

Video Game Dreamin
Star Wars Battle Front is a first person shooter. One thing that sets it apart from most first person shooter games is the archetype role of the game player. As opposed to most traditional games where the player is the hero, or in some circumstances the shadow, the twist to Star Wars Battle Front is that the player takes on the role of pawn on the front lines of a large scale combat scenario. This reduction of status from the general to foot soldier is symbolic of how must of us are really just normal people. Battles take place on different Star Wars referenced planets and generally consist of a 250 vs. 250 soldier shootout. The amount of soldiers left is shown at the top of the screen. Each map also has different bases where players and automated intelligence (AI) units spawn. These bases can be captured by standing in them without an enemy present for a long enough time. When your team has control of the spawn point troops can spawn there. This shows how we have to get used to an area and make sure it is safe before we can call it a base. Also at each spawn point is an ammo robot as well as a health robot. These represent the archetype of the wise old man as gifts are presented in the form of more laser beams and health. If one side captures all the spawn points on the map they claim victory, additionally if all 250 soldiers are killed the battle is over. At the start of each life players choose where on the map they’d like to spawn. They then select from a variety of soldier types. These have elaborate Star Wars names based on the era and side of the force selected. The different faction and soldier types are described on lucasarts.com as ranging from“20 different soldier types from 4 factions: Rebel Alliance, Galactic Empire, Republic Clone Army and Separatist Battle Droids. Soldier types include standard infantry, scouts, heavy weapons and pilots - each will have their own unique abilities”(lucasarts). These different character types determine the weapons of the character and consequently the most effective gameplay strategy. This demonstrates the different personas one can choose from and how it leads them to act accordingly. For instance picking people off from a distance with a sniper or running in like a mad man with a soldier or taking out aircraft with a heavy weapons specialist all represent the different personas the player can choose to take on during game play. This is a textbook example of Jungian’s persona description of how the self behaves in accordance with its perception. Upon choosing a soldier type the player spawns at one of the bases and enters the field of battle. Players are able to run and shoot, jump, roll, throw grenades, and even get into a large variety of vehicles. The great mother Archetype is sort of addressed in some of the sky scraper sized vehicles the empire has as they protect the foot soldiers around it. Kills and deaths of the player are kept track of as well as captures and a variety of other statistics. The object of the game is to win the battle and take control of the planet. Sometimes in certain game modes a Jedi knight or Sith lord will spawn as either a hero or shadow archetype and begin wreaking havoc on a rampage until gunned down. This however sort of makes the player the hero since ideally they have the most skill out of any of the AI controlled players and thus it is up to them to make the difference in the battle. This represents how we play the biggest role in determining if our life is a victory or defeat. Also it could symbolize how even though we are ordinary people we can still do extraordinary things or at least better than the average. Another big factor in the win or loss is how effectively different character classes or vehicles are used. This is amplified by the fact that if the player plays poorly they are usually defeated. This is symbolic of how executing differently in different scenarios can lead to success or failure.
Upon my first life of my first game I immediately ran towards the nearest vehicle and jumped in. When my screen shifted I say an X-wing and was tempted by that so I got out of the vehicle and got in the x-win. Apparently flight controls are invers because I immediately crashed and died upon take off. This was my last attempt at flying the X-wing. This may be symbolic of my greed for the most powerful weapon and being punished for not being experienced at the basics of the game enough to mess with the big toys yet. This may be externally symbolic of my or my shadow’s greed for the best but being discouraged by a lack of understanding of how to become the best. Upon my next life I flanked some enemy troops and cautiously shot them down from a bit of a distance, I even added a roll for extra safety. After gaining some confidence from my range kills combed with the arrival of a 74-Z Speeder Bike I got on the bike and took off and crashed and died. Again possibly stepping out of my shoes and showing my impatience at wanting to ascend in rank or talent in my external life. After another couple kills with the blaster rifle I went on a rampage in a vehicle. The rest of that game was uneventful and since my teammate and I didn’t play well we ended up in a defeat. This can connect to life because we often fail at things the first time we try them and in our first game we were defeated. The next map was in the snow and at the begging of the match I pushed aggressively for the neutral bases in the middle in order to have more rebel teammates spawn closer to the empire’s base meanwhile my teammate sniped their charging storm troopers. This showcases our different personas as the heroic soldier would aggressively and successfully storm and capture enemy bases as the sniper would sit back and kill untraceable from a distance. The heroics of the soldier are also displayed by his run straight towards the enemy shooting while dodging with rolls and jumps. Eventually after killing the escort troops of the AT-AT I advanced towards the empire’s headquarters and proceeded to pick soldiers off as they attempted to start the journey towards the rebel defenses. I survived until one of the enemies got inside a vehicle and hunted me down. This is symbolic of how sometimes we think we are running the table until a bigger fish shows up. I then became a big time player when I held down a tunnel full of incoming storm troopers fulfilling the potential of the average player becoming a hero or externally as an average person doing an extraordinary thing. This heroic play led to the eventual victory of the campaign.