Re: [Fwd: Gamasutra article]

[TLambs1138@cs.com]

In a message dated 9/29/01 2:46:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
vanevery@3DProgrammer.com writes:

> 
>  Also to be more charitable to the general public than simply writing them
>  off as "stupid," I think a lot of intelligent career-and-family people are
>  not looking for mental exericse when they are told a story.  I think people
>  enjoy being led rather than having to direct anything.  It recharges brain
>  cells and lets people experience a fleeting catharsis.  Maybe "bedtime
>  story" would be the right image.
>  
>  
>  
>  Cheers,                         www.3DProgrammer.com
>  Brandon Van Every               Seattle, WA
>  
As a FFIII fanatic (to the point of committing fanfic; Blatant 
Self-Promotion, go find "Setzer's Christmas" on the web), I have to agree 
somewhat and disagree somewhat. Shrek appealed to vast numbers of people 
because of its playfulness with stereotypes, while neverthless delivering a 
happy ending. People don't mind being made to think if the subtext is 
subversive enough and it's done with humor. (oh, the torture of the 
Gingerbread Man..). But more and more people are becoming familiar with anime 
and its particular archetypes; Princess Monomoke showed that. Final Fantasy 
was a bit ahead of the learning curve, is all, and frankly, could have used a 
bit more attention to the script. 

Also, the Final Fantasy series isn't the only gaming series making good use 
of storyline. Breath of Fire II was well done in that respect (how many of us 
who played can never forget Harpsichord Hell, aka Prince Jean's Castle?). For 
those of us aware of the history of Christianity in Japan, some of the world 
building and story elements had an _extremely_ interesting subtext. 

But if Shrek is on one side of the Perfect Line between story and 
interactivity, and Final Fantasy et all are on the other, I really look 
forward to the way we can walk that line.



Jean Lamb, tlambs1138@cs.com
"We're young, rich and full of sugar!"--Bart Simpson.