#<-- not from a fp perspective but just in general. tell yourself its ok | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ambered-glazed-sheep · 4 years

Note

Please do go on about Doomslayer and his morals. I'm legit fascinated by him since starting the let's play I'm watching and I'd love to hear your take on him (I know literally nothing about the Doom franchise other than lots of blood and violence against demons and also badass music)

You know, a year ago when my friends asked me 'hey do you wanna play minecraft' and i said 'yeah sure' i would have never thought i would one day have a minecraft sideblog where i get questions about the personality of the main character of a shooter fps game (of all things!) that is known for its incredible violence.

But here you go:

(prepare yourself this has gotten way longer than i thought oh god, and also it has nothing to do with hermits whatsoever. warnings for language and descriptions of violence? and i assume the readmore won’t be working the way i want it to)

Ok so, Doom!

First of all, i know nothing about the old games, and i’ve only seen a minimal amount of Doom Eternal Letsplays. Most of this is based on Doom (2016).

Ok so we all start out thinking Doomguy! It’s the guy you play in Doom. The hand that hold the gun YOU are shooting demons with. And sure, you can go trough the whole game with that mindset, but that’s boring and we are overthinking fictional characters in this house.

ID software actually managed to give Doomguy/Doomslayer a TON of personality despite him never saying a word, barely any cutscenes to show what he does when you don’t control him (at least in Doom 2016), and not a lot of other characters to interact with despite enemy monsters.

The game just leaves you little hints and snippets and that’s what makes Doomslayer so exciting to think about. Just the right levels between ‘cryptid half-god who never shows emotion and is a player-insert’ and ‘this dude’s got an AGENDA. he has PLACES TO BE’. You are him as you play, but sometimes he makes decisions on his own. But personally, i could never find myself to disagree.

First, you got the intro sequence.

You got a unknown voice telling you:

“They are rage. Brutal, without mercy. But you. You will be worse. Rip and Tear, until it is done.”

First of all, YO. WOW. HOLY SHIT.

The scene immediately shifts to Doomslayer waking up. He’s naked, he’s chained down somewhere, theresa SHIT TON of scars littering his arms and hands. First thing HE does, on his own behalf, is ripping off the chains by flexing a little (literal iron chains!!!), smashing a zombies head against the sarcophagus he lays in and completely obliterating said head into a bit of blood (mind you, three seconds after he woke up from a thousands of years long coma!! but we only learn that later), and then promptly gets up, picks up a pistol, and now it’s your, the players turn. This takes like 8 seconds in total. This man means BUSINESS. That’s the first thing we learn.

Second thing that strikes me is the interactions with Samuel Hayden.

Doomslayer is patient when a computer voice tells him the status of the base. He is patient as he looks at the screens to see what is going on. (a demonic invasion, thats what). But then dear Dr. Samuel Hayden calls.

Dr. Hayden says “Hi, i’m the boss here, i’m sure we can work together in a way that benefits us both uwu”. Doomslayer immediately grabs the PC screen and pushes it aside. His gesture says, i’m done with this. im sick of this dude. this guy is full of shit. And he’s right! And that after barely hearing two sentences from Hayden!

So the second thing we learn is that he has no time for people trying to exploit him. He hears Hayden, he has a gut feeling that this dude is a little fishy, maybe he just plain doesnt like higher ups and heads of facilities. But we learn that he IS. NOT. going to listen to this man, and his body language makes that very clear without being actually violent against the person (he doesnt destroy the Screen either! just pushes it aside very annoyed. He isn’t mindlessly destroying property here.)

This continues.

Hayden goes ‘hey maybe don’t destroy that energy source!’ in the few seconds you dont control him, Doomslayer listens. He hesitates. He considers. Then he destroys the thing anyways. Hayden keeps telling him to stop, but Doomslayer doesnt listen. He’s got his own mind!

This was mostly about Haydens Company, the UAC, harvesting hell energy, and hurting people in the process.

There’s a scene where Doomslayer rides an elevator. Hayden, over the comms, tells him that everyone that has died in the demon attack was a nacessary sacrifice that will bring a new future or some shit like that. the camera pans down to show some poor sods corpse at those very words. Doomslayer cracks his knuckles. he is NOT HAPPY about that, so we know he doesnt like it when human lifes are sacrificed. He destroys the communicator, so he doesnt have to listen to Haydens voice telling him lies and trying to sway him anymore.

(then he takes out his shotgun, the doors open, metal starts playing and the doom logo is shown, but that’s more about making the player feel epic than showing doomslayers personality,,)

Now i would like to talk about VEGA, the AI that controls the mars facility.

VEGA occasionally talks to us/the Slayer. He is very straightforward, tells us what to do and why to do it, and is generally very polite. In the story, Doomslayer listens to Vega.

Now why does he listen to VEGA but not Hayden?

I think it’s because Hayden tries to get him to do things that just benefit him, and Hayden is very manipulative in his words (or tries to be lol), while Vega just says (if you destroy this thing, that door will open. I think Doomslayer appreciates it when people are honest to him.

And in the end, Doomslayer on his own decides to save a backup of VEGA. VEGA didn’t ask him to, Doomslayer did that on his own. It’s not relevant to his mission, he doesnt need VEGA to go to hell to close portals and whatnot. But he does save him. Why? I think it’s because he cares. Because he’s come to like VEGA. Because Vega didn’t try to manipulate him and screw him over.

Next up is the Slayers Testament.

These are a bunch of writings/recordings that you find scattered in the hell levels. (i highly recommend listening to them/reading them, they are metal as fuck and give me such an immense feeling of power bc they are talking about me, the doomslayer)

These testaments were written by demons. They were genuinely afraid of the slayer.

Quote:

Unbreakable, incorruptible, unyielding, the Doom Slayer sought to end the dominion of the dark realm.

As said, i don’t think these are purely talking about his physical strength. They are talking about his... well, mentality. His Codex. They see him as an unstoppable force. He is incorruptible. Let that sink in. Man walks trough hordes of demons and at no point ever thinks ‘yeah maybe this is a bit much’ or ‘they just keep coming this is pointless’. No. He’s unyielding. (Can you tell how much i love the words in these testaments? It’s just got such a nice ring to it.)

In battle, the Doomslayer is BRUTAL. He tears apart demons, rips their eyes out, all that. He stomps on heads like they’re water balloons and isn’t fazed at all. Nothing stops this man. (except players like me who fall off the map 5 consecutive times, but lets just imagine the doomslayer is actually like he would be if someone played the game perfectly. player skill shouldn’t be considered in my headcanons jahdjhgd) One could even argue he has fun at this, because there are some animations like ripping off a zombies arm and beating the Zombie with it, or feeding a demon it’s own heart.

I feel like that says a lot about his personality as well!

He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t doubt himself. He doesn’t question his cause! He fights to get rid of the demons, not just the ones in his way, but every. demon. He will go out of his way to kill more demons. You could either take this as him having fun, or him following his own moral codex to get rid of every demon, or him being a not-quite-human war machine, or wanting to protect humanity from them.

I would say it’s a healthy mix of all that :D

In older games, there was this whole backstory snippet of him returning to earth, finding that the demons had invaded his planet but also killed his pet rabbit (Daisy), and he then goes onto a 2-game long revenge trip.Take that as you will.

The last thing i would like to mention is this post.

Please watch the video. Doomguy walks trough the rows of random human guards. This is the walk of a man who doesn’t owe them SHIT. Yes, he wants to save humanity. Yes, he cares. But he also knows who he is. He knows what he did, and what he will do. He doesn’t have to justify himself in front of these shady scientists and jerky guards.THEY owe HIM, in fact. This video emits the sheer CONFIDENCE of someone who has walked trough hell multiple times and knows none of these people could even touch him. Yes, he would never kill them. He would not harm humans. But he doesn’t care about making them uncomfortable with his presence, either. He doesnt ask for permission.

(i think by now i am using the exact same words they did in that post. really, its worth the read. i think there’s a lot of repeated things between this post and that post by now but i encourage you to watch that video. its worth it.)

Also, the impact he has on the people in this room! they trip. they walk backwards. they go quiet, stutter. they are intimidated. They know he’s technically here to help and save them, but now, standing in front of them.... just wow. it really puts things into perspective. it tells the player that all the demons that he’s killed, all that the doomslayer has done... its noted. it has an impact.

I’m not really sure where i’m going with this anymore, but watching those NPCs react to the slayers presence just adds so much more to his character. it tells us how people see him, and boy.... do they see him.

i think it also ties a lot into how the player is made feel, controlling doomguy. all these head stomping and limp tearing animations, the guns, people being scared, watching doomslayer destroy important equipment from first pirson or pushing open doors or whatever... it just gives me such an immense feeling of power! i can’t even describe it. (...it also has nothing to do anymore with the original question but holy shit did i love playing doom for the sheer atmosphere of it. despite me being horrible at playing.)

(at the end of this i’m realizing that all of this never addressed if doomslayer is happy and content murdering demons, or if he just wants his peace and quiet but can’t help himself every time he sees a demon. i would propose to leave that up to headcanons. mine is a mix of both but in a way that makes it not angsty. like he loves to have his calm moments, but is just as happy to rip some demon’s spine out. probably gets a little itchy and impatient if he hasn’t fought in a while.)

also if you’re interested in game design and way more professional people talking about why doom 2016 is great i reccomend this documentary

...anyways it’s past 1am and this has gotten way out of hand but

tl;dr: the doomslayer is metal as fuck, he has a lot of agenda he is following, and i love him so much

#amber talks #doom #where do i even begin with this?#i wanted to answer this in the morning but that was over an hour ago now #jdakjsdhasdjh i can't help myself theres so much to say about doom!!!!#you asked for this anon #it's just so... *clenches fist*#i forgot of course that the music is pretty much the best thing ever and i've been listening to it SO MUCH while writing litve #everything about this game is designed to make you feel powerful and HOLY SHIT is it working #id software did a great job #i watched a whole documentary on this it was great #...yeah i study 3d stuff this is pretty much in m #my field haha #i've just had all these feelings in me for months and now that someone showed the slightest hint of interest it's all coming out #sorry its so unorganized i tried to at least take one point after the other #now to write another essay on why the slayer and the mandalorian are very alike in some parts but mando is so much softer #(its because slayer has been trough hell and back while mando still has hope in the world)#(i mean mando is a jaded and tough bounty hunter but all that he is doomslayer is cranked up to eleven)#(shush now i said in another essay! go to bed)#(....its not gonna be an essay its gonna be a fanfic and its gonna be great)#(mando is such a softie......)#*pushes my mando/slayer agenda on my side blog as well* ah i see #long post #...very long post #hey i've hit 2k words with this!#....i've written litve chapters that are shorter #EDIT: WAIT FUCK I THINK I MIXED UP THE SECURITY GUARDS LINES WITH A FIC I READ ONCE #or did i gave EX that line in the last ask i answered????#i'm??? im gonna go to sleep lol

54 notes · View notes

kayawagner · 6 years

Text

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass

Welcome to the first installment of our Gnome Spotlight: Notables series. The notables series is a look at game developers in the gaming industry doing good work. The series will focus on female game creators and game creators of color primarily, and each entry will be a short bio and interview. We’ve currently got a group of authors and guest authors interviewing game creators and hope to bring you many more entries in the series as it continues on. If you’ve got a suggestion for someone we should be doing a notables article on, send us a note at [email protected]. – Head Gnome John

Meet Tanya

Tanya DePass is the founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a non-profit organization based in Chicago, which is dedicated to better diversification of all aspects of gaming. I Need Diverse Games serves the community by supporting marginalized developers attend the Game Developer Conference by participating in the GDC Scholarship program, helps assist attendance at other industry events, and is seeking partnership with organizations and initiatives.

Tanya is a lifelong Chicagoan who loves everything about gaming, #INeedDiverseGames spawn point, and wants to make it better and more inclusive for everyone. She founded and was the EIC of Fresh Out of Tokens podcast where games culture was discussed and viewed through a lense of feminism, intersectionality and diversity. Now she’s a co-host on Spawn on Me Podcast. Along with all of that, she’s the Programming Coordinator for OrcaCon, the Diversity Liaison for GaymerX and often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at multiple conventions throughout the year. Her writing about games and games critique appears in Uncanny Magazine, Polygon, Wiscon Chronicles, Vice Gaming, Paste Games, Mic, and other publications.

Talking With Tanya

1.) Tell me a little about yourself, your work, and about I Need Diverse Games. What mediums do you work in? What’s one project or credit that you’re particularly proud of?

I’m a born and raised Chicagoan, grew up on the South Side of the city, lifelong White Sox fan, and now I live on the North Side, near the Swedish part of town. As for I Need Diverse Games, it started out of frustration with the “it’s too-hard-to-animate women” that had been making the rounds in mid-2014. I tweeted out the hashtag on a few tweets before work in early October ‘14 and by the time I got to work it was trending a bit. After it stayed in the public sphere, I was getting tapped to talk about it on podcasts and for some articles. I was interviewed by Arthur Chu for Salon in December and from there things just kept growing.

I work in both videogames and tabletop, with a lot of work in tabletop in the later part of 2017 joining the staff of OrcaCon as their programming coordinator; after being a Guest of Honor in January 2017. I was also a Industry Insider at GenCon in the last year, and I’m already looking into panels for 2018. Most people do refer to me for video games but tabletop needs way more help in terms of diversity.

As for what I’m most proud of, I’d say joining the Game Developers Conference Scholarship program. We get a chance to send 25 folks to GDC that may not otherwise have access to a week of professional development. It’s part of our mission and work to get more people into the industry, as well as help them stay.

2.) What genres and themes do you lean toward? Have your tastes in writing and development changed over the years, or are there things you are consistently drawn back to?

I am a big RPG nerd, and have always been more into games like Dragon Age, The Witcher, and Dungeons & Dragons. I lean HARD into those because I have always been drawn to a narrative-driven game versus strictly action.

My tastes have shifted to be more open to games like FPS, and games that are narrative-driven but have more action in them. I’ve fallen in love with Tom Clancy’s The Division, especially after the latest update. My first love will always be RPGs though, both western and Japanese titles. I’ll always go to bat for Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Age II. Those are comfort games for me, that I can pop in and enjoy no matter what.

3.) How did you get into games? Who did you look up to? Who do you look up to now?

I got into games as someone who snuck and played D&D because my mother thought it was Satanic, and by spending a lot of time in arcades when I had the quarters to spare. Thankfully not a lot of people have made me disappointed and not look up to them, but as for current folks who inspire me, the list is long; too long to fully go into here but here are some folks. Ann Lemay, Ceri Young, Andrien Gbinigie, Manveer Heir, Rebecca Cohen-Palacios, Donna Prior, Charles Babb, Karen Lewis, Gordon Bellamy, Richard LeMarchand to name a few.

4.) You started INDG to create dialogue and action addressing the default of whiteness in games heroes and themes. What has that experience been like? Where are you hoping to go in the next few years with the project?

It’s all been a happy accident that worked out well! The experience has been both great and terrible, with a lot of awesome opportunities including writing for games, doing an anthology that will be out this year. I was able to do a podcast, Fresh Out of Tokens for two years and join Spawn on Me earlier in 2017 due to the work I’ve been doing and the perspectives I’ve shared and learned doing this work. In the coming years, I’d love to have a physical location for I Need Diverse Games, and be bringing in enough to fund others’ work, or trips to conferences. I’d love to have others step up and do some of the things I’ve been doing like going to conventions, conferences, running and being on panels about these topics.

5.) You’re a pretty powerful voice in the industry. Do you have any advice for women of color, particularly young women of color, on how to deal with an industry awash with racism and sexism without losing their creativity and self-worth?

Find your circle, find other Women of Color in gaming. Join groups like the Blacks in Gaming SIG from the IGDA (International Game Developers Association). Network with others on twitter, and in game dev groups. Sign up on blackgamedevs.com and find others.

Remember you are not alone in the industry. Know that the micro-aggressions you experience are real, they aren’t over-exaggerated. Also self care is utmost. Know when to take a break, disengage and when to dig in. You don’t have to fight every battle, and don’t let people drag you into everything they want to make into a fight that you need to engage in. Remember you engage on your terms, for your health and well-being. Its ok to be angry, it’s fuel at times. Don’t let others burn your wick down, especially when they won’t even thank you for it in the end.

6.) Indie games are often on the frontlines of developing new, exciting things. What are some of the indie games that have come out recently that you feel are important not only as fun, but as contributions to a diverse genre?

There’s Moon Hunters by Kit Fox studios, Read Only Memories from Midboss, the upcoming Speed Dating for Ghosts by Copy Chaser. A lot of Alexandra Van Chestiens’ work is awesome, though it’s mostly zine’s and small games. Robert Yang’s games are excellent and great commentary on sex, consent and queer culture.

7.) You do diversity consultation, as well as other freelance work. What are some of the services you offer, and where can people go to find information on how to hire you?

I can review your script, character description, world building etc. I gave talks at Ubisoft Montreal and Arena Net on diversity in general as well as their games. If anyone is interested in my services, I have a handy contact form on my site! ( )

8.) Anything else you want to add? Open forum!

I’ve got an anthology coming out this year, Game Devs and Others: Tales from the Margins published by CRC Press. It’s a follow up to Women in Game Development: Breaking the Glass Level Cap, which was edited by Jennifer Brandes Hepler. Its personal essays from marginalized folks in the industry and also adjacent to it. I’m also getting in some writing for a couple unannounced projects which I am excited to share soon!

Thanks for joining us for this entry in the notables series. You can find more in the series here: and please feel free to drop us any suggestions for people we should interview at [email protected].

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

0 notes

swipestream · 6 years

Text

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass

Meet Tanya

Talking With Tanya

1.) Tell me a little about yourself, your work, and about I Need Diverse Games. What mediums do you work in? What’s one project or credit that you’re particularly proud of?

2.) What genres and themes do you lean toward? Have your tastes in writing and development changed over the years, or are there things you are consistently drawn back to?

3.) How did you get into games? Who did you look up to? Who do you look up to now?

7.) You do diversity consultation, as well as other freelance work. What are some of the services you offer, and where can people go to find information on how to hire you?

8.) Anything else you want to add? Open forum!

Thanks for joining us for this entry in the notables series. You can find more in the series here: and please feel free to drop us any suggestions for people we should interview at [email protected].

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

0 notes

kayawagner · 6 years

Text

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass

Meet Tanya

Talking With Tanya

1.) Tell me a little about yourself, your work, and about I Need Diverse Games. What mediums do you work in? What’s one project or credit that you’re particularly proud of?

2.) What genres and themes do you lean toward? Have your tastes in writing and development changed over the years, or are there things you are consistently drawn back to?

3.) How did you get into games? Who did you look up to? Who do you look up to now?

7.) You do diversity consultation, as well as other freelance work. What are some of the services you offer, and where can people go to find information on how to hire you?

8.) Anything else you want to add? Open forum!

Thanks for joining us for this entry in the notables series. You can find more in the series here: and please feel free to drop us any suggestions for people we should interview at [email protected].

Gnome Stew Notables – Tanya DePass published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

0 notes