Differences that Bind Us

Differences that Bind Us : Differences that Bind Us The Alien in Media and Next Door 2nd Annual University of Florida Game Studies Conference April 7, 2006


Eel : Eel Hello Everyone! It’s great to be here! Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida GRATS GATORS!!! Sorry… Okay…


Alien Definitions : Alien Definitions adj. Owning allegiance to another country or government: FOREIGN adj. Of, from, or typical of another person, place or thing: UNFAMILIAR adj. Inconsistent or opposed in nature or character n. An unnaturalized foreign resident of a country n. A member of another family, people, region or country: FOREIGNER n. An outsider n. A creature from outer space n. plant native to one region but naturalized in another


Point of View Is Important : Point of View Is Important The Twilight Zone: The Invaders


Fish Out of Water : Fish Out of Water No fish were harmed during the making of these slides. Professional dead and baked fish. Do not attempt.


More Fish Out of Water : More Fish Out of Water WOOT!!! Sorry… Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida


Tom Cruise Shirtless : Tom Cruise Shirtless


The Alien : The Alien Outsider Not at home in the environment or the community Loner Aloof Emotional, but impersonal Followers, but few friends Perfect for solo-game play Chaotic Per D&D: Good or Evil, rarely Neutral Moral absolutes enforced by flexible ethics Not a team player Contemptuous of rules Questions authority Challenges the status quo Not found often in squad-based games Iconoclast Can be destructive Red Harvest and its progeny Driven from within Listens to voices others can’t hear Invites the laziness of backstory Must be a teacher or will not survive And even then there is no guarantee The Outer Limits: Demon with a Glass Hand


Comedy Teams : Comedy Teams One of Us Alien One of Us One of Us Alien Alien Alien Invasion


Sidekicks: Comedy Teams in Video Games : Sidekicks: Comedy Teams in Video Games One of Us One of Us One of Us One of Us Alien (Suit AI) Alien Alien Alien


Sidekicks at the University of Florida Game Studies Conference : Sidekicks at the University of Florida Game Studies Conference Eel Alien One of Us One of Us Alien Cry… LOL!!!


The Alien as Villain : The Alien as Villain The Bad Seed Nixon The Silence of the Lambs Same actor… Sorry…


The Alien as Villain in Video Games : The Alien as Villain in Video Games


The Alien as Hero in Media : The Alien as Hero in Media


The Alien as Hero in Real Life : The Alien as Hero in Real Life


The Irony of the Hero : The Irony of the Hero Heroes are easy to admire from a safe distance… Heroes are fun to identify with in fiction… But… The same traits that create heroes make them aliens in real life. Eel walks alone… I know. I know. I’m going.


They Upset Our Status Quo : They Upset Our Status Quo Anarchists Bad influences Cynics Dissenters Elitists Fanatics Glory hogs Hot heads Individualists Jonahs Kooks Liars Menaces to society Nuisances Opinionated Prima donnas Quixotic Rabble-rousers Showoffs Traitors Unhealthy influences Vagrants Whistleblowers Xenos Yo-yos Zealots


Media Softens the Image : Media Softens the Image


The Progeny of Red Harvest : The Progeny of Red Harvest The Cleaning of Poisonville (1928) Red Harvest (1929) Yojimbo (1961) A Fistful of Dollars (1964) The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984) Miller’s Crossing (1990) Last Man Standing (1996)


The Alien as Hero in Video Games : The Alien as Hero in Video Games


Point of View Is Still Important : Point of View Is Still Important The Twilight Zone: Eye of the Beholder


Ico : Ico


The Alien in Virtual Worlds : The Alien in Virtual Worlds Too much like the real world with the irony of the hero added “Mom! Tell Bobby to play right!” Villains yes Cannon fodder for Xenophobes Heroes no Character graphics, gear, and purpose are all cloned Everybody can’t be a loner Or loners become the status quo Non-team players need not apply Designs force team play If aliens fail to educate, they are ostracized Roleplayers on RP servers


Ragnaros (Villain) : Ragnaros (Villain) LEE !!!


Ragnaros Slayers (Heroes) : Ragnaros Slayers (Heroes) LEE


What Holds Games Back? : What Holds Games Back? Characters Stereotypes (“All dwarves are from Scotland.”) Stories Clichés (“An ancient evil is threatening to return on Tuesday!”) Genres Limited (“We need new bad guys!” “How about Haitians or Sikhs?”) Themes Simplistic (“Evil is bad.” “Revenge is bittersweet.”) Employees Unqualified (“Charlie the tester took an English course once!”) Management Clueless (“Why do we need a theme anyway?”) Market Comfortable (“Does it have cool weapons and finishing moves?”) “You game developers must disperse now!”


The Alien in Game Development: People Who Care : The Alien in Game Development: People Who Care Schools often teach mechanics, but not context Ignorance of other forms of media Gamers and game developers inbreeding Tradition Time and money not budgeted Aliens must educate to survive


One Last Alien… : One Last Alien… …came from far away …doesn’t speak the language well …sits alone in the dark …listens to voices others can’t hear …questions authority …breaks rules …challenges the status quo


The video game industry knows its name, even if they don’t know its meaning… : The video game industry knows its name, even if they don’t know its meaning… Its name is… Writer


Point of View Will Always Be Important : Point of View Will Always Be Important The Twilight Zone: The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street


Slide33 : Watch your television! Visit your local theatre! Observe your neighbors! Scrutinize passersby in the street! Look in the mirror! Stop watching the skies!!! Why??? Timely questions courtesy of Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida


Aliens Walk Among Us : Aliens Walk Among Us If we give them a chance, they might teach us something… Don’t be afraid. Don’t kill them.


Good Night : Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida Good Night And Good Luck… You’re welcome, Lee! Bye everybody!