lol it's so obvious Layla is into Sean imo. Nearly every stream and LP I've watched has pointed it out, too. The hot dad text was really transparent. It's not a random teen joke. Sean and his dad look very similar. She's calling an older version of Sean hot as a way of dropping hints about her feelings under the guise of a joke. Little comments like "you're super cute" during the skype call and Lalyla going out of her way to hold Sean's hands and write a note on him make it obvious.
Also, the political commentary is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. You literally get knocked out and handcuffed by a racist, trump supporting, store owner who tells Sean "you're the reason we need to build a wall." He does this regardless of whether or not you stole from his store. Then you're saved by a travelling leftist blogger, who is basically a saint, and tells you "everything is political."
I'd agree if there's actually some nuance and purpose/reflection to the specific things being said and portrayed. Sure, there's context to it in the characters, but even so, it feels like it's there just to be there. There's little payoff to the things being said besides "oh yeah, this person sucks and they're being tortured." Feels even worse when it's coming from a player character who the player is actively trying to "help." (whatever help may mean in this game.)
I'd say that his misogyny constantly backfiring is a form of purpose/reflection. The perversion of the archetypal fantasy setting is as well. Two of the three female characters in the simulation explicitly call him on his shit. By "specific things being said" do you mean you want a character or some narration rebuking individual misogynistic lines of dialogue? I really don't feel that's necessary. As far as nuance, the acting and presentation aren't doing the game any favors. It might be the case that there's no squeezing blood from that stone. I couldn't say for certain, though, I'd have to see the story through to the end. I will say at the very least there's already more there than the stream gave the game credit for. Which is to say at least some.
Ultimately disagreements over the quality of execution are all well and fine, but essentially besides the point. Simply acknowledging the context is enough to say that Ted's scenario isn't Harlan Ellison presenting his view of a decent man and the average woman. Which was the argument I was making.
Or at the very least you'd have to jump over a country mile of what the game is obviously presenting you to reach that conclusion.
Have not watched the feature yet and not familiar with Ellison, but would agree with you that we shouldn't project what a writer's characters have to say about women onto the writer themselves.
Particularly in regards to the specific plot of the game. All the characters are meant to be deeply flawed. One of them is a literal Nazi doctor. Ted is a con man who used his smug charm to trick women out of money. This isn't the author presenting his view on a stable, well adjusted guy with healthy attitudes toward women.
So it's like "why are all the women -- in this personal hellscape meant to prod a misogynist's neurosis -- acting so strange?" Well there's about 1000 reasons relating to the fiction you could think of before arriving at "this must be what the author thinks your average woman is like."
Let alone the fact that he's constantly being tricked or punished along the lines of his character flaws. Every time Ted buys into a sexist preconception that the simulation presents him it backfires and he gets fucked over for it.
@quipido: It wasn't random. The context was deriding games of that era and it was one among many comments made stating this game's writing is indicative of the overall quality of 90s / classic adventure game writing, and it's not.
There's like four other quotes pertaining to this in the video. Including one right at the end.
I don't understand why it's assumed the writer has a problem with women off the basis of Ted's scenario.
AM specially tailored simulation hellscapes for these specific people. Ted is a smug user/misogynist type. It seems clear to me that the attitudes of the women in Ted's scenario are meant to be a reflection and commentary of Ted's misogynistic views. It's not to do with the authors opinion of women.
It only makes sense. Ted chose the castle. Ted's world is this twisted perversion of an archetypal fairy-tale where he views himself as the hero. "Isn't that what you want to be, her knight?" But his preconceived notions and sexist behavior keep backfiring. The world is showing him he's not the hero he believed he was.
There's a strong element of Ted's continual comeuppance for being a sexist turd but the conclusion is somehow that it reflects poorly on Harlan Ellison's view of women?
How about we don't use this obviously middling example of an adventure game to collectively dismiss all the genre classics? Like any other period of gaming some games were great, most were not.
This game's mediocrity doesn't make Day Of The Tentacle, Sam & Max or Beneath A Steal Sky any less exceptional.
Awesome podcast. It's inspired me to watch DBZ Kai. After about 10 episodes I went back and watched DBZ proper as well.
I'm not trying to be a snob but OG DBZ is just way better. It really fleshes out the characters much more which makes the fights more tense. There's all sorts of great moments that were missing. Piccolo split himself in two while training, it was awesome.
After watching both Kai feels totally inferior by comparison.
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