Mary Foos

Pacman​

Pacman is a fast paced game that requires much strategy. The point of the game is to maneuver through a maze and collect as much points as you can without running in to the ghosts.

Once you get all the dots in the maze you move up a level. You keep going and going until you lose three times, which will end the game.

The graphics, fast pace environment, and flashy lights of the game make the game more immersive and enjoyable for the player.

How Does Pacman Relate to Human Condition?

Pacman relates to human condition in a few different ways. The first way i related the two was hwo he eats the dots for energy. In a similar way, we also eat to fuel our bodies and keep us going.

Another way I relate pacman to humans is that once you lose, your life is over. Just like in life, theres not always a "do over" button, and you can't always have a second chance. This teaches us so to choose our "paths" (like which direction we should go through the maze) very carefully.

This can play a role in how we understand ourselves and society because we make decisions everyday, some of which have positive impacts, and some have negative. Such as in pacman, if you choose the right direction you will get more points, and if you chose the wrong direction too many times you wll lose.

Reflection:

​​If I were to try to explain cultural value and significance of games I would chose this game because it relates to our human life so well. It teaches us to choose our directions carefully, because they could have consequences. It also is a simple game that anybody can play and learn from. This game has been around for many generations and is considered a classic. If this game had absolutely no cultural significance this game would not have stayed around as long as it has.

Passage

Passage is a five minute long game that was made by John Rohrer. The point of the game is to move through the maze and get as much treasure as you possibly can.

You go through the game and make certain decisions such as choosing weather to get married, or have children. As you go through the game you get older and older and begin to go through your journey a little slower and slower. The game only requires the arrow buttons because all you have to do is go through a maze. Which direction you go is completely up to you though.

The different color and pixels of this game are made to make the characters look like real people walking through the maze, and also make the treasure look like  treasure box. The colors change as you go through, such as the color of your hair, and the environment around you.

​How Does Passage Relate to Human Condition? 

​Passage relates to human condition in so many ways. It is a game based off of what happens in our real lives. One way this game relates is that we have to make the decision to get married, or not to get married. The catch with this is, there are certain places you can and cannot go once you're married and no longer walking alone. This makes us think because either way we could lose or gain, just like in real life. If we chose to get married, you take the risk of getting divorced, but if you never get married at all, you take the risk of never starting a family.

Another way this game relates, is that we get older as we go along through life. As you go through the game you get older and start moving slower, and eventually will get grey hair, just as you do in real life. Also, if you choose to get married, you will eventually lose your spouse, just as some people do in real life. Although losing someone close to you is never easy, if you never get married you again take the risk of never knowing and starting a family.

This plays a crucial role in how we understand ourselves and society because this game is reality. You go through life and make decisions everyday. Sometimes you gain some (money/treasure) and sometimes you lose some. You make decisions that could ultimately change your life (getting married/having kids) which could either be a good or a bad thing. The difference between the game and real life however is that you can always play the game over and over again, ut you only get one life.

Reflection:

If I were to choose a game to show cultural value I would chose this game because it is so real. It is a great example of real life. in the game you make certain decisions that you have to make in real life as well and that's what makes the game seem so real. It shows that our actions can have serious consequences whether they are good or bad consequences.