“Way of the Samurai 3” at GDC 2013

3 05 2013

This post is in English, para Português, clique aqui.

Every year the city of San Francisco is host to one of the world’s largest game development events: the Game Developers Conference, better know simply as “the GDC”.

This year, during the GDC 2013, an article I wrote analyzing of the narrative structure in the Japanese game “Way of the Samurai 3” was selected as one of the winners of the “GDC’s Game Narrative Review Competition“. Once evaluated, approved, and selected, the authors of the most promising entries are invited to create a poster as a visual synopsis of their review and present at the Narrative Summit.

Not only did I have a lot of fun talking to people who came to ask me about the game’s narrative, but it was especially an honor to be informed by Richard Dansky, one of the members of the Narrative Summit Advisory Board, that I was the competition’s first international winner. In other words, before my entry, only Americans had been selected to present their reviews at the GDC.

  • For a brief video explanation of the game’s narrative structure, watch this:
  • For a brief visual explanation of the game’s narrative structure, click the poster below:

wots3-gdc-poster





Breaking the Haze

21 11 2012

 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

An endless haze of uncertainty.

 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

As the rain pours, you try to piece together a confusing mist of intertwined past, present, and future.

 

Tick. Tock.

Unable to be controlled, unable to be foretold.

Time advances and, as a result of your actions, so do they.

It’s run or get caught. Unless change is stimulated, they will come for you.

And when that happens, not even destiny will be able to save you.

At this point, destiny is irrelevant.

 

Tick.

So what’ll be?

What’s done is done.

But what can be done now… is up to you.

 

Tock.

They’re here. Stop wasting time.

You’re already soaked.

Take action.

Go!





The Battle For Brazil’s Game Future – Feature Article by Arthur Protasio at Gamasutra

18 10 2011

On the 13th of october, the well-know and respected website, Gamasutra, published an article I wrote about the Brazilian games industry. As coordinator of the R&D project, CTS Game Studies, and IGDA Rio de Janeiro chapter leader, I put together a piece that analyses the connection between games, the market, and freedom of speech in Brazil.

Although progress is evident that games are growing as a medium, the article goes into detail regarding the impact of judicial decisions, anti-game legislative bills, and the government-run age rating system. Aspects debated include the current perception of games in the country and specific cultural and economic challenges that keep games from being recognized as a vital medium in the developing economy.

The discussion is intrinsically related to the importance of  games legally classifying as art, as well as the influence of narrative, and how all of this affects sales and the development of the the Brazilian games market.

The publishing of this article is very important due to the international exposure of the Brazilian scenario and future developments can only arise through the dissemination of information.

You can read my article here: The Battle For Brazil’s Game Future or download the pdf file.





Narrative Reincarnation at Well Played 3.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning

17 08 2011

The Well Played publication (from ETC-Press at the Carnegie Mellon University) has always been a source of inspiration and admiration to me. In fact, I used it as reference for my law school final essay on Games and Free Speech.

The idea of uniting a diverse range of authors – all the way from developers to journalists and researchers – to promote in-depth readings of games is simply ingenious. It is what effectively illustrates that games are a medium of expression, after all each and everyone of the articles reveal different views about numerous aspects that games touch upon.

In its 3.0 volume, Well Played included my article “Narrative Reincarnation in the Way of the Samurai 3”, which discusses the important role that narrative plays in the game by allowing the player to tread through many different short story paths. It is an honor to be featured, along with other authors, in this publication.

You can read my article here: Narrative Reincarnation in The Way of the Samurai 3

Or check out (and buy) any of the Well Played books here: Well Played 1.0 Well Played 2.0Well Played 3.0





Entrevista: Ken Levine – Diretor Criativo de Bioshock

14 07 2011

Dessa vez, eu colaborarei com as Girls of War, especificamente a Rebeca Gliosci, em uma entrevista sobre Bioshock (incluindo o Bioshock Infinite) com o diretor criativo do jogo, Ken Levine, da desenvolvedora Irrational Games.

Foi um papo muito interessante que seguiu desde tópicos como a identidade da série Bioshock, a importância de se ter banheiros em um mundo de jogo e a conexão com filmes como Alien e O Iluminado. Eu e a Rebeca também tivemos a oportunidade fazer perguntas relativas à narrativa da série, inclusive abordando a temática objetivista e as questões morais do jogo.

Agradecimentos especiais vão para Rebeca e o Ken Levine pela fantástica conversa. Abaixo você confere o vídeo da entrevista e em seguida uma transcrição/tradução realizada pela Rebeca (vulgo, Bebs). Se você ainda não jogou Bioshock, prepare-se: spoilers o esperam.

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Interview: Ken Levine – Irrational Games’ Creative Director

6 07 2011

This time, I collaborated with the Girls of War, specifically Rebeca Gliosci, on an interview about Bioshock (as well as Bioshock Infinite) with the game’s creative director, Ken Levine, from Irrational Games.

It was a really interesting chat that went all the way from topics such as the identity of the Bioshock series, to the importance of having bathrooms in the game world. Me and Rebeca also had the chance to ask questions regarding the series’ narrative, including objectivist and moral issues from the first game.

Special thanks go to Rebeca and Ken Levine for the opportunity. If you haven’t played the games yet, be warned: spoilers ahead.

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Interview: Emil Pagliarulo – Lead Designer and Writer for Fallout 3

30 05 2011

Few months ago, I collaborated with the Girls of War on an interview about Fallout 3 with the game’s lead designer and writer, Emil Pagliarulo. It was an incredible opportunity to finally ask what I had in mind regarding the game’s narrative and its revolving issues. I contributed with the four final questions (9,10, 11, and 12) and opted to focus on morality, character development, real life reflection, and modding; respectively.

Special thanks go to Vivi Werneck and Rebeca Gliosci for the opportunity. If you haven’t played the game yet, be warned: spoilers ahead. Read the rest of this entry »