[The GTA effect Part 2]

Great subject Kepone, GTA has been so influential in videogames. It seems that so many games are attempting to imitate it, or at least emulate the 'controversy = units' PR model.

 

I have to disagree that GTA has influenced 'pop culture'. I see GTA as an encapsulation of a culture that already exists; something that started with the New York gangs that spans as far back as the 50s, both the mobsters and the post-war ghetto gangs.

 

Hip Hop culture aspired out of the ghettos as something credible without commercial awareness, it wasn't something coined by the GTA series. In fact I can't think of a single example where GTA has influenced a medium outside the industry. It was Grandmaster Flash, Sugar Hill Gang and Africa Bambatta that made Ghetto Life cool, and that was the late seventies.

 

It's concepts, visually and literally at least, come from gangster movies and pulp fiction crime novels. With its open ended gameplay harking back as far as the Elite series, coming through the JRPG era and it's renaissance in Shenmue.

 

I personally think that GTA is more influential internally, to the industry, than to the wider population of the world. It's art imitating art imitating life. Perhaps.

[The GTA effect Part 1]

If you put all the content aside, the modern GTA games play crap. The controls are awfully twitchy, death in a mission is arbitrary (it makes more sense to reload the game from your last save point than build up your money and weapons again), gameplay follows the lines of go-kill-return and lacks variety and navigating the cities are difficult due to the awful HUDs.

 

I really don't think society is 'going to hell in a hand basket' because of violent videogames. All this violence and depravity could be found just as bad in books, even the bible (which preaches the importance of revenge), yet nobody is trying to shut down libraries. Violence has a great aesthetic; look Tarrintino's movies for proof. And that is all that it is, visually good.

 

As far as I'm aware nobody who's played GTA ever has committed a crime because of it, people with a violent disposition will always have a violent disposition - regardless of what they consume. The only feasible question, as far as I can see, is does it blur the lines of morality? But that's the same as saying: 'Does GTA advocate the murder of prostitutes?'. The answer to that is a most resounding 'no', I'm sure you'll agree.

 

That only holds true for adult consumers: My fear is people purchasing the games for children, they definitely shouldn't be exposed to the images contained with the game, or the bible for that matter.

 

Another thing to consider with GTA, which differs from NARC, is that the protagonist is always on the right side of morality (albeit the verge), that he is committing these crimes either as vengeance or in order to remove himself from his violent lifestyle. The ability to shag and kill prostitutes is in the game as part of the open ended reality the game is trying to portray, it is not an integral part of the game and the player makes the decision as to if or not they want to partake. The murder of the 'innocent' is never forced upon the player, although the ability is there as is the consequences (the Police).

[My Gamesroom Part 1]

Simple - Clean - Beautiful! I love the look of your room and what it beholds!

The wood flooring gives your space some serious warmth and your choice for decorations rock! It seems you have managed to capture something in a room that I desire greatly for.... 

 

Thanks, I put a lot of thought in to it.

 

I was certain that I didn't want a room that was filled with matching furniture, decor and the rest. Instead I decided to go with the most basic and neutral colour, white. The intention being that it wouldn't detract from or clash with whatever I decided to put in there, very much in a way a gallery would use white.

 

However I really wanted to bring some depth in to the room so as it didn't look like a big white cube, which is why I chose the dark laminate. Which I think works pretty well. I'm really looking forward to getting it all finished!

[Fun With Forums]

I've been posting on these board since before phpBB, when you guys were using a CGI script forum (can't remember the name), and every time you upgrade I wonder why and then find out. Really loving these new forums, especially the blog (which I've switched full-time to from my Xanga).

 

Great work Al.

[Heroes]

The one thing that I always remember about school was the good teachers, they can have the most inspiring affect on your life.