The Butterfly Effect, the random that is life and about to make the right choices
“The flapping of wings of a simple butterfly may cause a whirlwind in the other side of the world”
That is one of the most classic and clear phrase about this theory, that is so easy to understand and at the same time so complex to imagine practically.
I have knew the theory after to watch the movie “The Butterfly Effect” (2004) and, astonished with the complexity that involve our decisions, even the most simple of them, I decided to know deeply this theory.
Beyond the reading, researches and informative videos, I also have watched two important movies about the theme: “Mr. Nobody” (2009) and “Looper” (2012) that, independently of its intrigue or cinematographic purpose, make a review of that theory, which is very interesting.
Backing from job, you make many micro decisions that apparently are irrelevant, but that really affect your near and distant future. Will you turn to left or the right side? Go to the market or choose for the delivery in the comfort of your home? Does it go faster in order to avoid the red light or keep the speed and be stuckat the traffic light? Every of these decisions may change completely your life;to think about what may happens in each way taken is enough to understand that many things are out of our control.
Things get even more disturbing when we stop to think that the complexity of our own network of events is not enough, since it is perfectly possible that other people’s decisions end up interfering with ours. Whether it’s because your girlfriend who wants to change the ballad for a restaurant or something farther away from it, like a young late for a compromise who decides to break speed limits, gets annoyed by traffic and ends up crashing on your back at the moment you decided to keep the speed and get stuck in the traffic light.
Multiply the few examples that I quoted for the infinite chance that is life and it is ready: you will have an idea of the dimension and complexity that is the famous butterfly effect!
Some game producers have realized how interesting this issue is and have come up with some titles in which the player is forced to make decisions at all times. Such decisions range from simple decisions such as what to say in a conversation, and more complex decisions, that endanger the characters involved.
Recently some of these have been very successful, such as “The Walking Dead Telltale Games”, “Life is Strange”, “Until Dawn” and the most recent “Detroid Become Human”. All of them were able to keep up the player’s attention and make every decision taken a reason for attention, provoking complex emotional reactions and involvement with the characters.
The image above is about the “Detroid Become Human” game that has been a huge success due to the complexity of the network of events and how much each decision is capable of influencing the outcome of the story. In this image are listed all the paths that could be taken by the player and are marked in blue the consequences taken in fact at the end.
Why does this type of game, capable of making decisions important enough at the end of the story, attract so many people? Maybe it is the adrenaline rush to make quick decisions that really matter to the story; maybe it is personal satisfaction to see how much you are able to save your favourite characters or it is simply that you can make decisions and deal with their consequences without risking life itself.
Invariably, some decisions taken in the game are thought in order to guarantee the success of the character. In real life, the fact that there are many more emotions involved, a lot more people around and the fear of consequences affect an important decision in a much more intense way.
When we are forced to make a decision, it is not just about what will happen from then on. All our past will be part of this decision, and this will set final path.
In Life is Strange the whole plot is prepared so that the player engages with all the characters, create ties, have fun, cry, have emotions, just like in real life. The emotional appeal is so great and the innumerable dialogues and decisions are summed up to a single choice at the end of the game that are not only the consequences but the whole experience of the character and the player.
Many complained that the outcome of the game was summed up to two dissenting endings, saying it would be much more interesting if there were other outcomes. I believe that the end of the game was competent with all its narrative and the frustration with the two finals presented serves as a metaphor for real life.
Many times, no matter how we measure our decisions, the end will not be positive. Moreover, we will have to face! And we will have to accept! There is no right decision; there is your decision, and you will have to assume its consequences!
In the end, life is a game of choices in which we are challenged at all times. Each one has its own way of playing. The important thing is that in the end, we can all live in peace with our decisions and their consequences.
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