Furniture in Video Games

Interior design in video games and virtual reality is known to replicate real -world information and locations to use the advantages of familiarity and embodiment of the player to the virtual world. One aspect of this embodiment is to use furniture styles and types in the virtual world to achieve familiarity.

Depending on the timeframe, location and material used in furniture, furniture use can also be used to depict timef rame and condition of the setting created in the video game. Furniture as a form of decorative art and functional constructions to aid human motion and actions thus can be used to enhance immersion criteria in the video game and increase the video games re alism.

In humankind's history, earliest humans and in their settlements are known to use natural forms of materials, such as rocks and trees as furniture,

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which followed by humans carving malleable materials in shape to function as furniture or construct furniture with the composition of elements. Nowadays, furniture definition encapsulates an extensive use and function just as working for aesthetic, psychologic, comfort and status criteria as well.

In order to create an adequate virtual world that resembl es the real world closely, and allows the player to perceive the created virtual world as a reflection of the real -world the player resides, furniture details are also designed, placed according to historical knowledge to create a setting the player can pe rceive and relate.

Several video game examples use the furniture addition to their virtual worlds effectively to achieve a stimulus and create immersion. Specific video games allowing the avatar of the video game to use the furniture placed in the video game to enhance the immersion further, otherwise furniture use can be observed by the player of the video game in cutscenes of the video game story exposition the objectives and settings via NPC’s scripted conversations, or on background scenery, therefore i ncluding the information to the player that the furniture placed in the virtual world is just not a decorative placeholder but used as a piece of functional equipment.

Bethesda Softwork’s video game Skyrim is one of the contemporary video games that use th e effect of furniture successfully. In the video game setting, the player -created avatar is free to roam in the northern lands of the fictional Tamriel continent and able to accomplish quests for the lords of the settlements.

With the continuation of provi ding services to the lords of the settlements and lands increasing reputation , the player can earn the right to purchase a home in the reputable province and furnish the house purchased. In the later developments of the video game, a downloadable content offered in the video game also allowed a house -builder mode for the player to furnish personally, control, align and decorate the houses in the video game , giving the player ultimate control in decorating, designing and furnishing the living spaces in the v ideo game. The furniture in the Skyrim is as mentioned above are made by several races of the fictional world of Elder Scrolls , each race having particular

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approach and style on furniture, creating a vast difference between locations in the virtual world of Skyrim, and allows a wide variety of customization options.

Skyrim also allows the player -controlled avatar to use particular furniture to increase furthe r the role-playing elements such as sit on benches, chairs and sofas, use the tables, counters and bookshelves for storage. Therefore Skyrim is a video game that uses the furniture elements in the video games virtual world successfully to immerse the playe r into that virtual setting, and embody the player to the role -playing elements.

I m a g e 3 . 1 9 : T h e E l d e r S c r o l l s O n l i n e ( Z e n i M a x O n l i n e S t u d i o s , 2 0 1 4 ) h o u s i n g e d i t o r a l l o w i n g t h e p l a y e r t o f u r n i s h a n d d e s i g n t h e h o u s e s t h e p l a y e r o w n s w i t h f u r n i t u r e .

S o u r c e : S c r e e n s h o t b y E f e c a n B ü y ü k b a y k a l .

Further titles in the Elder Scrolls , ESO is one of the MMORPG video games that is played online with other players, also allows the players to purchase homes, furnish them with decorations, stations, furniture and adornments. ESO also allows the players to increase their crafting skills to use crafting to create their fur niture with gathered materials across the virtual world of ESO, not limiting the player's creativity and furniture choice to in

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game merchants. Such freedom provided in a videogame also allows the player to be more in control of the avatars surroundings an d spaces, and more freedom in these virtual locations provides the player with a sense of success, comfort and achievement, while on the other hand also creating a completionist behaviour, urging the player to play for more to achievements.

For the case s tudy of furniture in video games, the video games mentioned in this thesis’ extend is studied for furniture use in video games.

Video Game Title

FurnitureStyle Accuracy Realism Style Material use Interaction

BioShock

Art Deco Furniture Accurate replication Realistic representation Art Deco Wood and Metal Not interactive

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ^Mod

ern Furniture Accurate replication Realistic representation Modern Contemporary Modern materials Not interactive

Dishonored

Victorian Furniture Includes futuristic elements Fantastic representation Victorian-era Classic Wood Not interactive

Doom

Futuristic Furniture Includes futuristic elements Futuristic representation Futuristic Futuristic materials Not interactive

Doom Eternal

Futuristic Furniture Includes futuristic elements Futuristic representation Futuristic Futuristic materials Not interactive

Escape From Tarkov ^Mod

ern Furniture Accurate replication Realistic representation Modern Modern materials Not interactive

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Half-Life 2 ^Mod

ern Furniture Includes futuristic elements Futuristic representation Futuristic andModern combined Modern Materials Not interactive

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

BohemianFurniture Accurate replication Realistic representation Bohemian-eraClassic Wood Interactive

Mirror’s Edge ^Mod

ern Furniture Accurate replication Realistic representation Modern Contemporary Modern Materials Not interactive

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim _Bas

ed on real-world history Includes fantastic elements Fantastic representation Based on several real-world influences Wood Interactive

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus ¹⁹₆

0s furniture Accurate replication Realistic representation The 1960s American Contemporary Modern materials Not interactive

Wolfenstein: The New Order 1960s furniture replication Accurate representation Realistic Contemporary European The 1960s Modern materials Not interactive

T a b l e 3 . C a s e S t u d y o f F u r n i t u r e i n V i d e o g a m e s