“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” - Oscar Wilde
I have always been fascinated by the power of imagination and creativity. I believe that art can transcend the boundaries of reality and challenge the conventions of society. That is why I decided to create a game that explores the absurdity and satire of the job acquiring culture in a humorous and whimsical way.
The game was originally called “Aesthetics Over Plot: The Unemployed’s Odyssey”. It follows the protagonist, a young biologist who is looking for a job in a market with next to none demand for biologists. He decides to try networking for obtaining his job, but he soon realizes that the bosses he has to meet are not ordinary human beings, but rather bizarre creatures such as a donkey, a wall(really?) and an omniscient cactus.
The game’s theme is inspired by art movements such as impressionism, surrealism and dadaism, which sought to express their visions of reality through unconventional and experimental techniques. The game parodies the clichés and stereotypes of the job acquiring culture, such as interviews, references and networking. The game mocks the absurdity and futility of these processes by making them impossible and ridiculous.
The game is also influenced by the writing style of Oscar Wilde, one of my favorite authors. Wilde was known for his witty and elegant prose, his use of irony and paradox, his criticism of social norms and his celebration of individualism and beauty. Wilde’s writing style is complex, ornate and humorous. He balances long complex sentences filled with figurative language with short and witty sentences. He also uses dialogue as a tool to reveal the characters’ personalities, motives and secrets.
I tried to emulate Wilde’s writing style in my game by creating dialogues that are witty, ironic and paradoxical. I also used imagery and symbolism to convey deeper meanings and themes. For example, the donkey represents stubbornness and ignorance, the wall represents isolation and indifference, and the cactus represents wisdom and pain. The protagonist’s interactions with these bosses reflect his own struggles and dilemmas as a job seeker.
One of the main themes of my game is aesthetics, which is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and appreciation of beauty. I wanted to explore how aesthetics can vary from person to person, culture to culture, and time to time. I also wanted to question how aesthetics can influence one’s perception of reality and one’s choices in life.
In my game, I used aesthetics as a way of contrasting the protagonist’s idealistic vision of his career with the harsh reality of his situation. The protagonist is a biologist who loves nature and science. He dreams of finding a job that allows him to pursue his passion and make a positive impact on the world. However, he has to deal with a competitive market and bizarre bosses who have no interest in his skills or qualifications.
The language of my game also reflects my aesthetic choices as a writer. I decided to break some literary rules and use a casual and colloquial tone in my game. I did this for two reasons: first, to create a contrast between the formal language of academic writing that the protagonist is used to and the informal language of everyday conversation that he has to adapt to; second, to create a sense of humor and irony that makes fun of the absurdity of his situation. I also did this to challenge the expectations of the players who might expect a more serious or realistic tone from a game about job seeking.
The language of my game also has a story-related reason for being casual and colloquial. The game is actually being narrated inside the protagonist’s head so to speak. The protagonist is using humor as a coping mechanism to deal with his disappointment and frustration. They are exaggerating some details and omitting others to make their story more entertaining and less depressing.
I hope that you enjoyed playing my game and that you found it entertaining and thought-provoking. I appreciate your feedback and comments on my project. I have duly studied every review and hope to improve future projects from what I have learned from this project.
Thank you for your time and attention.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” - Oscar Wilde