Gameplay Journal #3
The game I decided for this journal is The WItcher 3: WIld Hunt. There’s plenty of mods out for the game and it can be mixed and matched relatively freely, with the main inhibitor really only being what your computer can run. A lot of the mods for the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are cosmetic, making the playthrough of the game not too much different, while also having an entirely different experience because the world you are immersed in feels so much more different and vibrant. (or dark and scary if that’s the route you decide to go). Some mods really do change how you play through the game. Quality of life mods are pretty popular, as they allow you to experience and focus more on the story aspect of The WItcher without having to worry about surviving. It grants safety in the form of no fall damage, buffs to your player, etc.
According to Schleiner, modding a game involves the “transformation” of that game. Because of mods, like quality of life mods, a player’s game experience can be completely changed. For example, I really want to progress through The Witcher because I’m hooked on the story, but its annoying how caught up I am in some of the fighting when I just want a quick fight to find out the next part. I can easily equip a mod that will give me something like indestructible weapons and now I can explain and enjoy the game in the way I want to experience it. However, it fits into the “parasite” definition from Schleiner’s work because none of that would have been possible without the player’s access to “tools provided by the game developer,” and has the free range to manipulate it, even if the mod is not to create a more positive experience to the game. It can boost responsiveness to the game too, as people can want to play the game *because* they are aware of the modding capabilities, which is more “circular” in effect.
MLA Citation
Schleiner, Anne-Marie. The Player’s Power to Change the Game: Ludic Mutation. Amsterdam University Press, 2018.
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