Field Notes (4): Exploring the Expressive Game Lab
The Expressive Game Lab at the University of Lorraine, France
Field Notes: Highlights digital tools, articles, books, and resources for historiographical video game design and production.
Led by Sébastien Genvo, the Expressive Game Lab at the University of Lorraine is dedicated to developing the use of video games for artistic expression and educational engagement. The lab showcases projects entertaining, provoking thought, and conveying complex narratives. Emphasizing accurate representation, cultural sensitivity, and educational value, the lab aims to foster a deeper understanding of historical events and contexts through interactive narratives and engaging gameplay.
A key area of interest is the intersection between the lab's work and games designed to teach or encourage historical empathy. Historical empathy, the cognitive and affective process of understanding and appreciating the perspectives, motivations, and experiences of people from the past within their historical context, fosters deeper comprehension of historical events and critical thinking.
Video games that promote historical empathy immerse players in the lived experiences of others, enhancing their understanding of complex historical contexts. Serious historical games differ from most commercial historical video games by prioritizing accurate representations and emphasizing emotional and cognitive engagement with historical narratives rather than focusing primarily on entertainment or simplified accounts.
Genovo’s lab has created two games to date that suggest the utility of video games in helping players explore complex emotions and inner life:
Keys of a Gamespace
"Keys of a Gamespace" is an experimental autobiographical game developed by Sébastien Genvo and his team. It challenges players to explore personal and troubling moments from the protagonist's past to face fears and make crucial decisions. Influenced by works like "Mystic River" and "Twin Peaks," this game is a pioneer in the expressive game genre and is available for free. For more details, visit Keys of a Gamespace.
Lie in My Heart
"Lie in My Heart" is an autobiographical game by Sébastien Genvo, dealing with the loss of a loved one who chose to end her life. It explores themes of grief, childhood relationships to death, and resilience, offering players a way to experience and understand these emotional challenges. The game aims to place players in the shoes of others to explore psychological, social, and cultural problems. More information can be found at Lie in My Heart.
Resources & Tools
The Media Library at the Expressive Game Lab offers a variety of resources, including books, games, and magazines, for borrowing. Notable works include "Games: Agency as Art" by C.T. Nguyen, "Game Poems: Videogame Design as Lyric Practice" by James Magnuson, and "Jeux vidéos et cinéma : une création interactive" by Marie Poirson-Dechonne. These resources provide valuable insights into game design, education, and media studies.
The Blog is a platform for sharing updates on student projects, such as "Hemo-game" and "Lie in My Heart," articles on game design, and devlogs. It also hosts discussions on topics like open-world games and intercultural comparisons of independent game production. This resource is invaluable for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming and education, offering in-depth looks at innovative approaches in game development.
Closing Thoughts
The Expressive Game Lab at the University of Lorraine, led by Sébastien Genvo, highlights the power of video games for artistic expression and education. Projects like "Keys of a Gamespace" and "Lie in My Heart" showcase how interactive narratives foster historical empathy and emotional understanding. Emphasizing accurate representation, cultural sensitivity, and educational value, the lab enhances comprehension of historical contexts and complex emotions. Their Media Library and Blog offer invaluable resources, supporting a community of learning and discussion. By merging entertainment with education, the lab sets a high standard for serious historical games, encouraging players to engage with and critically understand the pas
References
Expressive Game Lab. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.expressivegame.com/lab/
Members
The Expressive Game Lab comprises a diverse team of researchers and academics, including:
Alexis Messina - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Stacie Petruzzellis - Lecturer
Samuel Francblu - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Lucas Friche - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Mathilde Gourrat - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Tatiana Vilela dos Santos - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Julien Bazile - Ph.D. in Information and Communication Sciences
Laurent Di Filippo - Lecturer
Sébastien Genvo - University Professor
Esteban Giner - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Stéphane Goria - Lecturer
Guillaume Grandjean - Ph.D. in Information and Communication Sciences
Jenguiz Kanaani - Doctoral candidate in Information and Communication Sciences
Kim Lefebvre - Doctoral candidate in Comparative Literature
For more details, visit the Expressive Game Lab members page.