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Videogames as Art
Philip Kollar writes "AllRPG has just posted Games As Art, Part 2.
In this article, I attempt to create a viable list of things that come together to make a videogame art, rather than just entertainment. I also explore how these three concepts (writing, design, and interactivity) have been used in other forms of media and how they're being further explored in the world of gaming."
Star Control 2. If only for the graphics, story, and dialogue.
When i was forced into a computer art class, I sat around coding opengl demos while the others were in photoshop. the teacher accepted it and gave me a better grade :)
I wouldn't define interactive art as a videogame. A videogame is primarily for entertainment and an art piece is not (a different kind of entertainment at least).
So it's either a game or interactive art, not both... If it's an artsy game it's still a game
Is it me, or music in every new games suck ?
I think almost every old game that had great succes had great music. Think of Final Fantasy I, II and III, Dragon Warrior (main theme inspired from Debussy's Passepied frome "Suite Bergamasque #1"), the original Metroid, etc.
And even older games, with very few audio capacities, had cool themes (often Johann-Sebastien Bach inventions, stuff like that).
It seems that the less they had technical possibilities, the more they had to rely on art (great melodies) in order to make games attractive. Or maybe it's about the old paradox that limitations stimulate creativity ; such as Beethoven being deaf and composing great symphonies.
Anyone who played Final Fantasy VII on their PS-X/PC knows what I'm talking about.
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/dev/sequencer support). Anyone else try ?
Those movies were such vividly rendered with amazing music to match. The art work done was probably the best I've ever seen in any Final Fantasy game. Some of the effects done during game play stood out like no other RPG. Ahh, the memories
Sunny Dubey
PS: I've been trying to get FF7 working with wine, but have had no luck (I think I need
I wrote about this over on my blog a while back. Basically, whenever this question coes up I have to ask, "Why should we care?" Why does it matter if it is art or not? What do we get out of that? The people who say it isn't, will never say it is. The people who say it is, already say it is. What does calling it art do for the form?
http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
Ahh. The old "videogames as artform" conversation. Ive had this one with many people. Usually the younger individuals say, yes, videogames are art, just like movies.
Its the elder generation that hasnt grasped that a game can be artistic as well.
Then I put in the game "Rez."
Rez is the best argument Ive ever seen for videogames as an artform. It is unique, beautifully stylistic, and incredibly interactive. You could say that this is just another rail shooter, but that doesnt integrate the way sound, vibration, and visual effects all tie in together. This concept of interactive musical and visual integrated together was originally concieved by Kandinsky, which he referred to as "Synestasia."
Please read this review.
Even my parents found the game to be incredibly artistic and beautiful. I cannot reccomend it enough.
no
Art is very hard to define clearly (much like humor) because it depends on the reaction of the audience as much as the creativity of the originator. However, a dictionary definition is "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects". Certainly there is a conscious use of skill and creative imagination in video games. Some games have even felt like more attention was put on the aesthetics than on the gameplay -- putting these even closer to the definition of art while losing out as games.
I was taking one day at a time, but then several days got together and ambushed me. (from a Rhymes with Orange comic)
This is a good place to bring up Mike Oldfield's Music VR (Maestro) project, a game in which you explore a landscape of often-beautiful often-abstract imagery, with Oldfield's music in the background.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Consider the case of Role Playing Games: what is the difference between Literature as Art and RPGs as art? Not much, insofar as they both tell a story. Consider the plots from various Final Fantasy games (I think 7 specifically, as it's the one I played the most): they are not necessarily simple stories made only to provide a backbone for the game.
But that can't be all there is to it, right? Literature is a craft of writing, whereas RPGs do not involve the same amount of writing. So you can generalize and say that the 1) story and 2) presentation of the story make something 'artful'. The presentation in a novel is in the writing style, whereas the presentation in a game is more visual.
But how can the presentation of the story of an RPG qualify as 'artful' ?
For me, the real issue it comes down to, when discussing the Art-worthiness of a work is: does it move you?
Matt...
Save the Bottom Line
I think the question is not "Are games art?" but "What happens when critical thought is applied to games?"
For instance, Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises makes critical statements and assesments about values. Hemmingway's writing, however, really doesn't get past "He did this. Then he got drunk. The table wobbled. He left the bar and walked. He went to sleep." Poetic, flowing prose just doesn't happen. The themes that can pulled out of this are worth discussing and dissecting, for their sake.
I get the feeling that games will end up being like popular music: on the fringe for the most part and worth their plot summary/dialogue but the music (and perhaps graphics) will not be used. Games have elements worth discussing critically. For instance, I have used songs in papers for their lyrical content only. Game graphics could be discussed abstractly, as there is a certain "This has more than a literal meaning" element based on cultural and symbolic meaning.
Certainly something to think about and play around with especially considering even popular fiction has elements worth discussing.
IAAEM (I Am An English Major)
Video games = art
every bit as much as paintings or scultures.
Art exists to express ideas or emotions without words. Maybe not all games live up to this defintion but niether does a painting of a bowl of fruit.
Most of the final fantasies reached this level, as they managed to evoke emotion in the player.
Myst convied a cold sense of the unknown.
Anything that attempts speaks to the soul should be considered art, those that succed should be considered good art, and those that midlessly blow things up should be placed next the picture of the bowl of fruit.
People seem to be claiming that video games are art simply because some of them have plots with twists and the ability to tug on some players' heart strings. Some people see nothing wrong with this, but I would imagine that such people would consider black and white (with regard to characters) movies like Terminator 3 to also be art.
To me, the most artistic (for lack of a better word) movies are the ones that leave me thinking at the end; movies with characters whose motivations aren't as simple as pure revenge; movies with villains that are not soulless evil incarnate. I'm having some trouble coming up with examples, but things like the characters in movies like Princess Mononoke or Insomnia.
Making a story where you battle true evil is not art, it's mostly formulaic. Making a story that is unpredictable and unique is art.
(Note: I'm addressing only the plot of games as art. The actual 3D content and graphics classify as art and I don't think anyone could argue against this in many games)
True story.
Warhol was able to break the distinction between high and low art, even so far as to incoporate advertising and trash pop culture etc, etc. Warhol imo however wasn't really a very good artist, but contributed great ideas to the art community. In the same way, one can agree or disagree whether games are art, however in my opinion the real topic for discussion should be instead: "Are video games good art?"
Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.