Game Thoughts: Visual Novels

I haven't really been playing anything super new. I survived the Summer Steam Sale so far.

I got Banner Saga 2...which ends on yet another cliffhanger! (You're killing me guys!)

I've spent a lot of time playing Visual Novels I've found on Steam and places. I record my playthroughs with my atrocious voice acting. Not available publicly...they're pretty bad. I may start doing some visual novel reviews though. (I say these things but don't expect a follow through.)

Most of these VNs have been out for a few years so there are guides and walk-throughs already.

I've noticed lots of cultural differences between VNs made in Asian countries vs Western made games. And lots of disturbances between them too. Here are my top 5 disturbing differences:

The games I'm factoring in are: Dandelion, Nameless, OzMafia!, Blood Code, Amnesia
Western Games: Backstage Pass, RE:Alistair, Nicole, Remember Me, Seduce Me

1. Abuse. So much physical and psychological abuse! And in many it gets quite disturbing. It can be as minor as an overly jealous boyfriend to a straight up psychopath. The worst part is that the main female character will end up with them in some kind of "good ending". NO! don't do it! It breaks my heart.

2. Rape. While there are no explicit scenes drawn out the description is enough to trigger me. Look, if you don't have consent and the girl has NO idea what you're talking about, it's rape. This ties into the controlling nature of many characters I run across. But this one makes me so sad.

3. Passive Women. In a majority of the games, the female character is a naive, passive, polite, and pure maiden. A perfect recipe for a victim. I know this stems from a cultural difference but it still frustrates me. I love it when the girl talks back with some sass or backbone for herself. Oh and add amnesia/lost memories. It works in a sense that it makes the character carte blanche for you to fill in. But she has a personality sort of.

4. Cohabitation. It makes sense in a game design perspective, but it's SO dangerous. Usually there are about 5 men and they all live in the same place.

5. Murdering Fangirls. I don't usually see this phenomenon in Western games where one of the male characters will have a literal fanclub. And they will straight up murder your sorry bum if you get too close to their bae. Also murder. So many of these somehow ended up with murder.

So why do I still play? Usually the characters outside the main girl are interesting and take you on a fun little journey. And pretty art. I'm a visual artist and love looking at pretty things. And something that's usually a bit better in Asian games is the art and visual design. Currently I'm going through OzMafia and it's watercolor pallete is gorgeous although a weird mix for the setting where there's mafia violence. (And guns...very rare in a game like this. Makes me a bit happy being a resident of Texas.)

However, I prefer the protagonists, stories and situations in Western Style games. Usually the main character has an active personality and sticks up for herself.

Again, I fully realize it just MAY be the collection of games that I've played or watched Let's Plays for, but seriously. These cultural difference make for something quite disturbing.
And I feel slightly guilty for enjoying them like trashy romance novels, but I'm usually just yelling at my screen "NOPE! Don't do it!"

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.

Game Thoughts: The Wolf Among Us

Last weekend I started watching a play through of The Wolf Among Us (TWAU) on YouTube, but after the first episode I stopped. I HAD to play this game myself. So I did. This is my first time playing an Episodic game title. I'm getting positive vibes from this...but here are my game thoughts.

Synopsis

 Based on the comic series "Fables", the game acts as a pre-cursor story to the "Fables" comic series. (If wikipedia is to be believed.) In a neighborhood of Manhattan fairytales live in the mundane world as mere shadows of their legendary selves. The game follows Sheriff Bigby Wolf (formerly the Big Bad Wolf) in a film noir style, murder mystery.

Virtues

I am rolling around squealing at the AMAZING art design. The lighting, the lines, the colors. It IS like a living comic book page.

...personal preference...I like Bigby's visual design and voice...this may have colored my WHOLE view of this game. I'm sorry/not sorry. I go for Wolverine types.
...
Sorry...still thinking about him and the voice. /sigh/

Okay I'm back.

Lovely soundtrack and voice acting.

Mostly consists of quick time events to progress the story and even make little changes depending on those choices.

Very cinematic.

Some very well developed female characters. Mostly modest...see vices for the exceptions.
(Bloody Mary may be my favorite.)

Themes of redemption.

Replayability. I feel you have to play it many times through to get the whole story. I've gone through at least twice with a good wolf and a bad wolf. I will play many more times to see all options.

Vices

So, off the bat you'll find that the language is very, very crass. God's name taken in vain, lots of f-bombs...seriously...and overall foulness. It goes with the tone of a comic, noir...but can be very off putting.

Also off the bat, violence is very prevalent and at times a bit gory. But, it is a murder mystery...so there is a body expected. And lots of fist-fights. Early on it's established that the Fables are near immortal. Surviving multiple gunshots, an axe to the head, a fall from the 2nd floor, etc. Still, it's very violent and on the gruesome side.

Working Women are present and there's so far only one topless scene at the brothel? Topless bar? I don't know what to call it without resorting to foul language. For the most part the girls are actually wearing clothes like halter top dresses or even knee length pencil skirts with a corset top. Sex is suggested but never shown.

No options to speed through cinematics which can be tedious on replay.

Waiting for the next episode??? OH man, now I know what episodic games are like. Maaaaan...
(This is not really a vice. But the problem with me and murder mysteries...I'm too dumb to figure it out I need to know!!!)

Conclusion

I don't know if this really reflects what NYC and the Bronx is really like OR if it's just adding to my long list of reasons why I'll never even visit the big apple. Violence, poverty, swearing, and sinful behavior are staples as is typical of this type of story. I think like most "gritty and real" stories, if you can get past the abrasive surface, there's a good story and good characters. ...And I may just be giving my interpretation of Bigby there. Lol...this is the problem with being a fan of a character I guess. It's making me biased. The warning signs are all over the game, but I found it worth playing.

(Oh my wolverinnnnnnne!!!! Why am I so drawn to chain smoking, gruff, near immortal guys??)

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.

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!

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.

Games with Sexual Content

So I'm back again to talk about sexual content in video games. One of the biggest hurdles facing the industry is not only the issue of gratuitous violence but the objectification of people and what I like to call sexploitation. This is not going to be a gender discussion, but a general overlook of sexual content in games.

Excuses, Excuses
Some of the common defenses for including sexual content in the gaming medium that I have comes across are as follows:
1) It's not real, it's virtual.
2) It's not really hurting anyone.
3) It's not any worse than movies or TV
4) It's an outlet so they don't do this in real life
etc etc ad nauseum.

My rule of thumb for content, if you have to make an excuse for something, that means there is something wrong somewhere. It is either the perception that is wrong or the content is straight up wrong and you don't want to admit it.

Being wrong is not a great feeling. Guilt is not fun. (*Insert stereotypical Catholic guilt joke).

Now there's probably more excuses out there, but I'm going to focus on the four above.

Virtual Reality
I've seen this line of reasoning to validate anything that is drawn or CG sexual content. From cartoons to cutscenes, the fact of the matter is that in a sense these "people" are not real. It's a drawing or pixels. These are objects. So what is wrong with that?

Art represents something. You do not see it as a random collection of lines and dots, but a form that is familiar. A drawing of a human can not be mistaken for a drawing of an apple. It is symbolic and holds meaning to our mind. The person is not real, true. The symbol however is real.

What's the big deal about symbols and symbolism? Associated meaning is one thing that stands out. Symbols can be powerful tools to motivate or readily associate with a group. A red flag with a black swastika on a white circle is immediately associated with Nazi Germany of World War II. The symbol still reminds us of that group and what they did.

Reducing someone or something to a symbol, as is often done in propaganda, can be used to dehumanize a group or individual. While characters and avatars are not real, their symbolism and meaning is real.

No One's Getting Hurt
One 3D model shooting another is not murder. However, as I mentioned in the previous section, it carries meaning and symbolism. The harm may not be happening to actors, but that does not disqualify the harm it causes the viewer. What applies to live action pornography applies to artistic renditions as well.

There are many studies that look at the effects of prolonged viewing of pornography on family and individual levels. So it may be that the viewer is hurting themselves.

As the Church teaches, it is sinful, and the Church in her wisdom says this because it does harm to the soul and can weaken the will.

Other Media is Similar
This should not matter. Comics, TV, and film are all over saturated. This is merely the "mob" mentality that because "everyone is doing it so too can I." As history has shown, many people can be morally wrong while a minority is morally correct.

The Digital Outlet
Virtual worlds provide a "safe-space" to experiment with anti-social behavior without the same repercussions. This does not really address the core of the problem, which is this individual has a misguided sense of propriety or possibly a disorder. Viewing such material may cure a symptom, but not the root cause of the problem.

This line of thinking poses that the troubled person can either perform it on a virtual person or a real person. Naturally we would think that the lesser of the two evils, the virtual crime, is better than someone actually doing the crime. But that's just it. Narrowing the focus to two alternatives is not the reality of the situation. Most people can agree that a person who molests a child is disturbed in some way. It's a bit of a stretch to say that for that person, playing a game that portrays sexual content with young looking characters is somehow preventing that person from committing the real crime.

Perhaps it's just me but I don't see it as therapeutic.

Art vs. Porn
Granted not all nudity is sexual. It is an unfortunate sign of our times. The human body is sexual and beautiful. It is only in our current times where a naked body is seen immediately as erotic and shameful. (Thanks sexual revolution.)

I've not come across a game in which a sex scene was for anything but gratuity. (Same could be said for any film, comic and TV series). Same could be said for nudity. There's a difference between Michelangelo's David and say the recent DMC's Dante. And again, much of the "problem" might be our cultural Puritan tendencies or perception.
The blog Bad Catholic really does a great job illustrating the issue in this post. (I'm a lazy writer. :B ) The gist is that the culture of our generation sees the naked body ONLY as an erotic object. Even looking at Michelangelo's David might be considered erotic.

I would say that a majority of the time nudity is featured in a game, it is for titillation. It is turning the body into an object to SELL the game to you. I've only seen a handful of games in which showering was normal. (And that's mostly the Sims titles.)

What about Softcore/Suggestive Content? 
This is one of the things that absolutely boggles my mind. There is a scale on how extreme a particular medium's sexual content can be.

Softcore is what you often get in a major movie and in a few video game titles (Heavy Rain comes to mind), it portrays nudity or partial nudity and the act itself without exposing genitals. It's often a loving relationship and consensual. So what could be wrong about that? It still removes intimacy of the act for the sake of titillation.

Suggestive sexual content is presented as an abstract or simply does a before/after cut. I want to say that this kind of a grey area especially. For example, the Sims franchise "whoohoo" turns into shuffling around under covers and a cartoonishly bouncing bed. This is an abstraction that never involves full nudity. It seems harmless, but that does not mean it's any less disrespectful.
However, before/after cuts I find to be at least more respectful a suggestion than softcore porn. Usually because those parts are mostly conversation and may be plot moving/character development.
This was the big difference between Mass Effect 1 to Mass Effect 2 as well as Dragon Age Origins to Dragon Age 2. In the first part of these franchise games, sex scenes were soft porn. In the subsequent games, the romance scenes are heavily suggested with kissing and a fade to black only to come back to the couple lightly clad and talking.

Conclusion for now
Sex is NOT evil and something to be regarded with disgust or aversion. Many of us do because our upbringing may have taught us to react in a very binary fashion of you either do it or you don't. If you do, you should feel ashamed. If you don't, you have some kind of repression problem. The Church teaches that intercourse is sacred. Very, very very special. So special in fact that you have to have a sacrament to seal the union. That is what sexuality is: self-giving. However, most depictions of sex in media is self-pleasing.

At most, I feel suggestive content in games can be done respectfully and not tempt. However, games favor the soft porn or explicit content in most M rated titles. As a Catholic, we have to consider our souls and wills when playing such titles.

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.

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.

Virtual Sin

Intro
Do our action in games really affect our soul? Is it wrong to play certain game titles?
While I do not claim to be an expert on the subject of sin, I can offer some of my reasoning and point you to sources for your own further research. I am definitely open to corrections of my views should something be contrary to Church teaching.


What is Sin?
Let's define some terms here. Sin is the transgression of God's Law. There are Mortal Sins which deprive us of everlasting life and Venial Sins which weaken our will. Both are not good but we are creatures of sinful nature.
More details can be read here. I'm summarizing. (And doing a poor job of it.)

Traditionally there are 3 conditions that must be met to consider a sin a Mortal Sin:

1. It is a grave matter in direct conflict with God's Law. 
2. There is full consent of will
3. Full Knowledge that this is a sin

Mortal sin can be both thought, word and deed. Basically, you know it's very wrong, it's serious and you decide to do it anyway.
Venial sins are things of habit that are not something that deprives us of sanctifying grace.


Gaming and Sin
It is sure to come up for a moral Christian: Is playing "Game Title" sinful? As a Catholic we are morally obligated to filter what we consume as entertainment. Many little sins can lead up to serious sin later. Or using "Boiling Frog" anecdote, numbing our senses to the seriousness of a sin does not make it less serious.
So where does one draw the line when playing games?

In some cases, the sin is obvious...for a moral person. A rape simulator or pornographic game, is sinful to play because viewing pornography is a sin against Chastity.
Murder is also a sin and often times games are criticized as murder simulators and they are found in the homes of anyone in the news blamed with violent crimes. The jury is still out on this one but there is a thing as "violence porn".

Like any film or book, a person is meant to use their reason and conscience to determine if this is a good title to play or own.

Violence
The usual culprit is "too much violence" in modern games when criticism is looking for easy prey. However, I would consider all sports violent: football, hockey, rugby and soccer. Competition and finding outlets for aggression is healthy for a human being. Personally I deal with competitiveness and aggression through various outlets. I take a kung fu class or if I'm very upset I have to DO something so I go out and take a walk. Some people play drums or loud guitar. And I have some beat 'em up video games and a few "violent" video games. (Which are really not more violent than your average fantasy adventure movie.)

As a culture, we have grown rather numb to depictions of violence. We deal with many issues and violent crimes in our country. And some people may pervert this into pleasure.

But the real question is: Is it a sin to "kill" in a video game?
Murder is defined by the actual taking of human life. It is a grave matter.

Personally, I really think that something that is gratuitously violent, weakens one's will and can further the numbness toward human suffering. But like any violent sport, it can be therapeutic and a healthy social gathering. It can also be re-purposed for discussions on morality. Killing in a game is not taking a real human life and we do not have "virtual souls".

Sex
As mentioned before, viewing pornography is sinful.
However, sex a very human, yet divine act. It deserves respect in depiction. High Art, Literature and music all have elevated sexuality in a way that showcases its beauty and goodness. Holy Scripture is especially saucy if you care to read Song of Songs or Tobit and much of the Old Testament. Video Games have yet to make it but there are titles that come somewhat close.
In games that follow a heavy storyline, it is more likely to have respect to sexuality. Mostly because these will delve into relationships in general. Games without plots can have positive impacts as well.

Similar to violence, gratuitous nudity or near nudity weakens the will. The same could be said of "soft porn" or the weird dry humping scenes in some games. Playing a story that includes sex is not wrong, but explicit video is pretty much pornographic and should be avoided...or skipped if that option is available.

Addiction
Some of the real problems from gaming is how it affects your daily life. Like all entertainment, moderation is necessary. Taking time from family, friends or work are the obvious problems that can arise from spending too much time on one activity. At the same time, immersing yourself and spending several hours playing is not necessarily a bad thing. Just as staying up late reading a good book is fun or talking late into the night, is all right from time to time.

Sins of Thought
Going back to some definitions here, sin can be anything that you say, do and sometimes THINK. This is tough area for a concerned Catholic because of societal pressures. It is often thought that only things you say or do to harm others is sinful. But there are sins of thought or Internal Sins. Usually there are 3 distinguished types. (Latin ahoy!)

• delectatio morosa, i.e. the pleasure taken in a sinful thought or imagination even without desiring it;
• gaudium, i.e. dwelling with complacency on sins already committed; and
• desiderium, i.e. the desire for what is sinful.
  (from Catholic Encyclopedia).

Delectatio morosa and desiderium are probably the two types of internal sin that can be committed through media consumption.  In my brief research on the subject, the answer is mostly: does it promote you to indulge in this sin?
Also, author intent is taken in consideration. For example, it is not wrong to watch a movie with implied sex scenes or to view nudity in art if the content was for characterization, social commentary, or plot. However, a piece of art displaying nudity for the purpose of titillating the viewer is more dangerous. The famous line in Matthew 5:28: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Conclusion
 If a person is struggling with "is this a sin?" type doubts, that doubt should be listened to! It may be your conscience which is your God-given help. It would be best to take such doubts to the confessional or ask a priest. (I would suggest asking a priest who knows you and you trust.)
But as for games, they are like other forms of media whose content should be filtered by an individual. If you have an unhealthy appetite for a particular vice AND you want to preserve your soul, then it's best not to feed the bears.

Update:  http://www.aliveandyoung.net/2009/05/music-and-passions.html
For a similar discussion as it relates to music. I feel it has very similar bearing to the discussion of a visual medium like games.