Betsy_Ch.1_Perlin_I

Perlin contents that " these efforts cannot move forward to merge film and games, and that we will not be able to find a way to create an intermediate agency.." I disagree. I think this is already occurring.

With the Final Fantasy games, you, the user, are controlling the main character and the slew of secondary characters, but as the game progresses there are cut scenes, or small cinemas, that show the characters with feeling and emotion and you are then "watching," as if it were a movie, and give up or agency for a few minutes to watch the advancement of the plot. Then we are thrown back into the game where we have to regain agency and control the character again to still advance the plot. Through this whole exchange we are developing a deeper plot line, we give up control as well as get to control the story, and are drawn inside the head of the main character.

I think we are already merging film and games.

Nick_Ch1_PERLIN_Q

I don't think I understand how Perlin's "hyper-believability" (p. 15) is possible when we are in a participatory environment, such as a video games. When we walk away the game it is going to stop. Even when it continues going (ie. The Sims) all dramatic action comes to a stop and if it doesn't there runs the risk of annoying the user. For example, if I set up a nice little world in SimCity then walk away and a tornado hits I'm going to be angry. I, as the mayor of Nickville, was not able to probably respond to the disaster and therefore I feel the game cheated me.

Beyond that I also don't agree with Perlin's idea that the agency I feel when reading Harry Potter books is any different than when I play a video game (p. 15). I don't expect to open the book and find Harry grew and lived while I was away. As I also don't expect Lara Croft to change or grow or live as I am away from the video game.

Anyway my question is Perlin's idea of "hyper-believability" possible when we are in a participatory environment?