And Now For Something Completely Different: The Marriage

[strangetomato]

Since I've started using Mr. Humble the NPC as a character in my story, I became more curious about the real Rod Humble. It didn't take me long to stumble across some reference to his own game, The Marriage. It's a bit of an experiment in using the videogame as a medium for conceptual art. It's something I was really interested in a while back (videogames can be more than just entertainment, I figured, since I was in art school at the time), and I was pretty curious to see how Mr. Humble handled this "artgame" (nice term, that).

As suspected, as art increases, fun goes down. :P It's conceptual art, no doubt about it. At best, it'll start a conversation, but it's probably more likely to make you want to punch things. But don't take my word for it (or my SO's words, which declared, "This game sucks"). Please, go here and download The Marriage. Play it and tell me what you think.

Comments

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. There would be some pretty Unfortunate Implications if there were a way to win. And that proves marriage is a crummy concept to base a whole game around. :P

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, I have to disagree with Mr. Humble. Either he's not married or he's in a pretty shite marriage. Mine's a lot more fun. ;)

I especially disagree with the concept that as one grows, the other suffers. If I were to make the same "artgame" it would involve the two squares, blue and pink, slowly becoming more purple and more alike overall, and slowly becoming more and more joined, until they're one single blob.

But, well, what do I know? :P

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

According to his little intro to the game, he thought up the concept while on vacation with his wife. So...yeah.

Heehee, well that's good to hear. ;p

From what he wrote, it seems what Humble was trying to get at wasn't so much that one person in a relationship suffers as the other grows, but that men and women have different needs in a marriage that need to be kept in balance. Which, frankly, doesn't seem much better and I'd be curious to know Mr. Humble's thoughts on what those different needs are. It doesn't help that the blue square shrinks while the pink one grows when they "kiss." So...what, the male is hurt by affection with his loved one while the female needs it? What?

Or maybe I'm over thinking things and looking for a reason to be offended. :/

I like your idea much better. P:

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

"I especially disagree with the concept that as one grows, the other suffers."

But don't you know that MASCULINE and FEMININE are TOTAL OPPOSITES? It's a constant battle! One wants to watch football and drink beer while the other wants him to help her hang up the new curtains. And if he does he'll be a little less manly. It's just how it works!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Of course! What was I thinking? *smacks forehead*