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This is something I’ve been pondering over for a while. Why are computer games not taken as seriously as other forms of media?
Here’s what I mean. TV, radio, cinema etc are all in a way considered art forms – people think of them as methods of expression, capable of throwing out poignant and emotional pieces. Do they think this way about games? I think not. They would probably tend to think of silly little things to keep yourself amused.
And yet it is an art form in it’s own right. Games can make you feel for a character, they can pull on your heartstrings and they can increase your heart rate to a hugely unacceptable level. Sure, you get your occasional mindless blaster, your game that sets out to be a comedic hit and doesn’t quite make it, your…Army Men games…but for every one of those there’s a crap film, a substandard album or a play that fell flat on it’s face.
Even though a huge percentage of the population play games it still has a stereotype that isn’t fair, quite like a lot of things. Many people still see the spotty pubescent teen in the bedroom with the glasses and the sheet of C+ code – if that was you I just described don’t be offended, but that does not do gamers justice.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find myself empathising or feeling for a games character far more often than a TV character or film hero. Anyone played Metal gear Solid? I know you have. You felt something for Snake, Otacon and Meryl at the end of that game, despite the graphics being far from realistic. You felt even more for them because it was down to you. You had a part to play. You didn’t just want them to escape – you had to make them escape.
Which is why I think that games are not just as good as the mediums of television/cinema etc, but better. You are not a bystander, a civilian, a spectator, but you are a character. Okay, so it won’t say, “Fred, you have ten minutes to stop the detonation and save the world”, but you are playing an active part in the game and the character’s destinies. This, I believe, let’s you feel more toward them. You become a part of them. You are the part of them that makes all the decisions, you are the part of them that decides where to go, what to do, in some cases what to say. You connect with the character. You feel privy to their emotions – it’s not just any old sod saying it, it’s Cloud or Solid Snake or Chris Redfield.
Okay, you may be saying, but what can we do? Well, I’ve come up with a plan for just this circumstance. Every time you meet someone, you outstretch your arm, give a nice, firm handshake, a good howdy-do and say, “My name’s Bob Gunderson, I’m a gamer”. You then go on to answer any questions that may arise from this, carefully eliminating and eradicating the stereotype that exists within the feeble brain of the person you’ve met (unless they are a gamer I which case they are a genius). If no questions arise, simply answer ones that you think they might have asked, had they been brave enough. By the way, don’t say Bob Gunderson, say your own name…unless your name happens to be Bob Gunderson...in which case you just say that.
I think we can make a stab at it. If every person on the forums does this, to every person they meet (it is the start of the school/college year after all, people are bound to make new friends) then that’ll be a whole lot of people with no stereotypical view, and one day we may even eliminate it altogether and gaming will…*gasp*…be seen as the art form that it is. Remember – do it for yourself, do it for Special Reserve, and above all…do it for gaming.
Blank
Supporter of the noble cause
Here’s what I mean. TV, radio, cinema etc are all in a way considered art forms – people think of them as methods of expression, capable of throwing out poignant and emotional pieces. Do they think this way about games? I think not. They would probably tend to think of silly little things to keep yourself amused.
And yet it is an art form in it’s own right. Games can make you feel for a character, they can pull on your heartstrings and they can increase your heart rate to a hugely unacceptable level. Sure, you get your occasional mindless blaster, your game that sets out to be a comedic hit and doesn’t quite make it, your…Army Men games…but for every one of those there’s a crap film, a substandard album or a play that fell flat on it’s face.
Even though a huge percentage of the population play games it still has a stereotype that isn’t fair, quite like a lot of things. Many people still see the spotty pubescent teen in the bedroom with the glasses and the sheet of C+ code – if that was you I just described don’t be offended, but that does not do gamers justice.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find myself empathising or feeling for a games character far more often than a TV character or film hero. Anyone played Metal gear Solid? I know you have. You felt something for Snake, Otacon and Meryl at the end of that game, despite the graphics being far from realistic. You felt even more for them because it was down to you. You had a part to play. You didn’t just want them to escape – you had to make them escape.
Which is why I think that games are not just as good as the mediums of television/cinema etc, but better. You are not a bystander, a civilian, a spectator, but you are a character. Okay, so it won’t say, “Fred, you have ten minutes to stop the detonation and save the world”, but you are playing an active part in the game and the character’s destinies. This, I believe, let’s you feel more toward them. You become a part of them. You are the part of them that makes all the decisions, you are the part of them that decides where to go, what to do, in some cases what to say. You connect with the character. You feel privy to their emotions – it’s not just any old sod saying it, it’s Cloud or Solid Snake or Chris Redfield.
Okay, you may be saying, but what can we do? Well, I’ve come up with a plan for just this circumstance. Every time you meet someone, you outstretch your arm, give a nice, firm handshake, a good howdy-do and say, “My name’s Bob Gunderson, I’m a gamer”. You then go on to answer any questions that may arise from this, carefully eliminating and eradicating the stereotype that exists within the feeble brain of the person you’ve met (unless they are a gamer I which case they are a genius). If no questions arise, simply answer ones that you think they might have asked, had they been brave enough. By the way, don’t say Bob Gunderson, say your own name…unless your name happens to be Bob Gunderson...in which case you just say that.
I think we can make a stab at it. If every person on the forums does this, to every person they meet (it is the start of the school/college year after all, people are bound to make new friends) then that’ll be a whole lot of people with no stereotypical view, and one day we may even eliminate it altogether and gaming will…*gasp*…be seen as the art form that it is. Remember – do it for yourself, do it for Special Reserve, and above all…do it for gaming.
Blank
Supporter of the noble cause
The average age of reader's of Official PS2 Magazine is 21. Not really a youngster. People who originally got into gaming when younger have now grown up and are in their 20's or 30's, as well as new gamers of course.
I think games can do a better job than films or TV or music because you play a part, you're there. You understand it better. But for some reason people don't see it that way.
I think games can do a better job than films or TV or music because you play a part, you're there. You understand it better. But for some reason people don't see it that way.
Games are treated so because they are relativley new, taken up by youngsters far far more (and so considered childish) and are have been so far, far less successful in conveying emotion.
Its interesting (in my opinion), that the two oldest forms of expressing emotion, writing and music are the most effective. Film and TV, and now gaming have to catch up, with Film doing the best job of it. Gamings the new kid on the block.
Its interesting (in my opinion), that the two oldest forms of expressing emotion, writing and music are the most effective. Film and TV, and now gaming have to catch up, with Film doing the best job of it. Gamings the new kid on the block.
This is something I’ve been pondering over for a while. Why are computer games not taken as seriously as other forms of media?
Here’s what I mean. TV, radio, cinema etc are all in a way considered art forms – people think of them as methods of expression, capable of throwing out poignant and emotional pieces. Do they think this way about games? I think not. They would probably tend to think of silly little things to keep yourself amused.
And yet it is an art form in it’s own right. Games can make you feel for a character, they can pull on your heartstrings and they can increase your heart rate to a hugely unacceptable level. Sure, you get your occasional mindless blaster, your game that sets out to be a comedic hit and doesn’t quite make it, your…Army Men games…but for every one of those there’s a crap film, a substandard album or a play that fell flat on it’s face.
Even though a huge percentage of the population play games it still has a stereotype that isn’t fair, quite like a lot of things. Many people still see the spotty pubescent teen in the bedroom with the glasses and the sheet of C+ code – if that was you I just described don’t be offended, but that does not do gamers justice.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find myself empathising or feeling for a games character far more often than a TV character or film hero. Anyone played Metal gear Solid? I know you have. You felt something for Snake, Otacon and Meryl at the end of that game, despite the graphics being far from realistic. You felt even more for them because it was down to you. You had a part to play. You didn’t just want them to escape – you had to make them escape.
Which is why I think that games are not just as good as the mediums of television/cinema etc, but better. You are not a bystander, a civilian, a spectator, but you are a character. Okay, so it won’t say, “Fred, you have ten minutes to stop the detonation and save the world”, but you are playing an active part in the game and the character’s destinies. This, I believe, let’s you feel more toward them. You become a part of them. You are the part of them that makes all the decisions, you are the part of them that decides where to go, what to do, in some cases what to say. You connect with the character. You feel privy to their emotions – it’s not just any old sod saying it, it’s Cloud or Solid Snake or Chris Redfield.
Okay, you may be saying, but what can we do? Well, I’ve come up with a plan for just this circumstance. Every time you meet someone, you outstretch your arm, give a nice, firm handshake, a good howdy-do and say, “My name’s Bob Gunderson, I’m a gamer”. You then go on to answer any questions that may arise from this, carefully eliminating and eradicating the stereotype that exists within the feeble brain of the person you’ve met (unless they are a gamer I which case they are a genius). If no questions arise, simply answer ones that you think they might have asked, had they been brave enough. By the way, don’t say Bob Gunderson, say your own name…unless your name happens to be Bob Gunderson...in which case you just say that.
I think we can make a stab at it. If every person on the forums does this, to every person they meet (it is the start of the school/college year after all, people are bound to make new friends) then that’ll be a whole lot of people with no stereotypical view, and one day we may even eliminate it altogether and gaming will…*gasp*…be seen as the art form that it is. Remember – do it for yourself, do it for Special Reserve, and above all…do it for gaming.
Blank
Supporter of the noble cause
Here’s what I mean. TV, radio, cinema etc are all in a way considered art forms – people think of them as methods of expression, capable of throwing out poignant and emotional pieces. Do they think this way about games? I think not. They would probably tend to think of silly little things to keep yourself amused.
And yet it is an art form in it’s own right. Games can make you feel for a character, they can pull on your heartstrings and they can increase your heart rate to a hugely unacceptable level. Sure, you get your occasional mindless blaster, your game that sets out to be a comedic hit and doesn’t quite make it, your…Army Men games…but for every one of those there’s a crap film, a substandard album or a play that fell flat on it’s face.
Even though a huge percentage of the population play games it still has a stereotype that isn’t fair, quite like a lot of things. Many people still see the spotty pubescent teen in the bedroom with the glasses and the sheet of C+ code – if that was you I just described don’t be offended, but that does not do gamers justice.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find myself empathising or feeling for a games character far more often than a TV character or film hero. Anyone played Metal gear Solid? I know you have. You felt something for Snake, Otacon and Meryl at the end of that game, despite the graphics being far from realistic. You felt even more for them because it was down to you. You had a part to play. You didn’t just want them to escape – you had to make them escape.
Which is why I think that games are not just as good as the mediums of television/cinema etc, but better. You are not a bystander, a civilian, a spectator, but you are a character. Okay, so it won’t say, “Fred, you have ten minutes to stop the detonation and save the world”, but you are playing an active part in the game and the character’s destinies. This, I believe, let’s you feel more toward them. You become a part of them. You are the part of them that makes all the decisions, you are the part of them that decides where to go, what to do, in some cases what to say. You connect with the character. You feel privy to their emotions – it’s not just any old sod saying it, it’s Cloud or Solid Snake or Chris Redfield.
Okay, you may be saying, but what can we do? Well, I’ve come up with a plan for just this circumstance. Every time you meet someone, you outstretch your arm, give a nice, firm handshake, a good howdy-do and say, “My name’s Bob Gunderson, I’m a gamer”. You then go on to answer any questions that may arise from this, carefully eliminating and eradicating the stereotype that exists within the feeble brain of the person you’ve met (unless they are a gamer I which case they are a genius). If no questions arise, simply answer ones that you think they might have asked, had they been brave enough. By the way, don’t say Bob Gunderson, say your own name…unless your name happens to be Bob Gunderson...in which case you just say that.
I think we can make a stab at it. If every person on the forums does this, to every person they meet (it is the start of the school/college year after all, people are bound to make new friends) then that’ll be a whole lot of people with no stereotypical view, and one day we may even eliminate it altogether and gaming will…*gasp*…be seen as the art form that it is. Remember – do it for yourself, do it for Special Reserve, and above all…do it for gaming.
Blank
Supporter of the noble cause