Representation of Culture Through Architectural Space In Video Games: The City Of Saint Denis, Red Dead Redemption II

Abstract

Video games especially in the 21^st century serve as more than just entertainment. They are a reflection of realities of either the past, the present or the predicted future. Video games can serve as a way of learning about past cultures. RDR 2 is an excellent example on how video games can be used to teach about the culture, architecture and social dynamics of a particular era in a particular geographic location. The environment, characters, sounds and game mechanics make it a crucial case study in discussions about video games as potential means of educating students. The aim of this paper is to present an understanding of the western culture of the late 19^th century through an analysis of the architectural environment of the town of Saint Denis in Read Dead Redemption II. The methodology used is a qualitative interpretive approach. It draws upon a cultural semiotic framework. The method involved interacting with the game, observing and capturing information in form of pictures. This then underwent semiotic analysis to identify the denotative (literal) and connotative (signified) meanings of the architecture in 19^th century America both at an urban scale (macro) and architectural scale (micro). The findings show that RDR 2 does an excellent job in detailing the city of Saint Denis. The several building types and spaces such as industries, hotels, restaurants, Public Park etc portray a rich cultural city that is a representation of various themes. The themes depicted include those of industrialization, governance, urbanization, economic and technological progress.