Poll: Books vs Video Games

[CaitSeith]

Just as a side-note, although videogames visual nature makes them comparable movies, I think their interactive nature is much more comparable to books: reading a book is closer to playing a game than to watching a movie. The reader is responsible of the reading, so things like literacy and reading speed can have an impact on the experience. Other things are that movies are designed to be watched in one sitting; that usually isn't the case on modern games and books.

 

[Elijin]

It's jarring to realise there's generations who gamed before they could read.
I encourage everyone to sit and read with your children, nephews, nieces, and siblings. In this age they arent going to lack for screen time over the years ahead. But they might miss the reading bug, which is a real shame.

Amusingly in the "games dont inspire books" train of thought, most of the books inspired from games are generally met with feedback like "if only the game had been this good" and other snippy comments about the books exploring aspects the games neglected.

 

[CaitSeith]

It's jarring to realise there's generations who gamed before they could read.
I encourage everyone to sit and read with your children, nephews, nieces, and siblings. In this age they arent going to lack for screen time over the years ahead. But they might miss the reading bug, which is a real shame.

Amusingly in the "games dont inspire books" train of thought, most of the books inspired from games are generally met with feedback like "if only the game had been this good" and other snippy comments about the books exploring aspects the games neglected.

Spoiler: Speaking of...

 

[Hawki]

That pretty much depends on the game, or the book! I found playing Kirby's Dream Land significantly easier than reading any of The Canterbury Tales.

If you found the Canterbury Tales hard...can I call you a noob? Or is that game-only linguo?

Amusingly in the "games dont inspire books" train of thought, most of the books inspired from games are generally met with feedback like "if only the game had been this good" and other snippy comments about the books exploring aspects the games neglected.

Wait, are we talking about game novelizations (where good novelizations are few and far between) or books inspired by games (ala Ready Player One)? Because I haven't seen many comments claiming that about the former, and if the latter...well, I don't think RPO is a good book, but apparently Spielberg thinks I'm wrong about that, so go figure.

 

[dscross]

That pretty much depends on the game, or the book! I found playing Kirby's Dream Land significantly easier than reading any of The Canterbury Tales.

If you found the Canterbury Tales hard...can I call you a noob? Or is that game-only linguo?

I don't know if you are being sarcastic, but no you can't call me that if you're not because I find that quite insulting. I was simply making a comparison between a ridiculously easy video game and a series of stories written in old English (which I didn't find to be particularly interesting read but I did because I thought it was an important work to know). Most books aren't written in 14th century old English, in case you haven't noticed. To just take a verse...

"But for to telle yow al hir beautee,
It lyth nat in my tonge, n'yn my konnyng;
I dar nat undertake so heigh a thyng.
Myn Englissh eek is insufficient.
It moste been a rethor excellent
That koude his colours longynge for that art,
If he sholde hire discryven every part.
I am noon swich, I moot speke as I kan."

If you think that's an easy or interesting read for the majority of people you've got a screw loose. I didn't find it particularly entertaining. It was a chore to get through. I find Shakespeare easier than Chaucer. While there might be more subtext etc, I can actually enjoy it a little because I understand all the words without having to look them up. But I don't find Shakespeare particularly entertaining either compared to modern work. It's out of a sense of intellectual obligation I have read some of his plays.

Just to be clear, the novels, stories and non-fiction books I actually enjoy reading are mostly from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, with the odd exception.

 

[Hawki]

I don't know if you are being sarcastic,

Partly, but looking at the lines you posted, I take it back. I was thinking of the Oxford Playscripts Martin Riley version, not the original.

 

[dscross]

I don't know if you are being sarcastic,

Partly, but looking at the lines you posted, I take it back. I was thinking of the Oxford Playscripts Martin Riley version, not the original.

No worries. I mean, I do like reading a lot. A lot of the time, though, I read as means to better myself rather than purely for pleasure. The books that really entertain me (which I do a lot less of) are things like the Discworld series or Steven King books.

When it comes to raw enjoyment / pleasure / entertainment, however, it has to be video games every time. I almost wish that wasn't the case, but like I said earlier, it's about being honest with myself. lol.

 

[Elijin]

That pretty much depends on the game, or the book! I found playing Kirby's Dream Land significantly easier than reading any of The Canterbury Tales.

If you found the Canterbury Tales hard...can I call you a noob? Or is that game-only linguo?

Amusingly in the "games dont inspire books" train of thought, most of the books inspired from games are generally met with feedback like "if only the game had been this good" and other snippy comments about the books exploring aspects the games neglected.

Wait, are we talking about game novelizations (where good novelizations are few and far between) or books inspired by games (ala Ready Player One)? Because I haven't seen many comments claiming that about the former, and if the latter...well, I don't think RPO is a good book, but apparently Spielberg thinks I'm wrong about that, so go figure.

I was thinking stuff like the Halo, C.Cain and Dan Abnett stuff which are all entertaining world building fluff. I really cant say I'm surprised to find there's lots of garbage too.

 

[Hawki]

I was thinking stuff like the Halo, C.Cain and Dan Abnett stuff which are all entertaining world building fluff. I really cant say I'm surprised to find there's lots of garbage too.

Oh, that.

I'd call those tie-ins, since one can't really novelize 40K, and Halo's only ever had one actual novelization (Halo: The Flood).

 

[RaikuFA]

Books are terrible. Authors love to focus on shit that no one cares about. What's that? Her dress is red? Good, move on. Wait why are you still focusing on the dress? Why is this going on for three pages? And now you've killed my interest in books.

Now video games cut right to the point. No doing into minute details about the stupidest, shallowest things. Even if a games bad, it's almost always a bad coding reason.

 

[dscross]

Books are terrible. Authors love to focus on shit that no one cares about. What's that? Her dress is red? Good, move on. Wait why are you still focusing on the dress? Why is this going on for three pages? And now you've killed my interest in books.

Now video games cut right to the point. No doing into minute details about the stupidest, shallowest things. Even if a games bad, it's almost always a bad coding reason.

I think you are making sweeping generalisations about all authors there. Some authors are much less descriptive than others. There are also millions of books of all types, and there's bound to be books you'd enjoy. There's also the other type of books (both fiction and non-fiction) that are there to help you develop as a person, which are not there for entertainment per se but fulfil a different human need.

Now, the reason why video games are able to cut straight to the point is because, like a film, it's visual. Books need to describe situations to you more so you can picture the scenario in your head.

I do agree with you though, as I said earlier, that books are not as fun as video games in terms of raw entertainment (for me at least). I prefer to pass the time with video games. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good book though.

 

[RaikuFA]

Books are terrible. Authors love to focus on shit that no one cares about. What's that? Her dress is red? Good, move on. Wait why are you still focusing on the dress? Why is this going on for three pages? And now you've killed my interest in books.

Now video games cut right to the point. No doing into minute details about the stupidest, shallowest things. Even if a games bad, it's almost always a bad coding reason.

I think you are making sweeping generalisations about all authors there. Some authors are much less descriptive than others. There are also millions of books of all types, and there's bound to be books you'd enjoy. There's also the other type of books (both fiction and non-fiction) that are there to help you develop as a person, which are not there for entertainment per se but fulfil a different human need.

Now, the reason why video games are able to cut straight to the point is because, like a film, it's visual. Books need to describe situations to you more so you can picture the scenario in your head.

I do agree with you though, as I said earlier, that books are not as fun as video games in terms of raw entertainment (for me at least). I prefer to pass the time with video games. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good book though.

The last book I could ever enjoy was "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". And that was only because of the film.

Also, you think gamers can be snobbish? Tell a bibliophile that due you a learning disability you can only read comics and manga and watch then look down at you. Really sad.

 

[dscross]

Books are terrible. Authors love to focus on shit that no one cares about. What's that? Her dress is red? Good, move on. Wait why are you still focusing on the dress? Why is this going on for three pages? And now you've killed my interest in books.

Now video games cut right to the point. No doing into minute details about the stupidest, shallowest things. Even if a games bad, it's almost always a bad coding reason.

I think you are making sweeping generalisations about all authors there. Some authors are much less descriptive than others. There are also millions of books of all types, and there's bound to be books you'd enjoy. There's also the other type of books (both fiction and non-fiction) that are there to help you develop as a person, which are not there for entertainment per se but fulfil a different human need.

Now, the reason why video games are able to cut straight to the point is because, like a film, it's visual. Books need to describe situations to you more so you can picture the scenario in your head.

I do agree with you though, as I said earlier, that books are not as fun as video games in terms of raw entertainment (for me at least). I prefer to pass the time with video games. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good book though.

The last book I could ever enjoy was "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". And that was only because of the film.

Also, you think gamers can be snobbish? Tell a bibliophile that due you a learning disability you can only read comics and manga and watch then look down at you. Really sad.

When did I say, or even imply, that gamers were snobbish? I'm a gamer! :s

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

 

[dscross]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

I keep making this point, but, while I love reading and I believe books are very important for lots of different things, videos games have more of a raw, in the moment, enjoyment factor., especially for people on this forum who I imagine are all video game fanatics. It's fine to say books are needed and that you love them, but I think for passing the time if you want to be entertained at home and you had a choice between digging into a good book or playing (key word PLAYING) your favourite video game, I know which I'd pick a lot of the time. I think, for me, books fulfil a different need.

To put it another way...

I feel more entertained playing video games.
I feel more accomplished reading books.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Apples and oranges. Books and videogames are two very different media, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and can't really be compared. Whichever is 'better' is entirely up to preference.

Lol. Because apples can't be compared to oranges right?

They are both fruit. Comparing the two is actually quite an easy feat ( for people who don't try to seem overly philosophical like the remaining people on the escapist from what i see).

Books and videogames can also be compared for the same reason, they are both media, with pros and cons, hence the reason for comparing them in the first place.

Also, everything is up to preferance, using you're logic, we shouldn't ever compare anything subjective.

Things don't need to be the same to compare them. Hell it's more interesting to compare them because they're different.

 

[RaikuFA]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

Mines mainly from a learning disability. Can still do nonfiction but fiction is terrible to me. Only reason I got through(and loved) Cuckoo's Nest was because I saw the film first.

 

[dscross]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

Mines mainly from a learning disability. Can still do nonfiction but fiction is terrible to me. Only reason I got through(and loved) Cuckoo's Nest was because I saw the film first.

What about audio books?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

Mines mainly from a learning disability. Can still do nonfiction but fiction is terrible to me. Only reason I got through(and loved) Cuckoo's Nest was because I saw the film first.

So which one is it, books are terrible or you have a disability?

 

[RaikuFA]

I think it's telling that even in a gaming website books "win" over games, silly as the non-comparison might be.

The OP asks which one is "better" at passing time, which is innocuous enough. Time passes anyway. But I submit books work better because you can read anything pretty much anywhere; most games don't have that luxury, and even if you're into portable gaming (I'm not) you can only do it for so long on so much battery life, and it requires a special care that a book doesn't.

I'd also like to point out that reading is something you absolutely have to cultivate. If you don't do it from an early age you're never going to 'get' it. Like how Raiku mentions he can't focus on anything that lingers or doesn't immediately pay off.

Mines mainly from a learning disability. Can still do nonfiction but fiction is terrible to me. Only reason I got through(and loved) Cuckoo's Nest was because I saw the film first.

So which one is it, books are terrible or you have a disability?

One is fact the other is opinion.