Grad scholar sprints forward with gaming subculture analysis – The Brock Information

Driven by a long-standing curiosity concerning the world of digital gaming and the subcultures inside it, Stuart Gritter (BA ’07, BSc ’12) is wanting deeper into the distinctive tales of the people behind the controllers.

A member of the inaugural cohort of Master of Arts in Game Studies college students, Gritter will graduate together with his third Brock diploma on Friday, Oct. 17 in the course of the University’s 118th Convocation. He already holds undergraduate levels in English Language and Literature and Computer Science and Interactive Arts and Science.

Gritter spent a decade working in laptop software program and as a musician earlier than pursing a graduate diploma targeted on interactive media.

His grasp’s analysis explores the world of “speedrunning,” a subculture of video avid gamers who compete to complete video games within the quickest time potential, bypassing obstacles in unintended and inventive methods.

Described by Gritter as a distant cousin organized, multiplayer sport video video games often known as digital sports activities, or eSports, speedrunning requires a mix of technical precision and persistence.

“Speedrunning is about so much more than doing something quickly; it’s about mechanical execution and dedication to chasing perfection and simultaneously building community with players who share the same drive,” he says.

Gritter’s thesis analysis, “Speedrunners and Motivation: Self-Determination Theory Applied to a Speedrunning Community”, targeted on the intensely devoted group of gamers who speedrun Nintendo’s iconic Super Mario Bros. 3.

Through interviews and knowledge evaluation, Gritter explored individuals’ motivations and emotional experiences whereas taking part in.

His findings demonstrated the emotional funding and private which means for gamers in unlocking new ranges of mastery in speedrunning video video games.

“What was most interesting was the level of intensity speedrunners felt when achieving a personal best time, with more than one participant comparing the intense feeling to the birth of their children,” he says.

Participants additionally shared comparable analytic minds, methods of system-based considering and persona traits, equivalent to persistence, focus and a focus to element.

The speedrunning pattern has gained traction in recent times with the emergence of worldwide leaderboards and livestreams shared by a worldwide neighborhood of avid gamers.

“Even if it’s a game I am not familiar with, watching people perform these games at peak capacity is fascinating to me; it takes so much effort and intentionality, not to mention time,” Gritter says.

Aaron Mauro, Associate Professor of Digital Media and Chair of the Department of Digital Humanities, says that whereas speedrunning is well-known on-line, it’s hardly ever studied as a cultural phenomenon.

“Speedrunning is a lively gaming subculture that rarely gets attention from the mainstream media or academia. For those in the know, speedrunners can elicit awe from other gamers for their precision and dedication, and Stu’s work seeks to better understand the drives and motivations for these very active online communities,” Mauro says.

Mauro says the MA in Game Studies is an interdisciplinary and interfaculty program designed to supply college students with a well-rounded, high-quality venue for learning and designing video games in all their types.

Reflecting on returning to Brock and academia as a mature scholar, Gritter says he felt very supported in this system.

“I am grateful for the Department of Digital Humanities and entire Brock community.”