Happy New Year! And, readers, Happy 2010 to you. I needed the end-of-year down time. Now back to "normal" and to blogging with resolve!
I'm always collecting articles to comment on, but I often run out of time or steam before they get posted. Here's something I had in the pipeline a month ago. Better late than never? Look for some more during the week.
SG, this story is right up your tech alley. Last November, BioWare released Dragon Age, a new video role-playing game for Play Station and Xbox. So far, so geek. If you choose to play as a male, you can have a romantic liaison with a male elf, Zevran. Hot!
Read the December New York Times story about the game.Of course, conservatives got all cranked up about teen gaming guys getting it on with Zevran. Not because Zavran is an elf . . not that there's anything wrong with that . . . but because he's gay. Dragon Age, welcome to the culture wars.
The Q&A with Mike Laidlow the game's lead desinger, is a good read. My favorite quote: "Among the tools that we have as storytellers, I see romance as being one of the principal ones."
--Gay Guy
8 comments:
Okay, this post totally went over my head! Not a gamer... but I am HERE!
Well, it sounds to me like they're finally giving the people what they want. Isn't that what video games are all about? Listening to the consumers and creating scenarios they've requested? That's why so many are about sex, rock & roll and (for the guy who never grew up) violence...
Gay elf fantasy sex is just one tiny issue of the larger issue of living your life on a computer/ gaming system. Get off the grid and go outside....and go find a real gay elf, if that's what you're into.
Like all media-influence arguments, this scenario isn't "causing" anything - if someone plays the scene, a same-sex fantasy has probably crossed their mind before now.
Yeah, I'm a gamer, but don't live my life there.
RPGs (role playing games) have never been my thing. Just don't have the time or attention to detail. But this is not a big deal.
Any parents who worry about one well-hidden gay encounter in a game full of murder and mayhem have their priorities mixed up. If your kid is stable enough to handle the violence, then they can handle a hint of elfin boom-chicka-wah-wah.
I play a few titles that my kids can't see and yeah, they are violent. Don't trust anyone who says that they only play God of War as a refresher on Greek mythology.
Anyone looking for a compelling game full of incredible design and safe for all ages should check out Little Big Planet. Inventive, engaging, and the best game I've seen in years.
SG:
Thanks for putting up the pic. Makes the post much stronger.
I have to admit that the elf in kinda hot. What does this say about my social life?
As the mom of a teenage boy (okay, 3 teenage boys, but only one's a gamer), the whole same sex elf thing doesn't bother me. Neither does the violence. What bothers me is that parents aren't taking the blame for their own screwed up kids. It's not the media, it's not the games, it's not the web that's screwing up their kids...it's the fact that they don't spend any time with them and expect electronics to raise them. My son games and sometimes if he has a new game...it's an all day event. But he's in the family room and so am I (because it's my office too) and we have witty banter, I watch him play sometimes, sometimes he makes me try to play (apparently, me getting scared, screaming and shooting my own people is hysterical). My point is...it's not his whole life. We keep him engaged in the real world. Wake up people and see the real danger here is lazy parenting.
♥Spot
PS- sorry for that rant, but hearing people blame technology for their children's problems chaps my hide.
This is pretty awesome. Games are all about experiencing an experience. It's wonderful to see that gay guys (and lesbians, as the article says) are getting the option to experience the experience they want.
I agree with Straight Guy about the negative feedback from some of the conservative press. He is right on the money -- violence is okay, but some same sex connection threatens their universe. Really? Aaarghh!!
Straight Guy rocks!
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