Read Me: The Metaphysics of Morrowind

Anyone with any interest in any (any!) of the things I've written about here should go and read this series right away. While I'm not sure I necessarily agree with certain points (speaking generally, I don't believe that sophisticated existential/ontological commentary in interactive fiction necessitates Fourth Wall Adventures, and I think that there's a danger inherent to that approach of imbalancing the author-gamer-gameworld relationship strongly in favour of the former) the whole piece warrants serious attention. No less for this:

This is not just why TES is special, this is why gaming is special. Collaborative creativity. The sharing of the “divine” act of creation through play. Authorial control is not lost, it is multiplied – we are all part of the Godhead. What some have seen as gaming’s creative Achilles heel is, in fact, the source of its power. It’s creating a dream, and sharing it with other dreamers, who then make it their own and share it back.

A point I've jabbed at twice in the short history of this blog, succinctly and effectively skewered. I've been finding it difficult, lately, to maintain this kind of optimism: too preoccupied with the ultra-mainstream to remember that incredible work has been and is being done. It's nice to be reminded why I care in the first place. Thanks for that.