Hermeneutic Study: Identity of Gamers in the Unreal World of GTA V

© 2020 IJRAR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 1 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Hermeneutic Study: Identity of Gamers in the Unreal World of GTA V Joel Mathew Post Graduate in English Literature, Christ University, Bangalore, India Abstract: The study aims to understand the hermeneutic discourse in the art of playing the in-game characters. The dynamics of the game is created to provide a stimulated open world scenario, with an overarching theme of free will. The gamer is engaging in a platform which is considered as an escapist performance. He forgoes the process in which he is performing, learning and imbibing the gameplay while developing (levelling up) the character of the protagonist’s through the game. There has been previous researches based upon the efficacy of video games in daily lives. The game, GTA V has multiple copies all around the world everyone is able to engage with the audio-visual self-immersive text. However, every gamer constructs a different hyper-reality. This construct is based upon the interaction between the game cinematics, the characters’ influence, soundtrack (diegetic and non-diegetic), the gamer’s psyche. I. Introduction Unlike a novel or a film as a text, games are multi-dimensional in nature. The central problem of narrative cinema is that of using of severely limited, two dimensional space, within a severely limited time span, to represent a temporally limitless, three dimensional world. The task of narrative cinema, in other words, is to naturalize a counterintuitive experience by creating the illusion that the viewer has acquired a privileged window on reality, a window through which one is supposed to see not objects and actions, but instead a story (Nadel, 2008). Grand Theft Auto is video game that belongs to the genre of Open-world games. In order to capsulate the cinematics of the game and the gameplay there is no correlation towards the ending. The gameplay portrays a player’s psyche while the cinematics are generally suggestive of a fixed plot that adrenalizes the player to follow a definite path. GTA V, the video game offers two types of game-play which are first person and third person perspective, where the players can traverse around the setting by foot or any means of transportation. The gamer can control any one of the three protagonists, and the story revolves around the crime wrecked city where the gamer has to develop the three characters. Other than the progressive story campaign the players can also roam around freely and explore the open world. Gamers can use firearms, melee weapons and explosives, jump, swim or anything that is possible in the real world. The health of the protagonist depletes if they take any harm. Out of the three characters, Michael D’Santa is an ex-convict and currently resides in the rich neighbourhood, up the hills. Franklin is an African American protagonist who resides in the ghetto like neighbourhood which is inflicted with the crime. The utmost enthralling character is Trevor Philips who is considered the most controversial element in the game as quoted by GameSpot’s speaker Petit "truly horrible, terrifying, psychotic human being—and a terrific character”. However, the character of Trevor is a constructed in a monstrous manner to give gamers a more self- reflexive experience with the game. There are instances in the game wherein Trevor rapes a drug addict’s girlfriend as he is unable to pay back, he uses heinous deadly methods to interrogate a suspect under FBI orders, and he butchers the entire biker county. He can go to any extreme without any intimidation. My research deals with the concept of gaming which is a form of media and an interactive form of entertainment. The intricate relationship between the gamer/player and the process of influence made by the protagonist, and vice versa. There are certain games, wherein the players are provided with the free will to navigate around with their protagonist as they wish. For example, Mass Effect 3, Witcher 3, GTA etc. These games have multiple storylines depending upon the decisions chosen by the player. These games not only allow the players to immerse in the open world scenario which is built based upon the cities of today, but it also allows them to explore the place with other players who are connected via the World Wide Web. “If we widen our focus from the "individual player + technology" to the online community that emerges around any successful game title, we find that video games lie at the nexus of a complex constellation of literacy. We again conclude that video games and literacy have a strong mutual relationship. They are symbiotic, in a close association in which both benefit.” (Steinkuehler, 2010). These games allow a meticulous level of cognition which is usually considered to be either harmful to an addict whereas productive for acquiring skills. In the paper, I shall be re-negotiating with the politics of positioning the games such GTA franchise to empower violence. I aim to prove that the game is a learning space wherein the character loses his sense of self. Research Problems Scholars, psychologists, and sceptics have long debated that games can bring in dissociative behaviours as well violence. The 27 years of gaming culture has been underrated for its literary and narrative and interactive experience. I counter the negative criticism on gaming culture and through this study validate the engagement with the game as positive act. Objectives The game GTA V has been the most played and sold game in the history of gaming and still holds the place. It has been critiqued across the world for its controversial gameplay and cinematics depicting obscenity, vulgarity and explicit gameplay environment. However, the game has not been justified for its social commentary, the parody on capitalism and a consumerist society driven by selfish greed. The game is ignored for its meta-gaming satire (similar to meta-fiction, a take on other open world games and the gaming culture). The gamer dives into a stimulated experience wherein he involves in a setting without any restrictions or societal norms. IJRAR2001522 International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org 724 © 2020 IJRAR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 1 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Primary Text ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ by Rockstar games Methodology Hermeneutic method will applied to understand the interaction of the gamer in the unreal world. Psychoanalysis will be used to study the character of Trevor from the GTA V. Thesis Playing the game “GTA V” with the character of Trevor, the gamer participates in a paradoxical act. While performing the role of Trevor, the gamer embraces his psychopathic identity and passively, simultaneously loses his own morale. The gamer experiences the illusion of free will also the loss of agency. II. Trevor: A reflection of the gamer’s id The first impression of playing the character of Trevor, the gamer is disgusted at his grotesque and psychopathic abilities. However, as the game progresses the gamer familiarises with Trevor, the person starts witnessing the reflection of his unleashed Id in the gaming world. The character is either asked to quit or forced to complete the disturbing mission and in the hermeneutic process face their inner psyche. Trevor’s character is introduced by 11% of the completion of the game. The cinematic scene shows Trevor raping a woman as she is unable to pay for the drugs she bought. The woman’s husband rushes to the scene and agitates saying, “You didn’t have to do that Trevor” and then immediately lowers his tone and says, “You know I still love her, but”. Trevor gets furious and stomps his face until he dies. This is where the cinematics stops and in the gameplay, I’m supposed to annihilate the entire the biker gang the husband belongs to. The switch from cinematics to gameplay traumatized me, yet I engaged with the mission. The cinematics scene showed me Trevor’s true nature in the first sight, unlike other main playable characters. I took him for a psychopath and carried on the mission. Andrew K. in his research article “The Ideal Self at Play: The Appeal of Video Games That Let You Be All You Can Be” claims the gamer is closely connected to the protagonist of the game as if they are performing those actions. The game-self and the ideal-self converge while engaging with such games and motivates us to complete the game. The gamers who felt a wide distance between them and the game were least motivated (Andrew K. Przybylski). There are instances in the game which showcases the nicer and companionate side of Trevor, for example, he mourns for his friend, he saves a torture victim from death, he kidnaps Don’s wife because of domestic abuse. However, these instances are mocking at the hopelessness behind such limited emotional endeavours. It doesn’t change the fact Trevor is maniac killer and an extortionist. Most of the parts of the game Trevor rages around and causes more harm and havoc rather than productive contribution. There are two cut scenes from the cinematics of GTA-V where the other characters in the game try to diffuse Trevor’s violent impulse by verbally degrading themselves. They are giving him a sense of domination that he always want in a hope that it will spare them his vindictive violence. For example: The Celebrity from Fame or Shame: “See I’m just a dumb A-list celebrity trying to entertain America. Okay? I’ve multiple sexual harassment lawsuits plus I’m an addict and I can’t help but relapse.

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