Research- Focus on Mazes, Morality and Meta- Proposal
07:30 BA2a , Research 0 Comments

Having originally wanted to base my essay on the idea of meta-games, linking that to mazes and labyrinths, exploration and interaction of the game making use of paths outside itself, I have refocused this idea, by applying it to the games Undertale and Virtues Last Reward.

With a focus on morality and choices, the idea of the labyrinth and the meta qualities of both games interwoven with these themes. Citing the likes of Epsen Aarseth to explore these games as ergodic literature, I'll also be exploring Bertolt Brecht's idea of alienating an audience and Antonin Artaud's concept of the Theatre of Cruelty, doing the polar opposite. With a wide scope on morality and ethics, I'll also be exploring the John Nash's Prisoner's Dilemma, an integral theme and mechanic to Virtues Last Reward and exemplified at key moments within Undertale, as well as Adam Smith's concept of "The Invisible Hand" and the selfishness of Man- both games looking quite deeply at the morality of mankind and critiquing it. The emotional dilemmas this offers up to the player shall also be explored through narrative and player interaction with what Aarseth calls a "cybertext", and how this links to the integral part of Mazes- to gain strength and betterment- exemplified further by the Christian context of Labyrinths.

Within the context of Meta and Labyrinths and Morality, John Clowder's Middens fits all of these: a large visually obscure maze-like world to explore, where every character can be killed indefinetly and that in its finale, preaches that all living things are bored and want to die. Summarised with this line, directed completely beyond the 4th wall, directly at the player.