Writing for Video Games

While conducting research on the legitimacy of video games in the classroom, I found myself wondering if any well known authors had lent a hand in writing the stories and dialogues for any established video game.  Although the Tom Clancy military game series has had much success, I was unsure if Clancy actually had anything to do with the writing process.  So I set out to see if any known authors have written for both mediums.

I found some great results in a blog post from the Rumpus asking why no authors are writing for video games, mostly in the comments section.  I had to research a few of the claims within the comments, but I did discover that Clancy did indeed contribute to some of the earlier titles in his series.  I think one of the most exciting finds was that Orson Scott Card, famed author of the Ender's Game series, has written dialogue for at least three video games, including the classic 1990 computer adventure game The Secret of Monkey Island.  Since then, Card has written the dialogue and screenplay for the 2009 platformer adventure Advent Rising, and had even planned to write novellas that tied in with the story of the game.


There were many other authors as well whose names weren't attached to as big a title as Monkey Island.  Take for example Alex Garland, who is actually a master in all three mediums, having written The Beach (1997), the screenplay for the film 28 Days Later (2002), and the screenplay for the game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (2010). Clive Barker, famous for his horror novels and films, has his name on several titles as well, shaping the plot for each of them.


These great authors have made great contributions to elements like dialogue and story arcs in games which have clearly raised the standard over the years.  It speaks volumes for the possibility of blending mediums, where video game and novel work together to tell a common story.  This helps make the argument to include video games in the English classroom, as the two mediums working together can catch struggling students' attention, motivating them to work through the content in order to understand the full scope of the story.   Video games can definitely motivate people to read even outside the classroom- look at the novels Arthas: Rise of the Lich King and World of Warcraft:  The Shattering, both by Christie Golden, both based off of events from World of Warcraft, and both being NY Times best selling novels.  Fans are so engrossed in the vivid digital world and detailed lore that they want to continue experiencing it even outside of the game.  The same goes for Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten, a novel based on events from Halo which reached as high number 3 on the Bestsellers list!   If video games can attract this many readers, it shouldn't be difficult to imagine their use in the classroom to engage adolescent minds. 

WoW in School... Wow!

I finally read through all of WoWinSchool's entire syllabus, and have concluded that I am 100% behind the project.  I think the loremasters (teachers within the program) are really onto something when targeting the at-risk youths in middle school.  At this time, I don't know if I should be changing my thesis to argue that video games should be incorporated into solely at-risk adolescent student courses.  I think it will take a bit more time before I can make that decision.  Maybe I am a bit biased working as an English tutor at a community college, but I believe that WoWinSchool's assessment of these at-risk students' attitude is identical to the majority of students I see:

Reading a piece of literature bores them because they cannot relate to them.  They don't write in school because they don't have anything they feel is relevant to write about.  Often, these students simply need a catalyst, a muse if you will, that inspires them or serves as a focal point for learning things such reading, writing, and math.

The students I tutor are typically fresh out of high school, complete with an English course that they could not relate to/had no interest in, and therefore struggled just to get through, if they even managed to.   I know that English curricula in high schools today are jam packed as it is, but if they are filled with lessons, texts, and assignments that aren't working, then why continue going about teaching the English Language Arts in the same fashion?  There are several high school English teachers in my thesis colloquium who say that they just cannot get their students to read, regardless of whether or not they are at-risk of failing out.  I think that by examining the model WoWinSchool has set forth, we can begin shaping a curriculum for high school students, but one that isn't limited to just World of Warcraft.  While I think that the MMO is perfect for what these educators are trying to teach, utilizing only one genre of game in a high school classroom would be like teaching only short stories for an entire year without examining novels or poetry.  Or in this case, the branching story arcs of games like Heavy Rain and Chrono Trigger offer a different literary experience, while more traditional games where the plot is predetermined like the Final Fantasy series offers something completely different. 

Let me save my post and get back on track by going over some key aspects of WoWinSchool that I feel would benefit any English curriculum that incorporates video games.  I think the listing format worked well last post, so what the heck, let's do it again!

• The inclusion of The Hobbit as a parallel reading throughout the course was an excellent idea.  I think that parallel readings are a must in a high school curriculum, as these readers can compare and contrast iconic video game characters to classic characters from both the literary canon and popular adolescent literature (I do intend to show how characters function in both of these mediums after I have conducted more research in narrative theory).  I feel that parallel readings will help skeptics understand that literature is not being thrown out in favor of games, but instead is being placed alongside video games.  More importantly, the material will mean more to those students who find text difficult to relate to if they see elements of the games in print, and see shades of their favorite hero in a classic literary work.
• The stress that this program places on communication with all parties involved is crucial.  From the IT department, to the principals, to the district, to the parents-- these teachers/lorekeepers are both straightforward and clear in their intentions. It really is a smart idea to have the students bring home permission slips to their parents in order to sign up for the course.  By holding orientation, producing "intro videos", and constantly communicating with parents, these teachers have made this experimental course very transparent in its goals, which is key for video games to be accepted as course material.  No one can question whether the teachers are just letting the kids play, as the lesson plan is on display so that parents can see exactly what their children will be learning.
• Speaking of which, I really enjoyed reading through the lesson plans:  Here are some examples of sample exercises being utilized in the classroom so far.   I think there are several creative assignments that make the most of the game's immense world and detailed lore in order to improve students' literacy and writing abilities.  I think my favorite assignment was Quest 17, where students act as a bard by performing poetry they have written in the middle of a populated in-game city.  This can lead to interaction with other players and allow the students personal reflection on an experience they might otherwise not be remotely interested in. 
• There are two key links from the site that will be extremely helpful in my own final project.  First, the site's list of sources will provide me with some much needed additional sources to review.  James Paul Gee is getting lonely on my Works Cited list, so it appears that he will have some good company once I get my hands on some of the sources listed.  Second, the English Language Arts Common Core standards pdf file will be extremely helpful.  I can study the standards for grades 9-13, and then shape my argument by showing how good video games can meet these standards.  This will provide legitimacy to the argument, because the video game material will be able to meet these standards while simultaneously immersing and intriguing the students.   

I have yet to try and submit any suggestions to the WoWinSchool- I would maybe encourage Role Playing while completing a dungeon or roaming in town, having students actively participate in the story of the game.  I think role playing can be a huge component of WoW for players, and definitely warrants a look in the classroom, as the students have to think about how their characters would respond to certain scenarios, encounters, and conversations rather than just speaking normally.  This would be a stimulating exercise that would definitely promote creative writing and thinking.  But I will continue studying further before making any rash decisions to try and contribute to a program that clearly is off to a great start without the advice of the almighty Matthew. 

I hope this program continues to succeed and open minds, as it shows promise that a change in the English Language Arts can greatly benefit students.

World of Middle Schoolcraft

I could not believe my eyes when I stumbled upon this website documenting a project that incorporates World of Warcraft into the language arts curriculum of two separate middle schools. While I am not targeting the middle school age demographic with my own thesis, it does seem like "at-risk" category students of all ages would benefit most from having video games included into the classroom, so I might need to consider my own curriculum being geared towards this spectrum of students. Anyway, Lucas Gillispie's WoW project is no joke, as can be seen by the 296 page fully developed syllabus.  While I still have a looong way to go in reading through the plan completely before I can really assess the program, but I wanted to share a few highlights I found on the site that look really promising. 

- Look how involved the students are in the subject material.  Whether or not you agree that games have a place in a curriculum, the game's ability to captivate the students seen in the video cannot be argued.  At the very least, one can see how this is similar to showing a movie in class with the intent of trying to grab the attention of the learners, which can then lead to future interest and learning in that subject (I'm looking at you science teachers, and your endless supply of Bill Nye videos).  But back to the point, the students' are working collaboratively toward a common goal while playing WoW, and (according to the video and the syllabus) gaining a wide breadth of knowledge in several key areas that they may originally have had little to no interest in. 

-  The Student Work section of the site really impressed me- especially the four pieces of machinima (pieces of cinematic production that typically feature video games) that the students created.  These students put a lot of creative effort into the movie trailers that they produced through WoW.  The students have a firm grasp on the game's reality and overall plot, which they have used in order to create unique characters and storylines for their trailers.  I think in terms of literacy and learning, the game has offered a great deal to these students. 

- For those worried about addiction to WoW, which can be a very serious problem, the accounts are strictly monitored for limited playing time so that the students can only access their account during class.  Judging from an interview that Joystiq.com conducted with some of the students participating in this project, it doesn't appear that many of the students even have accounts outside of the class, which can be attributed to discussions that the teachers have with the parents about the dangers of game addiction. 

- I loved this last line in the introduction on the main page:  All portions of this wiki are open and visible.  You don't have to "request access" to be able to read anything here.  However, if you are interested in contributing, and we want you to, when you request access, please let me know your name, if you work for an education-based organization, and what you might like to contribute.  I may just make try to make a contribution after I've read more about what the students are already doing...

Waiting is the Hardest Part

Now that I have finished exploring James Paul Gee's ideas, I think it would be smart to move on to Narrative Theory.  I'd like to review the elements that are viewed as integral to creating stories in print and film, and then display how these are easily recognizable in good video game stories.  Also, I'd like to do a character comparison between print and video game, comparing and contrasting the role of the protagonist in the story, and how the reader/player connects with that character.  And while all of this may be well and good, it might have been helpful to order books in this subject weeks ago.  Right now, Amazon is predicting my new sources could arrive as late as early November, officially making this my first real setback in the project, as I am kind of stumped as to what to do on the production blog if there is no, well, production.

What to do to pass the time?  Here are some ideas I had:

1)  I could start working on my more "academic" written portion of the final project.  So far I have 10 pages written after a very helpful peer editing session. I find it really difficult trying to come up with a format and structure for the written portion when all of my research has not been finished yet.  What if I find something completely contradictory to some of my assertions?  I am not as insecure on the blog, because I am writing on the Internet, where truth doesn't exist.  

2)  I could play some more games.  Done.  I reactivated my World of Warcraft account, and have started exploring different areas in the game's world.  Since I have last played, Blizzard released their expansion pack Cataclysm which has completely altered a great deal of content, so it will be nice viewing things with a fresh pair of eyes.   I am still trudging along in Final Fantasy X, mostly because I keep having to create multiple save files that I want to incorporate into video for the sake of the project.  

3)  I could browse the Internet for game news.  I guess it's old news, but after releasing Heavy Rain, game producer David Cage said that there are already two new projects that his company is working on.  Check the interview out, I'm excited by his goal to create "new ways of playing."  

4)  I could think of "outside the box" sources so that I'm not dependent on Amazon's stranglehold on these damn books.  This is something I am working really hard on- specifically that I want to try and interview both game producers and gamers themselves.  I am going to send out feeler emails to Blizzard Entertainment, Quantic Dream, and Square Enix to see if anyone would be willing to sit through an interview with me.  As for the players, and I'm really excited about this, I want to interview WoW players about their experiences with stories in video games, and their experiences in high school English classrooms as well.  These players who immerse themselves so deeply into a story (one that is coauthored by the game designers and the player's own creativity) can provide some great insight as to what the strengths of stories in video games are, and how they may be applied to a classroom setting.  I am in the process of coming up with questions, as well as figuring out the logistics of how to go about interviewing players, how many players to interview, if I should use other source games, etc.  I'm happy with the idea, but it will need refinement before going forward with it.  

Maybe this isn't such a setback after all, it looks like there are plenty of things to do aside from shaping my argument on the interwebs.  I'm going to go log on WoW and spy on people now as they RP, possibly even trying my hand at it to better understand how things work. Goodbye free time!

The Power of Understanding - Teaching Culture in Games

There is one glaring weakness about the production blog that I have noticed thus far-- since I am posting as I conduct research, I can only argue my points as I learn more and more about the field.  While I would love to continue examining the stories of video games at length, expanding more on themes, role of protagonist, etc., I am going to have to return to these topics as I gain more knowledge. 

For now, I wanted to quickly discuss an area of video games which James Paul Gee believes has endless potential: The way in which these games "either reinforce or challenge players' taken-for-granted perspectives in the world."  I won't go into too much detail, as my past few posts have been a bit longwinded, but Gee gives a great example with the game Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis, which is a third person shooter game featuring the American military.  Whereas most titles in the shooter genre like Halo or Gears of War allow the player to run headfirst into battle, shooting everything in sight while getting shot numerous times and still surviving, Operation Flashpoint provides a very different experience.  Players will have their character die in one shot, often by an unseen enemy sniping from afar, and have to crawl around on the ground, slowly progressing towards a goal as opposed to running around recklessly.  The romanticized action hero that we see in video games (and action movies for that matter) may teach us one thing about war and conflict, but this video game can challenge those perspectives that we have been taught here in America. 

As for more modern examples of challenging perspectives, the United States Army is currently testing a video game developed by IDS International called CultureShock, which puts the player in the role of a village elder.   The intent of this is to try and teach real-life captains stationed in Afghanistan more about Middle Eastern culture, specifically so that they can better understand the values and difficulties that such local leaders posses.  IDS International says that the game is "bound by the real world physical, political and cultural restrictions of Southern Afghanistan," and is working with Afghan-Americans in order to preserve the game's authenticity.  By breaking down our American perspectives of "over there" through playing this game, the officers who will be working directly with village leaders will be able to communicate better, as they will have a better understanding of the culture through a practical, hands-on learning experience. 

Another example can be seen in the game A Closed World -- a title that is similar in gameplay to RPGs like the Final Fantasy series (combat system and an intricate storyline), but focuses on Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender issues in a way that a player may find different from his or her expectations.  Rather than trying to show how the game challenges or confirms our perceptions of GLBT life, click on this link to try the prototype of the game out for yourself and see how it affects you.  This game was a project at MIT, aimed at showing the difficulties in including a character who is different from the perceived norm.  Just as we appreciate Asian American literature, African American literature, Women's literature, and recently GLBT literature in English curricula, I think that video games have a great future ahead of them if they focus in these areas as well.  Titles that challenge what our culture teaches us can only spark great discussion in a classroom setting, as students will begin questioning their own perceptions when they learn more about these respective groups in an immersive experience rather than only reading about them.  There is no better age group to introduce these ideas to than young adults, as these developing minds can be expanded to question and explore everyday notions that are taken for granted. 

A Lucid Sense of Action

A small(er) follow up to my previous post-- it looks as though James Paul Gee's views on the stories that video games tell has shifted slightly since his 2007 publication, as evidenced on his blog post from late 2009.  Though he still sees the grand plot of games as "irrelevant" because he can never remember the plot even as he plays, he is now willing to acknowledge the huge advances that games like Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2 and Batman:  Arkham Asylum have made in marrying and integrating "story, environment, cinematographic effects, and game play." He believes that in good games, these elements work together in creating what he calls a "lucid sense of action." Essentially, this means that players know why they are doing what they are doing within the game, and can comprehend what exactly these actions mean in the emotional sense of the story.  When a player takes on a role, they understand the motive of the character, what the actions within the story mean to that character, and can sympathize with that character on a much more personal level than reading would allow for.

Last post, I said that I agreed with Gee's views to a certain level, and I think here is where I have to speak my mind.  I agree with him that games are different, not better or worse, than books and movies.  I agree that the experience is powerful and immersive, and that players can learn more when they dedicate a part of themselves to the character they control in the game.  And I do agree that in portions of games, the overall sense of the story can become lost.  But for him to generalize that plot is altogether unimportant does not sit well with me. While Gee says that he is unable to remember the plot of video games that he has played through, I don't think his own personal experience is enough to make that bold of claim that the story must therefore be irrelevant.

I point to sites that I have already utilized in previous posts to show the error in Gee's logic.  Look at fanfiction.net's Games section of stories, and the thousands of original works that fans have created, keeping in mind that this is just a small fraction of players (specifically those who have no fear of posting on the internet).  These fan renditions, sequels, prequels, etc., were certainly not created because of the game play, and an irrelevant story cannot inspire people to write.  Additionally, there have been several books written based on the stories of video games-- everything from Warcraft to Dragon Age to Assassin's Creed has had published novels that allow the unique story line from the game to cross mediums.  Again, if there were no intricate narrative to be found in these games, why would there be any reason to publish a book?  No, these are the stories that interest players, and by taking on the identity of the protagonist within these good games, it allows them to experience the story in a hands-on manner unparalleled by any other medium.

That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement.  David Cage, producer at Quantic Dream, the company responsible for creating Heavy Rain, has expressed frustration with how few games there are that "leave an imprint and leave you with something to think about" in the market today.  When asked by Joystiq.com whether video games have reached the same level of emotional storytelling as movies, here was his response:

Certainly not. We are really, really far away. We are light years away to be honest. And this is because we don't dare stop doing what we have been doing for 15 years. I mean, let's stop making games for kids and teenagers. Let's ask ourselves the real questions. Let's change the way we see interface. Let's change some of the traditional game conventions that we have had for 15 years that we take for granted, like, you cannot make a game if there is no ramping, if there is no game over, if you don't progress in difficulty, etc.

Who cares? You want to play a game that is interesting and that is an emotional journey. It is the story. It is what you feel playing. It is not that it gets more and more difficult until to the point where you just leave the controller and say I don't want to play that anymore. I spent $70 to buy this thing and I don't want to play it because it gets too difficult at some point. I don't want to play it anymore.

Who said the game has to be more and more difficult as your progress? Who said that? I mean, there is no reason for that. I mean, you just want to create a real journey, something that you experience and you are happy to be playing. That is it. I hope that more and more games will aim to leave an imprint and not just be toys, but be a real creative experience.


I agree wholeheartedly with his answer here for two main reasons:  1) We need to stop making the same game again and again where superhuman takes on the entire world just because the mainstream market consumes it.  Games like Heavy Rain, which Cage headed, break down the walls and bring the medium to new, respectable academic territories. I wish I were more versed in the history of film, because I am left wondering what the popular, moneymaking films were when the medium first arrived, and how long it took for Citizen Kane (which received scathing reviews when it first came out) to take a chance, and ultimately bring about serious analysis.   2)  The story is what you feel while playing, and we want it to be both interesting and emotional, just as we want the characters within that story to be interesting and realistic.  The game play serves to enhance the experience, but ultimately, we want a real journey that we can experience, remember, and relate to, which can only done with a plot that motivates the player to continue pushing forward.  Yes, there is a lucid sense of action that keeps players invested in the emotional economy of the story, but the overarching plot is what we come away with in the end when playing through a genuinely good game.  

 I think that's enough ranting for this Saturday afternoon.  For those reading, what do you think?  Are you one of those players who just hits the button to skip the cutscene and get to the next boss fight or shoot out?  Can you remember your favorite plot from a video game, or is it merely a formality to include story to get from one challenge to the next?

Keep on Rockin' in the Virtual World

It's no secret that I refer to myself as the "worst English major ever" when discussing my educational background.  My reasoning behind this is because the stories that move me most, that really catch my attention and have me wanting to get to the next chapter, are usually not in books.  Before I hand in my official English major club membership card, let me explain.  In several of my classes, we have been asked to talk about books we have read or movies we have watched that have had the biggest impact on us.  I usually talk about Speak, In Cold Blood, and Pillars of the Earth, but these are my favorite stories that I have merely consumed, not stories that I myself have participated in.  No, I take the greatest satisfaction in assisting the protagonist in achieving his or her goals, as I get as much a sense of fulfillment as I do enjoyment when interacting with these stories.  From helping Terra accept her half-human, half-esper existence, to slaying the dark prince Ganondorf alongside the hero Link in order to save Hyrule, these were the stories that meant most to me, as they immersed me into another world in such a way that no other media could possibly imitate, allowing me to control the action as I saw fit.  Of course, I never had the audacity to admit this in an academic setting, at least until now.

Now I have James Paul Gee on my side, as I can again point to the fact that an esteemed figure from the cognitive studies field is arguing for the validity of video games.  In this case, Gee says that stories in video games "are not better or worse than stories in books and movies.  They are different.  They offer different pleasures and frustrations."  Gee states that the chief difference in games are that the story line in a video game are "embodied in the player's own choices and actions in a way they cannot be in books and movies."  So while game designers create an intricate and detailed story line, what actions the protagonist takes and how information is discovered within the game is entirely up to decisions that the player makes.  There is no better example of this than in Heavy Rain, so let's take a look at an excerpt from the game:

Several times in this video, the player (as private investigator Scott Shelby) chooses what information he or she wishes to hear more about.  Any time a phrase or word appears floating next to an X, O, or a square or triangle, those are options that the player can select from in order to have Scott say something about that specific topic.  With this game in particular, the player doesn't need to go through all of the different options available to him or her-- when Scott first speaks with the shop owner Hassan, he does have an option to simply leave rather than speaking further.  There are many different ways in which this particular segment of the story can play out too:  When I played through this chapter, I had to fight the armed robber as my negotiating skills were lacking, but I still managed to stop the foul-mouthed punk from causing any harm.  When my roommate played through however, he took exception to the clerk's uncooperative nature, and neglected to take any action at all. His story ended up taking quite a different turn as the robber shot and killed Hassan.  There is no "correct" ending to the scenario, nor is there a correct version of how the plot unfolds.  Instead, it continues driving forward dependent entirely on the player's choices, at least within the boundaries that the game's designers have created.

This brings me to another point:  While two sets of readers can view a book in completely different ways (for example a Feminist literary critic and a Marxist literary critic both reading Hamlet), video games takes this to another degree, as two different players may experience two entirely different story lines depending on their own theology, values, and beliefs.  For example, in the game Infamous, players will often be prompted as to whether they want to help others, or fend for themselves.  The game's protagonist will be labeled as either Good or Evil, will be treated accordingly by characters within the game's world, and will unlock powers and special abilities unique to which side of the spectrum he falls on.  This allows for an experience that is customized to fit with a player's "play style" which is influenced by all of the attributes in mentioned above, whether a player realizes it or not.  Books and movies simply do not have that degree of customization where they can cater to the individual consumer.  I believe this would lead to wonderful classroom discussion, as students can talk about the choices they made while playing through the game, and analyze the experience that they received.   **Edit:  This isn't to say that schools of criticism cannot be applied to video games!  I read a great piece on feminism in the Final Fantasy series, although I should warn that some of the images in the blog are NSFW.

Moving along, Gee goes on to say that good video games contain embodied stories or "stories that involve and motivate the player in a different way than do the stories in books and movies."  From his own experience, Gee says that the games have him "so involved at the level of action-worrying about where I am, what's to be found there, what I am doing, what good or bad things might happen to me, what needs doing right now- that the larger story line often seems to float somewhat vaguely above me."  I would agree with this, to a degree.  When I think of the dreaded water temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I can only think of the mind-numbing puzzles that consumed me while in there.  I was not going from room to room thinking of how the third sage was somewhere in here and must be saved (an aspect of the larger story line), but instead was racking my brain on how to solve puzzles or defeat threatening enemies.  I was undergoing what Gee calls the "delicious feeling of being in the midst of things, looking at the world from the ground up and not from a God's eye perspective" in that I was trying to unlock the mysteries of the temple via Link.  I was not told of Link's adventure through text, or shown how he defeated the monster Morpha, but instead I experienced it with him by controlling his actions- his success depended entirely on my decisions and abilities, which had me more invested in the outcome than merely reading ever could.

I could see where this would have some "frustrations" though, as players who are too caught up in the here and now could miss subtle imagery, meaningful dialogue, and powerful cinematography if they are not afforded the opportunity to reflect and observe.  I just rewatched the season finale of Breaking Bad last night (best show on television in my honest opinion), and just the scene between Hector Salamanca and Gustavo Fring alone could be analyzed to death studying the three aspects mentioned above.  Video games will have to take a more artistic turn if they wish to be viewed in the same light, and I think this can be done by making more games that are catered towards adults.  

I am never going to argue that books will die out, as the stories they tell can be moving and powerful.  But I will stick to my guns and say that good video games do have a place next to them, as the way they tell stories offers a unique experience that is not merely a gimmick.  Immersing a player into an elaborate story line, offering the player a chance to unlock the secrets in a way that suits him or her, and allowing the player to directly control the protagonist's actions all adds up to an intimate storytelling experience that has much potential.  I think this would be appreciated most by teenagers, as their connection to the digital world allows them to better view the stories in video games as holding merit.  I believe that by showing the strengths and weaknesses of stories in print, film, and video game in the English curriculum for grades 9-13, it will make these students more literate in today's society as a whole, which should be the main goal of English programs in our culture today.  It's time to get off our high horses and view the storytelling experience of video games through a new lens.

Three Identities for the Price of One

I'm going to take a deep breath and see if I can do justice to the arguments that James Paul Gee presents in his novel What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy.  This is no easy task-- as I mentioned in my previous post, the man has been at the forefront of cognitive studies for years now, so he brings much credibility with him when studying the potential of games.  Gee doesn't try to make the argument that games are flawless, or that we should be doing away with books anytime soon, but instead points out that well designed games "fit better with the modern, high-tech, global world today's children and teenagers live in" because they "stress strategic thinking and problem solving."

The first topic I wanted to discuss was Gee's chapter on the concept of identity in video games.  Gee shows us that the "player as video game character" role that we take up when we play a game has three different identities at stake:  A virtual identity, a real-world identity, and a projective identity.  For example, if I were playing on my old World of Warcraft troll character named Budnick (yes, because Bobby Budnick of Salute Your Shorts fame did indeed resemble a troll), there are three identities at work here.  First is the virtual identity Budnick, my troll hunter character within the game, who can interact with other members of the Horde faction because of his race.  What Budnick can and cannot do within the game is based largely on his level-- for those unfamiliar with the game, a character basically gains "experience points" by killing monsters or completing quests for various nonplayable characters in the game world, until the have enough to increase their level.  Once the character levels up, they gain an increase in their attributes, they can unlock new abilities, and they can defeat monsters that were previously too strong.    For those who require a bit of visual aid, here is an image of a low level troll hunter. 

The second identity is the real-life identity of Matt, who can chat and interact with other real-life players in the game in a way that suits his personality.  I have my own likes and dislikes, and I also am a complex being who values certain things.  My own identity can be seen within the game based on how I talk or play along with other players in the game world.  Also, aspects of my own personal identity come through when I initially created Budnick and selected what race and character class I wanted to play as in the first place. 

And lastly is the projective identity, or the identity that I as Matt want Budnick to have in the game.  The best example of this can be seen on the RP or Role Playing servers-- these servers enforce role play, meaning that players can only talk about events within the game itself or relevant to the storyline of the game.  Players can be suspended if they do not follow the rules by talking about modern day events or speak out of character.  So if I had Budnick on an RP server, I would concoct an idea of how I believed he should talk and how he react to the world around him, as would all the other players with characters on that same server.   When playing with other creative players, just walking through a town becomes a huge story with a ton of potential stories to be told-- players are acting participants in the world that the game designers have produced, complete with their own goals for the projected identities they are attempting to create.  This applies to the in-game content as well, as I can have Budnick befriend certain factions within the game, or become bitter enemies with others, all dependent on the identity I wish to create. 

Can you think of a single novel that involves such powerful connections to a protagonist?  James Paul Gee words it best when he says that that this multilateral play of identities "transcends identification with characters in novels or movies... because it is both active and reflexive, in the sense that once the player has made some choice about the virtual character, the virtual character is now developed in a way that sets certain parameters about what the player can now do.  The virtual character redounds back on the player and affects his or her future actions."  I don't think any game proves this more than World of Warcraft.  Although certain time restrictions have prevented me from being able to start my account once again, to this day I am still proud of my character's in-game gear and stats, of his great standing with the various in-game factions, and of the reputation I got by being kind to other actual players when playing alongside them.  Budnick conquered some of the greatest villains in Warcraft lore, and I got to be a part of his story hands on as he matured from a fledgling hunter on the Echo Isles to an established champion of the Horde who helped kill the Lich King once and for all.  It was more than just a character in a narrative that I helped create, there were elements of my own identity and my idea of an identity that I wanted the character to have.  I'd like to think that games featuring adolescent protagonists would be a wonderful gateway for teenage students in this same regard, not only because the themes in the plot are relevant to what teenagers themselves face every day, but because they can project an identity all their own onto the protagonist, and see elements of their individual identities in the characters as they play.  While students may not be able to relate to Ponyboy or Ender because they are passively reading what the characters do without any influence, good video games offer the chance to be a part of the character's makeup. 

This interaction between three different identities promotes learning in an entirely different way than is seen in a typical school system, as it creates a "psychosocial moratorium" or a "learning space in which the learner can take risks where real-world consequences are lowered."  Students can feel under pressure only to answer if they know the correct answer in an English classroom, which could prevent them from attempting to analyze literature if they fear they will be incorrect.  From my own experience, I remember the Scarlet Letter to be a miserable experience, as the symbolism within the book had to mean one certain thing, there was no room for new interpretation.  Video games meanwhile offer students the chance to make mistakes, as failing in most games has no major implications- you simply receive a Game Over message, and then resume from a previous point, and try again.  There is no harm done to any of the identities that are at work while playing the game.  Also along these lines, students will experience a great feeling of achievement in games for relatively minimal effort as well.  The player may encounter problems in the game that they must solve, but compared to having to research and type out a report, the amount of effort is significantly less.  In the Final Fantasy series, typically if the player defeats a boss, they are rewarded with the possibly of receiving new weapons for their characters to wield, the satisfaction of destroying a monster 100 times the size of their characters, and the progression of the epic story onto the next chapter.  All these rewards simply for coming up with a strategy to utilize in the game, and succeeding at it, are incentive for players to keep pushing forward in their endeavors as they are engrossed by the compelling aspects of the game. 

There are wonderful cognitive studies throughout Gee's book, and this is merely the first of many.  Hopefully, I didn't muddle through it too much, as I still don't feel like I have a full grasp on all of the ideas Gee presents. And on a side note, though I do respect the man, I must emphasize that even if my writing suggests otherwise, I do not have a man crush on James Paul Gee, as some of my friends have questioned. Besides, I already have one...

Progress Report 1: A September to Remember

Well that month flew by... How is it already October?  The first month is down, which leaves me with a little over six more to go before the final project is due.  With that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to do a monthly "Progress Report" with a lame title about what month it is, and filled with ramblings about the formation of the final project and what I will be working on next.

First, and most importantly, I am still loving this topic.  I love being able to turn on my PS3 for research purposes, and to be jotting notes as the characters within the game interact with one another.  My God, I think I am sounding dweebier by the day. 

Anyway, I think I am still molding the main argument, and may potentially find myself limiting the argument to just RPGs being incorporated into an Adolescent Lit curriculum.  The only oddball games that aren't RPGs but feature teen protagonists and strong elements of narrative are Bully and entire Legend of Zelda series.  I don't know that I necessarily want this restriction, but without solid narratives in other game genres to support me, why bother including other genre?  Back when I wrote my initial thesis proposal, I didn't have any mention of adolescence whatsoever, but instead wanted to include video games as a whole to the literary canon.  Obviously, that was a huge argument to make, one that English scholars could tear apart, as video games simply have not hit the level of storytelling quality that films or novels contain at this point.  So, I limited myself to the genre of books/video games that, for the most part, are not included in our traditional literary canon, but speak to teens in ways that Shakespeare can never.  This limitation has made a world of difference, so maybe one more could help as well?

Next, for some behind the scenes action, I have been playing through both Bully and Final Fantasy X, creating save files that I hope to use for a video that will accompany the final project.  I hope to show elements of the narratives of these games, as well as the actual gameplay, to show how a player immerses themselves within the identity of the protagonist that they control.  The video is going to be geared towards the non-gaming crowd, so I will most likely be doing a voiceover for explanation.  I am dying to find a way to incorporate Heavy Rain, even though there are no adolescent themes present.  The game has a M rating for mature, so I doubt that would ever find its way into a classroom.  Maybe snippets of the game could be shown to demonstrate the storytelling ability of games in general, as opposed to utilizing it for a class?

Another book I have been reading is What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee, and I am really excited to start posting about his ideas starting next month.  This man was renowned for his studies in literacy and learning, and to see someone who professes that they were not a gamer once upon a time shift his focus entirely onto this medium is truly inspiring, and brings merit to the serious games movement.

That is pretty much all I have for right now-- I've found a lot of great articles throughout the month, and got to post them in the blog, but I will be sure to incorporate them in the written portion of the final project.  I am pretty happy with what the blog is:  A sounding board of ideas, and a way for me to post all this work so it doesn't seem like I am just playing games.  I'm still not sure if I want to mass advertise this aside from annoying classmates and friends on Facebook, I don't want fanboys saying this game sucks or that game sucks, although more discussion could be helpful.  I'll continue mulling this one over.  And also what to go out as for halloween. All these video game posts, maybe I'll just cosplay?

 

On second thought, maybe not.