Sense-Making Game 2: Rebuttal Story Complete

by Danel 

I really disagree with some of the points raised in the last editorial by Aaron Gover. Firstly, I am British. This means that we can only get games through the grey market or at the whim of the publishers, and they are certainly temperamental. few Few RPGs ever get converted to PAL, and when they do it is often a long time later. Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and Legend of Mana will probably never be released over here. My point? By the time the grey market opens, and we can get these games, some 'spoiler deadline' which you suggest will probably have expired. I don't particularly want to go a forum to discuss an early plot going on and have the entire storyline laid out before me.

Mr Gover does have a point when he talks about the power ultimately being in the hands of the user, but saying that those who haven't completed Xenogears yet may never arrogantly ignores those of us who haven't yet got to play the game. Spoiler warnings may be something you dislike, but surely they don't curb your enjoyment of a game? If I see spoiler warnings, I can avoid. The real problem is in editorials discussing themes in games which suddenly tosses in a spoiler. I don't want to avoid every discussion about the entire Final Fantasy series until I manage to claim a copy of FF9. If I get a warning at the beginning, I can avoid an article with FF9 spoilers, and read those discussing the earlier games.

Certainly, I can try to stop myself reading them, but with no warning it would be hard. And really, does any of this actually make much difference to you, Mr Gover? I'll just disagree with your suggestions a little;

"Finishing the game, and doing it quickly. If you haven't finished Xenogears or Phantasy Star IV by now, I think its pretty evident that you never will. "

I've already covered this. We don't get games easily in Britain.

"Not reading about the game before you finish it -- don't look at screenshots, don't read the soundtrack's track list, don't look at character art, and don't read interviews with the creator, ad ininitum. Doing these things is just asking to have a game spoiled for you. "

This is a good point. I don't do these things, probably because we don't get soundtracks over here either... However, telling those who don't wish to be spoiled to avoid interviews with the creator is linked with my other point about multiple discussions. I don't know in advance if such an interview will feature spoilers for games I already played, or those I haven't. A warning can solve such problems.

"Stay out of game related forums for the same reason. If you feel you absolutely can't stay out of the forums, avoid discussions where the particular game you care about is being discussed. Don't ask for the discussion to be ended, leave! "

I go to a forum to discuss some minor points of FF8's ending, and suddenly someone blurts out the details of FF9's plot twists. I read them before I realise what they are, thinking them to be an answer to a question I made earlier. Of course, it's all my own fault for actually daring to go to any sort of game-related forum without having played every game I've ever wanted to...

"In the end, it is not an issue of politeness or courtesy, it is an issue of personal responsibility. We are not slaves to the mouseclick, we can chose what we will and will not read pertaining to games, and I suggest we all begin doing so just a little more carefully"

I can't choose what I read pertaining to games. If somebody suddenly changes the subject, or I'm reading about FF8 when they refer to FF9, the game is spoiled for me. I read stuff, and then I know if it is a spoiler. I can't note spoilers before I read them unless they're marked clearly. I don't think many other people can, but I could be wrong.

At the end of the day, it is about courtesy. Arrogantly suggesting that we should be responsible for everything we read means those of us who are unable to get games have to avoid all forums. A simple warning does no harm and much good. There may be a newbie who wishes to discuss FF7, which they recently completed just before they managed to buy an old SNES with FF6. Suddenly, someone decides to compare Cloud with Locke, in the process revealing most of the game's story. Don't assume everybody knows what you do. A simple warning hurts no one.