Marvel at Machinima Part I_b

Machinima based on player performance, also called “historical archives,” a term coined by Henry Lowood, (2008, p. 418) might be incomprehensible for someone who has never played a video game. Nevertheless, they give an account of tactical approaches to tasks and quests within the game and thus might also be considered a valuable introduction to the game content for those who do not have explicit knowledge of the game. Machinima that focus on the extension of existing texts provided by the game developer, on the other hand, are not only appealing to a broader public, but might also be praised for their aesthetic value. Those 3D animations often require a script, avatars that are used as actors, voice-over narration and even editing that compares to the production of “real films.” The filmic possibilities vary between games and supporting tools. While “some games and demo programs like SimLife, The Movies, Unreal Tournament and now Machinimator allow for the construction of nearly any environment and avatar imaginable,” (Horwatt, 2008, p. 9) others force the creator to stay within the parameter of the video game. In many cases, however, players and creators often have the ability to access the code of the game in order to re-program game context and expand the possibilities offered by the game developers. Creators engaging in “modding,” a term coined to describe the modifying of hard or software in order to perform a function beyond the intention of the game designer, might cross the boundaries of legality.

Machinima that stay within the legal restrictions of the game content are embraced by the game developer, since they can be used as a marketing tool. Henry Lowood points to “Edge of Remorse,” a machinima created within World of Warcraft that adheres to the rules of Blizzard Entertainment, the creator of this online role-playing game. Even though the movie does not provide sub-titles, voice-overs or spoken dialogue, the cinematic devices of story-telling used, such as montage, flashbacks, and sound effects, make the story easily comprehensible. “Edge of Remorse” tells the story of two brothers who are in love with the same childhood friend. The love destroys the inseparable trio and brings death to all three. The eight minute film consists of about 120 cuts and fades and won the 2006 Machinima Festival Award (Kotaku, 2006). The message of the story can be easily grasped by any viewer, independent of familiarity with the specifics of the game.