The Craft Behind Croft

Susan Arendt

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Jan 9, 2007
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The Craft Behind Croft

We discuss videogame writing, female characters, and tea with the woman crafting the new Lara Croft, Rhianna Pratchett.

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Metalrocks

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interesting interview. im sure people in the TR forum would like to read it as well.
 

Seventh Actuality

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I can completely understand why people were initially upset, but it really is important for players to see, and judge, that scene in context. Only then is it more obvious that the scene isn't about the guy's fumblings, but Lara's reaction (which wasn't fully shown in the trailer.) If we felt that sexual assault was important for Lara's journey, then it would have been used much more strongly. But we didn't, so it isn't. What you see in that scene is very honest and appropriate for those characters in that moment. It's not prolonged. It's not done for titillation. It's uncomfortable, yes. Because it should be!

Character is not built in a few fleeting moments, but by a series of challenges, actions and reactions. Lara has already faced quite a bit of adversity before that scene and will go on to face many more. There is no magic switch to bad-assery.
Jesus, why wasn't this person the one making statements a few months ago instead Ron goddamned Rosenburg? It would have been a lot better for my blood pressure.
 

Metalrocks

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Seventh Actuality said:
Jesus, why wasn't this person the one making statements a few months ago instead Ron goddamned Rosenburg? It would have been a lot better for my blood pressure.
lol. good question. her answer to it sounds far better then the answers they gave back then. she could have calmed down the whole problem with her statement.
but well, things calmed down pretty well and no one it bitching about it. so lets forget about it and just wait for the game to come out next year.
 

Quijiboh

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I didn't realise it was Rhianna writing for Lara. Now I'm even more stoked than I was before! Faith was a great female character, primarily because it didn't matter that she was female, she was a person. High hopes the same can be done for Lara.
 

rbstewart7263

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Metalrocks said:
Seventh Actuality said:
Jesus, why wasn't this person the one making statements a few months ago instead Ron goddamned Rosenburg? It would have been a lot better for my blood pressure.
lol. good question. her answer to it sounds far better then the answers they gave back then. she could have calmed down the whole problem with her statement.
but well, things calmed down pretty well and no one it bitching about it. so lets forget about it and just wait for the game to come out next year.
Plus the simple fact that she is a woman would have made all those arguements that lara is some patriarchial fantasy damn near moot.

Also her understanding of "that scene" is spot on. I gotta say this to all of you that I argued with in defense of this game a few months back.



And it feels damn fine let me tell you.
 

Aiddon_v1legacy

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too bad Rhianna has a bad track record with games; Heavenly Sword dropped the ball and Faith in Mirror's Edge was a hunk of cardboard
 

Studsmack

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I'm genuinely excited for this Tomb Raider reboot. The last one I had enjoyed was the second game on the original PlayStation, everything else felt like a chore to play and got progressively derivative.

The focus on narrative is what is interesting me the most, as well as the sort of coming-of-age origin story of Lara Croft.
 

Susan Arendt

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DVS BSTrD said:
Susan Arendt said:
The Tomb Raider trailer created a great deal of controversy because people felt that it implied that Lara would have to go through a sexual trauma in order to become the heroine we know today - that unless she was assaulted, she'd never find the inner strength she needed to overcome obstacles. How did you feel as that storm grew? Did it ever make you consider changing the way Lara is presented in the game?
Just because YOU wanted that to be the reason everyone was upset with that scene doesn't mean it actually was Susan. It was the fact that she repeatedly brutalized and helpless through-out that damn trailer and they just happend to cap it off with her getting sexually assaulted.

What pissed me off FAR more about that scene in particular was the spineless way they backtracked on it, We all know what he was planning to do to her. Saying "rape isn't in our vocabulary" just takes away any significance or weight it would have had. If you're going to put your character in that position and use it as fucking SELLING point for your game, than at least have the threat be real!
Kindly don't make assumptions about what I do and do not think [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/op-ed/9747-Get-Back-Up]. I should, however, have said "because some people felt," because not everyone's issue with that particular trailer was the same.
 

rbstewart7263

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DVS BSTrD said:
Susan Arendt said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Susan Arendt said:
The Tomb Raider trailer created a great deal of controversy because people felt that it implied that Lara would have to go through a sexual trauma in order to become the heroine we know today - that unless she was assaulted, she'd never find the inner strength she needed to overcome obstacles. How did you feel as that storm grew? Did it ever make you consider changing the way Lara is presented in the game?
Just because YOU wanted that to be the reason everyone was upset with that scene doesn't mean it actually was Susan. It was the fact that she repeatedly brutalized and helpless through-out that damn trailer and they just happend to cap it off with her getting sexually assaulted.

What pissed me off FAR more about that scene in particular was the spineless way they backtracked on it, We all know what he was planning to do to her. Saying "rape isn't in our vocabulary" just takes away any significance or weight it would have had. If you're going to put your character in that position and use it as fucking SELLING point for your game, than at least have the threat be real!
Kindly don't make assumptions about what I do and do not think [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/op-ed/9747-Get-Back-Up]. I should, however, have said "because some people felt," because not everyone's issue with that particular trailer was the same.
Thank you. I was particularly offended because the concept of the assault being necessary for her to find inner strength was one of the few aspects of the trailer I didn't have a problem with. In fact, it's proven quite true with real women.
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/womenenc/oakley.jpg
is that anne oakley?
 

rbstewart7263

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DVS BSTrD said:
rbstewart7263 said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Susan Arendt said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Susan Arendt said:
The Tomb Raider trailer created a great deal of controversy because people felt that it implied that Lara would have to go through a sexual trauma in order to become the heroine we know today - that unless she was assaulted, she'd never find the inner strength she needed to overcome obstacles. How did you feel as that storm grew? Did it ever make you consider changing the way Lara is presented in the game?
Just because YOU wanted that to be the reason everyone was upset with that scene doesn't mean it actually was Susan. It was the fact that she repeatedly brutalized and helpless through-out that damn trailer and they just happend to cap it off with her getting sexually assaulted.

What pissed me off FAR more about that scene in particular was the spineless way they backtracked on it, We all know what he was planning to do to her. Saying "rape isn't in our vocabulary" just takes away any significance or weight it would have had. If you're going to put your character in that position and use it as fucking SELLING point for your game, than at least have the threat be real!
Kindly don't make assumptions about what I do and do not think [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/op-ed/9747-Get-Back-Up]. I should, however, have said "because some people felt," because not everyone's issue with that particular trailer was the same.
Thank you. I was particularly offended because the concept of the assault being necessary for her to find inner strength was one of the few aspects of the trailer I didn't have a problem with. In fact, it's proven quite true with real women.
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/womenenc/oakley.jpg
is that anne oakley?
Yeah she didn't exactly have the easiest childhood.
very cool

I think its interesting actually that people so hate this said "trope" if its in fact a trope ive yet to find a movie that exemplifies this idea and I think its a strawman. particulary because you have two controversials here. Woman and rape. were it. woman and drug problem makes you strong or even better. man and drug problem. we wouldnt be having this discussion now would we.

Shit happening to you is often the cause of either growth or decline depending on you as the person and how you deal with things. sometimes rape is one of those things that will make or break you and hollywood shouldnt have to limit its stories because some people are offended whether there doing it "right" or not.
 

didiusm

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Great interview!

When I started reading I was worried by the credits referenced, since all were thrubbed by various reviewers. That said, I loved Overlord and haven't played the others (I'm a PC nerd). Reading the interview, I could see the thoughtfulness and independence of spirit that made me love Overlord.

I also noted that it doesn't read like a PR script, but like a developer trying to explain their vision while under tight deadlines and a persistent cloud of controversy.

Again, well done!
 

rbstewart7263

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The Tall Nerd said:
rbstewart7263 said:
hmm, let me start my point with this, while i kinda of agree with you , rape is complicated, you see. because there is a "wrong way" to do rape and it would be far more counter productive than productive, you know that kinda of rape that really isn't rape but just sexual fetishizing of the victim kinda thing, that just displays the creepiness of who ever is in charge of the project. you don't want that, it in a sense is the same as other "tropes" like [all random black people in a film have to be ghetto to some degree] "trope" that isnt exactly how you want things to be portrayed and in the end its probably doing a negative.

next again while i do not want creatives create minds to be styfled to much ( but they are always stopped), rape is weird. its what i would define a human issue, because i can argue for days how i can justify killing a person, but rape its a horrible unnecessary thing that happens for no justifiable reason, i think the reason people shy away from that stuff in their entertainment is because they don't understand it, and they never will. sure they can get the scientific explanation on why someones does it, and what it does to the victim. but its still a gap between them and those involved in a rape, so its just a horrifying experience they cant on many levels connect to. race stuff in our entertainment is still tipped toes around despite you may think, especially in this video game business.

so i think it is a matter of it being done right, and who is going to actually engage in the entertainment.
In a perfect world it will always be done right but since "right" is an objective thing and this is not a perfect world well have times where people are split on a particular part or scene of a movie/game. better to just let it out there and let us all judge for ourselves a movies failures/ merits in my opinion.

But if I had my way everything would be appropriate within context to what is going on. That said im a lover of offensive humor so what offends me doesnt offend others. In general though if a rape scene makes me feel icky and uncomfortable than it was probably done "right".