Open World to Open Thought - Future of Gaming?

I figured I ought to show off my character if I'm going to bitch so much about his experience. So, introducing Yogota; Jedi Guardian and all around asshole. I like to think he's seen some heavy shit in his upbringing, hence all the facial scars- possibly a run-in with street gangs on whatever backwater planet he comes from. The addition of the mechanical eye only is meant to supplement this notion and in my own way, it's a small nod to Metal Gear Solid's- Big Boss, a hero turned villain. Much in the same way I see my own character turning to the dark side given enough time. While you can't see it here, Yogota is bald as well. Though to be fair I saw some killer chops and mohawk combo I've been digging for a while now- perhaps next go around I'll play as an Imperial Agent with some serious Irish influences haha. There's a certain character from Prometheus I've really wanted to emulate... maybe when I grow up one day I'll be that cool.

I've been reminded more than anything from this game, how much I love choice. But how difficult it can be to offer the player true freedom of expression. For example, the game offers three responses to choose from  with numerous points in which I can respond throughout the conversation. The problem is, three responses often aren't enough- or worse yet, my characters possible reactions don't fit within my personal reactions as a player. While the characters response may be simply 'I don't have time for this.' in reality my thinking may often be much more complicated and rational. That's hard to emulate in a game- and in a world with strict light side/dark side values, this would probably prove impossible. Though that's not to say I couldn't think of a few creative ways to judge a person's light/dark balance.
But all this talk of 'free will' in gaming got me to thinking, and the truth is free will doesn't mean the same thing in gaming as it does in real life. There are always limitations, whether it be the edge of the map, or context of the story. But in this case when we're talking about conversations, they're ideas- and ideas don't need to be visually displayed to be real. They're as real as you thinking them into existence (or typing them in this case). There's a positive- and negative side to this however.

This line of thought lead me to wonder if the next evolution in open world gaming, was an open thought AI. Much like how CleverBot adapts to your conversation and draws upon a database of information to fill in the gaps of conversation with various elements that make CleverBot feel real. I imagine open world games, or MMOs like The Old Republic would benefit from a system where you can stand toe to toe with a NPC and argue your point. Better yet, what if the NPC could avoid giving your a quest based on your responses? It would offer the player an even deeper level of emersion into the world.
Now, an obvious catch would be how difficult it would be to craft a response to the player. Text to text conversations are simple. But in today's world where the NPCs are expected to speak to the character directly using Voice Actors- it would be difficult, if not feasibly impossible to hire hundreds of Voice Actors and record the number of responses required for a full AI system across an open world game such as this. But, who knows- the future leads to a lot of surprises.

But if I could dream a bit: I would be really encouraged to play any game where part of the drama isn't just the action of gunfire and chaos- but the human element. Where people aren't nearly as predictable and your character is forced to deal with not just the situations, but the NPCs emotional state, intelligence level and even factors such as racism, sexism, or personal beliefs.

From Galactic Space to Roman Empire

I've had a busy past few days and my weekend was plesently consumed with my girlfriend and the one day Florida provided us with upper 70s weather. It was a tantalizing cruel taste of the summer we all long for. That goes double for me- who rides a motorcycle 99% of the year.

But my bud gave me a call yesterday and we talked a bit about the new Total War game, Attila that recently launched. Now, I'm usually not the type of gamer that will buy a recently released game- because I'm cheap, but in the case of PC games, due to the all to often buggy problems that are attached I usually wait even longer. In the case of Total War, who's previous title Rome II was a hot mess for months before they supplied enough patches to almost build a new game: that hasn't inspired me to run out and buy Attila. In fact, I'm not even sure I'm going to buy it at this point.

Perhaps I've had my head in the sand, but I didn't even know about Attila until it launched. Which is strange because I'm a pretty big fan of the Total War franchise. So perhaps they didn't PR the shit out of this title, or maybe I really did just miss everything. Either way, from what my bud has explained to me: it seems like a giant apology for Rome II. The era is roughly the same as Rome II and much of the features missing from Rome II have been added in Attila. Best yet, the game seems to be launching rather smoothly from what I hear. So perhaps I'll purchase it eventually, but either way I booted up Rome II recently to give it another go.

My biggest complaint (as I bought the game long after the patches were applied) was how long Rome II was. In my previous campaign, I played as Greece who at the time was occupying Egypt- after dozens of hours of campaigning I had taken most of North Africa and parts of the Middle East. A decent feat in Rome II, but Europe was still immense and terrifying frankly. This go around I did things a little differently and decided to begin as a humble British tribe and as of last night conquered all opposing British tribes- uniting the British Isles under my rule. Problem is where to go from here! Europe is a big place and landing on the shoreline means a massive invasion force in order to take a city and begin my conquest. 200 BC is a long ways off from the 1940s.

So lets switch things up a bit and run back to Star Wars: The Old Republic. I've run into a problem and it's called Alderaan. The 'perfect' utopia of a planet that's split in Civil War. The problem lies in a conflict of interests, where various ruling families are fighting over control of the planets Monarchy. Because nothing says peace, love and equality like a monarchy. Really, what grinds my gears about Alderaan is how upper class most of the characters you encounter are. In my time I spent living in Fort Lauderdale, I recall a similar experience that aggravated the shit out of me. Which is part of why I'm a little sensitive to being bossed around like a simpleton to these rich bastards. Needless to say, I see the value in a Pro-Republic family taking control of the Monarchy, but at the same time I hate everyone I've had to work with on the planet. I doubt the devs planned on encoring the wrath of their players through character experiences, but I feel very strongly behind the decisions I make on this planet.

While nobody has outright said it, I also find it a little suspicious that there is no lower class- even the middle class looks pretty rich. I've seen a few farms or estates- but even they seem to  be doing pretty well for themselves and seem to be more a novelty than actual farming. For all we know they're growing grapes for wine. Which really makes me wonder about this planets economy. There hasn't been an empire on Earth that hasn't been built on the lower class. So when I see these towering buildings and grand gates, all I can think is 'cool, so where is the slave labor?' That being said however, it's curious to note this planet has native inhabitants, a very organic bug like creature that the Alderaan people regard as lesser beings and leave you to exterminate throughout your time there. A rather rash thing to do in my mind, considering the creatures: Killik are part of a hive mind and show enough intelligence to use blaster rifles and other crafted tools. Showing that they aren't just mindless beasts, but together a rather intelligent and powerful force. But the important distinction is this: Alderaan views the Killik as different and like any society that is different and unwilling to conform to society's rules, they are hunted down and exterminated.

Yet once again, as a Jedi I've been tasked to save the people from these creatures by going on various slaughter-fests. While I know what I'm doing is wrong, this is yet again another example of how I see my character falling to the dark side. The Killik have certainly been motivated to swarm and kill the people of Alderaan and honestly I could see this happening even without Imperial influences (which at the moment I'm not sure are even involved.). From what I've read about the Species the majority of their kind left the system some time ago and those who remain often lay dormant underground. Those who do awaken are a mixture of territorial and docile. So does that mean I should be exterminating these creatures? Going as far as to destroy their eggs and plant mines to catch them off guard? It should be no ones surprise that my character would choose to murder an opponent when the opportunity arrives then let them live, when so much of the characters experiences are shaped to enjoy bloodshed and encourages the death and murder of not just the enemy soldiers, but the young and defenseless as well. Worse yet, I feel it says something that the Jedi as a whole haven't stepped up to question the Killik's motives or to even recognize them as a society that deserves its equal respect in a Civil War between monarchies. All this being said however, it does remind me of why I enjoy this time period. The Jedi have a very particular set of rules in mind when it comes to right and wrong. The universe is a very black and white place, but people like me are showing up and asking 'why?' and bending the rules despite the ruling council. You can argue that Reven and I have a lot in common in this sense.

But who knows, maybe we're the outsiders because we see the Universe as a unified being, rather than simply warring factions. In my opinion, to be a true Jedi is to renounce all bloodshed, anger and conflict and pursue a life of knowledge and wisdom. You can pretend you're all that shit while you're lopping off heads and arms- but we both know you're lying. Nobody walks into battle with the emotion of serenity and peace unless you plan on walking out of that battle emotionally scarred with the eyes of the fallen forever burned into your mind. And after a thousand have fallen as with my character, what is death anymore- and are you its instrument?

The Sith, Inquisitors & Force Awakens

As of today, there's been a number of bread crumbs being left by Disney/Lucas in regards to the direction of the Star Wars Saga. But recent news has spurred my imagination and who knows- I might be on to something. Follow me along for this magical ride...

The first clue was the Episode 7 trailer itself. It's hard to miss the declaration that the force itself has 'Awakened.' Despite the jokes and memes, I don't believe this title is as black and white as it appears- and rather then suggesting the force has somehow become stagnant, I believe this is to say there are new kids on the block- new players in this galactic saga. This could be an obvious nod to the new characters that are intended to move the franchise forward after the Original trilogy characters pass off the torch- and possibly to the idea of a formation of a new Jedi Order by Luke Skywalker. But I believe the line 'Light and Dark' from the trailer also insinuates an introduction to something new from the dark side of the spectrum- something we also haven't seen before in the saga. (This is of course assuming the New Jedi Order is a drastic departure from the Yoda order.)

The second clue comes from this article- the devs of the Old Republic Game explained that Lucas' story group gave a glimmer of hope for Old Republic fans that the game may be canon- or perhaps one day it could be, by stating that because of it's unique time period set 3,000 years prior to the movie saga- it doesn't interfere with the timeline. In a world where all Expanded Universe content has been deemed 'Legends' until brought into the fold, like bits of content that has infiltrated the animated series Star Wars: Rebels- this makes news of Old Republic content possibly canon rather interesting.

Speaking of Star Wars: Rebels, it's been noted before that content from the series may make an apperance later in the film saga. While it's wild speculation from me, the introduction of the Inquisitor as such a central character of the Rebel series only fuels my larger theory. For those who don't know, the Inquisitor's are essentially force sensitive Dark Sided agents of the Empire who's sole job is to hunt down and exterminate the remaining Jedi. But it also serves another purpose- the Inquisitors are pretty much the only dark sided characters that quite possibly are still around by Episode 7 to cause problems.

Now, why The Old Republic canon possibility is important is because of the content. The Old Republic era's main antagonist is the Sith Empire. To put this in perspective, imagine an entire culture and society that centers around force sensitive individuals that clamor for power against one another. It's like a really evil version of Ancient Rome, where the upper class is held up by a massively submissive and subjected slave driven lower class. Complete with families struggling for control over each other. Problem is, as far as I know- the Old Republic era never really clarifies what happens to the Sith. The expanded universe suggests they were all wiped out and only their teachings remained. But that's all 'legends' at this point.

So this is where it all comes together and I'm freely speculating at this point. We catch up with Luke and the gang 30 years after Return of the Jedi, the Empire must be hurting a bit at this point as their two most prominent Dark Sided leaders are dead (The Emperor and Darth Vader). Imperial Leadership is made up of regular folks at this point, but the the Inquisitors still exist and see Luke Skywalker forming a New Jedi Order. The Inquisitors may not have a lot of pull, but they are quick to realize the threat that is involved in the return of the Jedi. In their desperation, they turn to something they don't fully understand and awaken a force long thought to be dead. The Ancient Sith. Who knows, maybe the Emperor knew of the Sith- but even he didn't want to poke that wasp nest. Considering there's little info on where the Sith vanished to- and this is serious speculation: But imagine how cool it would be to see the awakening of a single Sith Lord, who ventures deep into the wild unexplored regions of space to re-establish contact with surviving Sith Colonies. In the Old Republic era, the Republic knew the Sith existed in the unexplored region of the galaxy, but how vast or where exactly the Sith lived remained a mystery. So it's not outside the realm of possibility.

The reason I find this so engaging is because it means wrapping up the saga in a very poetic way. 30 years after Return of the Jedi I can imagine uneasy lines drawn in a galaxy still divided between the Rebel Alliance and Imperial forces. Suddenly a powerful 3rd party shows up and betrays the Imperials and thrusts the galaxy in all out war. The Rebels and Imperials are forced to align together and set apart their differences to end the threat of the Sith once and for all. It would also make for a final end to the Light side / Dark side fighting if Luke's Jedi order and the Inquisitor Sith teachings could find a middle ground where there's this understanding that taking things to either extreme only bloodies the galaxy in their differences of opinion. In order to 'end' Star Wars- there has to be a unification of the force and both sides need to become one. I'd also love to see them become a reclusive monk like order, but maybe that's asking a lot. It would be an order of Batman's basically- only showing up in times of extreme need.

So there it is, my speculation for the Saga. It's vague, but it's supported by a lot of possible scenarios. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Peace is a Lie: Fuck the Jedi

Guess I'm writing another SWTOR blog after all. I've only been playing 4 days now and I'm still pretty early in the game for my Jedi Knight. The problem I've been facing has been plaguing me since the beginning. Are the Jedi really for peace and are they really in the right? This is about to get nerdy- so hold onto your butts.

The Old Republic game is set during one of my favorite periods in Star Wars lore. Set some 3,600 years before the film, the Jedi are a different kind of organization at this point and the ethical line becomes blurry as many blame the Jedi and Sith for many atrocities across the galaxy when the eventual invasion of the Sith Empire burns across the galaxy. But it's important to remember how the Jedi got here and for that- we have to rewind the clocks to the years leading up the war.

Prior to the war, two Jedi- Reven and Malik become aware of the looming insurgence of the Sith Empire. A fact that was denied and ignored by the Jedi as a whole. This marked the first step towards what would become the core fundamental conflict in the Jedi Civil War. Growing increasingly concerned, Reven and Malik urged numerous Jedi to their cause and dived deep into the unknown to seek out and destroy the Sith presence. Unfortunately they found the Sith Empire- but were consumed by it and returned unknowingly as agents of the Sith.

When Reven and Malik returned they attempted to use their accumulated power to overtake the Republic and produce a force strong enough to combat the true Sith. While many can argue that while distorted by the dark side- the intent to save the Republic from itself was still pure at heart. Unfortunately, many in the political realm believed Revin and Malik were the Sith Empire they had warned about and disregarded any further belief in the Sith after the conflict ended.

At a time when the Jedi were still licking their own wounds, the true Sith Empire emerged and wrought devastation upon the galaxy. Which is pretty much where The Old Republic games begins. During a lull in the war, both sides temporarily form a peace treaty. But it's only a pause before the looming storm. It's a really interesting dynamic for the Jedi, they're weaker then ever before and searching out new recruits as quickly as they can train them. But the fundamental question that spurred the The Jedi Civil War is still there. That war- at its core was a question of ethics. Was it ethical to break the law to save a life? How far should someone go when no one listens? The game casts the player in many of the same situations and so far- I'm loosing the light side fight.

As I've mentioned previously, I'm playing as a Jedi Knight and truthfully I understand how Revin fell into that darkness. While my character remains a 'Gray Jedi' cast neither in light or darkness. Many of the decisions that thrust my character towards the dark side are merely because I'm willing to make the difficult decisions. Is it worth sacrificing the lives of a the few for the many? Absolutely. Is it fair- no. I wouldn't argue that it is. But the game itself takes the perspective of the Jedi council of this day and age. Short term victories over the Sith are more important than thinking about the long term future of the galaxy. I would tend to disagree- like Revin the future of the galaxy is at stake, hypothetical trillions upon trillions of people are at risk and while it may not be the popular answer- the lives of a few matter little.

I've never beaten this game and in previous attempts I know only a little more storyline than where I'm currently at. But this is the first time I've jotted down my thoughts on the ethics of this game's message. It will be a lot more interesting of a play for that reason alone.