Interesting thoughts, Rob. To me, the sandbox aspect is critically important to their success, but certainly with a nuanced twist (it has to do with realism, despite the violence and parody). I think you'll be satisfied with the approach in the book, but certainly your interpretation is just as valid as mine, if not more (and a lot of the fun of us having these discussions).
I've been listening to lectures about Freud and Jung again, and naturally keep thinking that the "shocking violence" and "immoral" nature of these games is a way of sublimating instinctual aggressive urges. I still think games like this make society safer rather than more dangerous; better to let people murder and pillage in a videogame rather than in real life! (I still hold that Columbine and other incidents are mentally ill/demented people to begin with rather than normal people who got carried away with videogames).
Interesting thoughts, Rob. To me, the sandbox aspect is critically important to their success, but certainly with a nuanced twist (it has to do with realism, despite the violence and parody). I think you'll be satisfied with the approach in the book, but certainly your interpretation is just as valid as mine, if not more (and a lot of the fun of us having these discussions).
I've been listening to lectures about Freud and Jung again, and naturally keep thinking that the "shocking violence" and "immoral" nature of these games is a way of sublimating instinctual aggressive urges. I still think games like this make society safer rather than more dangerous; better to let people murder and pillage in a videogame rather than in real life! (I still hold that Columbine and other incidents are mentally ill/demented people to begin with rather than normal people who got carried away with videogames).
Matt Barton, Managing Editor
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA
Email: matt@armchairarcade.com