Far Cry 3
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Konstantin Freybe M.A.
konstantin.freybe@uni-leipzig.de
find this presentation online:
https://slides.com/kfreybe/far-cry-3-history-and-identity
Problem & Hypotheses
Information on Far Cry 3
Intermediality
Documentality
Problem & Hypotheses
Information on Far Cry 3
Game Type
Single Player Campaign
Groups of NPCs
Optional Storylines
Intermediality
Concepts & Approaches
Intermediality & Far Cry 3
Documentality
Maurizio Ferraris' (et al) Concept
Problematic Application on Far Cry 3
My Main Problem: How Does Narration Work in Video Games?
T1: Video Games have a specific way of narrating stories.
T2: This game-specific way of narration has at least two characterising features: experience* and choice.
C1: Narration in video games is focussing on the users in a specific way, offering them a social space within the game.
T3:Video games can only qualify as social spaces if users are allowed to act socially.
T4: Users can act socially even within a single-player campaign if they are offered an in-game context that provides elements which allow interaction to be interpreted as social*.
C2: These elements have to be constructed in the game for the purpose of constituting a social space.
The user is the focal point of video games whose choices determine the progression of the game.
Games provide potentials which are realised by the user's actions.
*We should probably discuss this.
Title: Far Cry 3
Developer: Havok
Publisher: Ubisoft
Year: 2012
Platform: Playstation 3
USK Classification: +18 years (not suitable for minors)
ID: BLES01137
Color Enconding: PAL
Specimen:
Specimen:
Marketing:
Specimen:
Skrillex feat. Damian Marley - Make it Bun Dem: :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7sgq6PxFXE
"Make it Bun Dem" - In-Game Context: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyGgJrtc6tQ
Marketing:
2.1. Game Type
giantbomb.com: "open-world first-person shooter"
spong.com: "Viewed: 3D First-person" | "Genre: Shoot 'Em Up"
vgcollect.com: "Genre: First-person Shooter"
igdb.com: "Genre: Shooter"
mobygames.com: "open world first-person shooter"
thegamesdb.net: "Genre: Shooter"
2.2. Single Player Campaign
Sources of Information:
*We probably should discuss this.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
Sources of Information:
*We probably should still discuss this.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
Main Characters
Citra Talugmai (determinant)
Dennis Rogers (alive)
Willis Huntley (alive)
Sam Becker (deceased)
Supporting Characters
Liza Snow (determinant)
Riley Brody (determinant)
Daisy Lee (determinant)
Oliver Carswell (determinant)
Keith Ramsay (determinant)
Dr. Alec Earnhardt (deceased)
Grant Brody (deceased)
Protagonist
Jason Brody (determinant)
Antagonists
Vaas Montenegro (deceased)
Hoyt Volker (deceased)
Buck (deceased)
characters mentioned by farcry.wikia.com:
2.2. Single Player Campaign
factions mentioned by farcry.wikia.com:
not mentioned by farcry.wikia.com:
2.2. Single Player Campaign
factions mentioned by farcry.wikia.com:
not mentioned by farcry.wikia.com:
The Rakyat and their presentation as an ancient tribe works as an inner-diegetic* reference. Ritual places, ruins, and myths - although fictional - are social objects as they indicate a historical past of The Rakyat's society. It can be viewed as an outer-diegetic reference*,too, as they show a specific mode of commemoration: visiting and interpreting locations.
*We probably should discuss this.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
The Rakyat and their presentation as an ancient tribe works as an inner-diegetic* reference. Ritual places, ruins, and myths - although fictional - are social objects as they indicate a historical past of The Rakyat's society. It can be viewed as an outer-diegetic reference*,too, as they show a specific mode of commemoration: visiting and interpreting locations.
*We probably should discuss this.
did you notice the cannabis plants in the last trailer?
cannabis is presented in mission: "Kick The Hornet's Nest"
music (cf. above): "Skrillex feat. Damian Marley - Make it Bun Dem"
pop-cultural reference
Please, think about this game's target customer group.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
Imperial Japanese Soldiers are represented as mummified corpses which can be found all over the two islands. They still wear their uniforms and some still carry letters.
The soldier's remains can often be encountered near or inside ruins of war devices. These ruins function as indicators of a historic past as well. Their function as inner-diegetic* references is highly limited. But they also reference outer-diegetic* contexts which are referring to a) an event to which memory is shared (and discussed) on a global scale - and to b) actual war ruins, of course.
*I may be repeating myself: Probably we should discuss this.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
ruins function as indicators of a historic past as well
Imperial Japanese Soldiers represented as mummified corpses
The soldier's remains often encountered near or inside ruins of war devices
Please, notice the letters!
2.2. Single Player Campaign
The Rakyat and their presentation as an ancient tribe works as an inner-diegetic* reference. Ritual places, ruins, and myths - although fictional - are social objects as they indicate a historical past of The Rakyat's society. It can be viewed as an outer-diegetic reference*,too, as they show a specific mode of commemoration: visiting and interpreting locations.
Imperial Japanese Soldiers are represented as mummified corpses which can be found all over the two islands. They still wear their uniforms and some still carry letters.
The soldier's remains can often be encountered near or inside ruins of war devices. These ruins function as indicators of a historic past as well. Their function as inner-diegetic* references is highly limited. But they also reference outer-diegetic* contexts which are referring to a) an event to which memory is shared (and discussed) on a global scale - and to b) actual war ruin, of course.
*We really should discuss this, too.
2.2. Single Player Campaign
In Far Cry 3, ruins are used in at least two ways to constitute the impression of historicity.
The ruined war devices of the Imperial Japanese Army are mostly abandoned and represented as locations which do not primarily have the purpose to stimulate commemoration.
Regarding The Rakyat, they are presented as places that are still (or again) subject to historic interpretation through a certain group. This way it invites the user to assign specific values to The Rakyat, e.g. validity of their claim to rightfully reconquer the islands.
2.3. Groups of NPCs
If everything went well, I will be able to move over to a short in-game presentation using Far Cry 3's Map Editor. I intent to show you the game from a productive perspective that resembles the perspectives assumed in Game Design and Production.
A Productive Perspective on Collective Identity in Far Cry 3:
2.4. Optional Storylines
The War Letters:
3.1. Concepts & Approaches
Ginette Verstraete:
Intermedialities: A Brief Survey of Conceptiual Key Issues
find this text on www.academia.edu
http://www.academia.edu/22430381/Introduction_Intermedialities_A_Brief_Survey_of_Conceptual_Key_Issues
3.1. Concepts & Approaches
"Intermediality" refers to the crossovers and interrelations taking place between the arts and the media. It also refers to the linkage within and between the various media that have intensified with the arrival of the digital (hyper)medium, insofar as the latter works through the interplay of words, images and sounds on but also through convergence of film, television, radio, news writing, e-books, photography, etcetera on the web. (p.7)
3.1. Concepts & Approaches
"Intermediality" refers to the crossovers and interrelations taking place between the arts and the media. It also refers to the linkage within and between the various media that have intensified with the arrival of the digital (hyper)medium, insofar as the latter works through the interplay of words, images and sounds on but also through convergence of film, television, radio, news writing, e-books, photography, etcetera on the web. (p.7)
3.1. Concepts & Approaches
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
3. "With the difference in discipline comes a different historiography." (ibid.)
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
3. "With the difference in discipline comes a different historiography." (ibid.)
4. Verstraete suggests "to further investigate the national specificity of certain traditions or schools, of intermediality in relation to the global developements and crossovers that it mostly signifies." (p.10)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
3. "With the difference in discipline comes a different historiography." (ibid.)
4. Verstraete suggests "to further investigate the national specificity of certain traditions or schools, of intermediality in relation to the global developements and crossovers that it mostly signifies." (p.10)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
5. Distinctions to be discerned between intermediality, multimediality, and transmediality. (cf.ibid.)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
5. Distinctions to be discerned between intermediality, multimediality, and transmediality. (cf.ibid.)
Multimediality
Intermediality
Transmediality
co-existence of various media
translation of one medium into another
interrelation of various - distinctly recognized - arts and media within one object
narrow scope
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
3. "With the difference in discipline comes a different historiography." (ibid.)
4. Verstraete suggests "to further investigate the national specificity of certain traditions or schools, of intermediality in relation to the global developements and crossovers that it mostly signifies." (p.10)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
5. Distinctions to be discerned between intermediality, multimediality, and transmediality. (cf.ibid.)
6. Alternatively, differences between multi-, trans- and inter-mediality can be viewed as differences in the degrees and scales of intermediality. (cf.ibid.)
narrow scope
broad scope
1. "(...) [I]ntermediality as the interaction between, and within, media is made to critically re-evaluate the function of communication, entertainment, representation, mediation, meaning, expression... by the (singular) medium." (p.9)
2. Disciplinary perspectives differ in their "emphasis on what is important". (ibid.)
3. "With the difference in discipline comes a different historiography." (ibid.)
4. Verstraete suggests "to further investigate the national specificity of certain traditions or schools, of intermediality in relation to the global developements and crossovers that it mostly signifies." (p.10)
Seven Approaches to the Discours on Intermediality:
5. Distinctions to be discerned between intermediality, multimediality, and transmediality. (cf. ibid.)
6. Alternatively, differences between multi-, trans- and inter-mediality can be viewed as differences in the degrees and scales of intermediality. (cf.ibid.)
narrow scope
broad scope
7. "[G]iven the immense variations in the forms and cncepts ofintermediality described above, I prefer to speak of intermedialities, in the plural." (p.11)
3.2. Intermediality & Far Cry 3
narrow-scope approach:
Various media and arts are represented within Far Cry3:
3.2. Intermediality & Far Cry 3
narrow-scope approach:
various media and arts are represented within Far Cry3:
broad-scope approach:
different degrees of intermedialities in Far Cry 3:
3.2. Intermediality & Far Cry 3
returning to the War Letters
-ways of representation are twofold:
technical realisation:
in-game mimcry:
conceptualisation:
3.2. Intermediality & Far Cry 3
returning to the War Letters
Characters:
Captain Jiro Sato
Private Arata Hyogo
Lance Corporal Mori
Ren
Major Kuro Mogi
Tadao
Shinji
Dr. Koga Hayato
Lieutenant Colonel Yamada Masahiro
returning to the War Letters
Example1 (12/20)-- Scientific Personnel WW2:
To Colonel Imada Daichi,
I hope your family is well. I apologize for stepping outside the chain of command, but I feel that Lieutenant Colonel Yamada Masahiro is not taking my worries seriously, and is thus unfit to continue commanding this facility and its experiments. I must report that Project Tenka and Project Kyouken would have progressed much further if the Lieutenant Colonel would just listen to me. Instead, he has cut me out of his inner circle of advisors and has forbid me from communicatingwith anyone. I have been forced to write multiple copies of my letters and give them to loyal soldiers and scientists in the hope that one reaches you. Please, I am a prisoner of the Lieutenant Colonel's ambitions and unable to serve the Emperor because of his medding.
Dr. Koga Hayato
"HAYATO'S FIRST LETTER"
returning to the War Letters
Example2 (8/20)-- Military Personnel WW2:
General Yamagata,
I am shocked and dismayed to report that what I had assumed was Private Tadao's incompetence is in fact sabotage. I was suspicious that none of the long-range radios were working, so I checked them. I am no expert in electronics, but even I could see that the tubes had been removed, the wires cut, and the battery missing.
I thought him weak, not a saboteur. He is too simple to be a spy. Regardless, he has betrayed his follow (sic!) soldiers, he has betrayed me, he has betrayed his oath to protect Japan, and he has betrayed the Imperial Family. I am going to execute Private Tadao, and if any of the men try to protect him, I will be forced to execute them as well.
Major Kuro Mogi
"MOGI'S FOURTH LETTER"
returning to the War Letters
Example3 (18/20) -- Civilian post-WW2:
To whoever reads this,
It's Hurk again. I ran out of space on that last piece of paper, so I was saying I needed to stop Gilbert before he started his rain (rein?)(sic!) of terror, right? Too late. He already started. Gilbert's got other monkeys following him like a pack, doing his bidding. It's like watching cheerleaders, man. You know the way cheerleaders move around in a pack, right, always following that one really hot chick with the blond hair, the tight ass, and the perfect tits? And it's like, every time theywalk past you, they move like they're in slow motion, aand they look at you like they don't even see you. Totally Lacy Barnstrom, right? She was the head cheerleader at my school, and I did shit her yearbook pictures that totally got the pages all fucked up. Shit, I'm out of space again.
Hurk
"HURK'S SECOND LETTER"
4.1. Maurizio Ferraris' (et al) Concept
http://www.academia.edu/8901687/Documentality_A_Theory_of_Social_Reality
This presentation is intended to discuss Documentality through this text:
Maurizio Ferraris, Giuliona Torrengo:
Documentality: A Theory of Social Reality
I have yet to implement my discussion of this subject.
4.2. Problematic Application on Far Cry 3
One problem lies in the definition of as a social object as a physical object documenting social interactions.
Another difficult question arises because Ferraris emphasises that collective or individual intentions and beliefs are disqualified as constituents of a social object.
Ferraris' concept of Documentality seems not to be oriented on the requirements that have to be met in order to decipher documents.*
This will be the place the discuss problems that arose when applying Documentality.
Is Far Cry 3 a social object according to Ferraris?
yes: What is its content and what does it document?
no: How else does Far Cry 3 relate to social reality?
*e.g. knowledge, meaning, symbolic thought, ...
How Does Narration Work in Far Cry 3?
The game's narrative properties are based on intermedialities.
How Does Narration Work in Far Cry 3?
The game's narrative properties are based on intermedialities.
How Does Narration Work in Far Cry 3?
"interrelation of various - distinctly recognized - arts and media" (cf. above) within Far Cry 3
presenting history: The Rakyat, their identity and their temple ruins
representing history: ruins of war devices
referencing hisory: letters written during World War 2
The game's narrative properties are based on intermedialities.
How Does Narration Work in Far Cry 3?
"interrelation of various - distinctly recognized - arts and media" (cf. above) within Far Cry 3
presenting history: The Rakyat, their identity and their temple ruins
representing history: ruins of war devices
The game's narrative properties are based on intermedialities.
How Does Narration Work in Far Cry 3?
"interrelation of various - distinctly recognized - arts and media" (cf. above) within Far Cry 3
presenting history: The Rakyat, their identity and their temple ruins
representing history: ruins of war devices
As which kind of social object can Far Cry 3 be interpreted?
Literature:
Maurizio Ferraris, Giuliona Torrengo:Documentality: A Theory of Social Reality. online:
http://www.academia.edu/8901687/Documentality_A_Theory_of_Social_Reality
Ginette Verstraete: Intermedialities: A Brief Survey of Conceptiual Key Issues. online:
http://www.academia.edu/22430381/Introduction_Intermedialities_A_Brief_Survey_of_Conceptual_Key_Issues
Youtube:
Ubisoft/Havok: Far Cry 3 - Official Game Trailer. online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rli2DXlrSaM
Noisia - Machine Gun ( 16 Bit Remix). online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rli2DXlrSaM
Skrillex feat. Damian Marley - Make it Bun Dem. online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7sgq6PxFXE
"Make it Bun Dem" - In-Game Context. online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyGgJrtc6tQ
Die Antwoord - I Fink U Freeky. online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4IH6BUvAr0
"I Fink U Freeky" - In-Game Context. online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnx0jsDXgBY
Ubisoft/Havok: Far Cry 3 - Introduction to Dennis and Citra. online: https://youtu.be/m_KReqSjoXA
UGC: Far Cry 3: Letters of the Lost : Locations Guide. online: https://youtu.be/YU4MwP-bXdI
Wikis & other online resources:
Far Cry Wiki. online: http://farcry.wikia.com/wiki/Far_Cry_Wiki
Games Datebase: giantbomb.com. online: http://www.giantbomb.com/far-cry-3/3030-32933/
Games Datebase: spong.com. online: http://spong.com/game/11049176/Far-Cry-3-PS3
Games Datebase: vgcollect.com. online: http://vgcollect.com/item/16775
Games Datebase: igdb.com. online: https://www.igdb.com/games/far-cry-3
Games Datebase: mobygames.com. online: http://www.mobygames.com/game/far-cry-3
Games Datebase: thegamesdb.com. online: http://thegamesdb.net/game/11774/