Dating as design for characterization and casual game play

I had Niko take the Michelle character for a date. It's an interesting feature to the game. It seems that dating basically facilitates less goal-orientated bouts of gaming, which could be described as 'casual' (the date was a bowling session, essentially a mini-game), especially when compared with the driving and fighting missions. The dating scenario also allows the designers to round out the characters through dialogue. In general, dialogue in games can be seen as a particular mode to distribute information about goals, etc., and it is interesting that in GTAIV it seems that players are able to make choices regarding the direction or length of conversation only through the cell phone conversations. So, in effect, the dialogue between characters can be seen as a means for the designers to communicate matters they see crucial in terms of player experience.

Another theme of my analysis of GTA IV is how the goals have been designed, and what kinds of goals are there in relation to each other. The date's design, in terms of goals, was one where getting some new clothes for Niko was imposed as a sub-goal, which was instrumental for Michelle to give Niko a call. The shopping part has been with the series since Vice City, and I like it - along with the cars, it supports a sense of masculine vanity, still motivated by the world the game creates, i.e. it is acceptable to dress up for women and to look cool, and so on. Diegetic coherence, I would say.

It was also fascinating to see what happened after I decided that Niko will not change his plans to go to pick up Michelle, even if Roman had called for help. It turned out that this decision only delayed a confrontation with loan sharks.

On other fronts, Niko has taken a few punches but landed even more, had his first car chase, and couple of burgers - the weird dialogue by the burger joint waitress is on feature with which to raise eyebrows, i.e. elicit emotions - , and his first chance to sleep. The car is a bit of a wreck, so I should get that repaired.

Now his puppet master needs some food as well.