Doubled Perception: The Semiotics of Video Game Screens.

The article examines the concept of "interface value" as described by Sherry Turkle, highlighting its emergence with the introduction of graphic user interfaces (GUIs) and its parallel development in home video gaming. Turkle argues that users increasingly accept representations of reality on screens without questioning the underlying technology, a phenomenon that has been amplified by the design of video game consoles, which prioritize user-friendly interfaces. The text also critiques Turkle's perspective through the lens of scholars like Slavoj Žižek and Azuma Hiroki, who propose a more complex understanding of identity and perception in cyberspace, emphasizing the dual nature of onscreen experiences as both icons and objects. The article ultimately explores the implications of this duality for video game design and player interaction, suggesting that the interplay between semantical and syntactical dimensions is crucial for understanding gameplay and realism in video games. [Extracted from the article]