Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=948https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668After planting the propane bombs, I had to get back to the parking lot to plant the car bombs, but somehow I was caught walking through the hallway and had to start over from outside the school and had to plant the same bombs again. After I successfully planted the bombs and sneaked my way back to the parking lot, I went into the trunk of Dylan’s car and retrieved the weapons in the black duffle bags. I met up with Dylan at Clement Park. A minor cut-away scene showed Eric and Dylan talking about how all of their problems will now go away with this act of violence. Eric later meets with Dylan at Rebel Hill, which is where the two of them wait to watch all of the timed bombs go off. They wait in anticipation but realize that the bombs set in the cafeteria as well as the bombs set on the cars weren’t correctly set, so they panic and realize that they had to take action soon. This was when they first decided to storm the school and begin with the school massacre. Eric spotted a friend in the parking lot, but told the friend to scurry along because he said that he didn’t want to see his friend get hurt. I assumed at this point that the objective of the game was to kill everyone in sight, starting with the people in the parking lot. When I ran into the first real victim of the game, I was schocked to see that an RPG action, turn-based battle system was displayed. On the bottom left of the screen, it showed what type of clique status that the student had, such as “preppy boy” or “goody goody girl.” Then, I had to decide whether to kill them manually or automatically, using the game’s automatic battle system. I killed a few people in the parking lot using the automatic system. The screen shows how many hit points the victim took and how many experience points I received after committing the murders, which is actually very disturbing to me. I eventually enter the school and continue with the game’s main objective. After killing a few students in the main hallway, I explore the rest of the school, going upstairs and into classrooms. The classrooms were filled with students and teachers. I not only used firearms to attack the students, I also used the pipe and napalm bombs made by Eric and Dylan. Even though the graphics of the game was rudimentary, it was very eerie to see the pixelated gore and blood after killing the victims. I continued to explore the rest of the school when I realized that this was the only objective of the game. I was actually too disturbed by the premise of the game to continue the game and decided not to finish it. I thought the game was very disturbing for trying to simulate a huge tragedy. I think that it’s wrong to exploit a tragedy and use the first amendment to excuse its development. One positive thing that I did experience was that playing the game gave me a chance to understand more about what went on in the minds of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. However, there are other ways to understand the tragedy that are more sensible, sensitive, and non-violent. I think the creator or creators of the game should be ashamed for exploiting the tragedy of the massacre and pretending that it’s just another way to inform and educate the public. I don’t know what happened from completing the rest of the game, but I would rather not find out.Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:09:55 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668&iddiary=6890https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668After the black screen appears, random phrases such as “all are equal,” “no discrimination,” “son of a gun,” and “a simple equation.” I discovered that those phrases are actually lines from a poem written by Eric Harris. The game is now set at Columbine High School, specifically in the parking lot. After the dialog sequence, I decided to explore the area and went to “Rebil Hill,” which is a hilll that overlooks Columbine High School. In the game dialog, it said that Eric and Dylan found the name of the hill to be ironic, since the hill is where they would meet after the bombs are planted. Eric is later told by Dylan’s character to retrieve the bombs from the trunk of his car and plant them under certain tables in the school’s main cafeteria. I actually found it frustrating to complete this mission because it took me a while to realize that there a menu system in the game, so I was confused about how to select items and weapons. I eventually entered the school and had to sneak through without being caught by the security cameras or students walking through the halls. I was eventually caught many times by both the cameras and the students and consequently tried to be more careful sneaking to the cafeteria. I thought it was very interesting that the game required stealth skills similar to games like Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell. At this point, I was even more frustrated with continuing the game because I felt that the game wasn’t very intuitive and clear with its mission objectives. After making it to the cafeteria without being detected, I explored the cafeteria and thought that I had to continue exploring the rest of the school, but I realized that there weren’t any more doors or entrances inside the main cafeteria. I had to actually check the online forums to help guide me through the game. I knew that I had to plant some bombs, but I felt that the game design was poor when it came to locating the specific locations where I had to plant the bombs, which turn out to be the tables directly adjacent to the snack vending machines. After being frustrated with the game’s unrefined controls and lack of intuitive gameplay, I saved the game and stopped playing.Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:42:23 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668&iddiary=6885https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668I thought it was interesting that the game was in an RPG type of gameplay. The game reminded me very much of Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda RPG and the simple game controls made the game easy to learn how to play. The game starts off in Eric’s bedroom, and you can see “KMFDM” by his bed. “KMFDM” is a German industrial rock and metal band that was blamed for allegedly influencing Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to committ the school shootings. It was very strange to see symbols representing the causes for Eric and Dylan’s rampage, such as the painting in Eric’s house that had comments stating that “bourgeois art like this causes Eric to be enraged.” I thought it was very morbid and eerie to see symbols such as the one previously mentioned to be in a video game. In the basement of Eric’s house, more symbolic items were found and were meant to be collected by the main character of the game, which is Eric Harris. A music CD by Marilyn Manson was found and added to Eric’s items list. After grabbing the CD, the following quote appeared: “the lyrics are sure to inspire impulsive aggression and rage,” which further exploits the influential ties to the controversial music that was listened to by Eric and Dylan. I tried exploring the rest of the basement. When I came across a pizza box, I was taken to a flashback involving Eric and Dylan talking about how applying to colleges and enlisting in the Marines will all be pointless with what is to come soon. Other items that were necessary to be collected were Luvox anti-depressant, propane bombs, and a duffle bag to carry all of the equipment to Columbine High School. I felt like the game was exploiting the elements used by the mass media to portray certain entertainment media or everyday things like music, art, and prescription medicine as the culprits for school massacres. These elements would later on be used as cliches for interpretation by the media. After collecting all of the equipment, Eric’s chacter leaves the house, and the screen goes to black. Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:18:50 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3668&iddiary=6884https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570For the last gaming session, I tried to complete as many missions as possible. For another mission, I had to once again prove to my fellow gang members that I am loyal to them by going to the store to put on some clothes with the appropriate gang colors. It does feel strange for a video game to endorse or even encourage gang culture. Since I’m a pretty rational person, I understand that all of the elements of this game are based on fiction and fantasy. I understand that I can only drive around and kill people to complete missions within the game. It would be immoral and illegal to commit any of these crimes that could be easily committed in the video game. However, there is a great possibility that if a young child growing up in the actual environment of gangs, guns, and violence, they would probably think that all of the video game elements are real, and playing the game could in a way introduce them to gang culture. For another mission, I had to learn how to use my handgun in the back of an alley. Even though an impressionable youth may not learn how to use a gun during this mission, he or she may be under the impression that this is how real life gangsters get their weapons training. During the game, CJ probably doesn’t think that learning how to use a gun is immoral since it would only be a part of the gang life that he chose to live. The real motive of CJ has not yet been revealed yet till later in the game, but it seems like he is only doing these missions as a favor to his old friends. From all of the game play that I have experienced so far, it seems to me that CJ is faced with many missions that involve him doing something immoral and illegal. For example, I had to chase someone on a motorcycle while someone else is riding with me so he can shoot and kill someone for cheating on his significant other. In real life, you can’t just drive around in the middle of the day with innocent people walking around so you could chase someone and exact your revenge on them. However, CJ is required to complete this mission in order to gain respect and move along in the game. It is interesting that if you are unable to catch the guy being chased, you are deemed a failure, and that you failed the mission by not aiding in killing the culprit. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is not only a video game, it is also a life simulation. The difference between the Grand Theft Auto game series and games that came before it is the fact that GTA introduces realistic gameplay elements, such as damage to cars when they are recklessly driven, penalties and warnings for directly breaking the law (star levels are raised), and weight training. Other elements such as music, language, and attire makes the game more appealing to gamers by making it feel like a simulation rather than just a video game. As mentioned before in previous GameLog entries, I was shocked at some of the things that happened in the game while I was playing. I could never imagine the same things happening in real life.Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:51:42 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570&iddiary=6699https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570I continued from where I left off from the last save. I planned on only playing for the thirty minutes required by the assignment, but continued to play for another 45 minutes after meeting the minimum requirement. My character’s friend, Ryder, told me to get something to eat if I wanted to maintain my energy and health, so we went into the fast food pizza restaurant. As I ate the pizza, a full-motion video clip showed Ryder approaching the front counter with a swagger. Covering his face with what looked like sheer pantyhose, it appeared that he was about to rob the restaurant. The employee being held up already knew that it was Ryder committing the hold-up because he had attempted the same robbery many times before. Carl was shocked that Ryder was attempting a hold-up, so he acted quickly and told Ryder to quickly get out of the restaurant with him. Apparently, Carl had a choice of either being an accomplice to Ryder’s robbery attempt or to just escape the situation with Ryder. Even though Carl is trying to gain respect from his old friends, he is also trying to obey the law, so he decides on doing what is morally right. According to the utilitarian moral ethics theory, Carl realized that Ryder’s robbery attempt would not only endanger his friend and himself, he would also endanger the potential victims that were merely patrons of the pizza restaurant. The innocent employees would have also been victimized by Ryder’s robbery attempt. Therefore, Carl realized that his choice to escape the restaurant with Ryder was the best thing to do for everyone involved in the situation. As Ryder and I (Carl Johnson) fled the pizza restaurant, the same restaurant employee chased us with a shotgun and began shooting at us. Ironically, as a player of the game, I decided to run over the restaurant employee since I can take his cash and shotgun, which will be needed later for protection and for other missions. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas provides video game players a channel to explore their creativity by doing things in the game that are not allowed in many ways in real life, such as running over people, killing them and stealing their personal belongings. In a way, it makes the player think like the main character that they are playing. For instance, the main playable character, Carl Johnson, is living in a subculture of gang warfare in the early 1990s. He must learn how to make quick decisions in order to survive, no matter what it takes. As mentioned before, I decided to run over the restaurant employee in order to obtain a weapon, which would assist me later in the game. Is this a morally wrong thing to do in the game? Yes, it is. What about in the real world? Again, yes it is wrong. However, in the eyes of a real gang member, would it be wrong to commit a crime in order to protect and save their “family” (other gang members)? These types of questions are raised while playing the game. While following the missions is quite entertaining, I decided to stray off course and explore the city. Consequently, I ended up wreaking havoc with the police. I aimed a shotgun at a police officer and my star level went up by one. In real life, there isn’t a heads-up display to tell you any of your health, legal, or any other type of statistics. Since I shot the police officer’s head off, and I received another star and had police patrol cars immediately surrounding me. I quickly carjacked a passerby and drove away to avoid being caught. When my star level eventually went back to zero, I witnessed a car full of rival gang members (Ballaz) driving and shooting at a police car that was chasing them. I was actually shocked to see this happen in the game because the artificial intelligence in the game seemed very dynamic and realistic. However, as realistic as it may seem, this scenario would probably never play out in real life since shooting out of a car window at a police car is such a risky and ruthless action to take by gang members, real or not. The artificial intelligence of the police officers appear to be dumbed down because I stole a car only yards away from a police car that was stopped at a red light and I got away with it. After witnessing that scenario, I decided to go back to my house in the game and save the file before quitting the game.Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:37:47 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570&iddiary=6680https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570I already have GTA:San Andreas installed on my PC. Since I haven't played it in a long while, I will be starting a new game. The game begins with a video clip of the main character, Carl Johnson, arriving home, which bears a striking similarity with Los Angeles in the 1990s. After the full-motion video ends, I am introduced to the other non-playable characters. The physical appearance of the other characters remind me very much of well known icons in early 1990s hip-hop and urban culture, such as rappers like Eazy-E and LL Cool J. While driving around in the vehicles, I noticed that the game uses real music that was popular in the 1990s. This aspect of game play makes the game not only more realistic but also more authentic. For the first fifteen minutes of game play, a variety of gang-related themes have been shown. Themes such as street attire, drugs, vulgar language, racism against African Americans and Mexicans, urban slang, and police corruption are all prominent within the beginning of the game. I played two missions for the first 30 minutes of playing the game. The first mission required my character to get a haircut in order to look acceptable to other gang members. While that may not sound significant, looking acceptable to the fellow gang members represents a sense of camaraderie that is prevalent throughout the game. CJ, the main character, is asked to complete missions that will involve him doing things that he may not feel is morally right, but from the perspective of a gang member trying to survive, bending the rules is necessary. If Immanuel Kant were to live to hear about GTA: San Andreas, he would probably have a heart attack from witnessing all of the immoral acts committed in the game. If this game were in need of an advocate with a philosophical background, Elizabeth Anscombe would be one of the best candidates since she agrees that it is best to be moral, there are times when immoral actions are necessary to benefit the greater good. However, the game represents many different immoral and illegal activities that make it difficult to justify it as beneficial. For instance, driving around in the game doesn’t require you to obey traffic lights, signs, or any of the traffic rules. When I’m running around in the city with people around, I hit them sometimes just to see what happens. Most of the time when I do this, there is a police officer chasing me because of the assault that I have committed. Instead of turning myself in, I simply run away and that solves the problem. In real life, committing the same acts would be considered immoral and unlawful. As the main character, I have to decide not only what is morally right but also what is circumstantially right, in order to win the trust of my fellow gang members. CJ’s morality will be tested throughout the game.Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:36:59 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3570&iddiary=6679