Extreme space analysis in digital games

Areas where life can be sustained are defined as the environment. The natural environment is found spontaneously in nature and the built environment is formed as a result of the construction in the environment. The built environment is shaped according to the conditions of the natural environment. For example, it has a settlement according to the ground conditions, openings and top cover decisions are made according to the climatic conditions. The environments created on digital platforms by simulating the natural and built environment in virtual environments are called artificial environments. It is possible to see similar relationships between natural and built environment in artificial environments. In conditions where the surrounding conditions are not suitable for human life, a habitable space can be designed with different systems and solutions. These spaces are defined as extreme spaces and the environment is defined as extreme environment. As the solutions overcome more difficult conditions, the area covered by extreme spaces will expand. As the solutions become widespread, the environments in question may cease to be extreme. These extreme conditions can be caused by different extreme conditions such as extreme heat, cold, natural disasters such as floods, avalanches, deprivation in a destroyed phase, wind, humidity. Each condition may require different design decisions and solutions, but the common goal is to create a space with the comfort required by human life. These conditions, which we can observe in the natural and built environment, can also be imitated in the artificial environment that simulates in the computer environment. Extreme conditions can be designed in artificial environments where rules and limitations are designed in themselves. Inferences can be obtained by observing the relationships between extreme artificial environment and space. These inferences will provide information about the extreme space in the artificial environment and help to make inferences about the spaces in the physical environment. The research investigates the extreme space in the artificial environment through analyses of digital games. It is predicted that the answers obtained from digital games will help to find answers in the physical world. In the introduction section, explanations are made about the importance and rationale of the subject, conceptual background, importance and topicality of the research topic, the question, aim and objective of the research, expected inferences and contribution to the literature, and evaluation of the research findings. It is aimed to investigate the extreme spaces in artificial environments by analysing extreme spaces in digital games. In this context, firstly, the situations evaluated as extreme in the literature were examined. With the inferences obtained, digital games were selected and analysed. In this context, the thesis is designed with a sequential multi-method approach in which two methods follow each other. In the first part, which is the compilation and evaluation of raw data from the literature, the meta-thematic analysis method is used, and in the second part, where the spaces in digital games are analysed, the thematic analysis method is used. In the first part, the theoretical backgrounds of the concepts of environment and space are analysed. Within the scope of environment, the concepts of natural, built and artificial environment are mentioned. The space designed as a living space in the environment and the space features in the extreme environment were examined. As virtual space and artificial environment, the concepts of virtual space and extreme space in the environment in digital games are analysed. It is mentioned that the use of virtual space in digital games is preferred because the use of virtual space in digital games increases the credibility of the game, and the potential of the results to be extracted from extreme spaces in digital games to carry information to be used in extreme space analysis is mentioned. In the second section, the method of the research was determined. It was designed with a sequential multiple approach design. In this design in which more than one approach is done sequentially, meta-thematic analysis method was used first. Meta-thematic analysis is a process involving the compilation and recoding of codes from different sources. In the research, raw data about extreme environment and space were collected and visualised by bibliometric analysis. Then, the codes obtained were recoded. The table obtained by recoding was used as a template in the analysis process of the second stage. The second stage was designed as thematic analysis. Six games with different extreme environmental characteristics were selected. The games selected to be analysed (Against the Storm, Subnautica, Oxygen not Included, Frostpunk, Fallout 4, Assassin's Creed Origins) were analysed with the template created in the first part. Twelve codes (environment and space, extreme situations, climate and weather events, urban design, space design, sustainability, information and technology, building knowledge, traditional space design, energy, thermal comfort and groundless settlement) were reached by re-coding the concepts obtained as a result of bibliometric analysis. The new codes were used to analyse the space in selected digital games. In each of the games, it was analysed whether the codes were included in the game and how the codes were processed in the game. Codes and extreme situations change in games. Specific solutions and situations specific to the games were identified in different extreme environments. In each playthrough of Against the Storm, the map is reproduced. In the environment with different extreme conditions, a sustainable life is tried to be built for the people by designing a city that adapts to the existing conditions. Urban design, resource management and sustainability concepts are important game dynamics. Subnautica is an underwater life fiction played in an extreme environment on an ocean planet. A kind of facility is designed in the game and there are exploration and action mechanics with different technological possibilities. Space design is required for the game and is designed by the player. A facility that will provide sustainable living conditions and meet the needs and protect from threats in the ocean is designed with technical and aesthetic decisions made by the player. In Oxygen not Included, the player tries to keep a colony alive under the ground on an asteroid. Within the colony, there are accommodation, production areas, resource conversion areas. Systems that provide services such as air circulation and heat distribution are also important in space design. Frostpunk takes place in an alternate timeline where freezing temperatures are experienced. A city is designed with a generator that generates and distributes heat at its centre. Correct resource management and heat distribution must be done continuously to keep the society alive. Fallout 4 is also set in an alternate timeline. The managed character must be protected from various dangers such as radiation in cities destroyed by nuclear attacks. In the game, a shelter is built with recycled materials and a sustainable system is tried to be established. Assassin's Creed Origins is played by controlling a character living in Ancient Egypt. A kind of replica of Egypt is designed. Traditional space design that adapts to extreme hot environmental conditions is observed. In the analysis of the games, it was observed that the optimum conditions tried to be reached in space design are mostly common. In different environments and situations, the aim is to try to keep human physical and psychological comfort at the optimum level. As a result of the analysis of the games, sub-codes were reached. Common concepts were also found as design input and design decision in extreme space solutions. Common sub-codes (resource scarcity, safety, production-consumption) were determined as new codes added to the template within the scope of extreme virtual space. Sub-codes and new codes were visualised in the flexible template as a result of the analyses. In the last part, the conclusions about digital extreme space are mentioned. Since there are few definitions about extreme space in the literature, the information about virtual space will contribute to the literature. It is foreseen that the results obtained can also be utilised in the examinations to be made about physical extreme space. Keywords: Extreme Space, Digital Game, Space Design, Virtual Space, Environment-Space, Artificial Environment