Maria Caliban

I like anime but not manga.

The 'fourth wall' is a theatre term. It's the imaginary barrier between the actors and the audience. Imagine if you were watching Hamlet and suddenly the actor playing Hamlet looked you right in the eye and said, "What a nice shirt you're wearing." He would be breaking the forth wall. This is usually a very bad thing to do because entertainment requires the willing suspension of disbelief. When you break the fourth wall you're tapping the audience on the shoulder and reminding them that nothing is really happening. The hero isn't really in danger, the beautiful princess isn't really in love with him, and the evil villain hasn't done anything wrong. This can be jarring to the audience and decrease or remove the sympathetic bond between the audience and the protagonist. There are instances were breaking the forth wall is valid, typically because the audience isn't treated as the audience but a part of the character's world/consciousness or when done through an emissary. A good example of the first is in Moll Flanders; Moll, the protagonist, steals the locket of a young girl who's wandering the streets, lost and alone. She then rushes away while the camera is pointed at her face and suddenly looks up and begins to address the audience, first making excuses for her actions and then demanding to know who we think we are to judge her, the scene ends with her shoving the camera to the ground and running off. This works because the story is essentially a confession. It begins with filthy Moll Flanders in jail, awaiting her execution, and telling the story of her life to a bunch of gawkiers. A good example of the second is in Enchanted Ella, a narrator speaks to the audience at the beginning of the film to introduce the story and the point out the 'moral' that will be addressed.

I'd be unhappy if they broke the fourth wall that way.

EnderWiggins: "Art is a subjective word." Yet the best art is universal in its appeal. " If the game designers hope to achieve an effect on the player, and they successfully pulled said effect off, then I'd argue the game classifies as art. Now, maybe only a few people "got it" and liked it, but it's art none the less." I think the problem with the word 'art' is that it's become impossibly broad. I've seen it defined as anything not being directly related to survival or reproduction. As the polish we place on practical, everyday activities. The problem with your definition, as I see it, is that it means that art must communicate with the audience. I don't see that as being necessarily true. Take the discussion we had of Emily Dickinson not too long ago, if her poetry had remained locked in a cabinet for all eternity, would it not have been art? What about works of creativity that no one gets? Or the mass media 'artistry' of the Tom Green show? At my heart, I am a cultural and aesthetic snob and I don't want lowest-common--denominator/mass-produced/unoriginal/made-for-video works to be called art. I'd rather have a definition of art based around beauty, significance, or creativity, even if that just leads to more subjectivity on what is beautiful, significant, or creative. I would also like it to suggest superior ability. I want there to be a difference between an artist, an artisan, and an imitator. I've never actually finished a Baldur's Gate game, though I have them all. However, it's difficult to discount their impact on the world of cRPGs. I think the quote is, "You'll know a classic when you're swarmed with bad imitations afterwards."

I can think of one Ender.. I didn't come out on PC.

~shrugs~ I'll do what I always do. Keep my computer the way it is until I hit a game I can't play and then I'll upgrade per the recommendations. It odd though, I had smooth performance and fast loading times even though my system isn't as good as that other fellows.

Let me see... I have a Pentium 4 with 1.50 GHz 256MB of RAM ATI Radeon 9000 series What's that?

I haven't a clue as to how long the original KotOR was for me but it felt about right, time wise. I appreciate the desire for epic style RPGs that take months to finish and feature the ultimate battle of good and evil but I think their time has passed for now. The trend towards shorter game lengths with, sometimes, more modest struggles is one I wholeheartedly encourage.

Planescape: Torment was 'art'? Only if your aesthetics are malnourished via a diet of superhero comic and reality TV. Eh

Electrostatic discharge? Perhaps a lightsaber blade has a strong ionic charge.

Servant of Eru: "I still like you." The feeling is mutual. Weiser Cain: "Hmmm, would you still like her if she didn't look like that brom painting?" Or, if I looked like this brom painting? Drakon: "Its clear the sexual tension with Maria and Revan they are trying to hide with this flame war." You've uncovered the heart of this matter. Much like the bond between Alexia and yourself, the torrid passion between us cannot be denied.

I don't think it would be that difficult. In Morrowind, they had a variable that was set to 'true' if you weren't wearing any clothing. People you passed would make comments. They also had variables for being a werewolf, vampire, or ill with the plague.

Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I'm not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool; you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

OSW, Find out...

I'm as dry as a gin martini with Noilly Prat vermouth. Yourself?

I don't consider child molestation to be a humorous or amusing subject, nor does it speak highly of you that you find it to be so. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop.

Yes, Nameless One, that's correct. It was vowels. A fish, Servant?

Raven: "we all have dictionaries, now don't we?" No, not really. Either way, it's difficult to look up a word if you didn't know how to spell it. " why the hell did you ask that question in the first place?" Obviously, because I was curious.

Raven, No, I found a spelling mistake. A typo isn't something you make on a regular basis. Moreover, if you bothered to read my responses you'd know I was a one of these. As you don't feel the need to respond to my posts I'll politely withdraw the question. I am sorry for inquiring into what is obviously personal information.

'Sense.' The word is 'sense.' I take it you're not going to answer the question?

Raven, How old are you?

Nope, not in Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas the house always hits under 17 and stays above 17.

What was I thinking? It's obvious you're a mature individual who can handle the responsibilites of being a father. Silly me. Old Skool Wheelman, Please put me down as another person who talks to characters in their head. Though I don't remember ever having a conversation about blowing up hallways.

I've had better conversations with two year olds: Human: Remember me? ALICE: Don't worry IS not to like about it I won't forget you. Human: You'll never forget me? ALICE: You are wrong. I may one day be able to do it. Human: Do you want to forget me? ALICE: OK, I will forget you. Human: It's up to you. ALICE: You're kidding. it is? Human: Would I lie to you? ALICE: That's what I asked you. Human: I don't remember that. ALICE: I know what you mean. I forget a lot too. ~edit~ Akari, if you remember the website for the better AI, could you post a link? Oddly enough, I found an updated version of ALICE. http://aimovie.warnerbros.com/html/flash.html