Research On The Production Of Virtual Space Of The Chinese Horror Game Paranormal HK

With the development of the global Internet and game industry,people’s space production increasingly reflects the turning characteristic of "from real to virtual".Starting from Lefebvre’s theory of space production,this study selects the Chinese horror game "Paranormal HK" as a case,adopts text analysis method and in-depth interview method,and combines Marx’s critical thinking of political economy to analyze and discuss the production of virtual space in horror games.Analyze and discuss the whole process of horror game virtual space production and the political economy logic and capital power structure behind it.This study summarizes the virtual space production process and the political economy laws behind it as follows:First of all,capitalists employ digital laborers,and through the use of material cultural materials and the intervention of knowledge and technology,they can innovate production methods while improving productivity,and complete the production of virtual space itself and the accumulation of capital.The virtual space of games is the product of the development of digital capitalism.Its production process is always shaped by social ideology,and there are also problems such as exploitation and alienation that inevitably arise in the development of capitalism.Secondly,through space practice,the designer uses symbols to reproduce the horror fringe of the traditional Hong Kong city,and reconstructs the player’s virtual body and spatial form.The layout of the horror atmosphere and the production of spatial order,with the traditional Chinese aesthetic of "ghosts also have feelings",endow the virtual space of horror games with vitality.The designer,as the "space ruler",uses the player’s empathy and desire for prying to discipline the player’s psychology and behavior in the process of space production,forcing the player to engage in productive activities in the virtual space.In this way,it continuously consolidates and expands its own power boundaries and completes the accumulation of material and symbolic resources.Finally,in the process of producing virtual space,players become "digital players" who are exploited by capitalists for surplus value.Players engage in data production in virtual space and generate symbolic works in real space.By interacting and exchanging symbols with players,the designer defines player identities and virtual social relationships,disciplines players,and creates a false player practice space that seems to be dominated by players but cannot actually break through the existing power framework.This is actually an invisible concealment of the powerful power structure,a discourse reconstruction of the original real space,and a more hidden digital slavery to players.Therefore,the Production of Virtual Space is essentially a process in which designers under the control of capital and power use spatial representational symbols to establish space order through spatial practice,covertly enslave players,and generate representational space.