Bachelorprojekt 2012 - Peter Olsen

Resumé
Opgaven undersøger og diskuterer problemer i forbindelse med indeksering og især genreinddeling af
computerspil. Der foretages en analyse af fem forskellige kilders nutidige genrepraksis og en
sammenlignende diskussion af forholdet mellem genrepraksis på den ene side og forskellige
Peter Olsen
spilteoretikeres idealer om spilgenrer på den anden. Hos teoretikerne identificeres en enighed om, at kun
spillenes interaktive elementer bør udgøre deres genre. I praksis viser det sig, at interaktivitet kun er ét
blandt et stort antal elementer, der er afgørende for genretildeling. En dybere analyse af en enkelt genre
afslører, at selv alment anerkendte og dybt rodfæstede genrer ikke stemmer overens med hverken
praktikere eller teoretikeres definitioner på selv samme genre, hvilket antyder, at intuition og tradition
spiller en stor rolle for tildeling af spilgenrer. Sluttelig diskuteres de fremlagte problemers konsekvenser for
indeksering og genfinding af computerspil. Det konkluderes desuden, at de brede og ikke-hierarkiske
emneord, der udgør den mest udbredte praksis inden for genretildeling, kan vise sig at være utilstrækkelig i
det stadigt voksende landskab af computerspil.
Abstract (English)
This thesis examines and discusses a number of problem areas in relation to the topic of video game
indexing and genres. Five independent sources are analyzed with regard to genre practice. Similarities and
discrepancies between this practice on the one hand and the ideals of various game theorists on the other
hand are discussed. Theorists generally seem to agree that only the interactive elements of video games
should constitute their genre. In practice interactivity is but one of a larger number of elements that are
deciding factors for genre. A more thorough analysis of a single genre reveals that even commonly
acknowledged and deeply rooted genres don’t necessarily correspond to definitions of that very same
genre by neither practicians nor theorists. This suggests that factors such as intuition and tradition have a
considerable effect on game genres. Lastly it is concluded that the broad and non-hierarchical subject
headings that make up most of the current practice of game genre assignment may be considered
insufficient in the ever growing landscape of video games of today.
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