Comments for Weekly Writing for Rhetoric of Gaming F2017

Comment on (Sorta) Final Draft by ALEXA

ALEXA — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 16:32:18 +0000

Hey Brittany!

I think your topic is awesome and something that isn’t discussed in the gaming world a lot. No one wants to play a game that is “unbeatable”! I like your analysis with the incorporation of class sources into your project, it works really well. The part where you discuss failure and the quote you included is really interesting as well. It’s almost like you’re turning talking about the positive affects failure can have on someone, rather than focusing on all of the negative tones it has. Great job and happy holidays!

Comment on Hayley, Domenico, Elliott Initial Draft by ALEXA

ALEXA — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 16:23:43 +0000

Your site and everything looks amazing! Did you guys do the artwork or pull those from elsewhere? Your concept is awesome, I also discussed dissociative identity disorder in my last project and I love how you guys have created these characters and are making a game out of it. The organization of your website is great, everything is really straightforward with your arguments and how your are incorporating class sources. Goodluck and have a good holiday!

Comment on (Sorta) Final Draft by NICHOLAS

NICHOLAS — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 05:44:34 +0000

Hey Brittany,

Love the direction this paper went! Your discussions surrounding the draw to difficult gaming was interesting and concise–Your Plato quote pleasantly surprised me. That along with the inclusion of the psychological aspects of goal attainment brought your analysis to a new level. If you have the time, or think it would add to your paper, I think this would be an interesting place to explore even further. I also see an avenue that you can capitalize on by using your analysis of the psychologist’s quote to explain why so many people are drawn to Getting Over It, and even further, why the game means so much more because of its lack of a satisfying ending.

I don’t know if the paper is just not done or there is a glitch, but I cannot read past the introduction of Crash. The page cuts off the picture in the middle, and the works cited is the next page. Great work from what I’ve read so far. This is definitely a project I will be returning to on Sunday.

Comment on Near-Final Draft: Domenico, Elliott, and Hayley by NICHOLAS

NICHOLAS — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 05:09:36 +0000

Hey guys,

I really enjoyed the game so far. The minimalist design complements the medium perfectly. I was enjoying the game for its immersive story at first, but it really picked up when your soldier character’s story looped back in on itself. That is where the “game” element of this really shines for me. I felt agent and engaged as the character, trying to find my way through this tough situation. If there are more moments like that, keep doing it guys because it was great!

On another note, it was a bold choice to include such a traumatic experience, let alone attempt to convey the feelings through a text based game, but it really paid off. I have to admit I was incredibly moved by that sequence in ways that I wasn’t anticipating. As someone who has never been the victim of sexual harassment of any kind, but has experience working through trauma with close friends, it was haunting to play through that section. I become squeamish during rape scenes in movies or books, but this was a completely different experience, even though your game was not as graphic as some. I felt a looming sense of dread creeping up on me as I played that was just. . . chilling. Maybe its because of the medium (the immersion caused by player agency), but regardless, I have to applaud whoever wrote those sections. Bravo!

I look forward to returning to this game once it is completed

Comment on Almost Final Draft! by BRITTANY

BRITTANY — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 04:27:22 +0000

This idea is definitely funny but also empathetic. The options given might seem hyperbolic to some, but to those in college they’re definitely distillations of everyday life for a student, especially those of an age where inevitable adulthood is right around the corner. I’m assuming there’s some grander ending still in the works, but so far what you’ve got is a interesting testament to the true minutiae of college life that music, books, and academic leaflets forget to mention.

Comment on 2001 game further progress! by BRITTANY

BRITTANY — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 04:23:17 +0000

As a personal fan of this movie, the games visual references are great, even with the simplistic design. As you said, the ending was funny and clever! However, (keeping in mind that it’s not the finished project) for those who aren’t familiar with Kubrick’s classic, this does seem a little lost, as the pop up directions are really only understood alongside an inherent understanding of it’s originating material. However, as mentioned, it does pack a good punch if you know what’s going on. Though it is nearly the eleventh hour for the project, perhaps finding a way to more clearly detail the game’s goal and ongoing directions would be my overall advice. Super neat idea still!

Comment on (Sorta) Final Draft by JAMES

JAMES — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 03:06:41 +0000

Hey!

I think this essay is excellent so far! You deal quite quite exhaustively with how difficulty is dealt with in video games, and the way you talk about it makes it easy and accessible for the reader.

There are a couple things that I would suggest working on. First, you deal a lot with games being absurdly hard on purpose, but I think that it would be interesting if you looked a little bit at the opposite end of the spectrum. Some games, especially RPGs with a rich story element, feature an insanely easy setting that allows the player to experience the story with little to no actual difficulty. This might be controversial in the sense that it allows the player to optionally ignore key elements of the game in favor of exploring only the story. I think that could provide another interesting avenue for you to look into. The second thing I would suggest is some revision to the introduction; it kind of works as it is, but I think that it could be better, especially if you shorten it a little.

Also there were a couple paragraphs that were way too long, like the one on page 2-3 and the one of page 5.

Hope the project goes well for you!

Comment on Near-Final Draft: Domenico, Elliott, and Hayley by AUSTIN

AUSTIN — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 02:02:27 +0000

I loooove these second person point of view stories. I think the idea that the main character has MPD is incredibly creative and has a whole new dynamic to the process. I also like how the game works in a cycle in a way. I had to repeat my first “day” and do it over again and I made some changes to my choices and got to the next “day” or personality. This is definitely an intriguing game and I’m hype to see the end product. Good luck!

Comment on Games, Play and Philosophy by JAMES

JAMES — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 02:01:04 +0000

I think you’re tackling a pretty interesting topic here! The most interesting thing you’re talking about here, to me at least, is the connection between war games and the effects that they have on children who play them. I feel like you have a good ideological base here, although I’m wondering what the multi-medial aspect of your essay will be.

Comment on Games, Play and Philosophy by AUSTIN

AUSTIN — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 01:52:25 +0000

Hey Shaun, I really like the philosophical approach towards the paper. Using the words of Epictetus as a basis for your paper is an interesting idea. It’s very intriguing how you use his words from so long ago and modernize them in a way with video games. Using play as a means of therapy for PTSD in children is a very powerful study to note. I’m wondering what study it is though since it’s not cited. If you could include a case study for a specific child, that would also be incredibly impactful. Good luck on the rest of your project man.