Rae's Reflective Post

I think weblogs have a great deal of potential as tools for learning, though I am not convinced that this potential was particularly well-used in this instance. I was disappointed with the lack of general involvement of the tutorial blogs in the unit, and feel that a greater focus in online interaction would be preferable, increasing the usefulness of the weblogs and allowing a greater exploration of some of the topics covered in the unit.

I do not believe I am a cyborg. I found the arguments of various theorists that engagement with the modern, technological world makes a human into a cyborg unconvincing; if we are cyborgs now, then we were, equally, cyborgs a century ago, when we started using telephones to enhance our ability to communicate, or three hundred years ago, when we had learnt to inoculate ourselves against disease, or three thousand years ago, when the lame took up using crutches to replace damaged or missing limbs, or thirty thousand years ago, when we took up wearing clothes to enhance our surviveability in adverse conditions. If interaction with technology shifts us from the human to the posthuman, then we have never been human; since I find the idea that the concept of humanity which has sufficed throughout our history is somehow entirely negated ridiculous, I conclude that I am not a cyborg.

I found the exploration of concepts of identity and the social and political consequences of the digital revolution interesting, but I was frustrated by many theorists; it seems that many academics work in this field despite having a poor comprehension of computers, the internet, and what seem to me to be the foundation concepts on which the study is based. The course readings were consequently quite difficult to take seriously, containing as they did many fundamental factual errors and inadequacies.

Rae's Workshop Response

Do you think the political simulation games you examined would have been "effective" in communicating with people via the Internet?

I elected to look at "Donkey John" and "New York Defender". I think these two games would be effective. Donkey John in particular is a subtle twist on a game more-or-less guaranteed to be appealing, as it is based on, and I identical in gameplay to, an extremely successful game of the past, one which will also have nostalgia value for many internet users. The political message is clear, but not so strident or overwhelming as to be discouraging to the user's engagement with the game.

Was the political message underpinning the political simulation games you examined immediately obvious? If not, were you driven or interested to find out what the game was trying to "say" (apart from the fact that you have to as part of the workshop)?

It was. I don't think I would feel it necessary to seek further information about the purpoes of the games' political messages, as it seems sufficiently clear to me.

If you had to write a political simulation game similar in size and structure to those you examined, (a) what would be the point you were trying to make and (b) how would the game be structured and operate in order to make that point?

I would probably seek to address other issues other than the obvious concerns of Iraq and the Bush administration. I feel these issues have been thoroughly addressed, in the blogosphere and in recreational situations such as this, and would expand the concept to other social concerns I feel are important.

I think I would design something that was a conceptual hybrid of the Sims and a Tamagotchi, but which favoured for gameplay romantic liaisons that were opposed to the heteronormative stereotypes games usually assume. For example, homosexual and polyamorous relationships would be actively encouraged.

As We Become Machines: Corporealised Pleasures in Video Games

This article traces the background through video game history of the subjectivity of the video game experience. Mariti Lahti, the author, argues for the increasing and overt intention of making the experience seem "real" and immersive to the player, and that, in unifying the machine and the human, video games become a cyborg experience even as the player remains physically unchanged.

Lahti also argues that video games in which the player is represented by an avatar, presenting as they do the opportunity to explore a wide range of desires and personifications, commodify those things and also place artificial limits on human exploration, through the way a player, though given the illusion of free choice in avatar selection, is prevented from true choice by the limited matrix of options.

Lahti also makes the relevant point that while the surface appearance of a character may be changed, games do not bring with them the social and political realities of the alternatives being explored. Perhaps the only thing really missing from the article are certain related concepts which have arisen from more recent developments in the gaming world, which I hope to discuss at tomorrow's tutorial.

blogging survey

If anyone missed the workshop on Wednesday, it would be greatly appreciated if you would go to webct and fill in the blogging survey. Tama and I are really interested in your responses to the blogging aspect of the unit, and will be using the surveys to review the unit.
When you've filled it in, you could send it by email to me (bartlett@arts.uwa.edu.au) or the to English office (eccs@arts.uwa.edu.au) if you want it to remain anonymous.
many thanks,
alison