Comments on: 99 Nights and its potential to improve the world http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/ Matt Gilgenbach's blog on game development and creativity through this nascent medium of self expression. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:22:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Binary Creativity - What I’m Excited About for the Rest of the Year http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-12 Binary Creativity - What I’m Excited About for the Rest of the Year Fri, 14 Jul 2006 02:06:00 +0000 http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-12 [...] August Ninety Nine Nights – I wrote a long post about how great I think Ninety Nine Nights will be, so instead of reiterating that here, check it out. [...] [...] August Ninety Nine Nights – I wrote a long post about how great I think Ninety Nine Nights will be, so instead of reiterating that here, check it out. [...]

]]> By: Matt http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-5 Matt Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:09:52 +0000 http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-5 I think it fights stereotypes about women also. I haven't played the game, so I could be way off, but I find it an interesting choice to make Inphyy (the female) is less compassionate than her brother. I would argue that the stereotype is that women are more compassionate. Now, being compassionate is a good thing, but I think it was a good choice to make her a deeper character. Too often, the women in games are not only completely unrealistic physically, but in terms of their characterization. They are completely 1 dimensional sex objects. Compare Inphyy to Bombshell, the female protagonist rumored to be in Duke Nukem Forever. Even though Mizuguchi opted to give her an unrealistic physique, it fights the stereotype that women are ONLY objects. Inphyy's lack of compassion for the goblins is not meant to paint her as a bad person, but rather to show that war and the hate associated with it can dehumanize the enemy - especially when you don't think the enemy is human, or equal to you (in the case of racial stereotypes) in the first place. Maybe that doesn't address what you are referring to, but I look forward to playing the game because I suspect it will surprise us all with how much of an impact it leaves on us. I think it fights stereotypes about women also. I haven’t played the game, so I could be way off, but I find it an interesting choice to make Inphyy (the female) is less compassionate than her brother. I would argue that the stereotype is that women are more compassionate. Now, being compassionate is a good thing, but I think it was a good choice to make her a deeper character. Too often, the women in games are not only completely unrealistic physically, but in terms of their characterization. They are completely 1 dimensional sex objects. Compare Inphyy to Bombshell, the female protagonist rumored to be in Duke Nukem Forever. Even though Mizuguchi opted to give her an unrealistic physique, it fights the stereotype that women are ONLY objects. Inphyy’s lack of compassion for the goblins is not meant to paint her as a bad person, but rather to show that war and the hate associated with it can dehumanize the enemy – especially when you don’t think the enemy is human, or equal to you (in the case of racial stereotypes) in the first place. Maybe that doesn’t address what you are referring to, but I look forward to playing the game because I suspect it will surprise us all with how much of an impact it leaves on us.

]]> By: Sredni Vashtar http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-4 Sredni Vashtar Sun, 30 Apr 2006 13:29:16 +0000 http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-4 > 99 Nights also fights stereotypes. Wouldn't it be nice if the game also fought stereotypes of women instead of reinforcing them? > 99 Nights also fights stereotypes.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the game also fought stereotypes of women instead of reinforcing them?

]]> By: Joseph Simons http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-3 Joseph Simons Fri, 28 Apr 2006 22:54:01 +0000 http://www.binarycreativity.com/2006/04/27/99-nights-and-its-potential-to-improve-the-world/#comment-3 I think with all this 'next-gen' gaming hype, gamers are finally starting to question what games can really be, and how they can be improved to be truly 'next-gen'. So far, all we really have is better graphics and physics effects. However, in line with what you are discussing, an oft touted improvement that games sorely need is better writing. I think as the hardcore gaming community grows up more and more (or possibly is more widely accepted), there will be a greater desire to move on from all the cliche B-movie plot lines that currently exist as motivation in the vast majority of video games. I think the true power that has not nearly been tapped to potential is the interactive nature of video games and the fact that the player gets to (or should be able to) shape the story as they play. Unfortunately, most of the games that I have experienced that touted 'non-linear gameplay' just disguise the options available to players as choices when they ultimately have little to no effect on the eventual plot and subsequent outcome. Using your description of 99 Nights as an example, imagine being able to not only win the war for whatever side you or on, but being able to hammer out a truce or peace treaty of some sort. While it may not be very appealing for marketers or action junkies, the whole point is that after seeing that the enemy that you are fighting is as human as you are, you are able to control the story and ultimately change the outcome to what you desire. I think that is truly a 'next-gen' game. I think with all this ‘next-gen’ gaming hype, gamers are finally starting to question what games can really be, and how they can be improved to be truly ‘next-gen’. So far, all we really have is better graphics and physics effects. However, in line with what you are discussing, an oft touted improvement that games sorely need is better writing. I think as the hardcore gaming community grows up more and more (or possibly is more widely accepted), there will be a greater desire to move on from all the cliche B-movie plot lines that currently exist as motivation in the vast majority of video games. I think the true power that has not nearly been tapped to potential is the interactive nature of video games and the fact that the player gets to (or should be able to) shape the story as they play. Unfortunately, most of the games that I have experienced that touted ‘non-linear gameplay’ just disguise the options available to players as choices when they ultimately have little to no effect on the eventual plot and subsequent outcome. Using your description of 99 Nights as an example, imagine being able to not only win the war for whatever side you or on, but being able to hammer out a truce or peace treaty of some sort. While it may not be very appealing for marketers or action junkies, the whole point is that after seeing that the enemy that you are fighting is as human as you are, you are able to control the story and ultimately change the outcome to what you desire. I think that is truly a ‘next-gen’ game.

]]>