Re: [-empyre-] otherness

["Melinda Rackham" <melt2@pacific.net.au>]

eugenie wrote:
 in the games we're talking about here, which contain an explicitly
political
> dimension, there is an additional level of complexity in the notion of
> otherness, and hence in the sorts of affects we experience. part of that
> involves a much deeper and more complex and contradictory level of
> investment in the psyche of the character - and, i would guess (i've only
> seen one of these games in the flesh), a much less easy ride in terms of
> 'becoming' one's character. As Michael says, Waco is a primal scene of
> American fear and getting into the body of David Koresh is bound to bring
> about a different kind of rush than getting into the body of Tony Hawks.
...

rebecca wrote:

However, I think along the same lines, that pure fantasy, as opposed to
realistic politics, can also strongly agree with, or contradict, a player's
mythical belief systems. Being mythical these (belief)systems might be much
more lateral than political beliefs, but just as emotionally and
psychologically affective. Many people find certain types of games highly
distasteful ­ this clash can occur on a level less forefront than that of
politics.

------
ye steh games work by  bringing the preexisting context and  the aura of the
political situaltion.. .having  been inundated with art works and tv and
print about refugee detention in australia, having seen lots of  tv docos on
waco, and  o much footge of middle east conflict, i can never possibely view
these works outside thoes emotional paramaters. an that applies as well  for
if im playing a "Barbie"  interactive, she brings her aura with her..  which
of course was why RTmarks  Barbie Liberation Oraganisation ploy worked so
well as the public container of what barbie was already so well established.

but im wondering what pure fantasy may be ? im hankering after  a
manifestation of it  but it has to be based on and in opposition to the
known to be affectively reinforce its place as fantasy . otherwise its
unfortunately for us unimaginative human beings with our funny little binary
rational minds its an indistingusihable slime mould of meaningless.

im concerenrned as jeff is  in creating opened ended senarios like my vrml
work empyrean  from a few years ago with non human bio-electic cellular
avatrs (www.subtle.net/empyrean) , where there are no rules.. and no
familiar boundaries..  and then seeing what people do ..and for the most
part people dont want to explore and play and muck around - they seem to
want purpose and fixed meaning and  tasks to perform.. and this comes back
to a gender bias as well as i have a so much better response to my work from
women than from men..

rebecca worte:
I perceive a subject-subject identification, one that hasn¹t occurred with
on-screen characters in quite the same way in any previous media. The
immersive power of computer game interactivity, the immediacy ­ and
resultant proximity to our characters which these qualities provide us with
is a condition very specific to games. Character customisation, acquired
skills, biological affect, game society and mythical experiences all
contribute to the reality of identification with character and
character-based experience. In-game experiences afford us memories akin in
potency to their real-life, physical corollaries. These memories shape us.

----
Sadie Plant  was wrote something like " Every action, every communication
has a moment of contact, a point of transmission, a line that is crossed, a
change that occurs."  in  "The Virtual, the Tactile, and a Female Touch.",
a paper delivered at Cybersphere, International Conference on Cyberspace,
Sweden, Sept 1994.(but i could never find out where it was published
elsewhere - does anyone know.. ?)

yes i agree that every online or in game action is incorporated in the slef,
self consumes other,  shapes us, becomes part of the colony of experience
that is us.. but isnt that a socially dangerous spot to position ourseleves
when playing out very often illegal, violent , sexual fanstay senarios
either  textually or  in gamespace..  people do get put in goal for writing
subversive texts?


 rebecca wrote:
--- or maybe, with regards to her experiences in Waco Resurrection, Melinda
Empyre is just a closet cult leader : )

---------
yep..  theres a spaceship coming to pick up all -empyre- subscribers
onite  --  so drink that kool-aid at midnight to ensure your seat.. :)
m