Interesting article, and one that brings up quite a few valid points, but I think the discussion about first person shooters is simply too far fetched.
I do agree in general with what you say, but this point.. I just don't buy it.
I disagree. The game's box might say "you are Master Chief", but that's no surprise. The game is talking to you, the player. I respond by saying "yes, I am Master Chief." When I move the analog stick left and the camera pans to the left, I am not being told by the game "you see an enemy approach to your left"; I think "I see an enemy approach." And I think everyone would agree with that. Don't you?Robert Buerkle said:Let's think about that last example for a moment. "First-person shooter?" Yeah, it's the most prominent genre of the medium and the label will last forever, but truth be told, it's a misnomer. Half-Life doesn't say "I'm Gordon Freeman" and Halo doesn't say "I'm the Master Chief." Instead, they say "You're Gordon Freeman" and "You're the Master Chief."
I do agree in general with what you say, but this point.. I just don't buy it.