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Oct 12th, 2011 at 10:21:07 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
As I finally finish playing the game, I reflect on how much I disliked the game. Yesterday I stopped playing after the montage that appears after Eric and Dylan commit suicide. I complained about the lack of respect the game offered towards the victims and their families. The level I started today was one where I found the character Dylan looking for Eric in Hell or the after life. I found this level to be controversial because it brought a religious element to the game. As I continued playing, I found Eric and we went on a mission where we had to deliver things to famous people in history such as Malcolm X and Ronald Reagan. I really disliked the whole Hell part of the game because it insinuates these people went to Hell, when in reality no one knows.
I disliked the game because I believe it was made in bad taste. I feel like the game tried to justify why these Eric and Dylan did why they did by reenacting the Columbine shooting through their point of view. I felt anger and disgust while playing it instead of joy, like every other game is supposed to do. I believe the game was to ambitious with all the messages it tried to deliver. For example, the music it used was a subtle message because during the time of the shooting, people put Rock music at fault. They believed Marlyn Manson influenced Eric and Dylan to do what they did. The messages the game sent were too bias for my taste. Another reason I hated the game was because of its general theme. It’s based on a school shooting where innocent people lost their lives’. I was thinking about other games that deal with killing such as San Andreas and Call of Duty, and I feel like the reason I feel ok shooting people in that game is because its very impersonal. For example, yes Call of Duty is based on battles fought during several wars in history, but the player feels no personal connection with the characters. The characters are fictional and not based on real people. I feel like I disliked Super Columbine because of it’s direct connection with the actual school shooting. Overall I did not enjoy playing the game and felt disgusted with the developer who designed the game.
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Oct 11th, 2011 at 21:32:41 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
Super Columbine Massacre RPG! Log Entry #2
As I continued playing Super Columbine Massacre RPG! I kept thinking why the game was developed in the first place. What is the purpose of this game and why would somebody want to reenact such a tragedy? I left off in the schools’ parking lot. There I picked up Eric and Dylan’s guns and bombs and went on with the “mission”. The next thing I did was go up to a girl and attack her. This part of the game was sickening to me because the game treats a person’s life like a game. The format in which Eric and Dylan “attack” their victims reminded me of the old Pokemon games. The angle of the camera would change from third person to first person, with your opponent directly across from you on the screen. I had a big issue with the way the killings in the game were handled because we are dealing with real people. The game is reenacting executions that happened to innocent victims on April 20, 1999. I believe the game is using the wrong approach because it isn’t taking this situation seriously enough. This part of the game reminded me of Pokemon because of the camera angle and because of the set up in which you can select what kind of attack you want as well as what weapon you want to use. This part of the game really bothered me.
I then headed to the cafeteria where Eric and Dylan set bombs and exploded some tables. The characters then headed outside on a hill where they discuss there plan. There are a few flashbacks, one that involves Eric making a phonecall to his girlfriend and another that shows Dylan being involved with a play. I then headed to the library where I was forced to attack more people and then finally got to option to kill my character. I chose to end the massacre and point the gun to Eric’s head. Both characters pull the trigger to their head and the screen goes to black. A montage of pictures showing Eric and Dylan’s dead bodies as well as pictures of there childhood. I found this montage very interesting because it didn’t show pictures that could honor the victims. I know the game is in the point of view of the murderers but I feel like the game should at least pay its respects to those who lost their lives that day. The second day of playing had a bigger impact because I actually had to kill people then turn the gun on myself. I don’t know what to expect from this game but I am not like it so far.
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Oct 10th, 2011 at 23:15:08 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
Super Columbine Massacre RPG! Log Entry #1
Judging by the name of the game, I wasn’t too excited about playing Super Columbine Massacre RPG! I was worried about playing the game because of the sensitive and devastating events the game evolves around. The Columbine school shootings was one of the most traumatic events in the past decades. The event made history and has changed the United States. After the events, the countries’ view on guns and school security at school was transformed. I looked up some basic information on the game over the weekend before being able to play this morning. The game was released in 2005 and was made by an independent developer.
As I began playing the game, I realized how outdated the graphics were. For a game developed in the 2000s, the graphics weren’t very impressive. They reminded me of the old Zelda games I played because of the block-like aesthetic. The color palette reminded me of the 2-D classic Super Mario games. The characters in Super Columbine Massacre RPG! were very flat and unrealistic. This was probably the developer’s decision because he could’ve created a more realistic game with the technology that was available at that time. Speaking of aesthetics, another thing I noticed was the music in the game. I recognized a couple of songs, such as Nirvanas’ Lithium and Smells Like Teen Spirit. In my opinion this is definitely the developer’s choice because I remember reading about some people blaming music for the events.
The game starts out in Eric’s house. He then calls his accomplice Dylan in order to plan out there day. One thing I noticed about the game was the simple movements of the characters. All I had control of was the direction Eric or Dylan moved and when they jumped. Once again, this element reminded of Zelda and Super Mario. The game then shows the characters playing with bombs and talking about guns. There were also some flashbacks. I found this very interesting because the way they would transition into these flashbacks was they would freeze time and saturate the screen with a sepia like effect. For my first playtime, I got to the part where they are outside there school. I haven’t killed anybody yet so I have no idea how the game will handle that element. One final thing I noticed was that the game evolves around Eric and Dylan. I know It’s a RPG, but they haven’t interacted with any other character, so my guess is the developer is going to tell the story of Columbine through the eyes of its’ shooters.
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Sep 26th, 2011 at 19:36:38 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2) |
Day 3
For my last time playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, I decided to ignore the missions and just play freely through the game. While I played the game, I displayed sides of me I did not know I had. For example, I spent most of the time stealing other people’s cars, beating people up, shooting random citizens on the streets, going to jail and dying. I found it very entertaining running around the San Andreas running over people and trying to get five stars on the police meter. Does this make me a bad person?
I can see why this game is controversial and why people think it’s unethical. I understand why people think the game glorifies violence and crude behavior, while others defend it. Some people believe the game has an influence on its players because it allows them to be violent and unlawful. People view the game as a violent medium that lets the player do things they wouldn’t do in the real world.
While some people attack the game others defend it. These supporters justify the game by explaining it is only a game. Players are not forced to play the game. I tend to agree with this opinion. After playing the game, I’ve become fonder of it and understand it more now than I did prior to playing it. Like discussed in class, the violence is the objective of the game, the norm in the world in which the game is set and is not intended to glorify it. Players are supposed to be violent in order to succeed and progress through the game.
As I played the game for the last time, I realized how it is just a game. It is meant to be fun and bring entertainment to it’s players. People shouldn’t put too much thought into whether the game is ethical or not because the player is the one who chooses whether or not to play it. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has grown on me and has changed my mind about “violent games”.
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Bgarcia8 has been with GameLog for 12 years, 6 months, and 28 days |
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