게임 비주얼 이펙트의 상징적 표현 연구 - 월드 오브 워크래프트를 중심으로 -

Abstract

The symbolic system of game graphics is information about games and enables linguistic communication between players. Game visual effects, one of the game graphics elements, provide special visual effects on the character, background, and interface to convey information about the character’s state or current behavior, and is limited by computer technology, but is also the most noticeable visual fun factor in game graphics. Since it is expressed as an abstract image, it is important to visualize the implied and symbolic meaning for information transmission. <World of Warcraft> is MMORPG where the expression of the character’s skill visual effects is important due to the strong content of PVP (Player VS Player) due to the confrontation between the Horde and the Alliance camp. By classifying the visual effects of <World of Warcraft> into attack and weakening/recovery and reinforcement, this study finds archetypes shared in the unconsciousness of mankind reproduced in the game visual effect and analyzes the meaning of symbols. Historically, humans have created very similar myths and images, and in between there existed archetypes, the same order that penetrated them. The human archetypes are reproduced through symbols, and it requires a high degree of creative imagination to create a new symbol. The form shown in game visual effects has a universal symbol that can be obtained without our recognition, and players interpret and learn symbols through imagination while playing the game. The symbolic expression of the form conveys the meaning of game visual effects and at the same time stimulates the player’s imagination to immerse himself in the game. As a result of the study, game visual effects showed that the universal form, archetype of mankind, was recreated by imagination to express symbolism related to the worldview of the game, and that a unique symbolic system was built, not just an image.