Layer Cake - Possibly the best film / game ever...
By JRay 3 Comments
Forget your Harry Potters, Lord of the Rings, Lock Stock et al. For me, Layer Cake was one of the most intensive shock therapies, encompasing me into the world of the illegal narcotics industry. Throughout the story, the logic of the main protagonist, (a nameless charcter in the form of a younger Daniel Craig,) baffels me in terms of realism and motive of his actions.
The film lets you fill in the blanks, like all good medians of author to audience works do. It creates that bone chilling ludicity that could only come from something you feel as a viewer, you are in on. Much akin to some of the best highlights from my gaming experiences.
So my logic tells me, a game based loosely on the concepts and plot features of Layer Cake would be one of the best in its genre. Think of a Mass Effect style of dialogue options, quest descisions, exploration, and combat, (one could wish haha.) The possibilities would be endless, and the result... Spectacular..
And heres why:
- First and foremost, it is simply the interal workings of the film and themes that demand the viewers attention... The characters are geniune and believable to the point inwhich you understand how they fill thier specific roles within the film and why. The gamer could then understand thier motive through sheer comprehesion of the situation. Think of the point in the movie where the situation between our main protagonist and Jimmy reaches its peak, why was this? If you paid attention, I'm sure you would know.
- A Hierarchy.. The feeling of interiority creates a scale that could make the gamer feel engrossed within much larger network of charcters and story features. If you feel you are a part of something much larger than yourself, you can begin to feel a bellonging, accepting the roles you are given at face value. (Much like being part of a team in World of Warcraft, accepting the role of a healer.)
- Middle Ground.. None of you reading this will have any knowledge of drugs, and how any system involved would that lifestyle would work. (I Should hope!!) But the reality is I'm tired of going into space to fight the 'new threat' that is looming on Sector 6. After-all, what made Grand Theft Auto so hugely popular was it's mundane realism, the idea that it was as close to real life to make it accessible to the average gamer, giving him the power and putting him in situations he never would find himself in. The middle ground in this concept is the idea of a normal 21st century business man, who happens to deal in drugs. Put asside motive and reason, when we put a gamer in that situation, they feel the compatibility and power from the link made with their ingame 'avatar' to make descisions with mundane realism; the sort of descision making we would personally make in real life. And, just like real-life, there should always be consequences to back up these actions.. if you choose this and you've got your 'balls to the wall', you'd better hope your descision allowed you to pull through, otherwise as a result you'll find yourself in this situation. If this was the case the ludicity goes off the chart, and the gamers immersion increased ten-fold.
This game will never happen. And I will tell you why... It would be training for drug dealers!! Some thirteen year old would find the urge too hard to resist, an incident occurs and we have another Manhunt situation. Lets face it, games are safe nowadays! We find the formula, and we stick to it. But wouldnt it be nice, ey?
Buy the film, and watch it with a careful and analytical mind, beginning to get sucked in by its pure brillance.
Afterwards you may feel the same as me!
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the film and my brain mess that has splattered all over this page.
Post comments of any ideas you might have!!
(Please post comments and ideas guys this will be used as my A-Level English Piece, help a brother out!!)
3 Comments