- Nov 2018
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mikecosgrave.com mikecosgrave.com
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Pratchett has already been vocal about not wanting Lara’s father to be as prominent in the story as he was, and I asked her about the importance of female protagonists being defined by their own motivations and traits, rather than the people (particularly male characters) around them.
This is extremely important. Lara Craft is one of the few games out there with a female protagonist so it is so important to portray her well. It is important for woman to want things and feel motivation toward something without any influence by a man, especially because it has been done so often.
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They designed the visuals of the world, the mechanics, how Faith moves through the world, the parkouring aspect, what Faith looked like, what the other characters looked like, with no narrative in mind.
For me, the first thing I would look at in terms of creating a game would be the narrative, as the mechanics can be done easily. To think of a good, gripping story-line that grabs peoples attention isn't easy. Most of the time I would continue playing a game because of the narrative, because I want to know what happens next or how it ends.
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‘You can save it, but all the scenes must be exactly the same length as they are now.’ Or ‘you’ve got to save it, but every line has got to be exactly the same length as the line is now’. All sorts of weird conditions like that.”
As i mentioned about being a 'narrative paramedic', it mustn't be easy. They want you to save something but in a very specific way, there's a lack of creativity in projects like this.
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“narrative paramedic”
I love this term, however it mustn't be easy coming in to a project or story-line that is already half completed and try to restore it.
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Pratchett doesn’t have an office or specific room where she goes to writing, mainly because she’d been renting for the last year and a half
If I was to work from home, I would have to have a different room in the house to to do work so i can leave that room if I need a break. I find it strange that for Pratchett her place of work can be anywhere.
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on-site and off-site people,
I like that Prachettt does a bit of work in the office and out of office. I would find that kind of work ideal, as you can go home and work and write to yourself with no distractions and then go to office to meet up and discuss ideas. It seems much more ideal then a normal 9 to 5 office job.
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the fact that bodies like the Wellcome Trust exist is an indication of the power games can have
Games are the only entertainment medium right now that aren't showing any sign of an expiration date. Most people don't pay for music and movies anymore, and most social media sites go in and out of popularity. Games, however, have never lost popularity, there's always going to be another kid turning 10 that'll want a play-station for Christmas. Therefore, it is games that are the best method for education or to highlight political issues.
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“I would have liked to have done things like playing more with her PTSD, maybe having things like twisted versions of sequences of the first game that you have to replay, because she’s always replaying them in her head, and they end in different ways that you didn’t see in the first game, and trying to reflect aspects of PTSD,”
PTSD is something that a lot of people go through and it isn't particularly highlighted, especially not in games. I think it would have not only been a lot more interesting to show this side of Lara. But, it would have been a great way to connect to a wider audience (people who have gone through trauma). Furthermore, it would be a great way to underline PTSD and maybe a educational way of overcoming it. I would also like to see a different side of Lara that doesn't need a male figure for motivation in her life.
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- Oct 2018
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mikecosgrave.com mikecosgrave.com
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“So while it’s already assumed that the women can feel, they just need to be made strong by terror and violence. Men: they’re already strong, so they’re need to be made to feel by terrible things happening to women in their lives.”
I've played Tomb Raider and have always seen Lara as a role-model.I never thought about if she would have gone on adventures without her fathers influence so I can understand why Pratchett didn't want the father to be in the game as much as he is.
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“The trouble was that they designed a lot of the game with no narrative in mind,” Pratchett said.
I think a game's narrative is more important then game play to some extent because it keeps the game interesting.
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