An interview on Gamasutra today posed some interesting questions, including:

American McGee On Creative Outsourcing
GS: What do you think “American McGee Presents:” in front of a game title means in the minds of gamers?

AM: That depends on the gamer. I’ve seen positive and negative responses. For the “fans,” I think they have come to expect something a little different from the mainstream. That’s my hope anyway. For the detractors, I get the sense they feel I haven’t earned the name-above-the-title right.

Soon after the article posted I received this comment to my blog:

I used to believe you putting your name on your products was just a reflection of your pompous, narcissistic nature, but now I realize after playing your latest “butt mud” that it was a bit of a warning sign. American McGee on a title now has the same effect to me as the Surgeon General’s warning on a pack of cigarettes. “DANGER: AMERICAN MCGEE MADE THIS” Just wanted to say thank you again.

Blahahaha. Awesome. This guy gets it!

When looked at from this perspective you’d think the haters would have reason to rejoice at my name being in the title. They never have to worry about accidentally playing a demo or buying a game that I’ve been involved with.

I wonder if he’d mind my borrowing his idea. From now on games I’m involved with could be called something like:

“DANGER: AMERICAN MCGEE MADE THIS – Twisted Fairy Tale #6”
or
“DANGER: AMERICAN MCGEE MADE THIS – Other Person’s Idea #4”
or

Well… you get the idea. And the best part is that all these bored, irritated detractors could go off and lead safe, happy lives. Only if they become addicted to, or affected by second-hand usage of my games would they have reason for their anger and grief. Like a cigarette smoker who inhales despite the warnings, then sues someone when he gets cancer.

But then, what would they have to vent their unfocused rage upon? Maybe at that point they’d start using their time and energy to write letters about things that matter, like genocide victims in the Sudan, the false “war on terror”, or hell, something more “selfish” like their rights as American citizens being taken away in the name of “protecting freedom”.

Nah, what’s the point in that when you can slam on a silly, budget video game that you haven’t even bought a copy of!?

A great little animation highlighting the ridiculous nature of fear. Thanks to Jacob for the link:

It’s All Around You – Animated Short
An original animated short created specifically for the Final Destination 3: Thrill Ride Edition DVD.

This sort of thinking is what Bad Day LA is based on. The idea that people worry about the big, highly unlikely forms of death more than they should. They allow the fear of terrorist threats, bio-chemical attacks, bird flu, and other media-spread “dangers” to control their lives. People trade their freedoms in exchange for “safety” from what are basically non-threats.

On a recent trip to China one of my expat friends commented to me on the fact that the Chinese government and media work in the exact opposite fashion. If there’s a chemical plant explosion, a plane crash, or a hi-jacked school bus, the media will down-play or even hide the event. The Chinese government forcefully discourages the dissemination of information that would cause panic or “civil unrest” among its population of 1.5 billion.

I guess because the Chinese government already has absolute control they no longer feel the need to rule by fear. Their primary goal now is to maintain stability and peace. For the US, I suppose that’s good news: As soon as the US government is as controlling as the Chinese government, they too will stop using fear as a tool on their own people.