King of Kong Questions

1. Mitchell is unabashedly cocky and fond of self promotion, proclaiming himself the "Sauce King" of Florida for his successful line of homemade hot sauces. Next to his family, Mitchell considers his arcade scores his greatest achievements in life.
How typical are these types of values and attitudes among 'core' gamers and how important is it to understand these values if you are a game designer? What *are* these values, exactly?

"Cocky" and "egocentric" are common terms that describe core gamers because most of them share a competitive spirit that at times can overwhelm their sense of sportsmanship. Professionalism according to Ngo, does not run in the family of core gamers because gaming is rarely considered a true "profession" (unless it is a service provided to some game company or competition). It is important to understand their attitudes because it allows you to design the gameplay to suit their desires.


2. Steve Wiebe has been laid off as a Boeing engineer, and now spends his time as a science teacher. His friends and his wife, Nicole, describe him as a tragic figure who always comes up short despite being proficient at music, sports, art, and mathematics.
Is Weibe's 'tragic' aspect typical of core gaming 'types'?

If all they are concerned about is games and nothing else, then the absence of responsibility is tragic.

What role does self esteem (high or low) play in the culture of hard core gaming and such subcultures as competitive vintage or 'classic' game playing? How would you best describe the relationship between low self-esteem and videogame mastery?

Low self esteem sometimes makes videogames inviting because according to Ngo, it provides a universe away from the mundane atmosphere of everyday existence. However, the relationship between the two is non sequitur because people with low self esteem do not always appeal to videogames as a solution.


3. Despite Wiebe's protests that his own first score was disqualified for being submitted via unsupervised videotape, Twin Galaxies accepts Mitchell's score over Wiebe's and proclaims that Mitchell is still the record holder.
How valid do you think videotaped gameplay should be in establishing videogame playing records? If valid, why? If not valid, why not?

Videotaped gameplay should be valid as long as it is supervised. It is impossible according to Ngo to examine every hardware component to see if it qualifies as a valid game though.

4. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, wondering "Who would have guessed that a a documentary about gamers obesessed with scoring a world record at Donkey Kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of Western civilization?"

What do you think of the film? Is it an accurate protrayal of what makes videogames so compelling for those who play them?

It is funny but as long as some people put it in perspective, this is not the "decline of western civilization". It was about a niche of game players addicted to playing particular games as Ngo sees it. If they know how to lead an honest life, then they are not more hostile than the group of people who follow Oprah's book club.


5. On November 10, 1981, Walter Day opened an arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa called Twin Galaxies. Though it was a modest arcade of merely 22 arcade games, it soon became known as the International Scorekeeper for the burgeoning video game industry. Under Day's direction, Twin Galaxies set rules for gameplay on hundreds of games, while maintaining a records database of competitive high scores. Twin Galaxies is considered by gaming historians as being the first organizer of professional gaming, putting competitive electronic gaming on the world map.
How important do you think organizations like Twin Galaxies are in the vintage arcade gaming community?

They are important because arcade gaming is not nearly as popular in ngo's opinion as it was in the past. Twin Galaxies tries to keep the spirit alive by bringing those who have nostalgia together in a forum to discuss arcade games.

Could such communities exist without such organizations?

The communities can exist in small numbers without Twin Galaxies. But it depends on the location and other factors.

What role does Twin Galaxies play ultimately, and why is this significant to the film and its story?

Twin Galaxies is the ultimate moderator for all competition by establishing ground rules. They are supposed to be impartial according to Ngo, but have shown a penchant for bolstering the accomplishments of one man "Mitchell".


6. The film depicts Wiebe's skill at Donkey Kong being linked to his ability to deeply understand the title's game mechanics, particularly the way that rhythm and timing work to ensure a successful outcome.
The film in one scene compared his love of drumming and his abilities at basketball as well as his musical talent as part and parcel of his gift at playing Donkey Kong.
How would you describe this set of inter-related skills?

Hand/eye coordination is key to success in these types of games. You have to react accurately to timed events to be successful at these games. He was already primed for the role of player because of his background in sports and music.

Have you experienced anything like this yourself when playing games? Have you been able to associate the skill of playing games with similar related skills and talents and how would you best describe the nature of this set of inter-relationships between skills/passions/abilities?

Yes, hand/eye coordination and timing helped me play organized baseball in Wallenberg high school. My skill did not necessarily translate to better VIDEO game playing though. Conversely, not all core gamers are by default "gifted" at playing sports.


7. In the film, Wiebe, while playing the game says hello to Mitchell. Mitchell didn't respond. As he's walking away from Wiebe, Mitchell says, "There's certain people I don't want to spend too much time with." Mitchell offered no explanation for his behavior towards Wiebe but did later explain that at the time of filming, he had not played video games for "more than a year", and that the filmmakers had not given him enough advance warning to train for a public record-breaking attempt. Seth Gordon, the film's Director, in referring to Mitchell's character says that Mitchell "is a true puppet-master", "a master of information-control".
What do you think Gordon means by this? What role does such behavior play in general terms in videogame culture?

Gordon probably means that Mitchell knows how to manipulate people into believing things without knowing the full story. He knows that Wiebe is not privy to believing anything like those who were gullible enough to believe anything that Mitchells says. Information-control is probably a description of the way he speaks carefully and calmly. I do not believe that Mitchell knows how to control dissemination of information, Ngo thinks going a little too far.

8. What did you think of the film? Is it really only about the game "Donkey Kong" and those who seek to hold the highest score or is it really about something more?

It is really about psychology of competitive spirit. Who wants to be on top more? What measures does one take to stay on top? It also describes the nature of a support system around people.

9. Have you ever played "Donkey Kong"? What was your memory of playing it? Where were you, when was it?

I have never played the game. I was too young.