Research goals

My research in communications began with study of the evolution of home computer networks as personal bulletin boards and commercial services during the early 1980s.  Those studies (1984-90) isolated the peculiar phenomena of play as a driving force behind many activities conducted over computer networks -- activities adapted for group and commercial goals only after their origin in individual play.

I then sought to analyze in more detail technological forms specifically designed to elicit play:  computer bulletin boards promoting hacking activities and computer games.  These structural studies (early 1990s) led me to conceive human play as a cognitive and symbolic act fundamental to the human representational process.

I have since become less interested in describing the manner in which specific hardware and software toys reflect human cognitive play and more interested in developing a generic semiotic model -- or models -- of that play.  My more recent papers and work attempt to unify existing theories of play within a semiotic framework.  These attempts draw heavily on the work of earlier semioticians, as well as representational theories of mind, and concepts and ideas within evolutionary biology.

These questions interest me:

* What are the mechanics of human cognitive play? Can these mechanics be modeled?
* What are the outcomes of cognitive play? To what extent are these random?
* What is the evolutionary function of cognitive play? Is it, in other words, a good thing?

I give my best answers to these questions in The Nature of Computer Games: Play as Semiosis (2003), published as a part of the Digital Formations (Peter Lang) series.  This book describes a universal mechanic of cognitive play and lies counter to those cultural studies that subsume the study of games and play within the study of society.  I argue that the most fundamental qualities of human cognitive play originate in natural causes beyond influence of social discourse.

Recently, I have completed an extension to The Nature of Computer Games that describes and analyzes the aesthetic pleasures of video game play with reference to early 20th-century formalist models of literature.  This book, Play Redux, promotes a formalist model of computer games that is in sharp opposition to the notion that games studies are rightfully a variant of cultural studies.  Play Redux is currently in press and will hopefully be available by early 2010.

Studies and analyses of digital media, games, and play

• Myers, D. (In press). Play redux: The form of computer games.  University of Michigan Press.
• Myers, D. (2009). In search of a minimalist game. In Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory. Digital Games Research Conference Proceedings (CD-ROM). London: Brunel University. [avl online]
• Myers, D. (2009). Forms of rules of games of forms. In J. Sorg and J. Venus (Eds.). Erzählformen im Computerspiel. Zur Medienmorphologie digitaler Spiele. Bielefeld: Transcript. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (2008).  The videogame aesthetic: Play as form. In M. Wolfe and B. Perron (Eds.)  Video Game Theory Reader 2.  New York: Routledge.  [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (2008).  Play and punishment: The sad and curious case of Twixt. In The [Player] Conference Preceedings. Copenhagen, Denmark: The Center for Computer Games Research, The IT University of Copenhagen.  [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (2007).  Self and selfishness in online social play. In Baba, Akira (Ed.), Situated Play, Digital Games Research Association Conference Proceedings (pp. 226-234). Tokyo: University of Tokyo. [avl online]
• Myers, D. (2007).  Plays of destruction.  In B. Perron (Ed.), Intermédialités, 9.  [avl online]
• Myers, D. & Colwell, J. (Eds.) (2006, March).  Video games: Issues in research and learning (Part 2). Simulation & Gaming.
• Myers, D. & Colwell, J. (Eds.) (2005, December).  Video games: Issues in research and learning (Part 1). Simulation & Gaming.
• Myers, D. (2005).  Guest editorial: Issues in research and learning. Simulation & Gaming, 36, 442-446.
• Myers, D. (2005).  Bombs, barbarians, and backstories: Meaning-making within Sid Meier's Civilization.  In M. Bittanti (Ed.), Civilization. Virtual history, real fantasies. Milan, Italy: Costa & Nolan. [DRAFT]
• Myers, D. (2005).  What's good about bad play?  In Y. Pisan (Ed.), IEC2005 Conference Proceedings. Sydney, Australia: University of Technology. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (2005).  The aesthetics of the anti-aesthetics.  In R. Klevjer (Ed.), Aesthetics of Play Conference Proceedings (Online). Bergen, Norway: University of Bergen. [avl online]
• Myers, D. (2005).  Signs, symbols, games, and play. Games and Culture, 1, 47-51.
• Myers, D. (2005).  /hide: The aesthetics of group and solo play.  In Changing Views: Worlds in Play, Digital Games Research Association Conference Proceedings (CD-ROM). Vancouver, British Columbia. [avl online]
• Myers, D. (2004).  Comments on media aesthetics and media policy.  A discussion paper presented at State of Play II: Reloaded, New York Law School, New York, New York.  October 28-30, 2004. [DRAFT]
• Myers, D. (2004).  The anti-poetic: Interactivity, immersion, and other semiotic functions of digital play.  In A. Clarke (Ed.), COSIGN 2004 Conference Proceedings. Split, Croatia: Art Academy, University of Split. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (2003).  The attack of the backstories (and why they won’t win).  In M. Copier and J. Raessens (Eds.), Level Up: Digital Games Research Conference Proceedings (CD-ROM). Utrecht, the Netherlands: Faculty of the Arts, University of Utrecht. [avl online]
• Myers, D. (2003). The nature of computer games: Play as semiosis.  New York: Peter Lang.
• Myers, D. (1999).  Simulation, gaming, and the simulative.  Simulation & Gaming, 30, 482-489. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (1999).  Simulation as play:  A semiotic analysis.  Simulation & Gaming, 30, 147-162. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (1999).  Play and paradox:  How to build a semiotic machine.  Semiotica, 123(3/4), 211-230. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (1998).  Playing against the self:  Representation and evolution.  In Duncan, M. C., Chick, G. & Aycock, A. (Eds.), Play and Culture Studies, Vol. 1:  Diversions and Divergences in Fields of Play (pp. 31-46).  Greenwich, CT: Ablex. [DRAFT]
• Myers, D. (1992).  Time, symbol manipulation, and computer games. Play & Culture, 5, 441-457. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1992).  Simulating the self.  Play & Culture, 5, 420-440. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1991).  Computer game semiotics.  Play & Culture, 4, 334-345. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1990). A Q-study of computer game players.  Simulation & Gaming, 21, 375-396. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1990). Chris Crawford and computer game aesthetics.  Journal of Popular Culture, 24(2), 17-28. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1990).  Computer game genres.  Play & Culture, 3, 286-301. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1988). An argument for the study of play.  Issues in Integrative Studies, 6, 126-138. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1987).  'Anonymity is part of the magic':  Individual manipulation of computer-mediated communication context.  Qualitative Sociology, 10(3), 251-266. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1987). A new environment for communication play: Online play.  In G. A. Fine (Ed.), Meaningful Play, Playful Meaning (pp. 231-245).  Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Press. [facsimile]
• Myers, D. (1984). The pattern of player-game relationships.  Simulation & Games, 15, 159-185.

Related articles

   and a short story

   and a long thread

• Myers, D. et al. (2008).  The sad and curious case of Twixt.
• Myers, D. (2007). Fantasy football. Dictionary of American History, Dynamic Reference edition. New York: Charles Scribner's.
• Myers, D. (2004).  The Internet.  Encyclopedia of recreation and leisure studies. New York: Charles Scribner's.
• Myers, D. (2004).  Fantasy sports.  Encyclopedia of recreation and leisure studies. New York: Charles Scribner's.
• Myers, D. (2001).  A pox on all compromises: Reply to Craig (1999). Communication Theory, 11, 231-240. [DRAFT avl on request]
• Myers, D. (1987). Fat woman.  Writer's Digest Writing Competition Award -- Short fiction.