Keywords for Video Game Studies

Speaker series

Second lecture: Nature

February 22, 2017
4:00 – 5:30 pm
EMU 023, Lease Crutcher Lewis Room, University of Oregon

WINTER 2017: NATURE

“The Problem of Modeling (and Rendering) Trees” with Alenda Chang

Can you commune with nature in a video game? The rise of so-called “walking simulator” games suggests that you can, even as games remain undertheorized as environmental systems. Ranging from first-person walkers, to plant modeling software and asset libraries, to gestural terraforming in virtual reality, this presentation will outline just a few of the ways in which the environmental humanities can contribute to the future of game studies. Alenda Y. Chang is an Assistant Professor in Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara.  With a multidisciplinary background in biology, literature, and film, she specializes in merging ecocritical theory with the analysis of contemporary media.  Her writing has recently been featured in Ant Spider Bee, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, and Qui Parle, and her current book project develops ecological frameworks for understanding and designing digital games.  She also maintains the Growing Gamesblog as a resource for researchers in game and ecomedia studies and the environmental humanities. An image of the flyer is also available below. We hope to see you there!

Series made possible by Environmental Studies, English, Cinema Studies, the New Media and Culture Certificate program, Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Center for the Study of Women in Society.  Other support includes the LGBTQIA Scholars Academic Residence Community, LGBT Education Support Services, UO Housing, the UO Residence Hall Association, and UO Think.Play. 

Contact Dr. Edmond Y. Chang for more information at echang@uoregon.edu or visit the Women's and Gender Studies website.