Interactivity and Ecomedia in the Digital Age

Abstract

Interactivity is a fundamental aspect of contemporary digital media and communication, playing a crucial role in the synergistic relationship between filmic representation and video games. This paper examines the interplay between Jeta Amata's eco-film Black November and the video game Niger Delta Commando, focusing on the narratives, themes, and imaginary worlds that define their relationship. In the context of Nigeria's Niger Delta challenges, these media forms provide alternative approaches for addressing environmental issues while maintaining relevance and competing for attention in the entertainment landscape. Nigeria's rapidly growing video game industry holds significant potential for entertainment and economic development. This study acknowledges the integral part played by film in influencing the development of video games, as both mediums share aspects such as camera techniques, narrative structures, visual representation technologies, special effects, and thematic concerns. In this case, Niger Delta Commando allows players to determine the narrative through interactivity, offering a unique and innovative way to address the Niger Delta's environmental challenges. Adopting a dual analytical and descriptive methodology, this paper explores the interrelatedness of the narratives linking Black November and Niger Delta Commando, reconciling leading arguments in ecomedia, and assessing the Nigerian narrative's notions of interactivity, immersion, and environment. The analysis also considers the environmental impacts of media product life cycles and addresses the differential experiences of affected populations. The eco-film Black November is recreated in the interactive video game medium Niger Delta Commando, emphasizing the military action storyline and visual style reminiscent of the Niger Delta region's activist struggles. However, the video game primarily adopts an action-thriller plot without addressing the underlying factors contributing to violence in the region or the environmental degradation detailed in Black November. Media products, including films and video games, have demonstrated their utility as tools for engaging with and analyzing human concerns. With video games becoming increasingly popular and accepted as an artistic medium, adaptations like Niger Delta Commando can provide more immersive representations of environmental issues. The paper proposes that future video games addressing the Niger Delta region should feature complex and nuanced intersections reflecting the region's ecological challenges, moving beyond violence and towards a more constructive engagement with the environment.