Overall, I’m pleased with the feedback I received on my keywords for my Drag Castlevania thesis idea. Although this process is new to me and still being worked out, it is very helpful for bringing this idea from practice to research.
First off, the word “drag” being the subject matter is very appropriate and everyone seemed to agree with its use. It communicates the theme effectively, while leaving room for the many facets of drag culture. It can be used as the noun referring to the act of drag, as a verb referring to the action of drag, and as an adjective such as “life’s a drag.” It’s a creative art form that contains so many different experiences, expressions, and meanings, and this one word is able to communicate all of this succinctly.
The second keyword, “Queers,” was the most confusing for the class. I got hung up on the “one-word” aspect of the assignment, but it still communicates my intention that this project is a form of giving back to the queer community. This was the first word that came to mind, since historically drag is based in Black and Brown queer culture. One of the problems with this word though is this game, although meant to be enjoyed by the queer community, should be a game that any player can enjoy and learn about the art form of drag through play. Additionally, the idea of community is instrumental to both this game concept and drag culture itself. Drag Castlevania is planned to be built with the community in mind, through interviewing local drag artists and infusing their personalities into the game’s weapons, clothes, and overall aesthetic. I changed the keyword to “community engagement” because of this.
The third keyword, “game,” was apt but changing it to the game’s core mechanic will help clarify the play of the game. The class agreed that game was an appropriate medium for the project, but it doesn’t do much to clarify what this idea innovates about games. I also have in my mind a specific vision of this being a video game, but limiting it to just games in general opens a variety of genres to research, prototype in, and learn through. Finally, the word game refers to the form of the overall project, and not how it incorporates and builds upon ideas of play. This third keyword will be changed to the core mechanic of the game, which I have decided to be “dress-up.”
The class discussion definitely helped me dig deeper into the “why” of my thesis concept, and move it from a cool game idea to a deeper analysis of how games can represent culture and transform it into play.