Updated 2/06/04

Game Rants by Ken

Level Playing Field

It has been said that life imitates art. That all the experiences of any one person is communicated to us through his or her molding of a chosen medium. The latest medium to deliver this vision is electronic gaming. Here game creators have developed so many different genres (The Grammy Awards don't even have this many categories), in so short of time it really does boggle the mind. From realistic to cartoon, adventure to horror, and minimal to the obscene, creators have engaged the player participant in worlds that has permanently alter how they think and are in real life. Just look at players of medieval fantasy. The players become "attached" to their characters and either begin offline research of skills or lands or begin dressing and imitating medieval fantasy behavior.

But its not all funk and flames here because I have noticed something interesting. A common thread that weaves through all of these games. This thread is both profound and understated. Its subtle theme unwittingly evoked in me an epiphany. Here is a world that lacked the common intolerances that one would find in society today. What I mean by this last statement is that popular electronic gaming, in general, has, on its surface, to have eliminated the big three isms; racism, ageism, and sexism. Think about it, do you really care who is operating that character in front of you? Does it really matter you what race, sex or age the player is? So what if the player is a 55 year old black female. As long as she has "game" it really does not matter. Reputations are not built along one's age, sex or ethnicity, but along the only fact that matters, their playing ability. The bottom line is that 99% of the time (rhetorical number) nobody cares to know what ethnicity, age or sex the player is before them. The prevailing attitude is to "just win baby."

Now of course individual cases can be conjured up by all of you regarding comments typed by a player maliciously attacking other players, but by and large it basically comes down to is that players only care about their ability to battle with a perceived good over a perceived evil. That is it. Good verses Evil in a battle royal. Quite simple really so why complicate it with discussion over whether to team with a white, yellow or black player or whether you love or hate old or young players that are male or female. All you really want to know is whether that player can help you achieve ultimate victory. I can honestly say that I have never seen a known female player turned away from a group just for being female and that I have never seen a group of older players turn down the advise of a known younger player with an advanced character just because he was younger.

Now don't get me wrong, gaming does not have any complex social solutions, but what it does have is a lack of complex social problems. Remember the purpose and motivation that you, as a player, have to worry about is: (a) staying alive and (b) prevailing over perceived evil. If you concentrate on these two things you will be known throughout the land as a god among men.

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This page is hosted by Ken Richards.
Bio info to follow. To contact Ken e-mail him at info@OCshowbiz.com.