Date of Award

7-21-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Rhetoric and Writing

First Advisor

Joseph Williams

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the elements of printed game manuals so their genre can be seen for its historical value and connection to contemporary game documentation in its many forms. Six manuals are analyzed for their genre elements: contextual, structural, stylistic, and semantic. Each manual was selected based on its related game's popularity for that decade. The analysis found that the genre had a heavy focus on both instruction and immersion. The results of the thesis can be used to refine research on other types of game documentation, because several types either evolved from or replaced the video game manual. The results can also be examined to see the evolution of digital help systems in video games, as those are what replaced the video game manual over time. This thesis also suggests that video game manuals may be used as models for how to apply gamification to other technical documents.

Download

Share

COinS