Gameplay Journal #4 — Modding Part. 2: Counter-Gaming

While the past entry in this series focused on a more traditional game mod, there exists a second, typically rarer type of mod — at least in terms of the spread of distribution — as they do not exist so much to reach a multitude of players and change the nature of the gameplay, but rather to make an artistic statement. “[C]ontemporary artist-made game mods tend to approach either the visual design of the game […] or the underlying game engine […] and in fact gameplay is often neglected to the point of dis-appearance in most artist game mods” (Galloway, p.108). Because of this, most of these types of mods are not intended to be played by players of the unmodified game, but rather try to be thought provoking to players and watchers of the gameplay. In some cases, these messages are very unsubtle and intentionally try to be provocative, but other instances are much calmer and let the player to think about the change in gameplay on their own, like the piece I have chosen to analyze: Brent Watanabe’s San Andreas Deer Cam. Unique among the artist’s pieces, it is not played by anyone, including himself — rather, the ‘mod’, previously broadcasted online as well as shown off as in-person art installations, is entirely autonomous.

The SADC mod challenges the normal high-intensity action and fast-paced playstyle of Grand Theft Auto V and replaces it with quiet, serene contemplation, scenes of peaceful nature, overheard conversations, and peoplewatching. When conflict does occur, it is typically one-sided and somewhat humorous, as the POV deer is both immortal and largely doesn’t react to its attackers, making them seem foolish or crazy for repeatedly taunting or punching an animal that doesn’t even acknowledge them. In doing so, however, it encourages the player to take a different look at the GTA world without even having to say anything. The effort put into creating such a dynamic open world rarely goes noticed or appreciated by the player, especially in the game’s multiplayer mode, where they’re trained to focus far more upon mission-critical NPCs, and the ever-present threat of other players. In SADC where there is no tension, only the mild suspense of what the deer might do next, the player (or rather, observer) is free to take it all in, and consider how much of the vibrant world they miss by being so aggressively goal oriented. By drawing this attention to the world by removing the normally ubiquitous danger and risk of death, Watanabe gets players thinking about how they experience open world games, gently encourages them to “slow down and smell the roses”.

Anyone interested in seeing the Deer Cam for themselves can watch this video by Brent Watanabe himself: https://vimeo.com/157218918

All rights to the video and its content belong to Brent Watanabe, and I am not related to or endorsed by them, nor are they endorsed by me.

Works Cited:

“5. Countergaming.” Gaming: Essays on Algorithmic Culture, by Alexander R. Galloway, University of Minnesota Press, 2010.