Objectification and Games

Recently the infamous Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency came out with a new video in her series Tropes vs Women. This one focuses on female characters in the background of games specifically those that are "objects".

The video itself does contain explicit examples that are Not Safe for Work or Children.
A copy of the video's transcript can be found here.

I was particularly fond of Anita's look into the psychological effects of these visuals and gameplay have on players.

One of the points I really liked in the video was this:

A toaster is still a toaster regardless of whether or not you choose to make toast with it. It’s still designed for the express purpose of toasting bread. And it still communicates that fact even while sitting unused on your kitchen counter.

Likewise a sex object is still a sex object regardless of whether or not you personally choose to use and abuse her. And that fact, in and of itself, still communicates extremely regressive ideas about women.

This seems like a problem that won't go away, but that is the big lie. It can be stopped.
We begin with prayer, one of the most powerful tools in the Catholic armaments in our fight against evil.
Then support is given to better games.

Maturity and Game Plans

This is just a mild response to a video from The Escapist by the Jimquistion. In his most recent video rant, he talked about the latest Bioware interview that the "sex scenes" in the upcoming Dragon Age Inquistion would be "more mature and tasteful". (Insert my internal groaning...because I'm not surprised.) His point was that no, they were not. They were the same as any "sex scene" in a game: pandering, with no consequences, and often following a mechanic of "give gifts, get reward".

For the majority of this I say, true. Yes. This is a thing. This element is a selling feature and making such promises about possibilities, boosts sales. And to be honest, some element of romantic interest is something I look for in a game story. But, personally I wish that explicit sex scenes were not allowed in any form of media ever.

 I would love a game where the romance had more weight and consequence and if it weren't just a coin slot. So, I guess I'm up to the challenge. Next month is NaNoWriMo month which many writers use as a challenge to write a novel in 1 month. (National Novel Writing Month...by the way.) While I'm not writing a novel, throughout November (and into December), I'm going to write up and plot out a romance option game that does not cater to the stereotypes of gifting and complimenting, displays a maturing relationship within an overarching adventure story. It will be a challenge to myself to then translate that into some form of game engine. That part will take much longer.

Also for fun, one of my favorite video blogs about Sex in games. I'm sure I've linked it before but it deserves more linking.

I'll try to keep this blog updated with progress if any gets made.

Link Share: Killing is Too Easy

I've had the same feelings as this article for as long as I've been a gamer.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/10467-Killing-is-Too-Easy

There are some f-bombs in the article if you're sensitive to that. But this is definitely a topic I'd like to think on and maybe expand upon.

Video Share: David Gaider's Presentation on Sexism and Sexuality in Games

Video Link (50 minutes)
Note: The video is pretty clean but there are some mild swears and sexy pictures. (nothing explicit).

I want to be a bit jaded about the video article, but he makes some very good observations and solutions. Still recognizes that very broken nature of business.

Basically advocates player centric design practices (feedback from fans, research etc), hiring a diverse staff, and trying not to please all audiences all the time.

Also noted that games normalize some behavior or makes it seem okay.

I like these practices. but I have my scruples about how sex is portrayed in games and other media in general. They are still aiming at the base nature and male fantasy portion, not so much the consequences, responsibility, etc.

That's my piece on it.

Value Systems

There are days when I am lucky to find a site with articles for geek women like myself. There is some solidarity. However, as with all collective groups there is going to be only some overlap with values. I might rant a bit today.

A value System

First, a value system is a collective of your held personal beliefs influenced by experience, religion, morals etc. What one might think is good and bad.
So for myself, I have a Catholic value system meaning I accept the Churches teachings on pretty much all moral matters.

What becomes difficult is reading or talking with someone with perhaps a more secular value system about moral matters.

It is particularly mind-numbing and eye-gouging to deal with relativism. Give me anything but a relativist. (Although I probably shouldn't ask for something worse. I just can't think of it at this moment.)

The Offender

I've written about feminists before and I will again today because my feathers are a bit ruffled. The particular article I started to read was about the virtue of modesty. (Modesty is generally the handle I use online.) Effectively, the article was about turning this virtue into a vice.

RAZZAFRAGGA!!!

This gets under my skin SO MUCH. This article isn't the only offender no. The general attitude is seen in many places and often amplified in online geek communities. It's opposite land out there! Vices are virtues! Virtues are Vices! They question the idealism of being courageous and noble and virtuous? They praise the ability to act out violent childish fantasies. And by "they" I mean game journalists and other online journalists.

It can be applied to the media culture at large though.

Hypocrites All!

One of the big reasons that such a mirror universe is so aggravating is that the writer still expects decency. For example, the writer who wrote about the "vice" of modesty claimed that the burden of resisting temptation was on men. Basically, if men get turned on by a flash of ankle it's not the woman's fault. Granted it was more about being allowed to show as much skin as she wanted without being objectified or sexualized. One, God made woman beautiful. She is created to allure, it wasn't a mistake. Two, God created man to desire beauty and therefore woman. These are good natural things.

We live in a world where anything good is twisted by the Enemy. The deformity is what we often experience. Sexiness is a distortion of true feminine beauty. So unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

On the other side of the coin, yes, it is true that there are those so Puritan that they cover the body because they believe it evil and gross. The mindset should be that my body is so precious and sacred that it should be covered lest the world go mad upon gazing upon it. (I may be dramatizing this a bit, but hey drama is the spice of life.)

But there's a bright side too...

Today I happened across this Kickstarter Project: TUG.
Most geek girls lament the scantily clad super heroine or game characters. This project took social science to help design this game. Seriously going through their philosophy and design plans and studies fills me with hope.

It is only in a fantasy world where a woman can wear a bikini and somehow not be ogled by the men around her 90% of the time. Fantasy is not reality and often we forget that.

I may have a Thomas Merton type post about that sometime soon. I'll first have to re-read some of Merton's complaints about journalism.

Public Enemy: Video Games

As someone who enjoys playing video games, it becomes frustrating when Youth Group Leaders, Ministers or very intelligent Catholics condemn the hobby. Naturally we feel defensive because it feels like they get their information straight from TV news which has been anti-video games for a long time.

So let's talk about games and why they are so unpopular with a Christian life style. There are three common arguments used to condemn video games: violence, addiction, and controversy.

Must it all end with Violence?
The fact that video games are violent is a true statement. A large percentage of game titles are about using violence or murder to solve a problem. There are whole genres dedicated to this style of game.
There is concern that being exposed to so much violence it desensitizes the player towards real violence and other people.

Studies on the subject of games and violence remain vague on the causality issue. It is not a simple A causes B.  There are many mediums in which we expose ourselves to depictions of violence including news, movies, comics, and television. A vicious cycle has been in motion for quite some time. Culture influences media as much as media influences culture.

Granted this IS a big issue in games that needs to be addressed. Having such a large percentage of games being shooters, hack/slash, or beat 'em up type games reaffirms the idea that ALL games are violent, with the exception of "games for kids" which may be non-violent. It'd be nice if games were a bit more like Deus Ex: Human Revolutions where there is a "non-lethal" route to take. Or a game like Mirror's Edge where the protagonist can not defend herself except by running and jumping.




A-A-Addiction
From the game designer chair, getting the player "lost in flow" is the pinnacle of good game design principles. This has become a double edged sword for games as an activity. There are reports of people dying at their computer or showing symptoms similar to any addict.

However, this is a bit overblown in reports and all the attention is very negative. Because gaming is still seen as socially unacceptable as a practice except for children.
I would like to direct you to two very well written articles on the subject of addictions to MMOs which is the most commonly addictive game type:
The Trouble with Addiction
Understanding and Dealing with Gaming Problems: A Q&A with a Therapist

  "As with other activities in life, it starts to become clear that moderation is key. Online games can be therapeutic and enabling when engaged with in moderation, but can become disabling when someone plays too much. While seemingly obvious once laid out, this sensibility is oftentimes missing when the issue is presented by the media or anti-game proponents. A complicated “both-and” issue becomes mangled into a far more simplistic “either-or” / “good vs. evil” issue."
(Nick Yee, "The Trouble with Addiction" 2006)

This problematic gaming issue comes up a lot in my conversations. There is nothing that upsets me as a gamer more than someone telling me about a news story about someone who died at their computer while playing a game. This marginalizes me as someone who enjoys the hobby but plays with moderation. This incident does not put ALL gamers at risk for spontaneously dropping dead with controller in hand.

All that said, I do not deny the fact that there are people with problematic playing behaviors. The ones that show up in the news and used to villainize gaming.
"Unfortunately many people, particularly those prone to compulsive behaviors, are not highly self-aware and have a hard time reflecting upon and regulating their own behavior. Children are not able to do this, which is why they have parents who regulate them. Adolescents do it sketchily. Adults vary according to many complex factors."
(Nick Yee, "Understanding and Dealing with Gaming Problems", 2006)

I know for me my parents were good at regulating our play time with gaming systems, TV watching and computers. Self-discipline is the important factor in combating the potential of what could be dangerous behavior.

Too Sexy for my Shirt
The perceived maturity level of developers is actually fairly accurate in many companies. Dealing with complex issues like relationships does not come easily in game story telling. So, the game industry is incredibly competitive and cut throat. With the current business model they have to be. And it all comes down to sales and consumers.

See in film and other media avenues, they don't suffer financially if someone buys a used DVD or watches it "for free" online. Pirating movies and TV, while still active, have become less and less of a problem for the industry thanks to the many avenues of legal distribution now available. Movie in particular have several avenues for making money back and profit from theatrical releases AND DVD sales.

For a game company, they only make money back on a project from every new game purchased. Consumer expectations are set at a certain level and the economy makes them much more careful about choosing which game to buy for $60. Used game stores like Gamestop take advantage of this by profiting off of the sale of used games. The developers don't see any income from the sale of used games. Pirating is a bigger problem for games. And here's where the controversy comes in.

The cost of game development for AAA titles is about the same as a Hollywood film. It's in the millions. In terms of game design, things are average at best. So many companies have adopted the tactic of banking on gaming's negative image as a selling point. Stirring the controversy pot is going to make sales. Gratuitous gore, nudity, violence and sex all mean sales to the "core demographic" and getting the news to talk about the game. Free advertising.

This is something that the industry is struggling with. It's easier to make a mediocre game and then market the controversial nature of the title than to make something innovative and good.

However, this is why the Independent game companies and "Casual" game companies are starting to see some growth. The core demographic is tired of average game design and quirky/creative titles are starting to gain more recognition. Such as..grumblegrumblangrybirdsgrumple*, Journey, and Limbo.

This is a legitimate problem in game development that hopefully the industry will grow out of. Because the more they use the controversy pot, the less chance the medium has at being viewed as a legitimate ART FORM like film or comics (to a much lesser extent).
http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/facing-controversy
(This short video presentation discusses this topic very well.)

Can I be a Catholic Gamer?
 PLEASE DO! I think it is INCREDIBLY important to start playing LIKE a Catholic (or Christian). As I've been reading some of Matthew Kelly lately (I hope to review the book on this blog in a few weeks), it is important to remember our faith should be a lifestyle. Can video games be a part of that lifestyle?
Well, movies, comics, music and TV certainly have become a part I don't see why games should be any different. But it is incredibly important to remember that the games you play will reflect on you. Just as the movies you enjoy and books you read reflect on you. Owning well know controversial titles is probably NOT the best reflection. It suggests all the negative ire associated with the negative view of gamers in general. It also suggests that you are ONLY practicing your faith in certain areas of your life instead of ALL.

Please be reassured that not all game titles rated are evil. There is a wide array of titles that may include "mature" themes that are worth playing. (Granted, I always tend to approach M-rated games with extreme prejudice.) Purchase with conscience is recommended.
Playing with moderation is important. In various stages of life, long hours of gaming will be less and less frequent.

Conclusion
There is unfortunately merit to the things video games are accused of. Some of it is media propaganda making mountains out of molehills, but there is a good portion of gaming that needs to be changed. Gaming is more social than ever before and hopefully someday will be less of a social stigma.

Work in Progress

Time for this blog has been rare as of late since I've been actively searching for steady work since January. It becomes hard to focus on other pleasures in life if one is in a difficult place. This trial of unemployment has been at the same time an opportunity for reflection on both the nature of finding work and how I end up spending my time.

Nature of Work
Being productive and earning reward is somehow wired into us. When we find ourselves unable to earn, we become frustrated. Perhaps it is the American way to be able to stand on your own two feet and make your own way without anyone's help. While we my view our lives in this way, it could not be farther from the truth.

Our culture also emphasizes on how much output a person produces. A worthwhile member of society is someone who is productive. I know even I myself will judge another person by how much they work or the nature of their work. To me at least a doctor seems like a better human because the nature of their work requires a very specific, hard to acquire skill. They also contribute to the health of society which to me is a worthwhile "product". Which is to say that the value placed on that "product" is higher than others.

Nature of Unemployment
It is like wearing a badge of shame at times to be unemployed and actively looking for work. The temptation is to try to find something at fault with the person, especially if you are the one unemployed. This may be because we feel so defined by the work we do or the jobs we hold. It can become our identity. Losing that identity becomes a source of discouragement. It is easy to forget something of great importance.


Perspective
God does not identify us by the job we hold or how much money we earn or even how many hours we put into a job. It is so easy to lose sight of this when happily employed or when desperately looking. I've had trying days during this time where I did not even want to get up out of bed. What was the point? I had no plans for the day. No job to do. But I had to get up. And it was by the hand of God that I would get out of bed, drink a breakfast shake, and spend some time trying to find work or finding time to go to a daily mass or sit out on my porch and pray a rosary.
It is enough to our Lord that I just be. During this time I've had a few powerful revelations. Well powerful to me at the time. The first is the reassurance that God is more concerned with who I am and not what I do. And also that God ultimately wants me to be happy.

In the Legion of Mary, our spiritual director said once: God weeps at our suffering.
It is easier to think that God is a god of wrath and that suffering is a form of punishment. I had never thought of God weeping, but it makes sense. Christ shared sorrow and joy with the people around him, he would do the same for us. At the same time, Christ also laughs with us and gives us the strength to bear the weight of our crosses.

Pruning
I know at least for me this is an OBVIOUS pruning. A couple weeks ago the gospel talked about how God was the caretaker of the vineyard and even good branches must be pruned to bear more fruit. Since I have so much "free time", it would make sense that I have more time to draw closer to God and develop some of my virtues. (Well, I have my good and bad days. :))

My faith is growing and also my trust. It is only when our trust in God is challenged that we can grow in it. My brother, who has recently landed a steady job (God be praised), had been long unemployed or under-employed. He lived off the generosity of others while looking for work. At times getting a little frustrated with God, because he had trusted him.

This is a way to shake us out of lukewarmness which is definitely something I struggle with. Once I hit "good enough" I'll stop until motivated. But I also get "mad" because I can not see the eternal plan and my suffering right now doesn't make complete sense. I can only GUESS.


Nature of the Hunt
Now all this ties into how job searching and landing a job has changed over time. I've taken classes on job hunting and find myself its student quite often. In the entertainment industry, the saying is: It's who you know. That will land you a job.
There are many techniques the utilize to better your rate of success: Networking, Marketing Yourself, and Experience. However even with all these techniques there is NO GUARANTEE.

One of the great lessons I'm relearning is that any job I've landed was through Divine Providence. I moved over a thousand miles to a strange town where I knew no one and landed my first job in 8 weeks thanks to being proactive and blessings from God. Now my network is a little wider, I'm making all the right moves, but I'm still unemployed. So I have put my faith on the line and my trust in God...and trust in my friends.

For all those seeking employment, I highly recommend praying to St. Joseph the worker. And for those getting quite desperate asking St. Jude or St. Rita for a little help may do you some good.
Also don't be afraid to ask anyone for prayers.

St. Joseph, Pray for us.

The End is Bittersweet

This is just a reaction post to the uproar against the ending in Bioware's Mass Effect 3. Be forewarned this is an outside looking in kind of reaction as I've only played the ME3 demo and watched the first hour of game play of ME1. So I can not say I'm familiar with the whole story. However based on this spoilery video detailing the top ten plot holes, I can say I might understand the unhappy reaction of the masses. (I  will try my best to avoid the obvious puns that I could use in a Catholic blog about mass.)

- Ending a Story 
There are expectations for the end of a story that a consumer expects. The main thing is a resolution of all conflicts the story presents. This is something basic that is taught in creative writing. Resolutions need to follow logic in order for them to work. The resolution needs to fall back onto previously established story events. According to the linked video, that doesn't seem to be the case in this particular story since it was a co-authored story. But I'll get to that in the next sections.

You can have a bittersweet, hopeless, sad, or even cautionary ending. Such as the ending in Huxley's A Brave New World or Orwell's 1984. 

- Ending a Game
The style of the game's narrative presentation will affect how the player accepts the ending(s). Delivering a narrative through a game is not the same as delivering through a book or film. There is a style of narrative delivery in which the game story is narrated or told directly to the player regardless of their in-game actions. This is called "Linear" in gaming. A linear game is something like the newer Legend of Zelda games or Final Fantasy. You play the game to be told a story.
The ending for a game like this can also be bittersweet, sad, etc.

Non-linear games such as sand box games or games with multiple endings are different in how they are perceived by the player. This is because the player becomes co-author of their experience and the storyline. They play not to be told a story but to in part direct the story.

In both cases reaching the end goal is a reward for in-game challenges. A resolution satisfies our narrative needs.
 
Ending Games Continued
 Okay let me take a mostly linear game Odin Sphere by Vanillaware. This is a story based on an already established story...well...loosely. It's based on Wagner's Ring Cycle Opera. The game allows you to play the story at various points from the perspective of 5 characters. The various endings are affected only by which boss each of the characters decides to fight. There is ONE correct combination based on an in game prophecy which will tell you who should fight who.

In my first play through I mixed up a couple of the boss fights. Each character completed their arc in a satisfying way, however, the world was completely destroyed.  I was surprised and a little saddened that despite the effort it took me to complete the game I got a "sad" ending. However, replaying the boss battles in the correct combination allowed me to see the happier ending. So I did not have to completely replay the whole game.

My reaction was still negative toward the sad ending but it was in a way the game "punishing" me the player for not really paying attention to that prophecy element of the story.
BUT this was a linear game. I did not feel "cheated" because I did not co-author any of the characters.  I was just following their story, not directing it.

Trilogies

Trilogies are a way of telling a very large story in 3 Acts. Depending on how each ends will satisfy our following of this long journey.
For example let's look at Lord of the Rings. I will use the films as examples because it's been over a decade since I read the novels and I can not quite remember where each left off in the story.
The first film Fellowship of the Ring follows a story to a satisfying and hopeful end. We are introduced to the status quo, the characters, the conflict and the goal. The ending of the film while a little sad holds promise of more adventure. It's hopeful.
The second film continues on from the darker side of the first film and while it ends with a victorious battle there are still unresolved ends and a little less hope. It's harder to watch because we don't have that serene, happy beginning which is true of most "middle" sections of a trilogy.
The Return of the King starts dark but brings us to a happy resolution. All the ends are tied, the heroes win, we feel satisfied.

It is also heavily based on the Hero's Journey/Mono-myth story format which seems to satisfy some human desire within us. (It's all in the Bible too!) 

- Reaction 
According to the linked video, there are many plot-holes that upset players and seemed to betray story logic. The whole experience over 3 games seems disregarded which means the experience the player co-authored is disregarded.
It was not like the linear game experience where if you made "wrong" choices you get the bad ending.

Apparently there was also developer promises for endings that were not shoehorned in or allowed the player only flavors of the same ending. These promises were not kept.

Is the reaction appropriate? Campaigns demanding a better ending from the developer?
Personally I think that because the developer Bioware is very connected to fans that they have let down their customers. They probably could never satisfy all fans, but since a majority is so disenchanted then there is some incentive to comply with the desire for better endings.

From what I see in the ending I have a feeling I can guess what kind of ending they wanted to give. But it seems to try and fail to fit a player's experience into a singular ending. They wanted to give a sense of the gravity of sacrifice.
This was done a bit more elegantly in a previous Bioware title Dragon Age: Origins. However that was one game, not the finale of a trilogy.

Summary
Games like other mediums can offer lessons in sacrifice and offer a bittersweet ending. My Warden in Dragon Age died at the end of my first playthrough. Which upset me at first but then it really got me thinking that sacrifice IS hard and upsetting because there is no earthly reward. I could have let someone else die in my place or performed dark magic to save my character but I elected that based on everything that happened to my character in the story she would do the Jesus thing and die for everyone.

Since it is Lent and sacrifice is a big part of it, we like to see appropriate reward for it. Like Jesus dying for our sins reaps us everlasting life. Pretty awesome right? I think Mass Effect wanted an ending LIKE that, where the hero's sacrifice allows everyone to live. But did that fit with the rest of the set up? In a game where you can be a selfish jerk does it make sense to have a last minute change of heart? Feels forced right?

In any case, I can understand where the unhappiness comes from.I can understand an author's desire to really drill in the gravity of sacrifice with the death of the trilogy's hero.
But that's my take on it.

EDIT: There was a fairly well thought out vlog on the subject matter of changing the ending of release games and ART. It basically claimed that this outrage is part of games "growing up" as an art. As a work of interactive literature or art it is beneficial to developers to re-work it, such as films having a Director's Cut.
It was a well thought out vlog but I'm hesitant to post it here because it was also a bit crass. 

Gaming and Gay Marriage

This topic will be mostly focused on how gay marriage and the gay movement is having an effect on video games. In discussions about this topic, I tend to fumble around with my words so it is most likely this post might contain something you find offensive. So I'll put it out there, I do not support same-sex unions and stand on Church teachings on the matter. Now let's talk about games.

Popular Culture's Influence
You know who benefits from "negative" marketing? Most products, but especially games. They at times thrive on the negative attention they get because at least it's attention. If it upsets someone you do not like then you support it by spreading the word about it. Likewise, those that are upset about it and whine about it also advertise it.

The topic of homosexual encounters in a game's story tend to net positive attention from various groups so it has become appealing. As illustrated here rather eloquently by David Gaider's response to an unhappy fan "Straight Male Gamer". Mr. Gaider makes very valid points against the arguments brought to the table by the original post. However, the point is that the LGBT community is also a MARKET for products. It is a very vocal minority, more so than straight female gamers. The game in question also netted some public controversy thus making the possible homosexual relationship seem like a huge deal.

It is a very valid and seemingly open-minded (read relativist) point of view. The game neither praises nor condemns the morality of...well...any in-game choices. It tolerates. In a way it is a space in which you can project your own morals and see how things play out. I'll have a better article about this style of gameplay on another day.

Romantic Elements in Games
You know what else draws attention to a game? Having romance OPTIONS. For some games they bank on these options to help sell the game. And I'm not thinking only of the big name companies that have stoked the controversy flames for attention. No...I'm talking more about a niche series, Harvest Moon and a few other Japanese titles. Dating sims are a bit more popular across the ocean than they are here. There is a cult following but it's a minority.
A few years back there was a version of Harvest Moon where you could select a female avatar and have a "best friend" ceremony with another female NPC. (There were only 2 characters of supernatural nature that you could perform this with under my understanding.) However, the North American release removed this aspect from the game because well, they knew it would not market here AS WELL to have what looked like a lesbian marriage.

 It's fun to have a choose-your-own adventure type story where you can choose what character gets to be the romantic interest. Why not right? Now what if I want the romantic interest to be the same sex as my character? Does that make it an interesting option to explore or a promotion of a sinful lifestyle?


Marriage vs. Romance Scenes
To better answer that question I would like to discuss what the differences are between marriage and romance options when talking about games.
A romance option can mean two things depending on the intended audience of the game and the game style. In a game marketed to a "Rated T" or "E10", it means someone you date or ultimately becomes your boyfriend/girlfriend. Generally because that intended age is not ready for marriage.
In a game marketed to the "Rated M" or more crowd, romance means you get a sex scene with this character or "mature relationship". Generally because sexual promiscuity is more marketable as fun for a predominantly male audience...and a growing female audience as well.

However, there are a few titles that offer marriage options. That is to say that the goal of the relationship is to net a spouse.

From a Catholic perspective there is a severe lack of positive views of marriage and sexuality in games. It either means nothing or its tacked on as one option out of many. FOR EXAMPLE:
In Dragon Age: Origins you create your main character and can choose their appearance, background, sex and "race". The main character travels with companions which can be interacted with and develop over time. There is only ONE marriage option. It is only for a human female character of noble origins. There are no marriage options for male characters. Which at least to me says: marketing has shown that female players are more interested in marriage than our males who just want a fun fling or a threesome. A majority of our players are not into commitment.

Harvest Moon (a farming simulation game) in the earlier games of the series had a "purpose" for the spouse character. She would perform some of the chores on the farm every so often. In later games the spouse just says nice things to you, brings you a present on your birthday and is required to have the child character. On the other hand, the whole point of romancing a character is to eventually marry and you only get one choice. There is no option to divorce and pick someone else. It treats marriage in a fundamentally traditional way although it's still very superficial on the surface.

In game marriage is fairly common in MMO settings where the gameplay depends on social contact. The setting provides some stat boosts when the characters play together and opens up "couple only" quests unavailable for single players or even groups. This helps not only in-game situations but can help real relationships. Most MMO games restrict that marriage has to be between a female and a male avatar. Unlike single player games, the union is between two players and may represent a real life romance, friendship or marriage.

In almost all cases (MMO's being the exception), romance or marriage restricts focus on a character to a very specific role. It can be the characters defining aspect in the eyes of a player. Games tend to categorize characters into "functional roles" since that is part of game mechanics. It is very easy to see a character as "healer" or "range fighter" instead of a character.

Games influence on our Culture
 Ahh...yes, there is something very important as to why as Catholics we should care about how this is handled in a medium such as games. Art and Stories and Entertainment have a large hand in shaping our conscience and beliefs. This is why propaganda is a powerful weapon. It can dehumanize a group of people in our imagination.. Now, not all media propaganda is so overt, but social pressure influenced by the news, our films, and games makes an individual feel ostracized or attacked for believing or living in a way opposed to what is seen as popular.

There are games that do try and get an honest look at what a homosexual or Same Sex Attracted person struggle with in society without attacking any one belief system. It is usually through a "spokesperson" character in a narrative setting. The best example I know of being Persona4.
However, take that character and make it a romance option changes the perception of that character. It can narrow the view of the character to only be defined by their sexual orientation.
The character wasn't "FOR" you. You have other choices. Suddenly there is an US vs THEM instead of an attempt to open discussion on common ground. The same can be said of any female "option" in a game. Her struggles with society won't be taken seriously if she is also a romance option.  

For example, (I'm sorry I keep using Dragon Age...its just illustrates everything SO easily.) the character Anders from Dragon Age was a party member in one of the expansions. There were no romance options. The character was interpreted as a character of a certain personality and most likely assumed heterosexual.
This changed in Dragon Age II when Anders returns as a romance option. This caused a bit of turbulence since he revealed he was bisexual and open about being in homosexual relationships. The player's view of him changes between the two games because as a romance option we care about his sexuality as a character and it became his defining feature. Instead of thinking about what kind of struggles the character went through the player feels "cheated" because now Anders is flirting with us and we don't know why and our avatar is NOT homosexual at all.
In the end, it caused a lot of discomfort which instead of reflecting on WHY and trying to understand the source it reestablished that dividing line of us and them.  
(Side note: If playing as a female avatar, Anders does NOT talk about being homosexual directly. If you are a  male avatar, he admits it. Really not sure if I should interpret that as he's bisexual only if you play as a male character or not.)

Closing Thoughts
So what's the big deal with gay marriage in games? If marriage and romance is so "cheap" and superficial in games it should not be our concern. Well, to be fair, games have not moved out of the 'entertainment' realm into 'art'. The handling of deep human exploration is basic right now but there is potential to get deeper than what film and literature can provide.

Extra Credits does a good presentation on the state of sexuality in games: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/sex-in-games
I recommend it strongly.
However, that does not change video game's role as an idea shaping medium. The ideals it promotes are usually only a base level that is skewed toward a young, white, male demographic. This may be more worrisome. There is a need for views on intimacy and marriage within games (and other media) that offer more positive situations outside of a character being married in the past or cheapening sex and relationships.

At this point the inclusion of a homosexual romance option strikes me as pandering or marketing without much deeper thought about what marriage or being homosexual actually means. The only thing it does do is "normalize" the idea of same-sex marriage in our imagination. Just as it normalizes the objectification of women, human trafficking, prostitution and solving problems with violence. If you are not confident about your stance on these subjects, it is easy to be influenced by fiction and imagination.

If you don't feel up-to-date on the Church's stance on Gay Marriage, I suggest reading the following articles:
What the Church Teaches about Homosexuality
Catholic Answers: Gay Marriage
How to Make the Case for Marriage (Using Non-religious Language)

Whew...this was a tough one to write.

Grievences about Games: Game Content

Some of the things that upset me the most about game in the light of content. I'll probably do another list for design and other aspects but this entry will be mostly about game content, meaning the story, characters, visuals (outside of UI) and so on.

• Battle Only Games - Why is violence the only answer?
• The Buzz Cut Space Marine - I hate this character. He needs to die in a fire. Him and all his clones.
• Wooden Voice Acting - I think this is pretty much common sense.
• JRPG Story Lines - I don't understand you. You don't make sense. And all the characters look like women?
• Repeating Dialog - Not just the looping kind, I'm talking about reiterating information constantly.
• No option to be a female character - This is not required but in some stories, like those with a silent protagonist, it'd be a nice option.
• Violence aimed specifically at women - This just needs to stop in all media. I understand the need for a victim of violence but society tells this to a woman subliminally every day: You are weak, you are worthless, you belong to a man, you are an object.
• Jiggle physics - For the same reasons above. I understand the theory behind this exploitative marketing tactic. IT WORKS.
• Horses Animated Incorrectly - this is such a minor nitpick and completely personal. But I can tell when a horse is running "wrong". Sometimes it is to the point where it actually decreases my enjoyment of an otherwise good game. Luckily it seems to be something limited to games from Japan. Instead of running like a horse, it runs like a wolf or a dog. My favorite example of this is Shadow of the Colossus. I've played some of the game but the horse run was irritating to me so I couldn't stand to watch it. If low budget girly horse games can do it, so can a high budget Japanese games. (I'm serious, I played through ALL of Bella Sara's lame 3D game.) 
• Religion Sucks - Why haters gotta hate on traditional religions?  And why are a majority of religious figures evil or villains or jerks?

 Not much else to elaborate on. I'm still working on some deeper posts for later. For now, enjoy my whining.