The Limits of the Evolution of Female Characters in the Bioshock Franchise

Weimin Toh

National University of Singapore

Aim of the study

Proposal of an integrated framework to track semiotic representations of female characters in Bioshock franchise. Bioshock (2K Boston, 2007). Bioshock 2 (2K Marin, 2010). Bioshock Infinite (Irrational Games, 2013).

Rationale for Bioshock franchise

As newer games were released, increasingly “independent” female characters are depicted.

Using the proposed framework to show the female characters are still portrayed from a patriarchal perspective.

Female characters analysedVideo Games Female Characters

Bioshock Brigid Tenenbaum Little Sisters

Bioshock 2 Brigid Tenenbaum Sofia Lamb Eleanor Lamb

Bioshock Infinite Elizabeth

Tenenbaum Little Sister Sofia and Eleanor Elizabeth

Theoretical Framework

Multimodal framework to analyse character role changes in different game titles.

Give a better understanding of how gender roles are constructed.

Martin and White’s (2005) appraisal framework.

Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1990, 1996, 2006) framework of visual analysis.

Lim’s (2011) system of gesture.

Characters’ semiotic representations are coded using the categories from the above frameworks.

Coding is used to understand if the semiotic representations change in the different games.

Semiotic representations are correlated with the (stereotypical) character role.

Theoretical Framework Appraisal framework Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1990, 1996, 2006) framework of

visual analysis Metafunctional.

Meaning potentials seen in terms of: Ideational Interpersonal, and Textual metafunctions

In this study, only the ideational metafunction, i.e. the narrative structure (Kress and van Leeuwen, 1996) is used.

Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1990, 1996, 2006) visual framework Representational structures are distinguished by

vectors. Vectors represent “unfolding actions and events,

processes of change, transitory spatial arrangements” (Kress and van Leeuwen 1996, 56).

Process refers to the types of unfolding actions. Action,

Transactional Non-transactional

Kress and van Leeuwen’s (1990, 1996, 2006) visual framework

Reactional, Defined by gaze (Reactor and Phenonenon)

Speech/Verbal, Characters’ dialogue

Mental, Flashback or verbal recount of thought process

Circumstances Locative Means Accompaniment

Lim’s (2011) System of Gesture Lim’s (2011) framework develops Martinec’s (2000, 2001,

2004) system of gesture.

Performance gesture is a gesture without intention to convey a meaning.

Presenting action.

Communicative gesture conveys meaning to addresse.

Representing action

Language independent gesture, and

Language correspondent gesture.

Indexical action

Language-dependent gesture

Analysis Data

Bioshock’s gameplay recordings taken from my game study’s participants.

Remaining Bioshock gameplay recordings taken from YouTube.

Rationale for the choice of data

In the Bioshock games, players have to conform to a specific pathway.

Within restricted variability in the narrative and gameplay, semiotic representations do not change much.

Language, behaviour and gestures of female characters transcribed.

Coding from the framework is then applied to the transcribed data.

Linguistic Analysis of Tenenbaum in Bioshock

Judgment Appreciation

Brigid Tenenbaum 28 Capacity 22 Valuation

2 Incapacity 0 -Valuation

21 Tenacity

0 -Tenacity

10 Propriety

10 -Propriety

• Significant no. of capacity, valuation, and tenacity tokens• Strong scientist.• Focus on scientific experiments.• Loyalty to the player character on the “good” play through.• From an objective scientist to nurturing maternal figure.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Tenenbaum in Bioshock

Behaviour Others

Brigid Tenenbaum 107 Verbal process 38 Circumstance :means

60 Mental process

• Tenenbaum’s backstory highlighted through audio logs.• Audio logs contains both verbal and mental process.

• Circumstance: means tokens highlight her supporting role to the player.

Linguistic Analysis of The Little Sisters in Bioshock

Affect Judgement

The Little Sisters 20 Happiness 19 Normal

17 Unhappiness 18 Abnormal

22 Inclination 19 Capacity

19 Disinclination 20 Incapacity

23 Tenacity

19 -Tenacity

• Simple characterisation.• Becomes loyal to the player after they are saved.• Simple emotions.• Capable of independence after being saved.• Support player character.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Little Sisters in Bioshock

Behaviour Others

The Litter Sisters 11 Transactional action

process :actor

7 Circumstance :mea

ns

56 Transactional action process :goal

4 Circumstance :acco

mpaniment

41 Verbal process

0 Mental process

• Passive characters.•Goal of player.• Player’s tools.

Linguistic Analysis of Tenenbaum in Bioshock 2

Affect Judgement Appreciation

Brigid Tenenbaum 8 Inclination 4 Tenacity 7 Reaction :Impact

1 Disinclination 0 -Tenacity 7 Reaction :Quality

4 Valuation

• Supports player character.•Admiration of player character.•Guide to player character.• Loyal and dependent on player character.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Tenenbaum in Bioshock 2

Behaviour Gestures Others

Brigid Tenenbaum

4 Transactional action

process :actor

2 Representing action, Attitude :positive, engagement :expansion, graduation: fast

2 Circumstance :lo

cative

46 Verbal process 3 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :fast

5 Circumstance :m

eans

4 Circumstance :accompaniment• Remains in background to provide backstory and gameplay hints.

•Nurturing character.•Allegiance to player character and the Little Sisters.

Linguistic Analysis of Sofia in Bioshock 2

Affect Judgement Appreciation

Sofia Lamb 9 Satisfaction 15 Capacity 14 Reaction :Quality

20 Dissatisfaction 9 Incapacity 55 -Reaction :Quality

3 Happiness 7 Tenacity 12 Valuation

18 Unhappiness 6 -Tenacity 3 -Valuation

3 Inclination 3 Propriety

33 Disinclination 26 -Propriety

•Antagonist.• Perceives player as an obstacle to her creation of utopia.• Perceives her daughter, Eleanor as an important tool to realize utopia.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Sofia in Bioshock 2

Behaviour Gestures Others

Sofia Lamb

4 Transactional action process :actor

1 Presenting action :material process 47 Circumstance :lo

cative

4 Non-transactional action process :actor

3 Presenting action :Behavioural process

204 Verbal process 3 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :fast

11 Mental process 1 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :slow

•Appears briefly, presence constantly felt in background.

Linguistic Analysis of Eleanor in Bioshock 2

Affect Judgement Appreciation

Eleanor Lamb 19 Satisfaction 40 Capacity 35 Reaction :Impact

12 Dissatisfaction 13 Incapacity 0 -Reaction :Impact

11 Happiness 52 Tenacity 32 Reaction :Quality

12 Unhappiness 0 -Tenacity 15 -Reaction :Quality

2 Security 8 Propriety 18 Valuation

6 Insecurity 5 -Propriety 0 -Valuation

41 Inclination

2 Disinclination

•Allegiance to the player character.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Eleanor in Bioshock 2

Behaviour Gestures Others

Eleanor Lamb

23 Transactional action process :actor

3 Presenting action :Behavioural process

45 Circumstance :locative

2 Transactional action process :goal

23 Representing action, Attitude :positive,

engagement :expansion, graduation: fast

35 Circumstance :means

3 Non-transactional action process :actor

31 Circumstance :accomp

animent

167 Verbal process

8 Mental process

•More active than Tenenbaum and Sofia Lamb.• Supports the player character.

Linguistic Analysis of Elizabeth in Bioshock InfiniteAffect Judgement Appreciation

Elizabeth 31 Satisfaction 332 Capacity 572 Reaction :Impact

73 Dissatisfaction 63 Incapacity 0 -Reaction :Impact

16 Happiness 498 Tenacity 26 Reaction :Quality

74 Unhappiness 22 -Tenacity 128 -Reaction :Quality

0 Security 55 Veracity 46 Valuation

31 Insecurity 8 -Veracity 5 -Valuation

536 Inclination 11 Propriety

83 Disinclination 32 -Propriety

• Dependent on player character to escape from captivity.• Powerful character because of ability to open portals to parallel universes.• But ability used to support player character.• Character development where she starts to exhibit attributes traditionally associated with

masculinity.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Elizabeth in Bioshock InfiniteBehaviour Gestures Others

Elizabeth 408 Transactional action process :actor

27 Presenting action :material process 285 Circumstance :loc

ative

8 Transactional action process :goal

25 Presenting action :Behavioural process 432 Circumstance :me

ans

67 Non-transactional action process :actor

329 Representing action, Attitude :positive 10 –Circumstance :me

ans

17 Transactional reaction process :actor

19 Representing action, Attitude :negative 75 Circumstance :acc

ompaniment

273 Verbal process 28 Indexical action, -Receptivity, Attitude :negative

72 -Circumstance :acc

ompaniment

24 Mental process 14 Indexical action, Importance, Attitude :positive

• Appears physically throughout Bioshock Infinite.• Plays a supporting role to the player character.• Goal to be rescued.• Dependent and independent from player character.

Conclusion

Proposal of multimodal framework to track the female characters’ development in the Bioshock franchise.

Some advancement observed.

Highly passive female characters in first few games.

Brigid Tenenbaum (Bioshock and Bioshock 2),

Sofia Lamb (Bioshock 2), and

Little Sisters (Bioshock and Bioshock 2).

Strong female characters in the later games.

Eleanor (Bioshock 2), and

Elizabeth (Bioshock Infinite).

But still limited in their representation as they support male character.

References

2K Boston (2007) Bioshock. [PC Computer, PS3, Xbox 360, OS X, Cloud (OnLive), iOS] 2K Games. Quincy, Massachusetts USA: played 7 December 2014.

2K Marin (2010) Bioshock 2. [PC Computer, OS X, PS3, Xbox 360] 2K Games. Novato, Marin County, California USA: played 7 December 2014.

Irrational Games (2013) Bioshock Infinite. [PC Computer, PS3, Xbox 360, OS X, Linux] 2K Games. Quincy, Massachusetts USA: played 7 December 2014.

Kress, G. and Theo van Leeuwen. Reading Images. Geelong, Deakin University Press, 1990.

Kress, G. and Theo van Leeuwen. Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. London; New York: Routledge, 1996.

Kress, G. and Theo van Leeuwen. Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. Second edition. London; New York: Routledge, 2006.

References

Lim, F.V. “A Systemic Functional Multimodal Discourse Analysis Approach to Pedagogic Discourse,” PhD dissertation, National University of Singapore, 2011.

Martin, J.R., and P.R.R. White. The Language of Evaluation: Appraisal in English. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

Martinec, R. “Gestures that Co-occur with Speech as a Systematic Resource: The Realization of Experiential Meaning in Indexes,” in Social Semiotics 14(2), (2004), pp.193-213.

2014, pp.124-151.

White, P.R.R. (2005) The Appraisal Website :The Language of Attitude, Arguability and Interpersonal Positioning [online]. Available at http://www.grammatics.com/appraisal/appraisalGuide/Framed/Frame.htm (accessed Dec. 2014)