

II. Ability to text anyone whose avatar name and server name are known to you
in entire player base, by making an avatar on any server and any faction at any time.
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

JJ. Other (please describe briefly):_________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

KK. Other (please describe briefly):_________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

LL. Other (please describe briefly):_________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MM. Other (please describe briefly):_________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


5. In what ways does the game interject symbols of interaction into the life of the players, or does it at all? Please circle each of the following that apply and rate how frequently you use that element of the game by marking the scale appropriately.
A. Maps with moving symbols or changing symbols
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B. Visual display showing other side position and activities
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

C. Visual display showing characters of either faction in the same area
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

D. Visual and text display of preset character emotes
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

E. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

F. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

G. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6. For this survey, an interstice is defined as a place, practice, or custom where players are placed in a situation that allows and leads to inter-human information exchange. What elements in the game offer an interstice for players? Please circle each of the following that apply and rate how frequently you use that element of the game by marking the scale appropriately.

A. Places of gathering for any purpose, e. g. financial, meeting, ego display, or other
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B Socialization customs such as novice immunities, sanctuaries
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

C. Holidays and holiday activities
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

D. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

E. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

F. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

G. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7. Social customs are activities in the game that encourage groups of players to behave in similar ways by choosing similar activities or customs. If the video game includes any of the following activities or types of activities, please circle that item.
A Group quests or instances
B. Guild parties or story telling in game
C. Group player vs. player raids (PvP) on low level towns or high bosses
D. Guild banks
E. Guild awareness and positive feedback for progress
F. Other:________________________________________________
8. Alienations, for the purposes of this survey, are situations that isolate one or more players, although, in fact, alienation may also be used to build rapport or to control a situation. What forms of alienation occur in the video game? Please circle each of the following that apply and rate how frequently you have experienced or observed these elements in the game by marking the scale appropriately.
A. Name calling or belittling
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B. Public ridicule
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

C. Ninja looting (Taking loot when it is not your turn or your call to say who it belongs to)
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

D. Not able to exchange very much information with other faction
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

G. Killing lower players of other faction
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

H. Griefing,(killing NPCs ((none player characters)) ) of other faction
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I. Ignoring
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

J. Reporting
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

K. Anonymity
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
L. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

M. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

O. Other:____________________________________________
Never Seldom Occasionally Often Continuously
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9. How do players in the game, or does the game itself change the alienations or deal with an alienation, if at all? For example when there is name calling, does the social commentary of the trade chat react in a way to censure the name calling? Please explain one example of ways that alienation was diminished in game by either players or game maker. ________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

10. Collective behavior refers to groups of players who have unpredictable or shifting behaviors. Some video game display may be derived from this behavior. Please circle all that apply
A. Battleground maps and scoreboards
B. Individuals changing strategy constantly to adjust to demands of a changing
situation, creating variable displays
C. Light shows of grouped individual efforts for common goals in instances and
battlegrounds.
D. Other _______________________________________________________

11. What about the video game is subjective, i.e. in the game but not overtly controlled by game designers? Please circle all that apply
A. Trade chat, raw comment on social behavior, self regulation by comment, news,
darker humor, trade, advertising,
B. Avatar naming
C. Play style and choices
D. Role playing stories
E. Personal chat and commentary between players
F. Development of strategy for common goals
G. Interpretation of the virtual world

12. Player to player information transfer relations may be described by the number and length of electronic information that is transmitted or received.
In each category below, estimate how many instances of that type of relationship you have had by making an appropriate mark on the number line given for that type of relationship. Include all the relationships for all of your avatars on all of the servers that you have participated on with that game for the total period of time that you have played. Please note the scales are different for each type of relationship. If you prefer to write in a more accurate number please feel free to do so.
• A. Micro relations: Range from minimal statements, for example, “gg” or “ty” to situational commentary
• Zero 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 >100,000
•
• B. Mini relations: Temporary situation, not expected to persist for group questing, instancing, banter or chat. Or may be persistent awareness of other avatars for a period of time
Zero 10 50 100 500 1000 1500 >1500

• C. Casual relations: Persistent, may be an extension of mini relations. The ones you remember and/or keep in your friend list, but do not greet or chat with routinely
Zero 10 20 50 100 200 500 >500
•
• D. Transitional relations: Knowledge of multiple avatars of players, frequent greetings or other behavior. Will be on your friend list or ignore list.
Zero 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 100 >100
•
• E. Macro relations: Semi-permanent to permanent, may include secondary knowledge of real life player
• Zero 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 100 >100

14. If you would like a copy of rubric tabulations, please write in your name and email:

Name:_________________________________________________________

Email:_________________________________________________________

References
Bourriaud, Nicolas. 1998. Relational Aesthetics: France: Les Presse Du Reel.
Kücklich, Julian. (1998) “Literary Theory and Computer Games”. Paper presented at the Cosign Conference, Amsterdam, 2001. http://www.cosignconference.org/downloads/papers/kucklich_cosign_2001.pdf
"relationship.”Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relationship
“World of Warcraft.” 2009. Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft