L1BERT1NE X
Osmon Surveillance
Caldari State
26
   |
Posted - 2012.07.01 19:08:00 -
[1] - Quote
Suicide is a word with a specific definition. If you look it up you will not find that it is meant to imply shame, cowardice, guilt -or honor, for that matter. Though obviously you will find a lot of connotations in the commentary.
But let's be clear, any feelings that are aroused in you by that word 'suicide' are being generated by you. You are bringing your own discomfort to the table. It is interesting, given all the other potentially abhorent behavior and backstory in this game and the EVE universe, that this one item makes you squirm.
Given the nature of the immortals, and the definition of suicide, it seems to me that it is an appropriate term. I have no problem with it. I also would have no problem if it were changed to 'terminate clone' as suggested by someone else in this post. Humans have a long history of sanitizing language so that we don't actually have to think about what it is we're discussing. But, lets be clear...we're still talking about suicide, albeit an impermanent internet-cartoon-clone-avatar-suicide. Which, by the way, should make all the difference to you.
I would agree with you if, by pressing O to bleed out (yes, I chose that alternative on purpose), you were presented with an animation of your clone sticking the barrel of his weapon to his face and splattering the wall behind him with little bits of brain and implants. That, however, is not what you are presented with.
As an aside -you yourself noted the dystopian nature of EVE and (more pertinent) New Eden
( "Well, we are playing a game within the universe that uses the utopian term 'eve' yet it's a dystopian world run by greedy corporations in which you never truly die. Sounds more like hades than its name might suggest")
Refresh my memory....how'd that whole Eden thing work out? -Perhaps the name is more apt than you think.
Seems like a great opportunity to have an open conversation with your kids, or yourself. |
L1BERT1NE X
Osmon Surveillance
Caldari State
26
|
Posted - 2012.07.01 20:51:00 -
[2] - Quote
riven exige wrote:Some terminology actually pulls you out of the games amazing fictional universe because it reminds you too much of our own world. Having to frequently commit suicide just reminds me too much of a problem here on earth with the age group in which this game is targeting. Great fiction serves as a method to provide insight into our world without all the cultural artifacts (and terminology) that most of us already have strong opinions about. It's a fine line to what words and images pull you into a fictional work and which ones pull you out, and knowing the difference is what separates great works of art from merely good ones.
hmmmm:
1. Funny, putting in 'respawn' or something of the kind would remind me of the game and pull me out of the games amazing fictional universe.
2. Good thing the warfare and conflict don't remind you too much about the real world. That would really ruin the game for you.
3. re: your opinion on "what separates great works of art from merely good ones" and your criteria which appear to contain a disproportionate consideration of suicide. This is a shame, as it appears to put some "merely good" works outside of purvue. Things like:
Hamlet
Madame Bovary
Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
The Awakening (though I have to admit this one did actually make me feel depressed)
Romeo and Juliet
X-men -The Dark Phoenix Saga (Oh, yes I did...)
to name a few of the obvious examples. If only they had not dealt with suicide...they could have been great works.
|
L1BERT1NE X
Osmon Surveillance
Caldari State
26
|
Posted - 2012.07.02 00:19:00 -
[3] - Quote
"Good examples, but the whole suicide effect loses its artistic function when occurs so frequently ( to me at least) while playing the game. 'Transferring consciousness' would so much cooler for a sci-fi game."
Ahhh, well if we're talking about the game again...
Than I will say that I don't think the use of suicide in this game was meant to serve any particular artistic function -I think it was a way to avoid the bleed out timer. I think they needed a word or two to show on the screen with the icon of the "O" button. I think they chose a word that, by definition, and in context of the game...fits.
I also don't think suicide in this game was meant to be a main feature or receive as much attention as we have given it. I certainly don't see them listing it as a big "plus" to sell more copies. It's just a game mechanic similar to many other FPS's.
Not to put all the responsibility on the consumer who voluntarily chooses to play this game, but one could always choose to let their pixel-person"expire naturally" rather than press the angst-inducing "O". |