Whether you are against it or for it, it is inevitable, electronic text has pronounced itself upon us and is here to stay. With the dawn of computer technology the spawn of computer language came as well. Also known as electronic text, this new form of writing via computer and shared to all through use of various internet options brought an enhancement to written language. But some argue that this new form is bound to overtake the written form of text; most importantly books. In some senses this seems fine with the emergence of helpful online textbooks among other tools. But, this is becoming a big issue with written stories or novels that are commonly read and loved as a material item and not a part of a mysterious “cyber-space”. These electronic texts are viewed by many as not being real literary works. Yet, what can be defined as literature? There is a Medial Ecology, which according to Hayles suggests: “that the relationships between different media are as diverse and complex as those between different organisms coexisting within the same ecotome” (Hayles, 5). Essentially all media is vastly different but these differences should not take away from what is literature. Electronic text is not all just blogs, search engines, and other book killing, mind numbing devices (as some would call them). Many videogames, for instance, deserve to be considered legitimate literary pieces in their own unique right; even though these works are new and different then what is typically deemed as literature. A lot of these games still possess the two main themes that make up literature: a textual based foundation and a high degree of enjoyment value.
Of course I read “real” literature in books when I was younger, but although pleasing their hard and strict appearance did not appeal to me that well. I loved books like: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Hobbit, and the Harry Potter series. Yet other sources of media grabbed my attention for reading much more strongly. Things like comic books and sports magazines had me appreciating reading and writing for different reasons. But, by far the most imminent source of reading material for me was in the form of video games. Not just brain dead games that teach you nothing except to have fun but invigorating masterpieces with complex plot twists and highly detailed characters and settings. For example: Paper Mario, Paper Mario 2: The Thousand Year Door, Final Fantasy IV, Soul Caliber II, and various Pokémon games just to name a few. The thing that I find so amazing about these games and the reading from them is that they all have amazing stories. There are plenty of other reasons why people would play some of these games besides the plot, characters, setting, etc. but for me this is what counted. Even games that were outdated by new technological advances like Final Fantasy IV, which I played about 15 years after its initial release, still have an amazing story that I love to relive every now and then.
Electronic text definitely makes its strongest point for being a legitimate literary contender through videogames. Videogames, as a whole, are fairly new in regards to books and newspapers; yet they have been around long enough to show progression in their form. At first, simple programs created basic pixilated games. Then more advanced technology was formulated, for example incorporating 3-dimensional aspects and thus bringing these “games” more to life. As these games evolved so did there reasons for use. Amidst the common sports and first-person-shooter titles lay games that contain brilliant story elements. These games are usually in the form of “Role Playing Games” or RPG’s. Although other genres also commonly support great story arches, RPG’s are built from the ground up on story. And with so many story elements in such an advanced electronic entertainment tool, one would expect voice acting and more of a movie-like feel. This is true in part, but early on (and even still today) due to technological restraints word text was mostly utilized to progress the story along with visuals, music, sound effects, and of course the player; who is adding his/her own input via controller. With all of these extra elements not found in books one does not normally have to worry that they will over power the story; they mostly support it while not cluttering it. All of this together comes to form some sort of interactive book with stories that only a media such as its self could express.
One of the best examples of one of these “digital interactive books” can be derived from the work of the commonly known company Nintendo. This game is simply known as Paper Mario, it was made by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and it can be played on the Nintendo 64 home entertainment system. It is by far one of my favorite videogames and for that matter electronic book ever. And while it is a game it uses textual based story elements and a picture-book style to imitate a book’s feel, while introducing forms of hypertext, interactivity, and visual elements to enhance one’s reading experience in a way that only a computer could. Many games can be linked to books but, Paper Mario really takes the book-to-game aspect to the next level.
Being an RPG, and especially one of its time (1999), text based dialog was a must. This is not just dull informational text but colorful dialog from the characters on screen at the time, evoking a “play-like” feel that keeps you interested. The main character Mario, whom you control, never speaks; your respected party members that travel with you talk to push the plot along while Mario just nods in approval most of the time. This mirrors how the reader can never speak to the characters in a book yet both are on the same page and still interacting. This element really immerses you into the story, as the character that you are (Mario) does not speak for you and you instead speak through your actions. This makes the game more personal and interactive with the reader/player. When characters talk a large rectangular word bubble will pop up above their head, which holds three lines of text about the screen’s width. After the three lines appear a star at the bottom right corner shows up which prompts you to press the ‘A’ button on the controller to continue. This form of hypertext or techno-text acts much like a page turning mechanism, and lets you the reader keep up at your own pace just like in a book. You can go at your pace when progressing through the non-dialog parts as well, such as in battles, puzzles, and missions.
The visuals of the game even replicate a book like feel; although you are within a colorful 3-D world, all of the characters appear in 2-D. Essentially they are made from paper evoking a comic-like quality and appear to be cut right out of a picture book. The fact that the characters are literally made from paper is even highlighted on in certain situations like physics. Finally the game itself even presents itself as a book, and not just in the game play. When you first begin the game, a main screen springs alive like a pop-up book; you then choose a file and continue. There is a brief intro, which sets up the story line, and then, before any more action happens, a title screen comes up, labeled as Prologue. The theme continues all the way to the end of the game with chapter screens (or pages as Hayles would note) separating key parts of the story. On top of all this Paper Mario also has a kid friendly tone that got me hooked at age eleven, along with the spirit and charm that will continue to keep me hooked for years to come.
As a literary piece Paper Mario tells a tale that only a game such as this could; a book would just not compare to offer the same experiences that game like Paper Mario could or did for myself in my youth. Sven Birkerts goes against this point, as he completely dismisses Nintendo games when he talks about the future of hypertext: “We do not know yet whether hypertext will ever be accepted by a mass readership as something more than a sophisticated Nintendo game played with language” (Birkerts, 164). Frankly hypertext is already accepted by a mass readership with Nintendo games alone. The way Birkerts uses “sophisticated” in this line seems sarcastic to my sense. This is supported when he mentions that the games “play” with language, as if they do not really use it properly or in a “sophisticated” manor. In fact these Nintendo games, such Paper Mario; utilize hypertext, interactivity, and visual elements to enhance one’s reading experience not deter it. I understand that some would argue how many games can not be viewed as textual as Paper Mario. And I whole-heartedly agree with the fact that there are plenty of games that are mindless enough with violence and other explicit content to turn away from the story-telling effects of games. Yet this is always going to be an issue, and its not necessary bad to have games like this but it’s very important to know take not all games are of this fashion. And while on the topic of comparing games to books, a lot of books in there own right can be overly graphic and perhaps not be considered literature. Why else would we have a banned books list? What is in a book or game should be what constitutes what literature is and the form that it’s in should not take away from anything that it has to offer.
In the end electronic text like that in the form of video games, more specifically Role Playing Games should be considered legitimate literary pieces. Especially Paper Mario which holds a great gaming and literary experience waiting to be unlocked. In this writing I did not even get the chance to explain the great story. Well, on the bright side, at least I have not ruined the story for anyone. Although Paper Mario may be simple it is still a hilariously comedic and thrilling adventure that everyone should enjoy as a piece of literature.
