Interview with Merle Ambrose (2)

Merle Ambrose, school headmaster, is often approached by players in need of new quests.
In the photograph his conversation with a player armed with currently idle weapons.
Photo from ©Agata Borgia

You asked for the interview yourself after my article entitled "Game for Children?".
Yes, yes, because it's very important.

Why is it important?
It's important to say what the game was supposed to be, not what it is now. You see, I didn't know about all of this.

I thought so, that you didn't know.
In my world, when I'm in the game, I see it as an easy game, all the quests bring lots of experience for players to level up quickly, and the creatures are funny in a scary way, they say funny things to players, and there is very little threat of defeats. They are all quite easy, the enemies.

You are in a game version made by game makers directly?
Yes.

So my game version is different from your game version?
Yes.

There have been many talks about hackers in the game and how they changed the game.
Yes, but it's... the hackers... apparently they are the publishers of this game. By law, games are unallowed to cause stress or fear.

Well, this game does do that. In my version.
Well, then this is definitely not for children, the version you play. Actually it sounds as if the game was aggressive itself.

Yes, it is. The characters, the enemies, don't say any funny stuff.
They don't say for example "I had a dinner ready, and now my husband will not like it"?

No, they don't say that.
That's what Bastilla says.

Bastilla, like almost all other creatures, shouts words at the player, and all such shouts are usually threats, usually saying that the player has no chances in a fight.
I'm pretty sure that most people have access to your game version.

Yes, I think so too.
Well, it is a crime to shout at a player in a game, and to make him stressed by gameplay. I am very concerned about the game publishers. They seem to be earning money on this game.

Yes, they show themselves as serious creators of this game. They organize interviews for fans of the game, and such. They often present themselves in the media.
Well, a publisher of such a game is a criminal, of such a game that threatens players. And definitely possibility of cheating for some players comes from the game publishers. I am very sorry about this.

Well, it is not your fault. Aggression has become a fashion these days. They think to be successful means to be aggressive, especially in business. We are flooded by aggression from all artworks and from all companies. It is fashionable, really, that's what it looks like.
So it is their style of doing things.

Yes.
They have such a style. It is not permitted to make games in such a style, that's all I wanted to say. Thank you.

Thank you.

This interview took place on 20 September 2019, soon past 12 o'clock at noon, over a radio.

Conducted by: Agata Borgia