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Review:
I can imagine the research for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
THE SCENE:
Your City's state penitentiary. Prison cell 131X.
DEVELOPERS:
So, Criminal X, we're looking for descriptions of subversive
acts to include in our new video game Grand Theft Auto:
San Andreas-we have some good ideas, but we need a few
graphic details to flesh it out. Can you describe some of
the activities you were involved in . . .
CRIMINAL
X: I don't know why you are talking to me. I don't want to
be here. I hate it here . . .
DEVELOPERS:
No, no. [Laughter ensues]. You don't understand. See
in our game, no one gets caught - they don't get put in prison.
At the worst they might get "wasted", which means
they have to start the mission over. We just need some detailed
descriptions of how the blood splattered on the pavement when
you shot those pedestrians . . . we're so close to getting
the modeling just right, but we want to make sure. We're going
for serious realism here.
CRIMINAL
X: [Incredulously]. You want to put this in a "game"?!
For kids?
DEVELOPERS:
Well, not for kids specifically-I guess a few may play it,
but that's for the parents to decide. We don't care about
that . . . now about the time you stole the car to pick up
some prostitutes.
CRIMINAL
X: This is insane.
DEVELOPERS:
Look, just help us out here. We heard you were involved in
a gang. What is the "honor" system like? How many
people did you have to kill before you gained respect from
your cohorts?
CRIMINAL
X: [Miserably]. There is no "honor" in a
gang. A lot of times we were high . . . lots of drugs, fear,
intimidation . . .death . . .
DEVELOPERS:
[With building excitement]. That's it! See, in our
game we are going to have the "good guy" exterminate
drug dealers, you know, some of the "good" missions.
He and his buddy will go into a house and beat some crack
dealers with a baseball bat until they are dead. That way
the players can feel like they are doing something good-help
clean up the neighborhood, and get their local gang together
again . . .
Criminal
X: "What kind of a gang . . .?
DEVELOPERS:
Well, certainly not some kids getting together to play a pick-up
game of baseball. [Laughter again]. No, this is the
real deal, of course. These guys will be involved in stealing
weapons from the local national guard, drive-by shootings,
working a prostitution ring, spray painting "tags"
over rival gang members territory, killing rival gang members,
police and pedestrians, robbing houses-the usual stuff. And,
don't tell anyone, but they might smoke a little of "the
weed" themselves-you know, crack is bad, but who cares
about a little pot, right?! [With a knowing smile and wink].
But the end motive is really good-see, there is a corrupt
cop that actually set the lead character up . . .
CRIMINAL
X: But, he has to kill a lot of people, et cetera, to get
there, right?
DEVELOPERS:
[Rapidly]. Yes, yes. But, think of all the freedom:
a wide open city to do whatever you wish! You can do "good"
things with the "bad"-like driving ambulances and
doing vigilante police work with a squad car. Of course you
steal those vehicles do this . . .
CRIMINAL
X: [Mournfully looking at the bars]. Freedom . . .
I wish I had some of that.
DEVELOPERS:
Look man, it's just a game-this is supposed to be funny, like
tongue-in-cheek stuff. . . [Disgusted sigh]. Okay,
this is pointless. We're wasting our time here-this guy doesn't
get it. Back to the office-we can think up better stuff on
our own.
Curtains
close.
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Jeremy
Gieske has been an avid game player since the days
of the Apple II+ and Karateka. Recently, however,
his interests have developed beyond simply playing
the games, but also trying to understand the historical,
social and cultural impacts of video games. He recently
acquired his Masters degree with distinction from
the University of Salford in Manchester, England,
where he conducted research on videogames. Jeremy
has a background in design and marketing, and has
worked with several Internet and publishing companies.
Recently, he has written articles for DIGA-the Digital
Game Archive and has worked with the Computerspiele
museum in Berlin, Germany.