Babylon 5 - A Lesson for Game Designers

In a break from talking about games I'm instead going to talk about my favourite science fiction show. I started watching Babylon 5 late at night on channel 4 when the show first aired, I can't remember a time or day of the week it used to air but I remember much of the show. I caught episodes here and there on Bravo when it was re-run years later. What sticks in my mind most from those early memories is Londo and G'Gar, their arguments with each other but yet the camaraderie between them both. I was young when I first watched it(about 8 or 9 I'd guess) so my memories from then aren't as clear as I wish they were, that's why earlier this year I started watching the series again.

To fill people in on the series; it was created by J Michael Straczynski(JMS) and first aired in 1993, it was set aboard a space station, Babylon 5, designed to bring peace to the galaxy by getting the major races to talk. Babylon 5 creates excellent characterisation and a real sense of diverse alien cultures. The show has massive plot arc's which spans from season 1 all the way through to season 5, although the majority of the action occurs in Season 4. By the time the end comes the viewer feels like they've been on a journey, that they've experienced part of this amazing universe. JMS recently spoke at new york comic con and hinted at a new series or movie for the 20th anniversary.

I saw the last episode tonight - all 5 seasons, 22 episodes each and 42 minutes an episode or about 2 working weeks in all. I won't say it was always brilliant, I won't even say it was always good but when it got things right it was perfect. "The Fall of Centauri Prime" towards the end of Season 5 is probably the highlight of the entire series for me. I think the reason why the episode appeals to me so much is because by this stage in the series I was heavily invested in Londo's character. In it he is broken, forced to make a decision that no one should have to make, its believable and genuine. I felt empathy for his situation, I questioned what I would do, how he would cope, what it would mean for his people, I genuinely cared. I cared more about Londo and the Centauri than I have ever cared for anyone or anything in a videogame. It's not that I believe games can't express such complex emotions, in fact I believe games should be a better medium for exactly this kind of scenario, purely because I would have some agency, some say in what happens. It will happen in a game someday, and soon I hope, the technology is there just not the will from the major studios it seems.

Now if you don't mind I've got a date with Costume Quest and Tim Schafer will be pissed if I miss it... interesting designer to bring up in this post perhaps!