Roger Ebert: Games are an inferior medium

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

I certainly think that indie outfits are more likely to build games which have artistic merit, this isn't because I'm involved in such a thing, but more of what I actually personally saw at gamefest, some of the entrents were infact very artistic in their style, from a visual perspective, competative while not actually being violent.

 

Dishwasher was violent.

 

Games like Ragu for example were not violent, and they had a certain childish charm to them, and the gameplay itself revolved around rain clouds and competing for rain drops to grow a flower which grew slowly and stuck with the same artistic style as the rest of the scene.

 

Regardless of this, what I do know is that each discipline of what goes togeather to make a game requires some kind of creative and thus artistic merit. Currently most games that are created, are simply aiming for that same kind of hollywood action flick. This is due to what sells, it's hard for any developer to get any sort of deal in regards to having a game released, publishers will play it safe. I couldn't name a single publisher that would sink a couple of million $$$ into a game, and concept based purely upon artistic merit. It is certainly more likely as a result that any artistic games will come from indie developers. The tools are certainly in place to make that so, XSI mod tool, XNA, C# visual studio express, DX SDK, XACT... etc... etc..

 

As for the quality of products available from indie developers what I usually find is a reason for that is generally down to artwork, Photoshop, 3DS Max/Maya, and Z Brush are all expensive tools. Most indie development companies can't afford such tools so they have to find different solutions. This leads to an increase in creativity as a result.

 

We will see games that can be considered to be fine art someday, we already have games that are certainly works of art, while they may not subjectivily be appealing, they are certain modest attempts.

 

I've mentioned Another World, three time now, maybe more, the reason I keep mentioning it is basically because everything about the game at that time, on the technology should be considered to be artistic. The guy actually coded the game engine, and did all the graphics himself, he pushed the technology of the times to the limit, invented a new graphical style in games that currently hadn't been seen, he also put a story in their. I have heard and also think that the game itself is symbolic of the loneliness a sole developer feels, and he must have felt while spending two years developing this title alone. That may not and probably was not his intention when he originally developed it, but it is certainly an element invoked by the game, there is a certain sad and meloncheoly tone within it.

[Pidesco]

Wrong Thread.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Pidesco

[Cantousent]

Oh, your post. I thought you were talking about Nightshade's post, which seemed entirely pertinent to me.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Why do I always get called Nightshade?

[Cantousent]

Well, tonight because I got you mixed up with the other deadlynightshade or whatever. I'm a bit tired. Sorry about that. :Cant's sheepish head hanging icon:

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Well, tonight because I got you mixed up with the other deadlynightshade or whatever. I'm a bit tired. Sorry about that. :Cant's sheepish head hanging icon:

 

It's okay, lots of people seem to do it.

[Qwerty the Sir]

I like raspberry ice cream and Roger Ebert doesn't.

[Pidesco]

That means raspberry ice cream will never be high art.

[Xard]

High art?

 

oh lawd

 

Edited August 30, 2007 by Xard

[Tale]

High art?

 

oh lawd

 

Epic, but the wrong place for it.

[Xard]

No it isn't, this is were talk about high art was going on

[Jack_Wellington]

Nice topic.

 

What is art? You all argue if videogames are art but you cant agree with a definition of art.

Is art a display of incredible craftsmanship?

 

If so, I think we can agree some videogames display incredible craftsmanship. Sound, image, animation... All other arts combined! Even one single animation could be a piece of art as choreography can be!

 

I sometime find myself immersed in the moment during a game as much as I would be in front of a beautiful landscape or a beautiful painting.

 

Is art supposed to trigger some emotional reaction?

 

If so, I think we can agree some videogames trigger strong emotional reaction. Most games are very visceral in nature (fear, joy) but NightandtheShape pointed out that some game gave him a sense of solitude. Game might not yet be as good at triggering emotion as other medium but I think we are getting there...

 

Is art supposed to give a deep revelation to it public?

 

Videogame may not yet reveal complex truths about life but they do teach a lot... Duckhunt teach you how to aim... WoW teach you how teamwork can be valuable... Zelda teach you how valuable it can be to explore and how every single person ask others to solve their problem and how doing it yourself is a good solution...

 

 

 

*Put on Miss South Carolina Wig*

 

I personally believe videogames can be art. However, even if I was wrong, I don