Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: all hope abandon, immersion, interactive fiction, videogames
http://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/001/2/000010.html
This article discussed an IF called “All Hope Abandon.” In regards to IF in general, the article spoke of its strengths and weaknesses. One of the strengths of IF is that it has a puzzle feature. Because the computer can understand limited language, a player must figure out the puzzle of the situation, as well as figure out the correct commands to give the computer, in order to advance the plot. One of the weaknesses of IF is that, as previously mentioned, the computer can understand limited language. Because of this, a player’s immersion in the story/game could be limited.
The article also discussed the new Biblical IF “All Hope Abandon.” This game sounds very interesting, in that it attempts to turn the New Testament into a story/game (depending on the outlook of the player). It doesn’t preach to the player, which is unlike many contemporary religious games. Instead, it aims to educate players and poke fun at Biblical scholars. Although I haven’t played “All Hope Abandon,” it sounds like it achieves the goals of the creator without being blasphemous.
Its interesting that Christians can accept an interactive fiction about the Bible, but graphical videogames about Christ and Christianity are almost forbidden. Maybe its because, with IF, the player imagines everything. Nothing is visually depicted about the Bible to the player. But with graphical videogames, nothing is left to the imagination. The videogame is almost showing the player how the story really looked and what God really wants. Because nobody is supposed to know these things, the graphical videogames could almost seem sinful. Maybe the graphical videogames are unaccepted because, if one were to play the character of Jesus, how would one behave? Videogames are great because they often have endless possibilities of actions for the player to do. But, to quote a popular Christian phrase, “What would Jesus do?” Jesus wouldn’t wonder around the world of the game doing sinful things like killing, stealing, etc. But in order to keep a player interested in a game, the actions must seem limitless. Putting restrictions on what Jesus as a character could do would bore players and lessen their immersion in the game.
As this class continues, I realize more and more that the prime feature of videogames is the immserion factor. People like to be completely immersed in the game; that’s why they play videogames at all. That’s why people will spend $600 on a PS3; the graphics and the games are just so immersive. People like to experience different worlds, while remaining safely on their sofa. Their minds are immersed, while their bodies are not.
-Joni Sweet
Filed under: Uncategorized
I think the main point of this article addressed the topic of disembodiment through the internet. When a person is online, it is just that person and the screen. You can be whoever you want to be on the internet. You can choose to be who you are, but you don’t have to be. This reminds me of the discussion in class about internet as heaven. It is supposed to be a perfect space, just like heaven. But, on the other hand, its fake. If you’re not being who you are, its almost dishonest.
Another interesting point this article made was the confliction between knowledge and information. The internet is filled with information, but not necessarily knowledge. This relates to religion, in a way. Religion is supposed to be a quest for knowledge, at least in my opinion. The internet has all this information about religions, but just because you read it, doesn’t mean you necessarily know it.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: animal crossing, podcasts, religion, virtual reality
“Missed Church? Download it to your Ipod!” by Tania Ralli on NYTimes.com
This article showed how religions are beginning to embrace the technology of podcasts. Priests can now record their sermons and people download them. Most religious officials think this should supplement a believer’s practices. They think podcasts are especially good for someone who is too busy to go to church. The article also discussed how the religious section of podcast websites are growing.
I think that religion should be a choice, and participating in its practices should be an enjoyable part of life, not something to do whenever you have the time. Although I think these podcasts are pretty cool, I love how on-the-go everything is now, but I don’t think technology can replace actual religious experiences and practices. I also know that religion is supposed to create a community. If one is just listening to the podcast of a sermon, he or she is not participating in the community that is religion. The people listening to these sermons, as opposed to going to church, are isolating themselves. Although I feel community is one of the most important aspects of religion, I also feel that personalizing your religious experience is important, too. In regards to echurches and such, its about the personal feelings. If an echurch can evoke the same feelings that a physical church can, then I see no harm in it. I’m torn on this issue. It is the community vs. self conflict that I felt while playing Animal Crossing.
Virtual reality… does it help or hinder the religious experience? As an athiest, I don’t really know.
-Joni
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: animal crossing, education, morality, technology, videogames
I finished reading pages 260-292 in the Bogost book. I really enjoyed this reading.
The first pages addressed the issue of education vs. schooling. All through high school, I never felt like I was learning. I felt like I was being trained to respond to bells and obey authority. Although it may seem trivial, what particularly bothered me about high school was having to ask to use the bathroom. Teachers and other authority figures in the school controlled every minute of your time, and apparantly had the power to grant you permission to perform basic human functions. This is why, in my senior year of high school, I took all of my classes at a community college. High school needs reformation, as does the whole education system as a whole.
But. I digress.
The reading also discussed the game Animal Crossing. I was really pleased with the thorough analysis of the game, particularly because it is one of my favorite games of all time. What Bogost says about the game is true; you are constantly conflicted with choices about being selfish or selfless. Yeah, I can donate this extremele rare fish to the museum where the community can benefit from it. But I can also sell it to Tom Nook at make thousands of bells (the currency in the game) and, in my particular case, buy all of the fruit-themed furniture. There is also the aspect of socialization. Other animals live in the town, and sometimes they ask you to give them nicknames. You create friendships with the animals. Though rather rare, if you talk to the animals often enough, they’ll give you a framed picture you can place on your fireplace (or mantle, or piano, or dresser, or on the floor, if you haven’t bought anything from Tom Nook).
I remember being so addicted to this game, and now I know why. It feels so real. Because its in real-time, I can only catch certain bugs at midnight. I can only participate in the town yard sale if I am there on Saturday afternoons. When I haven’t played in awhile, the animals ask where I’ve been, or sometimes worse: they forget my name. The town fills up with weeds. In relation to real life, it shows that you matter. You have a direct impact on the people and environment around you. You can have a positive impact: you can plant trees and flowers, you can write letters to friends, you can even give gifts. You can also have a negative impact: you can leave the museum empty and be rude to your neighbors. You can spend all your time fishing and catching bugs to sell to buy more stuff. Or you can live more simplistically and enjoy what you do, plant flowers and form relationships. The game is so real.
The reading then moved on to the topic of videogames and work. The Cold Stone Creamery game sounded most interesting. Although I believe nothing can compare to hands-on experience, videogames simulate it and can enhance skills at work. For example, I just started hostessing at a restaurant. Now, it may sound silly to those of you who’ve played, but the game Diner Dash actually has helped me. I have to organize tables, just like the game, so people don’t sit too close together, and get the tables set in time for the next customer. I’m even laughing a bit at myself as I write this because Diner Dash is such a silly game. But, it helped! Granted, I learned more from my first night of hostessing than from playing the game a few times a week for the past month, but it still helped. I think as videogames get more and more interactive, videogame training modules will become more and more common, and effective. What if the Cold Stone game actually had you hold real scoops connected to a TV? Would it be more effective? I guess we’ll find out as technology progresses.
What pertained most to this class were the last pages of the reading. They talked about morality in videogames. Can a game influence a person’s real life? Going back to Animal Crossing, one may or may not learn that the amount of time one works is inversely proportional to your relationships with your neighbors. There is a limited number of hours in a day, and how one spends them is significant. The reading talked about good vs. evil in videogames. Most games require you to perform an action to remain on the “good” side. Whether its fighting bad guys, or praying like in “Left-Behind: Eternal Forces,” you have choices to make to win the game. Though I am still unsure, I don’t think I believe that people can be morally effected by videogames. I think they just aren’t advanced enough yet. Videogames are still largely based on math. If I perform X action, then Y statistic changes. Again, as technology advances, we will see.
Advice to all: play Animal Crossing. It will make you question your world.
-Joni
Also, just in case you were wondering, when I eventually gave my Animal Crossing game to my sister, I made her promise not to sell my fruit furniture. Even in videogames, materialism dominates part of my life.
