Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

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Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid Christopher Michael Yap Youki Kadobayashi Shigeru Kashihara Suguru Yamaguchi Nara Institute of Science and Technology Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21 st , 2014.

description

(In Proceedings of the Replaying Japan 2014 2nd International Conference on Japan Game Studies) Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid, (MGS) is widely recognized by both gamers and industry professionals as one of the most influential games of all time. Woven into the greater plot of MGS is a discussion of the well-established, oft-debated concept of Nature vs. Nurture, framed within the game narrative around the real-life context of the modern Genetics/Eugenics debate at large. The narrative of MGS addresses this debate in a metaphorical way. Through the course of the story, it becomes evident that the characters of both Solid Snake and Liquid Snake (protagonist and antagonist, respectively) are character foils--contrasting analogs of each other in a myriad of ways (Good vs. Evil, Free Will vs. Fate, etc). With the two sides of this debate being represented as characters, the literal struggle between them becomes the debate itself, with the victor in this battle representing the supposed moral of this story. In this paper, we commit to a close critical reading of the narrative and plot of MGS, paying particular attention to the character foil of Solid and Liquid Snake, in order to 1. explicate the layers of meaning present within the character foil of the protagonist Solid Snake, and the primary antagonist Liquid Snake, and in doing so render an interpretation relative to both the foil itself and the overall narrative of the game 2. examine how the character foil present in MGS behaves in an interactive video game, and in doing so, we can make some meaningful inferences about how appropriate such a kind of literary device is for the interactive medium of games Addressing these questions using a popular game such as MGS as the focus of the study can potentially render insights into game design with respect to narrative and will contribute to an understanding of narrative design practices for interactive video games, especially those which are narrative-centric. Our observations in this regard indicate that while Character Foils can function in interactive video games, it is to the advantage of the designer to employ Character Foils either amongst NPCs only, or, as is the case with MGS, to use a foil with a Player Character which is sufficiently understood to be separate from the Player.

Transcript of Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Page 1: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in

Metal Gear Solid

Christopher Michael Yap

Youki Kadobayashi

Shigeru Kashihara

Suguru Yamaguchi

Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

Page 2: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Outline

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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1. What’s a Character Foil?

2. How do Foils work in Games?

3. Metal Gear Solid (1998; Playstation)

1. Theme: Fate vs. Free Will

2. Character Foils in MGS

3. Fate vs. Free Will via Foils

4. The FoxDie Conundrum

4. Interactivity and the Character Foil

5. Conclusion

Page 3: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Pair of characters who by their differences

highlight each others’ qualities

1. What’s a Character Foil?

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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Page 4: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Pair of characters who by their differences

highlight each others’ qualities

1. What’s a Character Foil?

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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Page 5: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Character Foils are not exclusive to literature

They can exist in any narrative medium which employs

characters

2. How do Foils work in games?

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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How do foils behave in interactive games?

Can a this literary device be used in games?

How well does this work?

Page 6: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Konami 1998 (Playstation)

3rd installment

Seminal Stealth Game

Commercially-successful

Continuing legacy Metal Gear Solid 5 (Q4 2014)

3. Metal Gear Solid: Background

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

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Page 7: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Protagonist “Solid Snake” must prevent rogue

soldier “Liquid Snake” from launching the ultimate

nuclear superweapon codenamed “Metal Gear”

3. Metal Gear Solid: Plot

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

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3.1 Fate vs. Free Will in MGS

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Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

Why do you do the things you do?

Because of my genes

Because I just want to

Page 9: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Each of the main characters in MGS is contrasted

with Solid Snake

Boss Fights

Meeting new supporting characters

Codec conversations

Many of the characters

seem to acknowledge

genetics as a major

factor in their actions

3.2 Character Foils in MGS

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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Page 10: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

“Sons of Big Boss” = Primary Character Foil

3.2 Character Foils in MGS

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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Solid Snake Liquid Snake

Big Boss Solid and Liquid are

genetically identical twins

Page 11: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

The MGS narrative emphasizes dichotomies

Liquid Solid

VS Nature Nurture

Fate Free Will

11 C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

3.3 Fate and Free Will via Foils

Liquid Snake & Solid Snake are manifestations of the debate

Page 12: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

FoxDie: Programmable Virus

FoxDie

will kill

Liquid

Snake.

Liquid

Snake and

Solid

Snake are

twins.

FoxDie

will kill

Solid

Snake.

12 C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

3.4 The FoxDie Conundrum

Page 13: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Ultimately, Solid Snake does NOT succumb

to FoxDie

DNA governs a person’s potential

strengths/destinies.

Game’s Conclusion: BOTH Fate and

Free Will have influence, but

13 C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

3.4 The FoxDie Conundrum

Ultimately, it’s a mystery…

Page 14: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

If a Foil is meant to highlight the characteristics of two

characters, then

As a narrative, MGS was able to do this

Player Character (Solid Snake) was established as a

sufficiently unique character, meant and understood to be

separate from the actual Player

4. Interactivity and the Character Foil

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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CHARACTER CHARACTER

Page 15: Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: A Critical Analysis of Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

However, in an interactive game, it can be

fundamentally problematic to have true character foil

between the Player Character and another non-player

character.

4. Interactivity and the Character Foil

C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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PLAYER CHARACTER

CHARACTER PLAYER

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Character Foils can be used effectively in

games to both highlight the qualities of the

characters and to address narrative themes if the

foil is

Between two characters who are understood to be

distinct from the Player, or

The foil is between two Non-Player Characters

Next Step:

Analyze other significant Character Foils in other

games for both effectiveness as a narrative device

and to corroborate what we observed with MGS

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Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

5. Conclusion

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17 C. Yap

Genetic Predestiny vs. Digital Free Will: Character Foils in Metal Gear Solid

Replaying Japan 2014, Aug. 21st, 2014.

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