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Anarchist/Anti-Corporate PS2 Game

11:14 / 22.02.02

Rockstar Games, creators of the Grand Theft Auto series of games, have recently released state of emergency, a game set in the near future where a multinational coporation dominates the globe. Players take the part of one of 5 anti-globalization activists, who advocate and implement some violent forms or resistance.

In the Salon.com article here, real-life activists have a decidedly mixed reaction to the game. ON the one hand, it promotes general ideas and may prompt players (ie, young people) to look for more information about the issues it purports to raise. On the other hand, it paints a violent picture of resistance, and as the article points out:
quote:

Even if State of Emergency elevates anti-corporate awareness among the young, does it really matter, when the more who get that message (i.e., by buying the game), the more Take-Two Interactive and Sony profit?

Which I like to refer to as the Rage Against the Machine problem.

In my opinion, the game sounds pretty stupid and simplistic, but the last graph of the story may be a little more encouraging: A socialist activist says that she wants to work with Naomi Klein on creating their own game that "won't involve shooting."

autopilot disengaged

11:55 / 22.02.02

m. can't post at length, but i agree it's a similar thing to punk bands on major labels - virtual rebellion, rebellion as affectation.

what i would say, though, is - despite that - the memory of rebellion is a kind of rebellion - and can, potentially become a seed of further rebellion.

most uses of the word 'rebellion' in one post? i am soooo <invisible>.

more later, when i've actually read the article.

12:04 / 22.02.02

S'funny, the argument for violent computer games is that they release violent compulsions in a virtual environment, and not in the real world. Could the same be said with this, that it releases anti-corporate feelings, leaving the gamer to spend the rest of his time as a willing sheep?
Nah, it's just a crappy cash-in attempt on a new culture. Coming soon: Naomi Klein's Pro-Tester III...

12:04 / 22.02.02

Review of the game from Penny Arcade

Love GTA, doubt I'll be picking this up.

12:05 / 22.02.02

I've seen reviews of the game, online reviews were good - the review I read in the mag said the "game" was ok but they totally slammed the ideas saying it was sick...

to me it just seems like a way to cash in, get people talking about it etc...

make the game offensive and people will want to play it even if it isn't very good (see Postal)

[ 22-02-2002: Message edited by: bear ]

pointless and uncalled for

12:06 / 22.02.02

Just goes to show that the only people that games manufacturers can't piss off are the kids.

Three guesses who matters.

12:08 / 22.02.02

That penny arcade review was fantastic.
"Oh yeah? I'll buy you yesterday."

yawn - thing's buddy

12:58 / 22.02.02

rockstar are publisher wanks.

its actually dma who originated the GTA franchise and who do all the hard work.

rockstar are trandy tossers, thats all.

13:11 / 22.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Mr. Todd:
A socialist activist says that she wants to work with Naomi Klein on creating their own game that "won't involve shooting."

%Gee, the kids'll really go for that one..%

16:22 / 22.02.02

Maybe they'll go for this instead:

Open source Hate-crime games

16:59 / 22.02.02

...but doesn't anyone think that it is at least a good sign that games other than the puzzle or action/adventure variety are getting out there? Something more subversive or at least thought provoking? In many ways, this may be a trend that's starting to at least be visible in the mainstream... I don't necessarily think that this game is meant to represent more than a new way to make money though. But it could be another start...

As far as open-source is concerned, it seems to be the way to go since it gives people a chance to work their way out from under a corporate identity or stereotype and into culture more directly. Like the mods that were being put out for Quake III by The Renaissance Society, for example. It seems to be a good place for modern artists/activists/thinkers to make a statement, and hack out some of the features..like violence.

17:49 / 23.02.02

quote:...but doesn't anyone think that it is at least a good sign that games other than the puzzle or action/adventure variety are getting out there? Something more subversive or at least thought provoking? In many ways, this may be a trend that's starting to at least be visible in the mainstream... I don't necessarily think that this game is meant to represent more than a new way to make money though. But it could be another start...

It looks like a pretty standard action/adventure title to me, just with a trendy backdrop. I doubt much thought will be provoked any more than Timesplitters provoked debate about the philosophical implications of time travel.

Now, if someone were to write a near-future RPG with that sort of setting, maybe that would raise a bit of debate. It could have links to current information, source the background, let people know how the authors had reached their conclusions about this possible future... that would be very interesting.

07:45 / 26.02.02

Saw the ads in the Stockholm Subway. I think it's hilarious. Recuperation of social movements and rebellion will always happen, and this seems like a particularily inept attempt of recuperation.. And, in a return of the ironic, I expect the game will be a big hit among activists. I mean, what we all REALLY want to be is a huge bastard with a baseball bat taking on the combined forces of Empire singlehandedly. Right?

Right.

08:07 / 26.02.02

was going to start a thread on this myself; the radio ad (all i really know about it) is quite appalling: a really overdone yobbo/working class accent stating this is the best 'beat 'em up' - evaaah! haven't been on an anti-capitalist/globalisation demo for some time, but i doubt if your average activist would use that terminology....

Red Cross Iodized Salt

02:10 / 27.02.02

I think this kind of says it all:
quote:I couldn't find a single message dealing with the WTO, capitalism or Indonesian child laborers ... On the other hand, I did find a lot of posters begging for the code that makes people's heads pop off when you punch them.

With respect to corporate co-option of anti-corporate movements, I found the following (from a linked Naomi Klein article that mentioned State of Emergency) to be both blatant and hilarious:
quote:One slide shows a group of activists spray-painting the window of a Gap outlet during the anti-WTO protests in Seattle. The next shows The Gap's recent window displays featuring its own prefab graffiti -- words like "Independence" sprayed in black.

gentleman loser

15:01 / 01.03.02

Interesting stuff. Are propaganda FPS games the wave of the future?

I kinda doubt it.

Kids these days don't like to be co-opted. I thought I was a cynical bastard as a teenager. I can't imagine how cynical they are today.

Remember The War In Heaven?

The only FPS approved by Ned Flanders?

Another link I found yesterday:

The game has the type of adventure games and the games of fighting with individual arms, and in a three dimensional form. Its main axis is based on a logical series involving a Palestinian young man’s life stages. The player follows Ahmad’s adventures, and he will be the moving and efficient element in it. Every stage of the game is distinguished by delivering a collection of important ideas in the history of the Palestinian Cause. The ideas are fully studied and prepared by specialists in history and education. They are also so interestingly and distinctly compacted that they address the minds and sentiments of the section of youth, which represents the section that is most difficult to persuade and most intelligent and hopeful ...

I guess the Bush/Cheney/Ashcroft axis banning this stuff can't be too far behind! In any case, you can't change the world by sitting at home playing console/computer games. I don't think these games will have any serious influence on people.

[ 02-03-2002: Message edited by: gentleman loser ]

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

07:15 / 23.03.02

I am kind of reminded of (sorry, I can't remember which clothes shop it was now- insert name here) a few years back launching the "Traveller" range of stripey leggings, tie-dyed T-shirts etc...
I'm also reminded of the guilty pleasure I used to take in playing "Syndicate"- part of me really enjoyed BEING the evil corporations fucking everyone over. Didn't make me wanna do it in real life, though. (Although Resident Evil DID actually have me wanting to go out and kill zombies, but I guess that's just me.)
On a similar note, howzabout this football hooligan game that's supposed to be coming out soon? (I know the issue of corporate assimilation doesn't really apply, but... how dodgy, if at all, is THAT?)

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:30 / 23.03.02

Oh, this is just great.

More encouragement for 14-year-olds who think turning up at demos and chucking bricks is "revolutionary."

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

07:36 / 23.03.02

And speaking as someone who's been on the receiving end, your average kid who just wants some violence is a crap shot with a brick as well...
Like the twats at Mayday last year who decided to smash up John Lewis'... one of the few chains where the workers actually DO own a fair bit of it...
As George Monbiot said when discussing the two different words for violence in Islamic culture (Hamas=directed, Hamoq=random, as far as I remember)- Hamas trashes McDonalds. Hamoq trashes the souvenir shop next door.
Sorry, getting WELL off the point here...

16:39 / 23.03.02

Comics artist/writer Brian Wood still works his day job at Rockstar.

Brian Wood, we remember, gave the world CHANNEL ZERO--which addressed some similar themes.

Makes you wonder, dunnit?

09:51 / 25.03.02

I know there were a bazillion copies of this game at the local video store the week it came out...Then the buzz must've worn off, because most of them disappeared.

A co-worker of mine who has no concept, as far as I know, of anti-corporate activism, rented the game and said it was great fun. At first. To him, it was just a game about being free to perform random, violent acts with a full-tilt riot for a backdrop. He, too, was interested in finding the code so you could knock off heads. That's all it was to him, another smashfest like Grand Theft Auto. And I think that's all it will be to most people.

It's also worth noting that within a day or two, he was completely bored with the game and took it back.

I get the idea that this game is not going to make as big a splash as anyone thought it would. Of course, I haven't seen sales figures, so I could be WAY wrong.

Anyone wanna bite on this: What about Red Faction? Sure, it's called "Red" faction because it's set on Mars. Or is it? The plot is about the oppressed workers rising up against their abusive, corporate overlords...The logo looks suspiciously like a hammer and sickle...LOOKOUT! COMMIE VIDGAMERS! AAARGH!!

09:51 / 25.03.02

... I heard that there's current development of a 3D Fighting game that brings the feel of classic fighters (Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter) with an online community where in essence you pick or join (or get chosen) in on combat. Kind of like SoE but every character is an online entity that has an agenda.

Imagine setting up a gang of your friends facing another, a riot, or just observing the outcome of a fight and beating up on the loser afterwards. Fighting in a virtual social context. This is getting interesting...but I'm not about to say that it's more than an extension of entertainment in interesting directions...

09:51 / 25.03.02

Thought-provoking video games?

"Rise up my video-game playing minions, Rise up and destroy the evil corporations!"

Who are these people trying to kid? You can't make an action-adventure/beat-em-up thought-provoking. It's not possible. A thought-provoking rpg? Sure, take a look at Planescape: Torment, its pretty damn thought-provoking, but its been relegated to a cult-classic kind of status. Not many people have played it.

Beat-em-up's don't lend themselves well to thinking. The majority of the people who play these kinds of games don't play to think or have people preach to them, they play to have fun, or blow off steam. What are you gonna do, have the main character stop in the middle of beating his main adversary over the head with a folding chair to say "I am only beating this man up because he is the pawn of an evil corporation/religion/club/cult, so its ok".

State of Emergency? GTA3? They aren't innovative and they sure as hell aren't going to get people to think. The creators of these two games just tacked some controversial issues onto your average beat-em-up.

Red Faction has a plot? Is it one of those just talked about in the manual so that the player feels justified in killing thousands of pixelated people or is it somehow integrated into the actual game?

Why are games always about taking down "the Man" When are we gonna play as Bob Smith, corporate drone?

09:51 / 25.03.02

Uh, well. Red Faction DOES have a plot, it's more about survival than random killing...But I was joking about the rest of it. Y'know, kinda riffing on Dale Gribble/Art Bell?

Joking.

09:51 / 25.03.02

well, it seems to me that if any game should be warezed, it's state of Emergency. Fight the power, indeed.

17:46 / 27.03.02

...well, in the feel of this thread, I think that 'thought provoking" is set in a social context or likewise in order to be accepted. But overall, there doesn't really need to be some message in a game in order to represent new feelings or ideas that make it worthwhile. But to keep up on the notions here...

What suggestions are there for these hacks? As far as good engines to work with, Quake III and Unreal Tournament seem to be the most popular...

How about setting environment hacks so the region (arena) is in Afganistan.
Setting gangs into religious sects against each other.
Hawks vs. Doves
Wars where 1 out of 20 players get use of weapons and the rest are walking collateral damage.
Shopping mall arenas where you fight over the hot new christmas season buys.
Instead of capture the flag, capture the withheld documents from the tobacco company.

Other ideas...?

18:01 / 27.03.02

Why hacks for Quake III or UnReal Tournament? It seems to me that Deus Ex would probably work better for the types of things you're suggesting.

18:14 / 27.03.02

...well sure, but I'm just thinking of platforms that are online, out there, and are readily adopted. Plus there's plenty of artsy hacks available.

Go to: http://www.planetquake.com/ to see the mods.

Does Deus Ex have online capability or at least the ability to be augmented with a toolset below the skills of a hacker and specific peripherals? Just looking for availability as a major point in interest since the more who play, the more the impact.

Heard that Dues Ex just shipped too? Anyone play yet?

18:28 / 27.03.02

Deus Ex seems to have multiplayer capability. At least there's a section on PlanetDeusEx dealing with multiplayer.

As for the modification of the game, there is a toolkit offered, but I'm not sure how difficult it is to use.

If you're looking for wide availability, you'd probably be better off modding more than one game.