Differences that Bind UsDifferences that Bind Us

The Alien in MediaThe Alien in Media

andand

Next DoorNext Door

2nd Annual University of Florida Game Studies ConferenceApril 7, 2006

EelEel

Hello Everyone! It’s Hello Everyone! It’s great to be here!great to be here!

Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida

GRATS GATORS!!!Sorry…Okay…

Alien DefinitionsAlien Definitions

1.1. adj.adj. Owning allegiance to another country or Owning allegiance to another country or government: FOREIGNgovernment: FOREIGN

2.2. adj.adj. Of, from, or typical of another person, place or Of, from, or typical of another person, place or thing: UNFAMILIARthing: UNFAMILIAR

3.3. adj.adj. Inconsistent or opposed in nature or character Inconsistent or opposed in nature or character4.4. n.n. An unnaturalized foreign resident of a country An unnaturalized foreign resident of a country5.5. nn. A member of another family, people, region or . A member of another family, people, region or

country: FOREIGNERcountry: FOREIGNER6.6. n.n. An outsider An outsider7.7. n.n. A creature from outer space A creature from outer space8.8. n.n. plant native to one region but naturalized in another plant native to one region but naturalized in another

Point of View Is ImportantPoint of View Is Important

The Twilight Zone: The Invaders

Fish Out of WaterFish 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 WaterMore Fish Out of Water

WOOT!!!

Sorry…

Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida

Tom Cruise ShirtlessTom Cruise Shirtless

The AlienThe AlienOutsider Outsider

– Not at home in the environment or the communityNot at home in the environment or the community

Loner Loner – AloofAloof– Emotional, but impersonalEmotional, but impersonal– Followers, but few friendsFollowers, but few friends– Perfect for solo-game playPerfect for solo-game play

Chaotic Chaotic – Per D&D: Good or Evil, rarely NeutralPer D&D: Good or Evil, rarely Neutral– Moral absolutes enforced by flexible ethicsMoral absolutes enforced by flexible ethics

Not a team player Not a team player – Contemptuous of rulesContemptuous of rules– Questions authorityQuestions authority– Challenges the status quoChallenges the status quo– Not found often in squad-based gamesNot found often in squad-based games

Iconoclast Iconoclast – Can be destructiveCan be destructive– Red HarvestRed Harvest and its progeny and its progeny

Driven from within Driven from within – Listens to voices others can’t hearListens to voices others can’t hear– Invites the laziness of backstoryInvites the laziness of backstory

Must be a teacher or will not surviveMust be a teacher or will not survive– And even then there is no guaranteeAnd even then there is no guarantee

The Outer Limits: Demon with a Glass Hand

Comedy TeamsComedy Teams

One of Us Alien

One of Us

One of Us

Alien

Alien

Alien Invasion

Sidekicks: Comedy Teams in Video Sidekicks: Comedy Teams in Video GamesGames

One of Us

One of UsOne of Us

One of Us

Alien (Suit AI)

Alien

Alien

Alien

Sidekicks at the University of Sidekicks at the University of Florida Game Studies ConferenceFlorida Game Studies Conference

Eel

Alien

One of Us

One of Us

Alien

Cry…LOL!!!

The Alien as VillainThe Alien as Villain

The Bad Seed

NixonThe Silence of the Lambs Same actor…Sorry…

The Alien as Villain in Video The Alien as Villain in Video GamesGames

The Alien as Hero in MediaThe Alien as Hero in Media

The Alien as Hero in Real LifeThe Alien as Hero in Real Life

The Irony of the HeroThe Irony of the Hero

Heroes are easy to admire from a safe distance…Heroes are easy to admire from a safe distance…

Heroes are fun to identify with in fiction…Heroes are fun to identify with in fiction…

But…But…

The same traits that create heroes The same traits that create heroes make them aliens in real life.make them aliens in real life.

Eel walks alone…I know. I know. I’m going.

They Upset They Upset OurOur Status Quo Status Quo

AnarchistsAnarchistsBad influencesBad influencesCynicsCynicsDissentersDissentersElitistsElitistsFanaticsFanaticsGlory hogsGlory hogsHot headsHot headsIndividualistsIndividualistsJonahsJonahsKooksKooksLiarsLiarsMenaces to societyMenaces to society

NuisancesNuisancesOpinionatedOpinionatedPrima donnasPrima donnasQuixoticQuixoticRabble-rousersRabble-rousersShowoffsShowoffsTraitorsTraitorsUnhealthy influencesUnhealthy influencesVagrantsVagrantsWhistleblowersWhistleblowersXenosXenosYo-yosYo-yosZealotsZealots

Media Softens the ImageMedia Softens the Image

The Progeny ofThe Progeny of Red Harvest Red Harvest

The Cleaning of The Cleaning of PoisonvillePoisonville (1928) (1928)Red HarvestRed Harvest (1929) (1929)YojimboYojimbo (1961) (1961)A Fistful of DollarsA Fistful of Dollars (1964)(1964)The Warrior and the The Warrior and the SorceressSorceress (1984) (1984)Miller’s CrossingMiller’s Crossing (1990)(1990)Last Man StandingLast Man Standing (1996)(1996)

The Alien as Hero in Video GamesThe Alien as Hero in Video Games

Point of View Is Still ImportantPoint of View Is Still Important

The Twilight Zone: Eye of the Beholder

IcoIco

The Alien in Virtual WorldsThe Alien in Virtual Worlds

Too much like the real world with the irony of the hero Too much like the real world with the irony of the hero addedadded– ““Mom! Tell Bobby to play Mom! Tell Bobby to play rightright!” !”

Villains yesVillains yes– Cannon fodder for XenophobesCannon fodder for Xenophobes

Heroes noHeroes no– Character graphics, gear, and purpose are all clonedCharacter graphics, gear, and purpose are all cloned

Everybody can’t be a lonerEverybody can’t be a loner– Or loners become the status quoOr loners become the status quo

Non-team players need not applyNon-team players need not apply– Designs Designs forceforce team play team play

If aliens fail to educate, they are ostracizedIf aliens fail to educate, they are ostracized– Roleplayers on RP serversRoleplayers on RP servers

Ragnaros (Villain)Ragnaros (Villain)

LEE !!!

Ragnaros Slayers (Heroes)Ragnaros Slayers (Heroes)

LEE

What Holds Games Back?What Holds Games Back?

CharactersCharacters– Stereotypes (“All dwarves are from Stereotypes (“All dwarves are from

Scotland.”)Scotland.”)

StoriesStories– Clichés (“An ancient evil is Clichés (“An ancient evil is

threatening to return on Tuesday!”)threatening to return on Tuesday!”)

GenresGenres– Limited (“We need new bad guys!” Limited (“We need new bad guys!”

“How about Haitians or Sikhs?”)“How about Haitians or Sikhs?”)

ThemesThemes– Simplistic (“Evil is bad.” “Revenge is Simplistic (“Evil is bad.” “Revenge is

bittersweet.”)bittersweet.”)

EmployeesEmployees– Unqualified (“Charlie the tester took Unqualified (“Charlie the tester took

an English course once!”)an English course once!”)

ManagementManagement– Clueless (“Why do we need a theme Clueless (“Why do we need a theme

anyway?”)anyway?”)

MarketMarket– Comfortable (“Does it have cool Comfortable (“Does it have cool

weapons and finishing moves?”)weapons and finishing moves?”)

“You game developers must disperse now!”

The Alien in Game Development: The Alien in Game Development: People Who CarePeople Who Care

Schools often teach Schools often teach mechanics, but not mechanics, but not contextcontextIgnorance of other forms Ignorance of other forms of mediaof mediaGamers and game Gamers and game developers inbreedingdevelopers inbreedingTraditionTraditionTime and money not Time and money not budgetedbudgetedAliens must educate to Aliens must educate to survivesurvive

One Last Alien…One Last Alien…

……came from far awaycame from far away……doesn’t speak the doesn’t speak the

language welllanguage well……sits alone in the darksits alone in the dark……listens to voices listens to voices

others can’t hearothers can’t hear……questions authorityquestions authority……breaks rulesbreaks rules……challenges the status challenges the status

quoquo

The video game industry knows its The video game industry knows its name, even if they don’t know its name, even if they don’t know its

meaning…meaning…

Its name is…

Writer

Point of View Point of View Will Always BeWill Always Be ImportantImportant

The Twilight Zone: The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

Watch your television!Watch your television!Visit your local theatre!Visit your local theatre!

Observe your neighbors!Observe your neighbors!Scrutinize passersby in the Scrutinize passersby in the

street!street!Look in the mirror!Look in the mirror!

Stop watching the skies!!!Stop watching the skies!!!

Why???

Timely questions courtesy of Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida

Aliens Walk Among UsAliens Walk Among Us

If we give them a chance, they If we give them a chance, they might teach us something…might teach us something…

Don’t be afraid.Don’t kill them.

Courtesy of Slides by Eel, Tarpon Springs, Florida

Good NightGood Night

And Good Luck…And Good Luck…

You’re welcome, Lee! Bye everybody!