1.) Red vs. Blue: Rooster Teeh Productions has of late become a multi-mdeium production and writing team by creating comics, tv series, short films, etc. and more. Their first claim to success is the machinima series Red vs. Blue. In this postmodern story the characters of the Halo series games, instead of shooting each other mindlessly, get into wacky adventures and talk to one another about ‘the meaning of life’. In this aspect our project and Red vs Blue are quite similar. Both have characters who know to one degree or another that they are in a video game (while the characters themselves are not partiuclarly aware of it, the jokes within the show shed light on the fact to the audience.) Both also parody and relish in said medium.

However, these two definitely have drastic differences. The first being narrative coherency and continuation. Red vs. Blue is an ongoing series while our project is a short. Also, Red vs. Blue has voice actors. Ours originally had voice acting by the great Nick Tanner, but on a quick self reflection of the project this idea was abandoned. Our project is perhaps closest to the first very episode of Red vs. Blue which, while funny, definitely suffers from audio problems.

What is different about ours, or rather, what we introduce to the machinima world is the ability to see the character in the machinima then play as said character. While one can play Halo, they cannot literally play as the characters Griff or Church. Meanwhile in our project you can play as Sidewinder after the video in one of his amazing adventures.

2.) Cantr 2: Cantr 2 is defined by its makers as a ‘Persistent Massive Multilayer Online Game.” In this text based game you can create a number of characters throughout this fictional world. The game is role playing intensive and is viewed by many as a kind of political and society simulation game in which players attempt to run their own countries and towns filled with other human players (there are no npcs.)

Obviously our text is similar because it is also text based. While the commands may be different the main aspect of the medium is the same. Both interact with their fictional world through commands and prompts. They are different however in numerous ways. Cantr, while being text based, has simplified its command system by making commands like “attack” and “look for” already up in the player’s option bar. The player does not have to search for the right command word because it is right there. Another difference between the two is their longevity. Similarly to Red vs. Blue, Cantr is ongoing and has no forseeable end. Our projects game however ends when you defeat Steve Jobs the Dragon.

3.) My original mash up video and our projects seem to have alot of similarities I think (at least initially they did.) Both originally had voice narration which put a twist on the media it was talking over. Niether Half Life 2 or Lost intended for their videos to be voiced over by Nick Tanner and for the message of their stories to be changed completely. Both projects take the original text and change the way in which they are delivered to the audience and thus, the way they are interpreted.

However their are clearly differences between the two. For one, Nick Tanner can only be found on one. This isn’t really that big of a deal though. While our collective effort takes the very beginning of Half Life 2, my mash up video is a bit more far reaching as pieces from throughout the Sayid episodes are incoorporated into the video. Also, the Half Life video can be seen as a more introductory text and more importantly a more narrative based text. The mash up video, while it has coherency to a degree, is more of a trailer parody than anything (a trailer not for the show but for the character of Sayid.) The Half Life 2 video (while with its faults) attempts a coherent story line which leads the audience into the interactive text based game.

My mash up video does not add much to the genre of spoof trailers. It takes audio that originally had nothing to do with the film and added it to said film. It then took said film and reedited it for a different intent. However, my video is new to the trailer spoof in the sense that it is not simply changing the perspective in which the audience sees the narrative. Instead, it shifts the whole focus of the story onto a character. Same idea (chaning your perception of the story) but through a character instead of genre change (like the Shining trailer.)

This project had a grave error in it even before we started. With its focus on Captain Sidewinder we were already limiting its audience to, well, us. No one would find the story very compelling or entertaining except for us and maybe our friends. While we were incredibly excited about the project, no one else would be.

In addition to this problem we were also faced with the problem of the live action segment of the story. Through time constraints and technical difficulties we were unable to film the live action segment of the project. With only windows movie maker, and no real actors or friends to help us with characters, the prospect of this portion of the project seemed doomed (this notion was only strengthened when our camera’s battery could not be found.) So we decided to abandon this part of the project. However, in retrospect, I don’t see how this really detracted from the project. The live action would not have introduced the audience to any aspect of the tale more soundly than the machinima does. All in all it seemed to us while making the machinima that not having the live action actually strengthened the project.

In his article The Glass Box And The Commonplace Book Steven Johnson quotes “the historian Robert Darnton describes this tangled mix of writing and reading:

“Unlike modern readers, who follow the flow of a narrative from beginning to end, early modern Englishmen read in fits and starts and jumped from book to book. They broke texts into fragments and assembled them into new patterns by transcribing them in different sections of their notebooks. Then they reread the copies and rearranged the patterns while adding more excerpts. Reading and writing were therefore inseparable activities. They belonged to a continuous effort to make sense of things, for the world was full of signs: you could read your way through it; and by keeping an account of your readings, you made a book of your own, one stamped with your personality.”

This concept I think, while much grander in meaning than our project still applies to some of the projects base ideas. Our project breaks “texts into fragments and,” assembles them into new patterns. The idea of intertexuality comes heavily into play in our project and is illustrated in one of its earliest forms in our culture here.

The main strength of our project goes hand in hand with its main fault. While being inaccessible by many audiences, those audiences who might “get it” will note how our project comments somewhat on our contemporary gaming and new media culture. In the machinima certain aspects of Half Life 2 and game play in a broader sense are parodied. In Nathan’s text adventure you have to defeat Steve Jobs. This connects directly with a sentiment held by many recently in our culture today that apple in general is pushing us into an uncreative world of new technology where “the whims of a single company that had declared itself gatekeeper for your phone and other personal technology,” (Doctorow) will control most new technology.

All in all, while our project suffers from unmet high ambitions, technical difficulties, and inaccessibility it offers to those who will see it a hopefully pleasurable experience. An experience while initially made for purely entertainment also offers some critique on certain aspects of new media in our world today.

I found this quote from Bogost very intriguing. He goes on to discuss political campaign games, games like Sept. 12, etc. and how they are designed (whether intentionally or not) to change our (the audience’s/player’s) outlook/opinion. While this idea was bumbling around in my head, my friend Max introduced me to the game ‘Liberal Crime Squad’, brought to you by Bay 12 Games. Bay 12 brought us the underground famous game ‘Dwarf Fortress’ which, while lacking somewhat entirely in graphics, makes up in addicting, intriguing, and extensive gameplay.

In Liberal Crime Squad, you are set in a random city in America with a Conservative government running the country. Your mission: To spread Liberalism through any means necessary, which includes but is not limited to, taking company CEO’s hostage, depriving them of water, giving them drugs, and beating them with dildos in an attempt to convert them to your Liberal way of thinking. The game is incredibly addictive and obviously the game is meant as a joke (it’s quite hilarious. Max tells me that his character ‘Homo Sextus’ has sixteen sex slaves working for the Liberal cause. He has also recently freed nine Vietnamese sweatshop workers who now make fake police uniforms for his squads.) It parodies some of the more extreme claims that Conservatives say will happen if “the liberals win.” The question is, does this game attempt to shape our outlook on politics? Does it try to engage it’s audience and change their minds to see the world in a different light?

Now, when the game is making fun of one perspective (Extreme Conservative ideas of Liberals) and taking it out of proportion, it is parodying that perspective, thus encouraging us to take a contrary stance. While it has no subliminal messages (that I’m aware of anyways. I dunno, I might be as brainwashed as the Conservative High School Drop Out my character ‘The Doctor’ has locked up in his basement at the Homeless Shelter) it still is making fun of one perspective which (whether conscious or not) is an attempt to ‘convert’.

However, I don’t believe the makers of Liberal Crime Squad are necessarily pro liberal. It seems to me that they are asking the player/audience to laugh along with them at the entire political system/spectrum. Your characters and actions are as made fun of as the conservatives in the game (many times your main character, in an attempt to get others to join your cause, will simply say “The Flag is stupid.) The only thing encouraged by the game is to step back and laugh at everyone who is taking these things seriously.

Author’s Note! Right!

I went into this project with a fairly adept ability at editing video and sound. I’ve always had a knack at editing to music as well, which in this project really helped. The main thing that held this project back was my and my computer’s inability to convert, save, edit, etc. I’ve never had to convert video from one file type to another, never had to download the converter, etc. And when you’re dealing with Windows Movie Maker, learning this process only becomes more infuriating. I can honestly say that assembling the project’s materials took much longer than the actual production of it.

What went well? I think the idea behind the video, the narration, and the montage at the end were really solid. Nick Tanner (who was the voice actor in the video) and I slowly realized that this video would be alot cooler in a trailer kind of format. And so the montage at the end really works I feel. The addition of narration also glued everything together, not to mention gave rise to funny one liners.

What detracted from it I think is some kind of inaccessability that some viewers might feel. For instance, many won’t laugh when ‘Tank!’ from the show Cowboy Bebop comes on, but those who do recognize the song, might have their mind blown. Also, if an audience member hasn’t watched Lost, he/she might not understand the joke. They might understand that this character is a badass, but not that the video is partially making fun of this larger than life character while simultaniously relishing in him.

But the relishing of Sayid also makes the video stronger I feel. While limiting its audience on one hand, it increases the entertainment the audience members who “get it” might recieve for the video.

—-

Meanwhile, Sidewinder made a mad dash against time, and more importantly, against large quantities of dynamite. He entered the gunner deck, spotting numerous holes through which he could make his escape. He stepped forward only to halt his advance as the steam powered robotic bear gun crew stepped in between Sidewinder and his escape. They snarled and roared as steam seeped out of their robotic joints.

Grabbing a nearby harpoon gun Sidewinder attached his steam powered lasso to the end of the harpoon and aimed above all the bears’ heads to the outside world. At that moment a large and magnificent falcon flew by. Sidewinder fired, hit the beast in the breast, and let himself be pulled up and above the bears below, who snarled in aggrivation. Captain Sidewinder squeezed smoothly out of the octopus cannon window (much more smoothly than this sentence was constructed) and flew towards his zeppelin as the self destruct sequence in the steam powered land octopus began to detonate, metallic suction cups flying everywhere.

Captain Sidewinder used his steam power telepathy to communicate with the falcon. He directed it over his zeppelin. Letting go of the rope he landed on the deck at the same moment as the Ocotpus fell and exploded. Our team of heroes stood in awe. Wilde shot Sidewinder’s crotch with his steam powered water pistol.

Part VI

Part VIII

When I read this I immediately thought of Final Fantasy. Any self respecting gamer who has played Final Fantasy know the ‘victory song‘. This song is so famous that it is now a phone ring tone. Basically, this theme in Final Fantasy plays whenever your party (or characters) defeat an enemy in the game. It serves as a signal for “that moment of triumph.” It has gained great popularity and even people who haven’t played the game know what it symbolizes.

What I wanted to discuss, or rather comment on, is how that song now has its own effects on people even without actually playing the game. Now that the tune is available for ringtones, several of my friends have it set to their phone. The first time I heard it, it caught me off guard. I was filled with a sense of accomplishment, of victory! But I hadn’t done anything. Even when I realized it was my friend’s phone that had gone off, I still remained with a feeling of satisfaction. Here, the chemical and biological make up of my body was so effected (or is it affected?) by the “moments of pleasure” that our bodies reward us with during games, that my body was conditioned to feel that pleasure when not even engaged in gameplay.

Random story that is somewhat related:

Another instance if you will. Once at a party a man named Stuart and some floosies came back to the house claiming that one of the girls had forgotten her purse. They tried to find it but to no avail. My friend Issac pulled out his cell phone, typed something in, and waited with it out continuing the conversation he, I, and our friends were having. The moment Stuart found the purse he cried from the other room “I found it!” At the same moment Issac presses a button on his phone and the victory theme from Final Fantasy plays.

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN SIDEWINDER (PART 3)

All of them stood quietly. Oscar Wilde shot Sidewinder’s crotch with his water gun.

“Damn you Wilde!” cried Sidewinder, “We have no time for your petty comedy!” The room stood even stillier than before. Everyone knew Wilde was the world’s best bet to defeat Weishaupt, although how no one exactly knew.

“Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace,” said Wilde putting his water pistol into his fur-lined purple velvet over coat, “I hope someday you’ll understand that Sidewinder.” Wilde turned and walked out of the hall.

“That was awkward,” said Henry.

“Quite,” added Verne.

“Once again Sidewinder you have managed to obliterate any chance our team had of success,” said Bell dapping his crotch with a hanky, “Is there anyone else you would like to antagonize before we continue?”

Sidewinder gave Bell a cold look. He was always trying to challenge his authority and leadership over the group.

“Alright, we need to split up. Henry, Verne, Bell. You three take Verne’s steam powered submarine and go to Twain’s steam powered underwater laboratory/international gambling den. Get him and bring him back here, its a mystery as to why he isn’t already. Stephenson, come with me.”

Stephenson quickly followed Captain Sidewinder as he began to exit the room.

“Where are you going Sidewinder?” inquiried Alexander Graham Bell. Captain Sidewinder stopped and turned.

“Not where Bell, but When. Stephenson and I,” Sidewinder paused for dramatic effect as the camera pushed in, “ Are going back in time.”

———–

Part II

Part IV (Spencer/Gabe)

Part IV (B) (Nathan/Will)

Definition of a Troll- In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response^[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion,” (Wikipedia.)

This video attempts to explain the nature of the troll. Each scene would be voiced over, with the narrator going through and explaining what each thing represented.

Opening scene:

The troll is introduced. Goes from his taxi, representing his computer, to the basketball court which represents a forum of sorts. People can talk to one another, smoke cigarettes and not play basketball, and hang out with friends. Personal chats and messages are also possible.

Troll Note: Very boring.

Explain the troll. Explain what victory to a troll is.

-“Victory comes when you get on a Message Board take it apart, either destroying it with a Nuke or making it your playpen,” (How To Be A Troll. A. Fool.)

The troll wins by taking the immersed participants/audience out of the experience. When someone yells during a quiet song at a concert, someone talks during a movie, when your parents call during sex.

“Nuking happens when a mod doesn’t ban you and other posters flee so that you (and your duals and/or “best friend”) are the only active members. You have killed that Message Board,” (A. Fool.)

2^nd Scene:

The basketball court when a troll is introduced and ‘nukes’ the court. Results in the board dying.

3^rd Scene:

Members of the forum attempt to fight back (i.e. police/Mods.) Ban for a few days. Clearly not enough to deter the troll from its mission.

4^th Scene:

The troll vs. admins once again. This time the admins ban the IP address which leads to the death of the Troll.

END.

In his blog Brock says that, “Even though you’re not playing the game yourself, sometimes it can be more fun to witness someone else playing, whether poorly, sarcastically, or while simply providing humorous commentary, the videos elicit the same kind of response as game shows,” (Brock.) I would like to briefly discuss an example of this (which happened to me last year) and how in more emersive mediums lead to much more rich moments in the gameplay.

One day last year, I was playing GTA 4 at Shane’s Apartment. Carrie Griffin, Jered Ward, Shane, and others were present. We were getting ready to watch a movie when I began role playing in GTA 4. I would walk around with a NPC and give him a name. I would pretend like we were developing an emotional relationship. At one point I met an NPC who was without a doubt the greatest NPC evar made. He was an slightly large man with dreadlocks and an amazing purple suit. He smoked a cigar. We named him ‘Eldabar.’

Very quickly the entire room was entranced with Eldabar, and rightly so. His suit was “dope,” (Shane Gannaway.) The entire room grew incredibly connected to Eldabar. This connection was solidified however, when we decided to pick on a NPC yuppie. He was walking by with a cup of coffee and, in my brilliance, I thought it would be funny to slap the coffee out of his hands (which you can do in the game.) But, as I turned my head to laugh with my friends (and hopefully catch a glimpse of Shane’s deep blue eyes) the NPC RETALIATED! He unleashed a flurry of punches which sent me to the ground. All seemed lost when Eldabar knocked the yuppie trash down. Eldabar’s swings were elegant and powerful. The yuppie trash quickly yielded, knowning he had been weighed and matched.

But take note. Nothing truly amazing was going on. This event happened only after five minutes of standing their role playing with an NPC. Then all we, the players did, was hit coffee out of a yuppie’s hand. Nothing was happening. But the game had so many small mechanics and interactions which allowed us the audience to engage with it in a way not previously intended and honestly was a bit more fun than simply blowing up old ladies with a bazooka. With more agency we achieved greater emergence.

Now, you’re all probably wondering, “What happened to Eldabar?” Now that I have successfully connected video games and in class topics, I will relate this tale to you which has nothing to do with class.

THE TALE OF ELDABAR AND HIS COMPANION

The day was like any other. Hanging out with Eldabar on the stairs on the sidewalk. After the yuppie incident Eldabar began walking down the sidewalk. Following along it was exciting to see Eldabar in his element. However, as we turned the corned Eldabar stopped, frozen. Some feet away a cop stood, poised, equally frozen. They remained as still as satues. THEN! Eldabar threw his cigar down and took off running the other way, the cop taking up a quick pursuit. The people in Shane’s appartment paniced. Why was the cop chasing Eldabar? What had he done? “Save him save him Taylor!” cried Carrie. I gave chase and ran after the two. Coming around the corner I saw the cop pull out his pistol. I had no time to think of the consequences of my actions, especially as the room was immediately filled with screams (mainly Shane’s.) I pulled out my own gun and shot the cop. He went down and what followed can only be described as complete chaos. Cop cars from every direction came up. We thought we were done for when, majestically, Eldabar pulled out his automatic and laid waste to the slue of coppers. I tried to get a car for us to escape in, but the driver fought too hard.

At this moment, as I got in the car, Eldabar fell, riddled with bullets. The apartment let out another scream. “AVENGE HIM TAYLOR!” Cried Carrie. And avenge him we did. Out of the car with a shotgun we finished off at least seven cops before we went down. But, as we fell to our death, we saw Eldabar begin to get up on the sidewalk. He was only wounded! But alas, no more could be seen as we blacked out.

Here endeth the tale.

Mrs. Jones looked at Gary with a blank expression. “Well nor do I for that matter!” Snapped Gary, “Where did all these raptors come from? And where the hell is Captain Sidewinder? He was supposed to be here an hour ago.” Gary sighed deeply. Brett pulled out a pistol and walked towards Mrs. Jones. “It’s time to pay Mrs. Jones. I’m sure you’ll find this pistol quite, immersive.” Brett laughed maniacally and turned to Gary hoping that he would join in. Gary stood stone faced, unimpressed. “You see Brett, while I am an evil genius, it takes alot of dealing to not be eaten by raptors. You have to give them something in order for them to let you live,” Said Gary. “Namely something else to…eat?” Brett’s eyes went wide. He turned to see a number of raptors staring intently. “No Gary! Please!” Mrs. Jones closed her eyes as Brett was devoured by the pack of raptors. “Mrs. Jones, follow me. We have much to discuss.”

Next time on…