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Tuesday 16 January, 2018
I just started playing Firewatch for my Ethics to Videogame class. It's a very interesting story based game that takes place in the Wyoming. The game puts in the eyes of a Bolder graduate who took a job as a lookout, a non-certified ranger. I won't go into to much detail on the summary, but I will talk about some spoilers in the first two days of the game.
At first we get a really thorough in-depth history of this guy and his wife's life that you can personally control. I'm not sure if the decisions I made had any effect in the result. The wife would've probably had dementia the entire time, and it may have created unique dialogue options to have with your boss, Delilah.
After learning the protagonists tragic backstory we are put in his shoes and forced to work as this sort of "ranger" of a hiking and camping ground.
I think the reason why this game possibly got picked as a piece to study in this class is to show the definitive difference between the idea of game and film. The game itself feels more like an interactive film, rather then a game with the lack of intense stereotypical game-play mechanics. For example, no button allows you to jump in the game, making the player only worry about the control of movement for the character. The game has a lot of walking/hiking and talking to your boss Delilah. This sort of film-like experience may help developers decide to pick more serious topics within a game.
Most audiences watching a film a more forgiving with serious topics, since films are considered more of an art-form when compared to games. I think the developers choice of making the experience more story-based really allows them to get away with having serious topics in the story. Such as coverage of mental illnesses, petty crime, and alcoholism, etc.
I can't wait to play the other few days.
First Diary Entry for Firewatch (PC)
S. Brian Zavala
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