- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: Recon Number 54
I had considered typing the subject in all caps, but as that only labels threads as noisy rants; I decided to add some mystery.
I usually don't create my own threads. I think that I can count on both hands the number of times that I have clicked on "Create Topic". I usually just try to add to the discussions started by others.
But I just had an epiphany about all of the Halo 2 discussion that is currently flowing through The Underground. BTW, guys? If you want to discuss Halo 2, there are specific forums for that, just look at the forum listing to the right and you can't miss them.
This has to deal with the cliffhanger ending to Halo 2, and how disappointed and angry the "fans" are. I believe, and this is going to piss off many people, but I truly believe that all of this discussion, anger and ranting is giving the folks at Bungie one HUGE laugh! Please hear me out....
Bungie, in addition to their primary mission of making kickass games, are mostly concerned with "telling a story." They are storytellers. They have just told the second installment in their latest story and left us with a cliffhanger. From the storyteller’s point of view, what is the worst possible thing that the audience could say?
How about, "mmmmmm, interesting. At least it's over; I was beginning to not care anyway." We as a group, with varying reactions have not shown our indifference. This ending is a classic cliffhanger and a perfect way for the storyteller to judge their audiences involvement and enjoyment of the story. If we didn't CARE about the story, we would have put the controller down, shrugged and played something else.
All of the furor, even the angry furor is nothing more than a passionate confirmation to Bungie that they are telling a great story and that the audience really cares about it. If someone feels "cheated", it means that they've got a personal investment in the story, the characters and they care about the outcome of the story.
What more could a storyteller ask for? So, by making all of this noise, we are (IMO) letting Bungie know just how much we love their story. Trust me, old-school Marathoner's know what I am talking about. Bungie delights in the fact that even 10 years after the game came out, we are STILL discussing who the main character really is!
If you want other examples of storytellers using cliffhangers to get the audience to realize how good the story actually is, think about the second installment of, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, the list goes on.
I'm not saying that Bungie is "playing" us. But just like the audience watching a magician, we agree to watch, to be amazed and to (even if we insist) to allow the "magic" to be in the hands of the magician. But I do think that they love being asked "how did you DO that?!"
So please, feel free to post your thoughts, anger, happiness, disgust, whatever. Just PLEASE, post it in the right forum, and remember. That everytime you do, you are just saying "thank you" to the folks at Bungie.
Nice, I agree.
I feel a breeze of fresh air!