Walt Williams

Wow. I know next to nothing about video games. When I try to play them, I usually get dizzy and have to stop, but Significant Zero was utterly engrossing. It starts out funny and irreverent, so that in parts I laughed out loud, and then, once Williams moves from NYC to California and starts getting sucked into the morass of working on Spec Ops: The Line, it gradually becomes more serious and troubling. Walt is honest about how narrow his life became when he was consumed by work, and how miserable he was as, every six months, the end point of the Alpha phase of development was extended another six months. The stuff about writing is fascinating, and the ending is profound.
I'm surprised at myself for liking this so much because it's unlike my usual reading, but the explication of moral choices in the games, and the parallels between the antagonist of the game and the developer of the game intrigued me. When, for instance, the player is confronted with a choice so disturbing that they have to step away from the game, but then they still come back, that's a very curious power dynamic.
I'll be thinking about this one for sure. I'm inspired to keep going with my own writing. I'm glad Williams ends up in a better, more balanced life, and I feel certain he'll make the world a better place.… (plus d'informations)