An All-Encompassing World

(Revised essay from before.) Empathizing the Epic RPG
By Rebekah Minkiewicz


When I was little, I was taught that for something to be considered “alive,” it must fit certain criteria that scientists have conceived to match all living creatures to survive. In basic elementary school knowledge, they were simplified as having to eat, needing to breathe, requiring shelter, and the ability to have children. Although we are taught inaccurate basics to life when we are little, the introduction lead us to understand that living things require much more depending on the individual.
Later, we grow to be more independent beings, living souls with separate goals and different natures. To “live” is redefined in us as what we strive for, to live for intellectual connections, enjoyment, and purpose. This can range from having a family to gambling for hours to earning a Nobel prize. But today, I have noticed that in our generation, we crave attention in order to “live” and survive. We make blogs, videos, and other cybernetic media hoping that an individual soul out there is listening. But why would you go through the trouble of having a tumblr when you’re not sure who’s listening when you can have a life-long companion that will always listen? Why not live with the attention swarming around you?
Although I would love to be nostalgic and sympathetic through focusing this paper on gigapets, neopets, or other devices that have impacted my sensitivity for living or non-living creatures, I believe I should talk about the most profound technology that I believe has adapted to resembling life and care within many youth my age. This is a game known as a “RPG” (“role playing game”) where you, the main character, has a major objective and ultimately plays a protagonist role. The game of which I speak of has created a very life-like universe that modifies completely based on every action you take with in-depth storylines and random encounters to enrich the gameplay. Because of this complex technology, many players (including myself) have spent hundreds of hours exploring the possibilities, yet to complete every outcome available. However, while I try to learn this game’s depth and storylines as much as I can, I can’t help but behave sympathetically to the NPC’s (non-player-characters, most identifiable as humanoid program-based icons). This game is Elder Scrolls V, commonly known as Skyrim.
Game Informer, a top-line gaming magazine, does the honor of outlining the superior aspects of this game. In an extensive review from a 2011 issue, they judged the game not only from its visual appeal and plotline, but most of all the life-like reality contained within. USA Today gave it 4 stars. G4TV named it “one of the greatest games ever.” Why is this? The back of the cover puts it plainly, not focusing on the story, advanced gameplay, or abilities.


Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose. The legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.

I relate these acclimations to Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together, where she discusses the effectiveness on a robot or program on the self. On page 69, she states,

In the robotic moment, what you are made of-silicone, metal, flesh-pales in comparison with how you behave. In any given circumstance, some people and some robots are competent and some not. Like people, any particular robot needs to be judge on its own merits. (69)

Skyrim lets me be a hero or a villain. It allows me to grow in any way I wish, conquer or aid, and even marry. I can kill those that annoy me or gift to charity. Each affect has consequences and reactions of which are profoundly similar to our world, many so indirect and well-crafted in plot that it astounds me. Hundreds of small stories are scattered within the universe’s plotline, each one involving an interest. For each small story, we become attached to secondary characters as if they were living.
In the beginning of a story, a man helps you escape a dragon attack and takes you to his family who gives you aid and items to help you begin the storyline. Even this little family, which many people forget later on, has an affect on me. Their “kindness” and “family ties” draw me to empathize with them and their poverty. They have given to me, or my character, what they cannot afford to give away. Because of this, I spent quite a while reloading my game when a dragon attacked their city and the father of the family kept dying.
After I was able to kill the dragon without the father dying, I sat back and noticed how effective this game was. I spent over an hour trying to complete the impossible just because I could not handle playing in a world where this unimportant, loving character died. I am given thanks for helping those, notoriety when I complete tasks, attention for saving people, and infamy for carrying out dark tasks.
Turkle speaks of her conversation with Audrey as she talks about her experiences with online media (192). One of them is called Second Life, where one creates an avatar and tries to construct a life with online interactions. She says by creating an avatar and completing achievements, we can have a better sense of self, a higher self-esteem and self-worth. In Skyrim, we personalize our character from race, gender, facial features, body type, color, war paint, and more to fit our aesthetic pleasures. It reflects a part of who we are, just like in Audrey’s world of Second Life. Play Station, as well as many other current game stations, awards “achievements” or “trophies” for completing an unusual aspect of each game, such as collecting certain items, reaching maximum levels and so on. Not only do players try to collect these as a personal game, but we can judge ourselves against each other in network ranks as if we accomplished something more.
Within the game Skyrim, you can also achieve titles, awards, and much more to post the fame and importance of your character. You are a hero naturally, but you can become thane in all cities, own property, become mast of different guilds, and much more. Your fame boosts your abilities and connections, which can help not only your gameplay, but your self-esteem.
My friends and I spend hours talking about our personal games and adventures within Tamriel, the world of Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls Saga. We jest of funny occurrences, mourn the loss of loved characters, bicker about difficult journeys, and rank our accomplishments against each other. Skyrim has brought us together like Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fireplace, even though we strive to play more and more isolated. Skyrim gives us self-worth, unlimited personal and in-game goals, interactive gameplay, and new patches and updates all of the time to expand on those qualities more.
We interact with the universe as if we had another life away from this one. We can love, fight for what we believe in, or just explore. It is a sympathetic home within the home. In life, we love, become attached to morals, and live life to survive just like in Skyrim. This game has effectively modeled life outside of life and has touched and inspired the hearts of many people including myself.


And now... video adaptation!!! (Sorry it's a little over 4 minutes... 3: