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 analysed Video GamesFemale Characters BioshockBrigid TenenbaumLittle Sisters Bioshock 2Brigid TenenbaumSofia LambEleanor Lamb Bioshock InfiniteElizabeth TenenbaumLittle Sister Sofia and EleanorElizabeth

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  L im’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 JudgmentAppreciation Brigid Tenenbaum28 Capacity22 Valuation 2 Incapacity0 -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 BehaviourOthers Brigid Tenenbaum107 Verbal process38 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 AffectJudgement The Little Sisters20 Happiness19 Normal 17 Unhappiness18 Abnormal 22 Inclination19 Capacity 19 Disinclination20 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 BehaviourOthers The Litter Sisters11 Transactional action process :actor 7 Circumstance :means 56 Transactional action process :goal 4 Circumstance :accompaniment 41 Verbal process 0 Mental process Passive characters. Goal of player. Player’s tools.

Linguistic Analysis of Tenenbaum in Bioshock 2 AffectJudgementAppreciation Brigid Tenenbaum8 Inclination4 Tenacity7 Reaction :Impact 1 Disinclination0 -Tenacity7 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 BehaviourGesturesOthers Brigid Tenenbaum 4 Transactional action process :actor 2 Representing action, Attitude :positive, engagement :expansion, graduation: fast 2 Circumstance :locative 46 Verbal process3 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :fast 5 Circumstance :means 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 AffectJudgementAppreciation Sofia Lamb9 Satisfaction15 Capacity14 Reaction :Quality 20 Dissatisfaction9 Incapacity55 -Reaction :Quality 3 Happiness7 Tenacity12 Valuation 18 Unhappiness6 -Tenacity3 -Valuation 3 Inclination3 Propriety 33 Disinclination26 -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 BehaviourGesturesOthers Sofia Lamb 4 Transactional action process :actor 1 Presenting action :material process47 Circumstance :locative 4 Non-transactional action process :actor 3 Presenting action :Behavioural process 204 Verbal process3 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :fast 11 Mental process1 Representing action, Attitude :negative, engagement :contraction, graduation :slow Appears briefly, presence constantly felt in background.

Linguistic Analysis of Eleanor in Bioshock 2 AffectJudgementAppreciation Eleanor Lamb19 Satisfaction40 Capacity35 Reaction :Impact 12 Dissatisfaction13 Incapacity0 -Reaction :Impact 11 Happiness52 Tenacity32 Reaction :Quality 12 Unhappiness0 -Tenacity15 -Reaction :Quality 2 Security8 Propriety18 Valuation 6 Insecurity5 -Propriety0 -Valuation 41 Inclination 2 Disinclination Allegiance to the player character.

Non-linguistic Analysis of Eleanor in Bioshock 2 BehaviourGesturesOthers 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 :accompaniment 167 Verbal process 8 Mental process More active than Tenenbaum and Sofia Lamb. Supports the player character.

Linguistic Analysis of Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite AffectJudgementAppreciation Elizabeth31 Satisfaction332 Capacity572 Reaction :Impact 73 Dissatisfaction63 Incapacity0 -Reaction :Impact 16 Happiness498 Tenacity26 Reaction :Quality 74 Unhappiness22 -Tenacity128 -Reaction :Quality 0 Security55 Veracity46 Valuation 31 Insecurity8 -Veracity5 -Valuation 536 Inclination11 Propriety 83 Disinclination32 -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 Infinite BehaviourGesturesOthers Elizabeth408 Transactional action process :actor 27 Presenting action :material process285 Circumstance :locative 8 Transactional action process :goal 25 Presenting action :Behavioural process432 Circumstance :means 67 Non-transactional action process :actor 329 Representing action, Attitude :positive10 –Circumstance :means 17 Transactional reaction process :actor 19 Representing action, Attitude :negative75 Circumstance :accompaniment 273 Verbal process28 Indexical action, -Receptivity, Attitude :negative 72 -Circumstance :accompaniment 24 Mental process14 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  2K Marin (2010) Bioshock 2. [PC Computer, OS X, PS3, Xbox 360] 2K Games. Novato, Marin County, California USA: played 7 December  Irrational Games (2013) Bioshock Infinite. [PC Computer, PS3, Xbox 360, OS X, Linux] 2K Games. Quincy, Massachusetts USA: played 7 December  Kress, G. and Theo van Leeuwen. Reading Images. Geelong, Deakin University Press,  Kress, G. and Theo van Leeuwen. Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. London; New York: Routledge,  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,  Martin, J.R., and P.R.R. White. The Language of Evaluation: Appraisal in English. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan,  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  2014, pp  White, P.R.R. (2005) The Appraisal Website :The Language of Attitude, Arguability and Interpersonal Positioning [online]. Available at (accessed Dec. 2014)