Author: Christine
Stanley Parable
Stanley Parable:
The opening scene of the game sets the tone for the whole plot- the gamer cannot expect to have choice. As I played the game, I realized that it is based on different endings which only contributes to the illusion of choice created.
Furthermore, as the narrator critiques that Employee 427 has the same routine everyday where he types the same letter every day. This actually mirrors what a gamer does and thus criticizes us indirectly. In addition, as we discover that everyone disappeared, we discover that complete isolation is a main theme found in the game. Furthermore, as the plot unfolds, we discover the “mind control facility” where a room is packed with television screens spying on each employer. This gives the impression that people’s lives are meaningless.
As the voice narrates all of the actions and even gives us instructions, the gamer either accepts to follow them or refuses them. It is important to note that if we follow every instruction we are rewarded with a good ending which is freedom and it is considered to be the only good ending of the game. However, if the gamer decides to refuse all of them, not only do we obtain unsatisfactory endings which mainly result in death, the voice also criticizes all of our actions. This makes the gamer uncomfortable and even brings himself in question.
Freshman Year Live Blog
Freshman Year
Alone in a room, isolated from the world, the protagonist looks at her messages. We soon understand that we are placed in the shoes of an average freshman college student. This allows the gamers to relate to the character as we are put in a average situation. Furthermore, I could even relate more as I am a freshman myself.
Even if this game is really short, it has a powerful impact with its inconclusive ending. As the plot unfolds, the gamer is left with some choice of dialogue but we soon realize that everything is already pre-destined, no matter what choices we make we can’t avoid the inevitable.
As she get ready to go out to a party and looks to join her friends, she is sexually assaulted. After that scene, she finds her friends and explains what happened. However, her friend’s reaction can be quite surprising as it is the one of indifference. Furthermore, she even says that one of her other friends also experienced a similar situation just as if it was normal. Through this game, the creator may want to spread an awareness of sexual assault but also how may have been a topic that does not really stir up any actions to take in order to prevent it.
The esthetics of this game is rather singular where the use of color gives a sense of gloomy environment which further highlights the impact of the assault.
The ending can be quite shocking. As the main character stares at a mirror, the game ends. This left me feeling a void as it can be considered an inconclusive ending. This void may be what survivors of this assault may feel like.
Kentucky Route Zero First Impressions
Act 1:
Alone in the dark, the gamer is immersed directly into an unknown environment. Even if at first sight, the game looks quite common, it isn’t. While finding ourselves in a gas station doesn’t arouse questions, the interactions with other character does as well as the scenery as the plot unveils.
At first impression, the game has a theatrical outline where it has a singular perspective where the interruptions of black screens with the white letters displaying: “Act I, Scene 1”. The fact that it is from a 3rd person perspective only emphasizes this feeling where the gamer has the impression he is a person in the audience of a theater giving a sense impersonality. This emotion is emphasized with the vague appearance of characters where the gamer has no clear detail of others.
The esthetic of the game goes along with the tone where the loneliness and depression is supported by the dark, gloomy and black and white environment. Even if we find more interactions of dialogue than the other games we have played, we still feel lonely as most of the conversations are absurd. Nothing makes sense.
The fact that the dialogue was mainly left to the gamer where we had different choices, anything that we chose didn’t affect the outcome just like in the game “Freshman Year”.
My first overall impression of the game is that it is much less realistic than any other game with not only its environment but also its situation.
Act 2:
As the game goes on, it becomes even more absurb. The opening scene is where there is a woman reviewing applications and the gamer continues to explore the bureau where on the third floor there are apparently bears. To continue the game, we need to obtain an ingestion card. The process of obtaining it would seem impossible as it is a vicious circle we need to overcome as to have it we need to have it initally. This may serve as a critique of the present extensive bureaucracy.
Furthermore, the fact that the roads all have the same name is mentioned. In order for the computer to easliy file everything, all the name of the streets were named the same way which means that no one knows where anyone is which only emphasizes the absurdity of the game.
Finally, one of the major fantastical elements of this game is he hawk that takes us away into a forest. As we have traveled before in a wheel, we could see that there were figures of a feather, a nest and a birdhouse which may serve as foreshadowing elements in the plot.
Kentucky Route Zero FreeWrite
Kentucky Route Zero is what seems first to be a typical game of exploration. However, as the plot unfolds and the player investigates more, the fantastical elements along with the dialogue and events contribute to the fact that it doesn’t make physical sense. The player can already have a sense of the surrealism as the dog that accompanies us is wearing a hat, but we tell ourselves that it isn’t this alarming.
The first major fantastical element one can see is when Conan arrives at the farm and talks to Weaver about fixing the television. Once the player repairs it, Weaver tells us to look at the television but the camera zooms beyond it. As a result, we see the barn with some horses. However, as the camera focuses more, the barn slowly disappears and a road opens up
Furthermore, in Act 2, the major fantastical elements would be the eagle that swoops us up and lands in a forest.
Firewatch Liveblog
Firewatch:Google images, “Firewatch“, https://www.google.com/search?q=firewatch&safe=active&biw=1188&bih=703&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwij4fGXjp7PAhXLMyYKHbbzCv8Q_AUIBygC#imgrc=mmNCQe-cvCCKnM%3A
Surrounded by wilderness, the player incarnates Henry, a character who had major turns in his life. The game begins with a dialogue in form of a script where the player can choose different options on what he wishes to express. It is soon understood that Henry’s wife is a victim of dementia and thus has to take care of her but after some time she returns back to her family. In order to change ideas, Henry decides to take a summer job as a “guardian of the forest”.
The major interactive dialogue is between Henry and Delilah, his boss. As the game unfolds, the player can see how two people can become closer through time without each other’s physical presence. In addition, the player has a range of choices in choosing what Henry can say. This may lead to different responses and outcomes from the characters giving a different experience depending on the gaming style of the player. In addition, an interesting connection between characters is the interaction through the notes between Ron and Dave. It is an interesting way in which the player can learn their personalities even if we have never met them. In addition, the tension generated between the two teenage girls and Henry may portray the friction which can be found between different generations. As a consequence, since this game may be directed towards adolescents, the game may want to portray how the other generation may see the world.
After exploring and completing tasks given by Delilah, the soundtrack plays an important role in the gaming experience. At the opening of the game, the soundtrack is relaxing and the player enjoys the scenery. We find ourselves immersed in nature where there is wind, rain, thunder storms. It is like we perceive the world through Henry’s eyes as we have access to his sensory senses and thoughts. Nevertheless, after events become intriguing such as the breaking in Henry’s tower, the soundtrack sets a suspenseful tone and thus there is a build-up.
It can be noticed that there is a historical aspect to the game. First of all, the player can encounter a site of American Indians which he can explore. In addition, in one of the supply packages is a hat from a Korean war veteran. This can be linked to the fact of how, in this wilderness, people try to escape just like Henry.
Overall, the game extends over a couple of months and fast forwards to key events while still introducing the gamer to an average day of a watcher.
“Dear Esther” and “Gone Home” in Richard Bell’s article
“Where Dear Esther invites the kind of textual analysis at which students of literature excel, Gone Home demands something more akin to source comparison.” What distinction is Bell drawing between these two games — between literature and history — and do you agree with his distinction? What similarities do you see between the two games?
Exploration is a core concept in both of these games: “Dear Esther” and “Gone home”, however they target different goals. In Bell’s article, the author draws a main distinction between the two in the sense that while “Gone Home” requires the gamer to have a skill of a historian when piecing the clues together, “Dear Esther” is based on “a single ambiguous narrative voice”. As a result, “Dear Esther” is mostly based on a literature analysis whereas “Gone Home” projects the reader in uncovering the story on his own. I agree with this distinction as I had the same feeling when interacting with both games.
Similarly, the player feels involved on a personal level in both games. In “Gone Home”, the fact of incarnating Katie and investigating her house and uncovering personal objects from each member of the family makes the reader feel also a part of the story. In “Dear Esther”, the player had the access to what is comparable to journal entries or letters from a man to his wife. As a result, the player has access to emotions which allows him to sympathize with the narrator.
-Richard Bell, “Family History: Source Analysis in Gone Home”. Play the Past, accessed 13 Sept. 2016.
The Chinese Room, “Dear Esther“, 14 February 2012
Gone Home reflection
“Gone Home“, Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_Home#/media/File:Gone_Home.png
Coming back from Europe, Katie informs her family she will soon be home but when she arrives, nobody seems to be there for her. Alone, immersed in the dark, in front of a locked door, I slowly look around me to find a way to enter. Rain pouring accompanied with thunderstorms, I am slowly intimidated and hesitant in advancing. As I open the creaking door, suspense builds up and I become startled and nervous for what is to come next. I am intrigued to find no furniture which only feeds my curiosity in trying to understand what happened. Thunder resonating in the whole house, I slowly advance through the house and find messages from Sam.
Learning that she had a rough start in her new high school and that she is interested in a girl, Sam tries to reconnect with Katie through her journal. What was also interesting was to have Sam read it to us, the tone really influenced the text, we could almost feel her emotions. As a consequence, I also felt involved on a personal level. By looking through the whole house and searching through personal items, I felt plunged in their lives, especially Sam’s. While she is sharing her struggles and her thoughts, we can relate to her in many ways and thus we can develop empathy for her.
The date shown at the beginning of the game. June 7, 1995 and specific items such as cassettes and large televisions contribute to the setting of the time period in which the game is established. Furthermore, the time period is maintained throughout the game by making Sam’s relationship with Lonnie harder than it can possibly be today as we can sense that her parents feel much more concerned for her. In addition, we can find references specific to the 90s such as X-files.
Sam’s creativity can be seen from her composition books where she draws which may display just how much Sam and Katie are opposites. While Katie’s trophies are displayed in the living room, there is no sign for Sam’s achievements. Furthermore, we can slowly begin to piece together that their parents’ marriage is falling apart as we find several books about couple’s therapy. In addition, we can realize what people can face where they moved in a new house. The fact that we learn that people define this house as the “psycho house” only troubles us more and feel uneasy.
Overall, I lived a new experience through this game as I developed empathy for the whole family. As the story was unfolding, I could relate to all the character’s struggles which made them almost come to life.
Avatar Post
Born and raised in France, I have been taught the values of the French Republic but I also learnt from the country’s roots where in the past, the monarchy was in place. This crown represents power but also justice where from his throne, the king overlooks his country and maintains all functions in order.
Through this avatar, I wanted to portray myself as a fair person who has opinions that I am willing to share with everyone. I am a very caring person, trying to understand everyone in the best way possible just like a king does for his country. The colors chosen for this symbol all represent different characteristics. The yellow with the Sun conveys one of the major Kings who ruled France: “Le Roi-Soleil” also named Louis XIV. The blue gems mirror the color of the lily which is an emblem of the french royalty. Furthermore, the color red represents the people. Overall, both of these colors, blue and red, embody Paris.
The major difficulty I encountered in creating this image was the process of using Photoshop which I had never used before.
Free Clipart, Clker. “Historic-France-French Royal Navy Clip Art”http://www.clker.com/clipart-9020.html
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