This article focuses on 1950s American iconography and the players participation in <i>Fallout 3</i>s central storyline to explore the satire of <i>Fallout 3</i>. My approach goes beyond Marcus Schulzkes argument that <i>Fallout 3</i> is a morality simulator, which falls into a tradition of non-narrative approaches to studying videogames. Rather than concede that all videogames are a pariah to a traditional media narrative ecology, consisting of novels, movies, and theatre, I claim that <i>Fallout 3</i> is both simulation and narrative. Under this framework, I investigate a critique on war, in relation to the games ridicule of the idea of a 1950s American golden age. The central story episode, Tranquility Lane, where the player is trapped in a simulation of a 1950s suburbia is the primary focus, and its Rockwellian imagery is explored in relation to the <i>Fallout</i> universes post-apocalyptic setting to provide a commentary that works in opposition to the radio propaganda of the artificial intelligence John Henry Eden. In relation to this analysis, I consider Jean Baudrillards notion of simulacra, Mary Caputis analysis of neo-conservatism in America, and the idea of free will for the inhabitants of Tranquility Lane and the player. I show that the narrative requirements constrain the players free will in the simulated open world environment and that the player is essentially in the same position as the inhabitants of Tranquility Lane. As such, I argue that behind the simulation of the <i>Fallout</i> universe is a critique of war in our universe.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:SSU.etd-09202010-095750 |
| Date | 05 October 2010 |
| Creators | Stevenson, Joel |
| Contributors | Muri, Allison |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-09202010-095750/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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