Food for Thought: Men can be Objectified TooSeptember 16, 2012 by

When people hear the word objectification, it is usually followed by the phrase "of women". The loudest voices fighting for equality preach of the terrible portrayal of Women in movies, the sexualization in ads, and the predefined roles that women must fit into in order to be a woman.

And good on them. These people are doing wonderful work, and making progress for women. However, many people don't realize that sexism is a two-way street.

Often times when a person talks about the objectification of men, their views are met with an eye-roll. However, men are in-fact objectified in modern society, and it's something the public should be conscious of.

I'm not trying to argue that men have it as bad as women, for we certainly do not, but the issue is more prevalent than many might think.

Men grow up in a society constantly telling us how to live our lives. Think, for a moment, about what society says it means to be a man.

Men must be the breadwinners of the family. Men must have the ability to grow facial hair. Men are weak if they show emotion. Man must drink beer, and love to grill burgers. Man must not diet. Men must follow sports. Men can't be physical showing affections for friends.

If a man doesn't follow these rules, then he is somehow less of a man for it.

Our world is filled with these strange rules that must be followed in order to be a man. These rules have been the subject of many TV ads, and even have their own website - the official man laws- one of many websites devoted to outlining the definition of a manly lifestyle.

Through these means, men get the idea drilled into their head that they are not worthy enough to be called a man if they don't meet this specific set of rules or live the "man lifestyle".

TV and movies, in much the same way that they objectify women, don't often do men any favors either.

Ask a random women off the street about who her ideal man would be— many of them will give you the same answer. He needs to be tall. He needs to have a nice job. He must be assertive and dominant. He needs to know what he wants, but act based on what I want– the list goes on and on.

This definition of "the perfect man" has been drilled into society subconscious in much the same way as the idea of "the perfect woman".

While not as extreme as women, men are still objectified heavily in modern culture.

Just something to think about next time you find yourself in a discussion on equality.

These are things that, according to society, men obsess over (ads that target men):

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Why Play Through a Game More than Once?March 28, 2012 by

Fade to black.

For the first time in the last hour or two, the controller is released from the players grasp. Emotional music plays as various names slowly work their way down the black screen. A wave of accomplishment overwhelms the player as they sit back, smiling like a child at Disney Land, and reflect on the events that occurred over the last 6-60 hours of hard work and determination. Their journey has come to an end. A sense of emptiness creeps over the player; who slowly accepts the fact that this once engaging adventure has nothing new to offer. The player is forcibly ejected to the title screen, which now stares at them mockingly. What does the player do now?

Picks up the controller and starts again.

Google Image result for "Victory Dance". Seemed appropriate.

"Lasting Appeal". The phrase has it's own separate mini-score on the IGN scale. A games replay value, is like icing on the its cake. While a non-factor for poor or averages games, a high replay value is an important factor that can turn a fun experience into a lasting memory.

Think back to the games that you think most fondly in your gaming lifetime. The titles that stand out in your mind,  how many times did you play through them? Chances are, the answer is at least twice. Memory is formed through repetition, so it's only natural that the games you play the most leave the strongest impression. Those experiences are ones that you felt so strongly about that you attempted to re-live the experience a second time.

But what drives a player to do this? What elements in a game make it connect with the player in such a way that the players feels the need to come back for more after it's conclusion?

The Wrong Reasons


At Least 3 Separate Play-Throughs

Achievements can be a great tool for developers; a way for the developer to encourage the player to experiment with their game and perhaps try new things that they wouldn't otherwise attempt. The problem comes when players abuse themselves to obtain these achievements.

For many people, obtaining a 100% completion rating in a game gives them a sense of satisfaction; a dopamine release. The reward of a 100% completion rating in a game can cause players to continue playing a game that they don't actually enjoy playing.

The first Mass Effect game is an excellent example of this abuse. Mass Effect has 6 achievements that require the player to spend the majority of the game with a specific squad member. To unlock all of these achievements, one has to play through the entire game a minimum of three times.

Mass Effect is a game of choices, and in the developers mind they are encouraging the player to see all of the content that their game has to offer. However by putting these achievements in their game, they are unintentionally preying on the susceptible player.

If you are playing a game through the second time for the sole reason of getting an achievement or trophy, then you won't enjoy the experience itself.

Meaningless Choices

Controlling your own fate. A mechanic that, while wonderful when done correctly, often feels tacked-on to games that don't need it.

Far too often, games offer players "choices" that have very little real impact on the overall result of the story. The choices often affect minor details that are not crucial to the overall story.

The choices will, however, affect with ending you receive. The promise of a different ending

No matter how "different" the endings really are

can be enough to make a player feel compelled to play a game through a second time.

While a great tool in theory, allowing a player to choose from multiple endings usually feels like a simple gimmick. You're still chasing a carrot on a stick, but the carrot has been dyed purple.

In games that don't need them,  tacked on decisions represent a developer's lack of faith in a game's story. It's a cop out; a way of concluding a story without committing to an ending that may or may not sit well with player. in many cases, it's a lazy solution to an uninteresting or overly-complex story.

The Right Reason

Compelling Gameplay

I know that it sounds like an obvious answer, but compelling gameplay will leave a player wanting more. There are other reasons to play a game through twice (the artwork, getting more out of the story, etc.), but this should be your primary reason.

If you find that you still enjoy a games mechanics, and are yearning for more after it's completion, then by all means play the game through again. Mechanics that are interesting enough to hold your interest after repeating them for many hours will still be fun during subsequent playthroughs. It is rare that games are able to maintain this level of fascination.

An Example In My Life of Such Fascination

Before you decide to pick up that controller for your second playthrough, stop for a minute and ask yourself why. Are you playing it again because you love the mechanics and the story, or are you doing it simply for the achievements or fake story options?

Consider these things next time, your answer may surprise you.

What are some of the games that you have played through multiple times? Have you ever played a game through a second time and ended up regretting it? What do you think about achievements that require you to completely a game multiple times?

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My Apartment Has A Pretty Major Security FlawMarch 23, 2012 by

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The Internet Needs to Stop Playing BatmanMarch 20, 2012 by

The internet really needs to stop feeling responsible for taking justice into it's own hands. I've seen so many "bring this guy to justice for (crime)" posts that are designed to emotionally excite the public, that only cover one side of the story.

Unfortunately, this cry appeals to the public's basic need to feel like they are a part of something, and these causes often raise a massive following of people that only know half the story.

This gives any random person the power to turn a massive amount of people against a specific person, whether or not that person has actually committed the crime.

I am honestly afraid of the American legal system, because it is far from perfect.

But I am even more afraid of internet vigilantism; this kind of justice has no restrictions and can be easily warped and molded to a single person's bidding.


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How Skrillex Found His StyleMarch 20, 2012 by

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