The hook of the look: the role of the vista in videogame space

In many first and third person videogames, power and agency are manifested through the twin logics of vision and action. Spatial design is therefore frequently used to incorporate strategies of attracting vision-hallways, lighting, hidden landmarks, items, and crucially, scenic viewpoints-which can often translate into the prompting of action. Following the prospect/refuge architectural theories of Appleton and Hildebrand, this paper will explore the interplay of spatial design, code, algorithm, action and agency under the rubric of the 'vista'. The introductory sequence of Half-Life 2 (Valve 2004) is an insightful illustration of the uses of the vista: the player is led through a relatively complex architectural environment (through a train station, streets, a tenement building and rooftops) with few overt commands. While the original Half-Life (Valve 1998) used a fairly static train ride sequence to similarly introduce players to the spatial hierarchy of the game, Half-Life 2 achieves a similar -and more open-effect through the use of visual leads and vista-like strategies. These videogame spaces are designed to actively speak to the player, calling for vision and movement, and therefore structuring play through code and its diffusion through game space. Theoretical discussions of game space therefore cannot separate the analysis of design from the analysis of action and use of the space: after Galloway and his theory of 'image-action', game space can be situated as a space of 'doing', as well as 'seeing', 'hearing' and the other traditional elements of screen-based spatialities. The vista, in this paper, will be used as a framework for understanding how players can be called to action through the codes of videogame space