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Games Industry Echoes Of Hollywood's Golden Age?

Posted by simoniker on from the lorne-lanning-is-charlie-chaplin dept.

Zack Young writes "I just read an article over at TweakTown Gamer that has an interesting comparison between the movie industry and the gaming industry. It mentions many of the similarities between the relatively young gaming industry and the film industry of the 1920's, including the introduction of new technologies and how they shaped and are shaping the artistic direction the formats take." The article also suggests: "The overall structure of gaming companies... resembles the studio system of the 'Golden Age of Hollywood' rather than the fragmented independent layout of today. The movie studios such as MGM, Paramount or Warner Brothers had their own stock of actors, writers and directors from which the crew of a particular movie was comprised."

8 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. It's gonna be more evolution than revolution by Toxygen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The article makes mention of the advent of "talkies" being a revolution in the film industry and what the comparable revolution would be in the gaming industry, but didn't movies just use an announcer or a narrator, or even just a piano playing in the beginning? That's still sound for the movie, regardless of the source, and different implementations of the same idea is just evolution.

  2. A little late! by Allen+Varney · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I pointed out these similarities in an article for Amazing Stories back in 1998, and I was nowhere near the first to make the observation.

  3. Programmers like actors? by R33MSpec · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "..The movie studios such as MGM, Paramount or Warner Brothers had their own stock of actors, writers and directors from which the crew of a particular movie was comprised.."

    On another train of thought - I wonder if programmers who gain 'status' for creating outstanding games may be well known enough (e.g John Carmack) to be exactly like an actor, in the way:

    Programmers will have a personal manager and be able to almost freelance between game companies for particular game projects - like an actor is offered movie roles, a programmer would be offered contracts by gaming studios for a particular game.

    Games would highlight even more so the fact that a particular programmer worked on a previous 'hit' game - like any new movie will highlight any A-list actors it may have in it.

    1. Re:Programmers like actors? by obeythefist · · Score: 2, Interesting

      True, but game developing companies are made famous by a combination of very similar attributes!

      1. Sufficient handling/tilt/gameplay consistency (many console games lack this)
      2. Good/Unique A/V features demonstrated(graphics and soundtrack)
      3. Charming characteristics (Rockstar Games produces a game - expectations of its characteristics?)
      4. Exposure in media and of course word of mouth

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    2. Re:Programmers like actors? by beders · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think the actor-programmer analogy is less applicable than the director/game designer. You pick up a game designed by Sid Meier you know what you are going to get.

      This seems to have been in decline in recent years (or am I getting old?) being replaced by the studio, probabley a function of game project becoming bigger and more expensive

      --
      Brocklesby Park Cricket Club
    3. Re:Programmers like actors? by Bazzargh · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Programmers are nothing like actors - game characters are like actors. As in, I liked Mario's earlier, funnier work.

      The superstar programmers are more like the auteurs of old, doing script, direction, cinematography and editing - but not acting - and even in gaming they are the exception not the rule.

      Its possible that soon actors will be like actors - games already contain their mocap'd, scanned, and sampled avatars. How long will it be before having an actor in a game guarantees an opening weekend?

  4. Re:More like the 80's? by Viptorian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The difference between the 20's and the 80's was that actors would sign to be exclusive to a particular studio. They could not go anywhere else to make a movie. Period. Thats kind of like when Squaresoft decided to only work with Sony. You used to see a lot mroe loalty with video game companies and the designers. However, i'm amazed at all the cross-console licesing that is going on. you can pretty much buy the same game for any system these days. Go to a video store and look at what games are not on rival systems, look at the company that made it and see if you see the name of that company on any of the other company's labels. You can still see the loyalty these days, its just not as obvious, especially with sega and atari primary as game developers these days.

  5. Sound Revelution? How about GTAIII? by FouRPlaY · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It seems to me that Grand Theft Auto III might just be the sound revelution.

    Not only does it tell a story, but it is the free-form, non-linear, go-at-your-own-pace, any order, video game ideal. The user is complete control of the progression of the story.

    Not to mention its commercial success.

    Sounds like a candidate to me! ^_^