Life Changing Games

In every gamer's life there are often a few games or series that are very special to us. They changed us or helped us grow. It is definitely a part of gaming that doesn't get enough focus, but games have powerful potential to change minds and lives.

Here are mine.

A Bug's MUCK

Now here's something I may need to explain a bit. Online MUDs and MUCKs were pre-cursors to online MMO gaming. These were text-based adventures with multi-player played over Telnet. The biggest differences were that MUDs usually had a game system with loot drops and enemies and stats like MMOs of today. MUCKs however, were more like improv classes where people would group up as characters in a story and act out a situation. It was a LOT of fun for me as a creative person.

How does something like this change a life? Well, the benefits of improv apply a bit here but something more important was learned. I learned how my words both written and spoken could be misconstrued. What might be considered too extreme an action. It helped me adjust socially in a way that I couldn't in my current social situation. I could look and experience another person's point of view. Which is great in terms of empathy, viewing both sides of an argument and so on.

There was also a hard lesson about romance that may or may not have colored the rest of my romantic life or lack thereof. (Trust became an issue, but also the realization that everything was my fault. I was the creepy one.)

Legend of Zelda

Previously, I never considered myself a "gamer" although looking back on my childhood I was in many ways. However, particularly the title Twilight Princess officially brought me into gaming "seriously". I bought my first console for that game and it was the first game I ever preordered. It was the first game I actually got excited about and "fangirled" for.

It also marks when I was first able to share in gaming with peers. Previously I had only gamed with younger kids or my siblings. I started quickly learning about other famous series like Final Fantasy, Halo, and DDR.
At that point I was pretty much a Nintendo only fangirl.

It brought me into a community and into analyzing game design.

Dragon Age Series

Dragon Age came into my life long after I had established myself as a gamer, but my passions had cooled about games. Partly because I was working in the game's industry and poor. My co workers were also big into gaming and titles and introduced me to SO many good game titles.

It was a game that reawakened my inner fangirl. I should be embarrassed how much of the extra stuff I have for the game. I have the Table Top RPG and the special dice even though I don't have anyone to play it with. It's also plagued/inspired my imagination in many ways.

It is the game that got me into Cosplay and sewing. Granted this was very recent but the games and characters have stuck with me since 2009.

This series ALSO improved my ability to work with computer hardware. I had to get a new video card and install things all by myself. *proud* For Inquisition, I had to straight up buy a new system which I got custom built. :3

Big Buck Hunter Pro

There's one out of left field, right? I only say it changed my life because it was my life for a couple years. I worked on the mobile version of the game and the TV plug'n Play version. I have credit as level designer. :)

Is This Real Life?

As someone who spends a lot of time in her head, fantasy is familiar to me. There is both safety and danger in this realm. Today I'm going to write about something that sometimes I struggle with. This is definitely going to be difficult to write.

Fantasy as an Escape

When I was in high school, our health book had a section on psychological well being. One page listed out, with short blurbs, various coping mechanisms people use to deal with a negative experience. The one I remember most vividly was "escapism" which was described as someone who retreats into their head and daydreams. (I'm heavily paraphrasing here but that's how I remember it.) Reading this in high school, I felt angry that such a thing was considered a negative coping mechanism. The book favored proactive and positive reactions which for a shy introvert is incredibly difficult if not more psychologically damaging.

Now full blown escapism is definitely dangerous. It avoids the problem or ignores it or becomes a delusion. As a victim of bullying, fantasy can be a safe haven because in your fantasy world YOU are in control. Control of the situation makes it appealing and empowering, since in reality bullies take your power away.

Pretty much all geek activity offers some sort of escape from reality. At a convention, you can dress up as a favorite character and not receive strange looks. Playing in a LARP or D&D session or an MMORPG, places you in a different world unlike our own where you can be anything, but you. (Not that there's anything inherently wrong with any of these activities! I don't claim everyone uses these as an escape, I'm just trying to make a point.)

Fantasy can be constructing a safe-place to go to for your mind if you are dealing with trauma or even abuse. It's also a safe-place to go if you are often rejected by peers, social groups etc. It allows your mind to stop thinking about the rejection and simulates acceptance. Such a thing can often lead to disappointment in reality and a preference to the fantasy. It helps avoid the problem.

Fantasy as Distraction

Blaise Pascal in his Pensees often talks of Diversions and Man's condition.

171. Misery. -- The only thing which consoles us for our miseries is diversion, and yet this is the greatest of our miseries. For it is this which principally hinders us from reflecting upon ourselves and which makes us insensibly ruin ourselves. Without this we should be in a state of weariness, and this weariness would spur us to seek a more solid means of escaping from it. But diversion amuses us, and leads us unconsciously to death.

Diversion sounds pretty grim but at the same time an almost necessary thing. To alleviate man's inevitable misery, distraction feels necessary. So long as the distraction does not last forever, it can be a good thing. Dwelling on a problem or negative emotion can be harmful. It can hinder recovery. At the same time, ignoring the feeling can cause festering.

Humans are not meant to be happy 24/7. Culturally this is what is expected. We MUST be happy all the time, nothing should be wrong with us. "How are you?" "Good." Anything that is not a positive response is met with surprise. Misery is normal, but it is often treated as abnormal. Feeling bad feels is actually good. I know for me personally when feeling low, I can step outside my "feels" and say "I know this sucks but at the same time it's not bad. It hurts but it's okay to hurt." It's part of being refined by fire and this gives me hope.

Emotional diversion is one thing but there's also the risk of distraction from responsibilities. For instance, instead of doing homework or housework, I might distract myself with playing a game. In my case I usually distract myself from sleeping by my over active imagination.

At the same time, periods of rest for the brain are good. Studying or physical labor drain us and entertainment is necessary.

Fantasy as Pleasure

There is a great deal of enjoyment to be harvested from fantasy. Thus the desire to spend much time devoted to it. As with all pleasure in life, moderation is required. It's a terribly overused mantra but still quite necessary: Everything is good in moderation. However, it is our sinful nature that makes reigning in our desires difficult and we might fail. That's okay too, God is forgiving AND understanding.

It is not good to go into extremes and condemn pleasure as evil outright. And although it feels like I've been condemning fantasy in this post, I'm really not trying to. It seems obvious (at least to me) that like anything that is pleasurable has a time and place.

Most of my favorite writers USE fantasy and it's pleasure to teach bitter lessons. C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia was in a way an escape for the young children in war-torn England. Fantasy is kind of old hat when moral lessons are involved.

Reality

 Part of why living in your own fantasy is potentially harmful is that it can cause a dissatisfaction with the current state of a person's life. It in a way rejects the  amazing world which God made and makes us a little god in a world which we create. It will be in all ways inferior to reality. It can pull us away from the present moment in which we have to live.

However, because of the fall and sin, the world can be dark, scary and plain unpleasant. This is not part of the plan. There is something in human nature that desires a world without the darkness and unpleasantness. We want an Elysium and we can make something like that in our minds. There is a real reality that makes our own world like passing shadows. (I'm thinking of C.S. Lewis' "The Great Divorce" right now.)

In our current culture it seems that there is perhaps a desire for adventure, to prove our worth, test our mettle physically but there are only a few ways to do that. Joining the Army (which not everyone can do), going on an adventurous vacation (which not everyone can afford), or "playing pretend" (which can feel pretty childish) seem to be the only ways which this desire can manifest.

I recently watched a vlog about "synthetic relationships" and how it has been affecting Japan. I'll link it here but heavy warning that there are some mildly explicit imagery (to prove his point, he does put up a warning) so it's not necessarily safe for work, but it does illustrate perfectly the dangers that can face society when a fantasy is preferred to reality: Game Exchange: Dating Sims and Synthetic Relationships.

Conclusion

This topic comes up to me as something I usually get defensive about. I fall into fantasy way more than I care to admit, but whenever I do I have this nagging voice telling me that I'm just playing pretend. But the good thing it does is lead me to question: What am I trying to avoid? Why do I like this? Is it good? Is this something that makes me ill-prepared to deal with life's real problems?

I like fantasy. It's a fun diversion, but I can't live in a bubble world. My goodness this makes me think of an Eiffel65 song: Bubble World. Definitely sums up what I want to say with auto-tune. Ha ha!

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.

Gaming Responsibly

This was an entry I made for another blog a couple years ago that I'm reposting here because it fits and it's a good thought bubble:

Part of our human nature is to tell stories. We regale our friends with events of the past in a perhaps more fabricated way. With gaming becoming more socially acceptable, stories about exploits within a game can come up as topics of conversation.

You won't believe what I did last night

Personally, I've noticed that whenever I tell a friend about something that happened in a game play session, I tend to say "I" did something. I defeated the archdemon and I caught a unicorn. And I'm not alone in this. I do remember distinctly when Fable 2 released that my friends proudly proclaimed that they got an STD.

I don't generally think that people boast about their genital warts. (At least not in the social circles I hang out in.) The fact of the matter remains that no, I actually did not go out last night and kill an archdemon nor did I drive down to Mexico to lasso a unicorn. However, the mode of telling the in-game events comes across as reality, which can be quite humorous on one hand but offensive on the other. For example, some of the guys I once worked with regaled some of the violent sex crimes they wanted to perform in a game. However, they used the terminology of "I want to bash her head through a wall." Disturbing, no?

It just comes so naturally to us when we talk about what happened within a game. Really all I did last night was press buttons in a sequence and move a joystick. I didn't exert myself. Sometimes I catch myself before I say "I did this in my game" and try to frame it as "my character did this in my game." Particularly when retelling in game events to a non-game playing friend.

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

I understand saying that "I beat the last level" or "I won the Halo tournament". That is something that the game player does take responsibility for: their performance.

But do we also feel subconsciously responsible for character actions within a game?

When we say "I", that means we claimed some kind of ownership over the performed action even though we did not physically perform that action. Because I don't think any of us physically harvest a field in Farmville.

Is it because visually, we see results of our button pressing that we feel some ownership? Because we "made" or "forced" a character to act?

Perhaps it is different for other players but I feel no twinge of regret shooting and killing a stranger in Halo. However in reality I know I could never bring myself to shoot a person in real life.

Yet in other games where I have a choice about how to respond in a conversation, I wrestle with how I should respond because I don't want to hurt their "feelings". 

Conclusion

In the end I don't think there is a solid answer to my pondering. How responsible am I for a character's in game actions? Do I really claim ownership over slaughtering a horde of undead or have I really only triggered the programming to display video?

I suppose it's up to individual conscience how they deal with this question.

Or perhaps we should consider the way we retell our in game achievements.

Link Share

I couldn't really think of anything to blog about this month so I'll be sharing some links about Media and Catholic things.

Grey is the Devil's Favorite Color

Game Addiction Part 1 (video)

Harassment (video)

Stupid Internet Debates (video...humor)

In other news, I may be starting a new job soon. So thanks for the prayers.

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.

Battle of the Sexes

There's a Women's Issue in Gaming! (Note: Some of these links may not be work safe).
 On many gaming news websites, it is bound to come up. There is bound to be some commentary on the inequality and abuse of women in games and the gaming community. Women are considered an outside other or toy or generally made to feel unwelcome. Online reactions (and in some cases real life conversations) end up in a HOSTILE confrontation between the differing opinions. (Most reactions are summarized well by Dr. Nerdlove.)

Okay, we get it, there's a definite inequality going on here that favors men. We also get that there is something wrong about it. However, both parties continue to be worked up about it and very little progress is made. Now I will not go through and try to debunk every argument brought to the table on this issue (Dr. Nerdlove's article does so nicely.) However, I'm going to try to understand where the friction lies, why the reactions are so volatile, and tie it in with Catholic Theology. (Because that's how I roll.)

The Friction
 The conflict probably starts at the beginning with Original Sin. This opposition of men and women is a product of our sinful nature so there will be friction between us. Luckily there is grace but only if our hearts are open and willing. There are things that make it difficult for BOTH sides to really be forgiving or open to grace. I'll take only one sample from each side. 

  Straw Feminist/Extreme Feminists
   I wrote about feminism once. There are some problems with the feminist movement that have hurt our society rather than helped women. Some of the media tactics aim to belittle men, guilt men, or emasculate men. These make men out to be the enemy...the evil tyrant to be overthrown.
...
In any case this certainly causes friction between the two parties. However, NOT ALL FEMINISTS DO THIS. Most feminists I know work quietly and educate misinformed parties on a one-on-one basis. Feminists are also men, as Jesus himself is often viewed as one of the most feminist men in history. Feminism is not meant to take power away from men and give it to women so that the roles are reversed. Feminism is MEANT to empower women to be women...to be a person and a creation of God.
I forget where I read it, but somewhere I read that "the morality of women is historically what standardized morality for society." However that's not to point the finger of blame. (The first reaction of our parents...SHE MADE ME DO IT!)

  Man Child Culture
Perhaps this trend is a result of the wrong way the feminist movement went. Or perhaps it is the nature of work/providing for the family has changed so that physical strength is not a necessity. (Helloooo office work.) I don't have the research or background to really analyze it but if I was to point to the source I'd merely point to our fallen nature. (It's that nice catch all.) So, we have a generation of men and women that are maturing slower in some areas but too fast in others. In the past there was a clear distinction (and fun rituals) for becoming an adult in society. This in between "teen" stage where you're not yet an adult but not really a child leads to some confusion. Some of my friends still reason and think like they did in high school.
High school was a time I remember being fueled by lots of emotion, passion and feelings instead of rational thought and reflection. And it was a fun time. I did not have the responsibility of an adult like bills or work. I could enjoy all the fun stuff of childhood but still be treated like an adult.
Much of my philosophy was based on what I "felt" was right. Many people still do this and its difficult to reason with them. I think I was lucky and was often in the 'wrong' as a teen so I got to learn what was right. I learned to look at data, evidence and back up my arguments. (Granted, "experience" still makes a large portion of my argument but hey, it works to an extent.)

Anyway, the whole point of this part was to clarify that because masculinity seems to have changed in our minds, then extremes are taken instead of the middle ground. You know the rational path? Or that little part in your brain that makes you question your beliefs or admit you are wrong? (Hint: It's called humility.Hmm I should probably get some more of that.)

Solutions that are not solutions
 There's a problem. So what is the answer? Some things that I've seen offered as solutions either are more damaging or like a band-aide for a cold. One of the repeat offenders is the over use of sexploitation of women characters in games and comics to market the product. So obviously the answer is...
- Equal Sexploitation -
While it works for humor purposes, there is all kinds of wrong. This is reinforcing the sin of objectifying the human body. Yes, its true they are only drawings or 3D models. True they are only characters with no real feelings and are (in a sense) things not people. I think the heart of the issue lies in what characters represent and what art is. That may be for another blog post. For now let's just say that having revealing armor for both characters is not the answer. 

- Women Only Space
 This would be that there are games "for women/girls" and games for men. This is kind of like there being a segregated space in a place that should be for everyone. Now there ARE places and situations where it is indeed better and healthier for it not to be co-ed. (Public Bathrooms come to mind but I know not everyone believes this.)  However something like entertainment usually held in the privacy of one's home and in public spaces, there really is no "men only" space. It's imaginative. Which is quite powerful as imagination does not always have reason to control it. I think this solution fits under the banner of "get back to the kitchen."
 HOWEVER, there are special groups of women only gaming sessions which I think is a pretty neat idea. (Probably because I feel there's a disconnect between me a gaming woman and my other female friends who do not play games frequently.)

- Role Reversal
Now this is an interesting idea but in practice does not work. Having the princess save the prince CAN work as a plot line but...I think this student animation kind of illustrates where things can go wrong.  (Thus the comedic value.) Video games often play as an empowering fantasy. Not all players do this but some project their desires onto a character doing fantastic things. (Role Play as it were.)
This is NOT to say that female game characters can't be knights, captains or soldiers out to save the day. The point is that the role of a character should not be limited or defined by the gender. (For example, in many JRPG titles only female characters hold the position as a "healer" and never use swords. There is a cultural thing about this which is interesting but that'd be a tangent.) 

Theology of the Body
Now I'd hardly call myself an expert or even well versed in TOB. I've only had a couple intro classes and kind of tuned the rest out as re-hashed chastity talks that I've had barked at me since middle school. That said, I will be a student of ToB for a long time but I've got the GIST of what it's all about. It's about the truth of our sex. And the truth is God created us male and female for a purpose. We would compliment each other, but still both be ultimately human.

 For us without the benefit of seeing beyond the Veil of the Flesh can have difficulty understanding this simple truth and amazing gift.
So are there things that can only be enjoyed by men? I'm sure there are many that have a higher interest for males but that should not exclude the fact that it is not an exclusive activity. Video games are one of those activities that have a higher appeal to men on the surface but looking at earlier games we can see that in actuality, there was no gender bias.


Solutions?
Is there a solution? I like to believe so. I spent two years steeped in research detailing the differences between men and women in their approach to computers, games and STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.) Some of the best solutions are about Gender Equity. Some companies do better than others in this respect.

 - Nintendo Japan: Systems marketed as FAMILY systems meaning men and women of multiple ages. This has been Nintendo's model for years, because they were primarily a toy company. They are smart in targeting such a general audience and for the longest time only offering limited 3rd party games on their system. (However, as of this past E3, Nintendo seems to be opening its door to more 3rd party developers.)

  - Mobile Gaming: This platform really does target as many demographics as it can thanks to its cut-throat competitive market. (It's tough...I know...my company didn't survive. :( ) Games are smaller and usually more abstract but it does not bar anyone.

 - Raising Gaming Girls: One of the causes of low STEM interest is how young girls are socialized, especially at a young age. Research (at least older research) claimed that boys were more often given computer privileges. Girls are very aware of their social status and reputation which causes them fear of being disliked or rejected by peers (especially boys). This accounts to why girls don't tend to participate much in math or science class where they may be labeled as "outcast" if they show too much interest.  It has become socially acceptable for girls not to be as in touch with math and science which could lead to careers in game development or at least participation in gaming.

  - Trouble spots: Larger companies like Microsoft need to take a better stand on inter-player interactions. The harassing, hating and vile behavior really does not give games a good reputation.

Conclusion
Over Ten years ago there was a book printed called Barbie and Mortal Kombat, which detailed some of the gender studies done on game content, player behavior and developers. Ten years after its release another follow up book, Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat came out to detail new research. Unfortunately very little had changed and some things had gotten worse. Luckily there have been some progress to bridge the gender gap in technology activities. Much of society's sexual sickness is really hurting many aspects of entertainment.

All we can do now is pray, support women and men making positive changes, and raise the standard of our media content. God has the power to heal wounds of the past and change hearts.

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. 

Anti-Christian Gamers

In online communities and even live events, there is a definite atmosphere that seems unfriendly to a Christian believer. Granted, there are many good and moral Christian gamers, but they are not very apparent within Geek or Gamer culture. This post will be mostly based on personal observation and a few hypothesis on the subject.
So I will start with the apparent "feeling" is towards a Christian gamer/geek.

Assumptions about Christianity
In an online discussion or online in general there seems to be a misconception of what a Christian is and what it means to follow Christianity. This is an overall cultural problem but it feels like everything gets emphasized in geek culture.
To me in conversation where a moral ethic was being debated it seemed to me that people reacted to the "I'm Christian" statement thusly:

- Christians are Puritans that don't like having fun and kill witches (aka were bullies)
- Christians impose their beliefs on others and damn those who don't follow them
- Christianity's a corrupt, human made religion
- Lots of Christians do terrible things
- Jack Chick Comics (Jack Chick supports a very extremist view and has made comics about D&D and other pop culture "evils". The extreme it takes and its assumptions kind of make it humorous but on the other hand it's also a bit frightening that there is a following. He's also very anti-Catholic.)

Christianity is probably the most proclaimed religion in the United States. However, it is well known that few Christians actually follow Christ. Many "former Christians" have seen or experienced major hypocrites and being hypocritical is just the worst thing you could possibly be. (I'm being over dramatic for effect.) Oh but if you're Catholic...

Catholicism's Bad Name
Being a minority in the U.S., Catholics often seem to have a bit of Puritan influence from Christian neighbors and American culture. There was a generation of very poorly educated Catholics and we are still recovering from that. However on top of that the following things also make Catholics very unpopular in geek culture...
- Pedophile Priests: This event was (by aide of the devil) blown out of proportion. Because our culture is so sexualized that the thought of living a celibate life seems like a punishment. However, it is completely possible. Granted it was a terrible, terrible situation and sweeping things under a rug was bad. Still, it's one of the easier targets to poke fun at.
- Conspiracy: There is a lot of mistrust in this ancient organization. There is a lot of mystery surrounding it and plenty of rumors or legends. Thanks in part to media popular in geek culture it's almost more accepted that the Church is hiding some dark truth and really only has ulterior motives. (Again also fed by the poor reaction to the stray priests).
- Weird Doctrine: Much of our doctrine and practices baffles outsiders. In fact much of it even baffles its own followers. As such it becomes difficult to properly defend a belief or offer a satisfying counter-argument. It also doesn't help that much of the doctrine seems to condemn popular culture's favorite pastimes.

These are just a smattering of ideas and some of these things are not exclusive to Catholics or Christians. Many people make poor judgement of others based on things like a person's sex, ethnicity, or which sport team they support. 

Dealing with Backlash
As a social creature, it is quite possible that we will talk with one another and try to bond. Dealing with a particularly acidic remark must be dealt with in a Christian way so:
- Don't be a dick. I'm sure there's a nicer way to say this but it gets my point across. Don't become like the person who attacked you.
- Study your own faith, question it a bit. If you know the popular arguments against one of your tenants of faith, go back and see if there is a particular document, dogma or Scripture passage against that. Personally I ALWAYS run into trouble dealing with arguments for gay marriage so I constantly go to experts of my faith. There is no shame in sitting on someone's shoulders to get a clearer look at an issue. However, it may not be a good idea to throw these resources at your attacker, it is most likely they already don't agree and it won't change their mind. (You first have to change their heart and only God can do that.)
- Pray about it: You have the advantage of a loving God to talk to. And a myriad of Saints to turn to for intercessions.


Christian Geek, Don't feel Ashamed
Geek culture is largely made up of people who were marginalized in the past. Somehow this has made them very quick to marginalize others as well. It can be a poisonous community of internalized shame to be shared with others. Whenever cornered they want to lash out because they know what its like to feel powerless and its their mind/imagination/intellect that gives them power. In a word only forum of discussion, they have power.

Some other things to keep in mind are:
- Jesus said following him wouldn't make you popular. It kind of paints a BIG target right at you full of history. However our faith isn't about being POPULAR, it's about following Christ. Even if it is the most popular religion in the world, following Christ is still not super popular. Because following Christ means following the Commandments, OBEYING authority, SUBMITTING to God (islam), and dying to self EVERY DAY.

- Atheists are moral people too. In fact some of them follow the LAW in their hearts better than Christians. I had a friend who was agnostic tell me once that she did not like the idea of heaven as a reward for being good. Being good should be its own reward.
It was a view I could certainly respect. But I knew that I myself am a very weak human and I really LIKE the idea of someday getting a prize. (I'm kind of a child that way.) However even St. Paul frames the idea of winning the race for a crown (of thorns).
Atheists and Agnostics are not inherently evil OR wrong.

Conclusion
If you announce your faith in an argument, remember that your faith itself really is not a way to win that argument. (Also most arguments can not be won. Especially online arguments.) Remember if you do proclaim your Christianity your words and "actions" (as if there were actions online...well I guess in online gaming...) will cast a reflection of your faith. Christianity is a community and not just a personalized religion.
Also there is no shame in leaving a community if you feel the atmosphere is poisonous. Nurturing your faith and your relationship with God is far more important than gossiping about the latest trend in video games or comics.

Also, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

Peace and have a Happy New Year. (Yes, both Holy Days of Obligation fall on Sunday this year. XD NICE.)