Postmortem: Irrational

Today, we were shocked to learn that Irrational is soon to be gone. Even the numerous detractors of the game, and its most recent release, Bioshock Infinite, have been surprised, as Bioshock has sold amazingly well ever since the first game was released, and maybe even since the day the first one was available for pre-order.

Today, I will be giving a rather spurious and ill-researched analysis of why I think this has happened, and what I think has went wrong. I don't think anyone will be surprised when I say a lot of this has to do with Ken Levine.

You see, from what I know about the industry (a lot) and Mr. Levine (not that much,) is that he's a lot like Quentin Tarantino. Both men seem to feel that their duty as both artists and public personaes (something that they see is inextricably tied) is not done until they provoke a strong reaction out of their audience. Maybe they would prefer that his audience likes his game, but the goal seems to be to get people talking. It should be noted that this is an unusual attitude when you notice that these artists are surrounded by so much dull.

Another thing that Levine has in common with Tarantino is a somewhat frightening ability to make enemies. Tarantino has long been surrounded by accusations of racism and has always been one of the first directors singled out after a mass shooting.

Levine, on the other hand, is different.  Many people have accused him of "taking all the credit" for games made by Irrational while his employees "do all the work." This kind of logic confuses me. I have never once heard anyone say "oh I hate that politician/movie director/CEO! His/her employees do all the work while s/he takes all the credit!" Part of this is because this is usually false in some respects, especially in the case of Ken Levine. A person in Levine's position is supposed to do several things. First off, they have to find the money to make the game. Levine did that. It can't have been easy to get 2K to risk that much on the original Bioshock, but he did. Secondly, you need to be able to keep everyone on the same page. Third, and I think this is where some people tend to resent him, is that you have to promote your game. A lot. Levine went around talking up his games so much that he became, for better or worse, the face of Irrational.

The fourth and possibly most important thing a lead game designer needs, and yet somehow forgotten by many companies, is vision. Bioshock was actually pretty different for its time. It was a game with many survival elements in 2006, about six-seven years before the survival craze began to hit in full force. It was one of the first games to prove that you didn't really need to talk down to console players (something many of my fellow PC gamers need to learn.) Most important, however, was it was a game that's main premise was a brutal attack on Objectivism, combined with a subtle deconstruction of linear gameplay. In more erudite terms: EPIC COMBO! FATALITY!

If it can be argued that an idea like Bioshock could be published without Ken Levine, then I'll take back all the nice things I've said about him. However, I seriously don't believe that's possible.

Now, back on topic. Levine is the one who decided to shut down the studio. His reasoning, from what I gather, was this: "Triple-A games are becoming too bloated. As they can't support their own weight anymore, publishers will crack down on their developers to make a bunch of same-y titles that look more and more like COD every year. I do not want to make COD, therefore I will shut down Irrational and take fifteen or so of my best employees with me to my next job."

Wait... Mr. Levine, did you just kill your company and leave a lot of people with no job whatsoever because you were done with the company? Do you have any idea how many people would want to be in that position?

Let me explain something: while I liked Bioshock Infinite, I did not like it as much as most of its other fans. It was a good game, and there were parts of it that actually provoked reactions in me but I still like other games better. What I liked about it the most though, is that it takes risks. That was very brave.

However, dissolving your company in this way smacks of cowardice and greed. There is just no other way to put it. It seems like if you could not find someone to take over your company when you were done, then why didn't you decide to do one more project to train a protege? You had a really unique opportunity to create one more lead designer who cares about their work and the public knows about. Such a shame.

Playable Minorities in Videogames are Token Characters

Recently, I have been thinking about a fallacy in videogames. If you go on the website of some very well-intentioned and otherwise very intelligent people, you may notice a trend: these very well-intentioned people believe that by putting minorities as playable characters, that will... actually, I'm not sure what it will accomplish, according to them. It'll just be good.

In principle, I completely agree with them. However, some people (*cough* developers *cough*) believe that having a minority as a playable character automatically makes the game Politically Correct. However, I have noticed that it is rare to see a progressive (note: progressive does not equal politically correct) playable character that is also a minority and it is depressingly common to see a minority player character in a game that is quite clearly using that character as a meat shield to defend against protests of racism. To illustrate my point, I will make a list of games with playable characters who happen to be black. I would have chosen Jewish characters (as I'm Jewish,) but I can't think of a single Jewish character in a game.

Anyway, here are the games and their characters. See if you can guess the order they're in.

State Of The Blog #20

Well, it's been a long time. I probably feel like Piro from MegaTokyo when he goes a long time without doing any updates. Or maybe Kate Beaton. Both have release schedules similar to mine, but their work is honestly much, much better. Since I have been away so long, I would like to mention some things that have been going on. If I just list the topics, it probably would seem completely unrelated. However, what I took away from these things is important.

1: Star Trek: Into Darkness

This is one of the less important items on my agenda. I'm not going to say its a good movie, mostly because of its references to The Wrath of Khan, and if you're wondering why I don't talk about the major villain, spoilers: he's a walking, talking Wrath of Khan reference.

However, the movie did something I have seen very few, if any, other movie do since The Siege. It asked us, "How much liberty are we willing to sacrifice for our security? And what happens when we give up that liberty?"  I also thought that Kirk learned a little about what vengeance does to you. And, with recent events, I think we should seriously consider its lessons. Especially certain people who think refusing to let someone have a proper burial is a legitimate response.

2: Save Rock and Roll by Fall Out Boy

Save Fall Out Boy (From Big Sean and Label Producers) is more like it.

Let me explain. I love Fall Out Boy. The band is amazing, and I think Folie a Deux is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. However, Save Rock and Roll sucked. The first (The Phoenix) and last (Save Rock and Roll) songs were the level of quality I had come to expect from FOB. In fact, Save Rock and Roll might be one of their best songs ever, thanks to a cameo from Elton John. Rat a Tat was good, but... take a listen, and really pay attention to the lyrics, then consider that I live and go to college in Massachusetts. Then look at when the album was released. Just One Yesterday was good until I realized that it was just Rolling in the Deep with a new coat of paint. Let me say it another way: someone decided to steal a song from Adele then slapped new lyrics over it, then gave it to Fall Out Boy, and thought we wouldn't notice. The song itself is quite nice (because it was originally from Adele and the people she works with behind scenes! [Devolves into incoherent rage.]) What pisses me off is that it comes from people who have proven time and time again that they can do better than this. I don't know who is to blame, but I am pretty sure its the same guy who decided FOB should do a song with the guy who performed the song A$$. With a pedigree like that, how could it go wrong? Well, my reaction to this song could be summed up in about fifty words: ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass.

However, as much as I hate that song, in a way, it is much better than the songs I haven't mentioned yet. At least it was memorable. At least it wasn't boring wanna-be dance music or bland acoustic guitar. Oh, and if any member of Fall Out Boy is listening: please think. Why would you want me to remember you as you were, and not spend time enjoying your music? On some level, you must realize what's happened to you. Now please, stop trying to make club music. I have Macklemore and (this is going to hurt) Flo Rida (Flo's a guilty pleasure, not something that I take seriously. Please believe me) for that. Now go out there, and write some actual rock and roll.

3: J. Edgar Hoover

This past week I have renewed my interest in J. Edgar Hoover, one of the most influential and controversial men in American history. If you look long enough at America between a little after WWI and the early years of President Nixon's Presidency, there is a good chance you will find something to do with our Mr. Hoover. Check out Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aaronson or Clint Eastwood's biopic J. Edgar. It is some of the most interesting stuff you will ever watch or read.

The reason I bring it up is because when Mr. Hoover was at the height of his power, we in the US had given him a lot of that liberty we are so proud of. It would be foolish to argue that he didn't give most of us a lot of security.  However, if Hoover thought you were a Communist, you could lose everything. Your house, your job, your privacy, and even your friends. If you stood up for something like the rights of homosexuals and blacks, or expressed your concern about certain government policies, your life could essentially be over. Read up on your history, and then tell me... was it worth it?

4: The Boston Marathon Bombing

In a way, everything I've mentioned above ties into this one thing. I can't remember the exact date it happened, either Monday or a Tuesday, but one of my room mates was alerted before me. A friend had sent him a message on Facebook. I was stunned. Why would anyone bomb the Boston Marathon? It's not just a Bostonian event, not just an American event, but a global event. For instance, there has not been a winner who was from the US, Canada or Britain since 1990 in the Men's division. The majority of first-placers after that have been Kenyan, with two Ethiopians and one South Korean.

However, these thoughts were soon eclipsed by the news on that Friday when they announced that Boston and most of the surrounding areas were closed due to a massive manhunt. My mom happened to work in one of these "surrounding areas," so I was freaked. It didn't help that there was a shootout that resembled a fucking action movie. By that night, I was relieved, but was more and more bemused by the sense that the events were like something out of a summer blockbuster.

Now, some of you might be wondering what I think of the terrorists. I think they are idiots. You can not be brave or cowardly if you have no understanding of how things work. I accept that this country has not had the best relations with Muslims, and I honestly do not know if those relations are getting better or worse. But bombing an event like the Boston Marathon will not make things better for you people. Instead of praising them, many people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike came together to condemn them. Another way in which they demonstrated their sheer lack of understanding of how the world works, is that they thought they could get to New York to commit more acts of terror. Maybe they would have blown themselves up, maybe they would have tried to get away. If they somehow managed to evade the combined forces of the FBI, the various police forces, and angry civillians, they would then have to deal with the CIA. Knowing what I know about the CIA, I would not want to be taken alive by them. To make matters worse, this stupidity killed and injured people. The only parts of the plan that most people prayed to God didn't happen, and they somehow managed to not fuck those parts up. In an ideal world, the bombs would go off accidentally, giving their heads a knock. When they woke up, they would realize their plan was extremely stupid, evil and not worth the inevitable fate they would suffer. Then they would use the remaining pressure cookers to do something useful, like make popcorn.

That being said, EVERYONE DESERVES A BURIAL. The elder Tsarnaev may have been a monster, but he's still a human being. Plop him in the ground and getting it over with. I know he didn't show any decency to the people he bombed, but that's because he was a monster. And the easiest way to prove we're better than him is putting his corpse in a decent place.

Let's talk about Drive

Drive.

When you talk to people who actually watched the movie (which is a very small number) you will get a very binary review. Seriously, look it up on IMDB or any other review amalgamation site. People will either say it sucks all sorts of terrible things, or it should have swept the Oscars.

Because of this, I can't really recomend it. In fact, I can only tell you a cautionary tale. After watching this movie with one of my room mates, I loved it. We made so many jokes about this movie, like how awkward Ryan Gosling was as the film's serial-killer/getaway driver antagonist. We were captured in its Tarantino-esque charm. (Okay, maybe Tarantino is a bad comparison because it isn't intentionally funny. But the only other thing that even remotely resembles it that I've seen is Pulp Fiction.)

However, when I watched it with my dad, everything wrong with it became painfully obvious. The pacing is terrible. The music is atrocious. And then, a few things that were great about the movie, like Ryan Gosling's acting and chemistry with the love interest (played by Carey Mulligan) turned from gold to dog doo on your shoe.

So the moral of this story is be careful who you see this movie with. Just... make sure it's with someone who's irreverent and funny and likes movies with weirdness and violence.

Getting back into the swing of things

Finally, I have gotten myself together and posted some more story. Where last we left off, our friend David wasn't doing too well. Shot in the arm during a pitched shoot-out with Riker's goons, and one of his weapons non-functional, his only option is to attempt an escape. Can he make it? How can he do it with Rottweiler in control of the bottom floors?

Been Away Too Long

Yes, the title is a reference to the new Soundgarden single, and yes, Soundgarden rocks most of the time. But enough about them. You most likely came to listen to me talk about some random thing I've pulled out of my butt. Not an apology, although I may be mistaken.

While thinking about... well, I honestly have no idea what I was thinking about.

Anyway, when thinking about something important (in order of most important to most common: all the people/animals in my life who've been dying, finals, that paper due tomorrow that I had just started to write, that paper due in over a week I had started to write, video games, cafeteria food, etc.) I realized something. One of the most common criticisms of fictional characters is how dumb they are. For years, I have agreed with them. But then, for some reason, I thought about it.

The one thing inherent in all people, no matter what skin color, gender, religion, astral sign or whatever they are is that they are idiots. Ok, I suppose a term like "idiot" is hard to define, but its true. If you've ever known or observed someone who you think is exceptionally bright, you will see them do something stupid and think, "Man, that is dumb. How can someone that smart be so wrong?"

If, say, Albert Einstein can make a horrible mistake, then why can't some person in a movie? Also, if people can be dumb in real life, why can't they be dumb in that video game? However, the problem occurs when a writer keeps telling you a person is teh most smartest person evarr and keeps having that character act like an idiot. Or that stupid moron in horror movie investigates a strange noise after he knows three people have been murdered! [Author pants after screaming about stupid people in horror movies for five minutes.]

Anyway, after someone is in a movie does something stupid, please ask yourself several questions:

1. Do I know how I would react in his/her situation? In a horror or action story, or a story with a mystery, the characters are almost always under pressure. People under pressure make mistakes. When you are stressed after due to a heavy work load, you make mistakes. So, if the characters are being picked off one by one by someone or something hiding in the shadows, or if a bomb is set to go off in twenty seconds, forgive them their mistakes.
2. Have I been trained for this situation? Has the character been trained? The main reason I hate the movie Quarantine 2 is because of the SWAT officers in it. I admit that I have not been trained as a SWAT officer. But I feel I can make two assumptions: If ordered to fire, most SWAT members will open fire. When warnings to lie down and put hands above heads go ignored, most people with guns will see that excuse to unload the disobeying person full of lead. However, sometimes the answer to this question instead of making people seem like even bigger idiots gives them a perfectly good excuse.
3. Do I know something they don't?

What should Horsehead do?

Here comes Horsehead man!

This is Horsehead Man. His guitar has the ability to make people stop being violent. With this ability, he shall fight crime and defend the innocent around Worchester. Now, citizens, are there any super villains around?