this vexes me

I aint readin allat

what a yap sesh

Houses Peter Box was released early 2024 as a community workshop submission for the Stealth Shooter ‘Intruder.’ This piece reflects the Authors’ (Ob1ivious) perspective on the human condition and Early 2000’s American Politics. The piece itself is comprised of a complex and contrasting FPS map with a skybox showing Peter Griffin alongside the cast of House, M.D.

Many have interpreted the skybox to represent modern disciplinary society à la Bentham’s Panopticon; however, I feel that it’s closer to a commentary on the Human Condition within a modern, 1st world society. With a collection of the upper class spectating the fight below, as represented by Hugh Laurie, Peter Griffin being altered to induce unease and paranoia, similar to the concept of ‘Big Brother’ as explored in George Orwell’s ‘1984’. The altering of recognisable characters is a motif found with most rooms; they serve to draw in the player with recognisable ideas before pulling the rug out from under the player. 1/5

Another noticeable feature of this map is the constant looping of ‘Requiem’ by György Ligeti featured in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. This track is noticeably complex and unnerving but fits perfectly among the abstract imagery and contrasting design elements within the map itself. This choice in music may also be an intertextual reference to the monolith scene within that film; that monolith famously represents transition within humankind, whether through evolution, or in this case, into a daunting modern age. This reflects one’s own experience running around within the map itself, as apes compared to the incomprehensible Dr. House.
Many other items and scenes appear throughout the map representing other facets of living in the 21st century. Far beyond our reach lies a lounge, contained behind an invisible and impenetrable ceiling, this surely represents the working-class experience. 2/5

In another corner a man dances endlessly upon a hard-to-reach roof, he’s not only impossible to interrupt but physically lacks collision within the engine. I feel that Steam user Pizza Time put this best in his comparison of this figure to the idea of a modern Sisyphus, condemned to a fruitless existence; however, in this interpretation, he’s not only imagined as happy, but seemingly believes himself to be so. This compared to the original Greek myth featuring Sisyphus as a tyrant, punished for trickery and the murder of foreigners draws links to another modern figure; George W. Bush.
From the Intruder spawn, they have three options for attack. Leave via the exposed left hallway, crawl through the cover right side vent, or attempt to scale the rope upwards towards the objective. 3/5

The final option often leads to a quick death given the unfair positioning of the exit and the guards starting close by; yet another metaphor for the class divide within the 1st world. More importantly, both the left and right exits both lead to an exposed lower courtyard, its only defining feature is a dividing wall preventing access to the other side. This barrier is a rather blatant representation of George Bush and the effects of his decision while president; this is supported by the fact his face is literally used as the texture for this divide. With little research, one can find he had many controversies within his eight years as president, a Wikipedia search for "George W. Bush administration controversies" returns 155 results. Between 9/11, human rights violations in Iraq and trickery in regards to Iraq possession of WMD’s, if there were a God and he was Good, he’d make George Bush roll a boulder up a hill for eternity. 4/5

In conclusion, this piece goes beyond a simple Intruder map and acts as a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ exhibit of modern ideals in a society that seeks to divide and conquer. 5/5

When Napoleon reached the pyramids of Gaza, he proclaimed in awe of its beauty: "Think of it, soldiers; from the summit of these pyramids, forty centuries look down upon you". It has often been the subject of thought, the emotions that flood a man upon the site of life's beauty. What was Armstrong feeling looking upon the earth from the moon? Did tears well up in the Wright brothers' eyes watching each other fly in their famous machine for the first time? None may know but me, for I have seen the truest beauty. I have seen the face of god, at it was Hugh Laurie. This map was an emotional experience. Its fluidity, capacity, and complexity is enough to study for decades and would require a team of the highest minds in order to truly appreciate its intricacies. 1/6

The graphics transported me to an entirely different world. One better than my own where a naked Peter Griffin's watches my every move. I cannot help but draw parallels to Benthams Panopticon where Mr Family Guy is the a powerful observer who sits seemingly beyond an obtainable distance. This of course is a reflection on the ever growing divide between political authorities and their populous as well as their surveillance nature. But while Peetah may represent political powers, Dr Gregory House (House MD) is representative of a higher spiritual power for when you look towards the heavens, god looks back. House's paraphernalia which seemingly litters the interior designs of the physical house itself its an abstract commentary of how many people have portraits of Jesus Christ or crucifixes littered around their personal homes. 2/6

This grows even deeper when we consider the music that loops throughout the playthrough of each match, none other than the welling and unsettling sounds from the scenes involving the Black monolith in 2001 a Space Odyssey. In the film, this monolith is used as an observation tool to monitor transitions in the history of human evolution. The first scene this appears is when primates first discover the use of tools, specifically the ability to use tools to harm eachother. It's then seen it great moments of human discovery like on the moon and at the end of the universe. It's almost poetic that the sound that companions the appearance of the monolith in the film is present at all times during the match as we use modern tools like guns, banana, and goober grenades to kill eachother and exhibit the nature of the primates at the beginning of the film, observed and monitored by Peter and House. 3/6

But it goes deeper. Some may not notice this but on the map exists a plain, dancing man. Perhaps, if it weren't for the limitations of the game engine, this man would probably resemble Sisyphus pushing a boulder. Like Camus said: "one must imagine Sisyphus happy.", I pose "One must imagine bland man boogie". Maybe this dancing mannequin is feature-less for a reason? Perhaps to make it easier for us to project ourselves onto the character more easily. So instead of "one must imagine bland man boogie", maybe "one must imagine themselves boogie?". Perchance. 4/6

Maybe its a reflection and all connected to these themes. We violent creatures see this dancing figure as an oddity as we slaughter eachother in front of politicians and gods. But maybe, we should be more like this mannequin. I believe that this map is a reflection of the meaning of life. To dance. To love. To be happy. Especially in the face of adversity. God (House) has purposefully put each member into opposing teams against our will and politicians (Peter Griffin) have become the architects of violence, supplying us with the means to kill each other and the area to do so. But this dancing figure who appears to be an anomaly of nature, an affront to god himself, seeps through the matrix and into our game. Inviting us to to put down our guns, put on our boogie shoes, and dance in the face of this confusing world we have been put in. This map has changed me and given me a better outlook on life. 5/6

When I played this game with my friends I said to them "Think of it gooners; from the summit of this map, 20 score days look upon you". We all knew what this map meant. We discovered the nature of humanity. We step foot on the moon. We where silent, and then we wept. 6/6

Finally a map that doesn't have all that violence or sex like you see on TV