Video games to shape future architecture and city planning

February 23, 4:41 PMLA Game Culture ExaminerZoran Iovanovici

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It's no secret that virtual worlds have become so expansive and detailed that anyone who has spent a fair bit of time in Liberty City will attest to the feeling of immersion that the city's architecture and design creates.  It's a fine example of a virtual city modeled after a real world (in this case New York) city.  But what about modeling future city projects on principles of game design and virtual worlds?

Chris Totten, a graduate student at The Catholic University of America School, School of Architecture and Planning, in Washington D.C. has put the study of space and architecture at the forefront of his masters thesis.  What's more interesting is that the focus of his thesis will be used to study how design principles in video games can be applied to real world architecture and city planning, using Half-Life 2 as a primary example.

Could we see entire real world city blocks and famous landmarks modeled after virtual counterparts from games like Crackdown, Half-Life 2 or other open world sandbox games like the upcoming inFamous and Prototype?  Even better, will future architects employ game design theory and level design aesthetics when planning upcoming entertainment and business districts in growing metropolitan cities?

If you want the full lowdown, check out the original article over at GameCareerGuide or you can just download and read the entire thesis in PDF right here.