I've never had a blog before. I think that's fairly evident due to the fact that I've acknowledged any potential readership as "all." Anyway, I want to build a blog for multiple. The first and foremost is that I love all things video games. I have ever since the first time I booted up my sister's NES and died constantly as the very first goomba in Super Mario Bros. walked right into the player-controlled bundle of pixels that was Mario. (I did, though, eventually figure out how to jump)
The second reason is more career-oriented practice. Allow me to elaborate. I'm currently working on my PhD. in English Literature, my focus' being on Modernism and modernity (for the sake of information, roughly the trans-Atlantic artists working between the years of 1900 and 1945). My current dissertation topic involves the influence of technology in certain works, specifically mechanical breakdown, and a bunch of other annoying details that you don't want to read and I don't feel like writing. I write a lot. A whole lot. I also teach freshmen composition where I study, so I talk about writing a lot. A whole lot. My reason for elaborating is that this will be an avenue for me to practice my writing about topics and issues that interest me greatly.
My goal--for now at least--is very direct. I want to spark a dialogue about not only the importance of games, but also the meaning(s) embedded within them: the mechanics, the visuals, the narratives, the sounds, the emotions they evoke, etc. Why do we love them? Why are they culturally relevant? Why do they sell so well? What can we expect from the future of the industry? Why do people hate them? Who gets to decide if novels, film, poetry, drama, are more important (..ahem...Roger Ebert is wrong...ahem)? And last, but not least (though often most belabored) are they art? The answer, of course, is a resounding "yes," but the tacit "why" that the question begs is a bit trickier to pinpoint.
The title for my blog is "Ludonarrative Dissonance." By this, I mean specifically the point in a game where the narrative is at odds with the gameplay. Here's an example. When John Marston of Red Dead Redemption hogties a nun and leaves her on the railroad tracks in front of an incoming train, it's the players' choice. Nevertheless, the story still frames him as a victim of a sadistic system of government of circumstance. Here, the narrative and the ludological aspects of gameplay are at odds, telling two separate stories and asking the player to synthesize the two. This subject is not the only one I want to explore, but it's a good place to start.
Anyway, I hope that I gain a few people interested, and I plan to post every week or so my observations or insights into certain games, comics, movies, and other aspects of the industry. Much like when I run a classroom, I want to see if I can incite discussion or provide an interesting point for someone to think about. So without further explanation, let's see how this thing evolves.
Cheers,
--David
No comments:
Post a Comment