一個對電子遊戲的小小建議
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一個對電子遊戲的小小建議(英語:A Modest Video Game Proposal)是由前律師兼社會活動家傑克·湯普森於2005年10月10日所寫的公開信。他將此信寄給各新聞媒體與娛樂軟件協會的主席Doug Lowenstein,提議:如果有人「在2006年創作、生產、發布並販賣一款電子遊戲」,允許玩家按照他的劇本殺死電子遊戲開發者,他就會為前Take-Two主席Paul Eibeler所指定的任意一家慈善機構捐贈一萬美元[1]。這封信的標題來源於作家喬納森·斯威夫特於十八世紀所寫的反諷短文《一個小小的建議》。
![](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/JackThompsonAttorney.jpg/220px-JackThompsonAttorney.jpg)
湯普森聲稱根本不會有人做出這樣的遊戲,認為開發者們害怕「培養出」會殺害他們的人。然而,湯普森並不知道,早在Running With Scissors的商業遊戲《喋血街頭2》中,玩家便能殺戮包括其CEO Vince Desi與演員加利·高文在內的公司雇員。更早之前,還有遊戲公司將可以毀壞的公司建築作為彩蛋加入遊戲(如MechWarrior 2某些關卡中的動視總部)。甚至,在《毀滅戰士II》的最終Boss戰中,玩家必須要殺死id Software的聯合創始人約翰·羅梅洛。
「小小的建議」
在信中,傑克·湯普森描述了這樣一部遊戲[1]:
遊戲主角名為Osaki Kim,是一位父親。他還在上高中的兒子被玩過用棒球棍殺人遊戲的十四歲玩家以與遊戲同樣的殺人手法殺害。遊戲便以法庭上這名玩家被判處無期徒刑時的場景為開場。 Osaki Kim發誓要復仇,拿起了武器,「甚至是棒球棍,尤其是棒球棍。」Kim來到了紐約,殺死了「Take This」[註 1]的CEO Paula Eibel和她的家人,在他們的腦幹上撒尿(像《喋血街頭2》中那樣),因為「Take This」製作了「培養殺害他兒子兇手的殺人模擬器」(英語:"murder simulator on which his son's killer trained")。其後,「伴着歌手傑克遜·布朗80年代的痛擊戀愛中的律師啪叮」(英語:"with singer Jackson Browne's 1980's hit Lawyers in Love blaring."),Kim殺光了為「Take This」辯護的「Blank, Stare」法律事務所中的律師,接着又毀滅了一家名為「GameWerks」高科技電子遊戲廳。最後,他在E³5月10日開幕式那天到達現場,以「最後的、野獸般愉快的狂暴」(英語:"one final, monstrously delicious rampage")消滅了遊戲業界所有的高管。途中,Kim會去百思買、Circuit City、塔吉特和沃爾瑪偷取補給品,毆打超市經理與員工,大喊「你們本應該檢查小孩子的身份證!」
《人格誹謗: 湯普森殺人模擬器(Defamation of Character: A Jack Thompson Murder Simulator)》
在公開信發表的整整一周之前,一組名叫Fighting Hellfish(取自辛普森一家的章節名)的遊戲模組製作團隊,發布了一款基於俠盜獵車手:聖安地列斯的遊戲模組《人格誹謗: 湯普森殺人模擬器》。此模組將主角設定為傑克·湯普森本人,劇情主題與公開信中的「建議」有着驚人的相似點,甚至還有暗殺Doug Lowenstein的劇情情節。
在該模組中,受到催眠的湯普森化身為封禁俠(英語:Banman),乘着他的封禁馬車(英語:Bannedwagon,諧音樂隊花車效應)來到各個街道,在惡霸魯尼發布之前銷毀了該遊戲所有的供貨[註 2]。在阻止了珍妮特·雷諾的政變後,湯普森刺殺了她。有了這樣的經歷,湯普森終於意識到,在將大量時間投入到研究遊戲暴力的過程中,他已經成為了被自己操縱的「人肉傀儡」。
雖然此模組的製作團隊從未要求讓湯普森捐款,湯普森在發現了此模組後便聲稱不會捐款。起初,湯普森表示這款遊戲並沒有達到他「建議」中的要求,但是隨後,他又聲稱他的「建議」僅僅是個諷刺,他並不會真的去捐這一萬美元。[來源請求]
湯普森聲稱遊戲必須在2006年發布,而且Paul Eibeler還沒有指定慈善機構,而且遊戲必須要由某家公司發布,而不是「隨便在車庫裡」弄出來的拼湊品。儘管湯普森之前聲稱他的「建議」是個諷刺,他後來又稱他的提議依然有效:只有提議中遊戲的劇本描述是在諷刺,而他所說的提議捐款一事是真的[2]。
《我是O.K – 殺人模擬器(I'm O.K – A Murder Simulator)》
作為對這個「小小的建議」的回應,在2006年1月,一個由「三名酒鬼與一名外國交換生」組成的團隊創立了一家名叫Thompsonsoft[註 3]的公司,製作並發行了一款名為《我是O.K[註 4] – 殺人模擬器》的遊戲[3]。
此遊戲根據公開信中描述的內容而製作,並附帶了多種不同的武器。遊戲中,玩家扮演一位無辜受害者的父親。他認為是遊戲將別人變成了殺害他兒子的兇手,打算向整個遊戲業復仇。這位父親為了復仇,開始了大肆的殺戮,他先是攻擊了製作那款遊戲的「Take This」公司的辦公室,殺死了這家公司的主席「Paula Eibel」與她的家人。接着,主角通過公路旅行,穿過美國各州,沿途襲擊了為「Take This」主持法律事務的法律事務所「Blank, Stare」以及各家遊戲廳、遊戲商店和販賣遊戲的超市。E3展開場後,他向參與者展現了他「野獸般愉快的狂暴」。
遊戲發布過後,湯普森聲稱此遊戲的內容與他所提的「建議」並不相近。但除了Take-Two前CEO Paul Eibeler並沒有正式指定過慈善機構這個事實之外,湯普森並沒有給出此遊戲具體哪部分還不滿足他的「建議」。湯普森還聲稱:「(我)將會聯繫這些蠢貨的律師。」(英語:"The attorneys for these idiots will be contacted.")[4]然而,Thompsonsoft的律師從未真的被聯繫過。但另一方面,據Thompsonsoft聲稱,他們最初的網頁服務商曾收到過法律威脅,而後拒絕繼續為他們提供服務。[來源請求]
Joystiq
2006年4月4日,湯普森在遊戲博客Joystiq留言,提議了一款殺掉此博客所有編者與作者的遊戲。湯普森稱,讓作者們自己成為受害目標,便能體會到警察和婦女在俠盜獵車手發售後的感受。
湯普森的留言並未起到他希望的效果。Joystiq藉此舉辦了一場為期數周的遊戲製作比賽,提供了每一名員工的照片,挑戰其讀者按湯普森的「建議」設計一款遊戲。Joystiq還提供了商品獎勵以鼓勵讀者參加比賽[5]。
Penny Arcade
On October 17, 2005, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade donated the promised $10,000 to charity on Jack Thompson's behalf. Krahulik and Holkins donated the money, under Thompson's name, to the Entertainment Software Association Foundation,[6] the charitable arm of the Entertainment Software Association. Thompson e-mailed both Penny Arcade and Joystiq, who ran a story about the donation, demanding that the articles be taken down "or else." The check was presented to the ESA Foundation at an ESAF fundraising dinner in San Francisco; in its memo line was written: "For Jack Thompson Because Jack Thompson Won't".[7]
In retaliation, Jack Thompson faxed a letter to Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, requesting assistance in halting the activities of Krahulik and Holkins. In his letter, he described how personnel within Penny Arcade were harassing him: the sale of an "I Hate Jack Thompson" shirt and frequent postings on their website where they allegedly admitted to harassment.[8]
According to GameSpot,[9] as of 9:55AM PDT October 18, 2005, the Seattle Police Department had not received Thompson's fax, which at that point had been sent to GameSpot, Penny Arcade, and other sites. Thompson emailed GameSpot, claiming that he had fixed the URL for Penny Arcade (which was incorrect in the original fax) and faxed the letter, commenting, "They have it now." Thompson also told GameSpot that he was not a "pixelated piñata in a game." He ended by saying that the "moral midgets" at Penny Arcade had chosen "the wrong target" and "I've been at this longer than he has." These vague threats have been deemed "nothing to worry about" by Penny Arcade. The Seattle Police Department confirmed to GameSpot on October 21 that they had received a complaint from Thompson.[10]
On October 21, 2005, Thompson claimed to have sent a letter to John McKay, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, in an attempt to get the FBI involved. Thompson reiterated his claims of "extortion" and accuses Penny Arcade of using "their Internet site and various other means to encourage and solicit criminal harassment".[11] Penny Arcade denies the charge of "extortion", noting that they paid the $10,000 to charity, and are asking nothing in return.[來源請求]
Thompson also contacted the office of Washington State Legislature Representative Mary Lou Dickerson, and her office confirms they asked John McKay to look into the matter. Thompson has not clarified how he is being "extorted," but accuses Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik of soliciting Florida Bar complaints against him through Mike posting the Florida Bar's link on Penny Arcade's website.[來源請求] The link, however, is in a post asking fans to stop sending letters to the Bar because the Bar is fully aware of the current situation.[12]
On October 27, 2005, the Seattle PD acknowledged receipt of Thompson's complaint, although after the initial reading of the letter they noted that the complaint appeared to be a civil, rather than criminal matter. They passed the letter on to the chief of their criminal investigations bureau for review.[13]
備註
- ^ 「Take This」是對「Take-Two Interactive」名字的戲仿,後者名下遊戲包括俠盜獵車手系列、惡霸魯尼與俠盜獵魔系列,都是傑克·湯普森遊說反對的對象
- ^ 原文:Acting under hypnosis, Thompson moonlights as Banman and takes to the streets in his "Bannedwagon" to destroy the entire shipment of Rockstar's Bully before it reaches distribution.
- ^ 即公開信作者湯普森之姓Thompson與代表軟件公司的soft的組合
- ^ O.K指Osaki Kim,此遊戲主角
參考文獻
- ^ 1.0 1.1 Advanced Media Network - GameCube. [2018-05-12]. (原始內容存檔於2005-11-01).
- ^ Healey, Rick. "Interview with Jack Thompson (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)", NetJak, January 11, 2006
- ^ 存档副本. [2006-02-21]. (原始內容存檔於2006-02-09).
- ^ McCaulley, Dennis. New Game Designed Around Jack Thompson's "Modest Proposal". GamePolitics.com. February 5, 2006 [October 6, 2020]. (原始內容存檔於2016-05-09) –透過LiveJournal.
- ^ Miller, Ross. "Kill Joystiq, win swag (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)". Joystiq. 2006-04-05
- ^ ESA. [2018-05-14]. (原始內容存檔於2011-01-19).
- ^ Krahulik and Holkins, "Yack Thompson (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)", Penny Arcade, 2005-10-17
- ^ McCaulley, Dennis. "Will Seattle's Finest Be Raiding Penny Arcade? (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)", GamePolitics.com, October 18, 2005
- ^ Sinclair, Brendan; Feldman, Curt. "Thompson attacks Penny Arcade; seeks arrests (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)" GameSpot 2005-10-18
- ^ Sinclair, Brendan. "Thompson goes federal with Penny Arcade feud (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)". GameSpot 2005-10-21
- ^ Dennis McCaulley, "No End in Sight to Penny Arcade Saga; Thompson Turns to Feds (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)", GamePolitics, October 21. 2005
- ^ Thompson goes federal with Penny Arcade feud - Xbox News at GameSpot. [2018-05-14]. (原始內容存檔於2006-06-25).
- ^ Brendan Sinclair, "Seattle police pass on Penny Arcade flap (頁面存檔備份,存於網際網路檔案館)", GameSpot. October 27, 2005