|
vic1500's Life is Strange (PS4)
|
| [September 26, 2017 06:45:05 PM]
|
This time I think I reached halfway of episode 3: Chaos Theory.
Besides keeping a notorious choice framework that does keep track of everything you have done even from episode 1, I believe it also has quite a persuasive way to try to convince players to engage in some sort of utilitarian approach.
Utilitarianism, as we saw in class, is a moral framework that mainly focuses on the consequences of your actions, and how much unhappiness or happiness they generate.
In life is strange, every time you take an important decision, Max seems to have an inner argument with the choice you did, despite the one you take. She seems centered on choosing what might cause the best outcome, happiness, ease or pleasure from the two.
In fact, the time travel mechanic itself seems to imply that the main reason you want to go back to take another decision, is to choose what is best for everyone's success.
Max's thoughts and the rewind technique seem to try to convince a player to choose the decision that benefits the most people. In an utilitarian perspective, this notion can be greatly related with the philosophy, which, as mentioned before, puts the amount of happiness and unhappiness as the most important thing to consider.
add a comment 
|
| [September 18, 2017 04:09:24 PM]
|
Today I finished episode two of Life is Strange, and the choice system has demonstrated to keep a tight record on what you have done until that part. This is mostly seen with Kate Marsh and when you have to prevent her from committing suicide.
Kate remembers all the actions you took on the first episode, whether to support her or not. This leads me to believe choices not only have short-term consequences, but long term even.
Overall, it seems the game's ethical framework is really hard to decipher, due to all the grey areas representing the choices Max has to do (emphasized by her monologue after the choice is made). Only the long-term outcome for some characters really dictate whether or not you choose correctly. For example, If I hand't supported Kate as much as I did despite getting glared from David or other people, she would have probably killed herself.
I believe this game perfectly ties with the vision of Rochard Garriott: Making you feel personal and responsible for the game's actions.
add a comment
|
| [September 11, 2017 08:27:05 PM]
|
Life is Strange is a game that puts you in the shoes of Max Caulfield, a teen girl who suddenly discovers she can reverse time after seeing a girl get killed by another student.
Immediately the game throws the question of what could happen if you could back to reverse the choices that you made? Would the choice lead to something better? Or worse?
Furthermore, is actually every choice perfect? Sometimes the game feels like no matter what, every choice has a certain degree of negative and positive consequences.
Furthermore, it brings me another issue that I noticed after I finished the first chapter: It seems there are certain actions that happen no matter what you choose.
Examples are like going to the parking lot, leaving with Chloe, her step-father discovering she had weed in her room.
I believe it raises the issue that whether we, as players, are able to truly control the outcome of the story, or are we held constrained to a type of subtle slavery from real outcomes thanks to the scripted story events?
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
vic1500's Life is Strange (PS4)
|
|
Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Monday 11 September, 2017
|
|
