Poll: More arty than gamey.

[TheDanielG]

First New topic

I've always wondered, could a game be more of an interactive art form than a game, so to speak. More art and narrative than gameplay? Take World of Goo or Portal (I don't buy games very often so bare with me, I only speak from experience.) it has no story, moral decisions or extremely complex gameplay. It's building a bridge to more complex games.
Or another would be Mass Effect 1. In my opinion, I was bored with the repetitive gameplay, but I would sit for hours just walking around, talking to people, sharing stories. This is art in the literary form.
One more example would be the relatively uknown Playstation 2 classic, Mythmakers Orbs Of Doom. Not a unique, varied or even very complex game. what do you do? Roll a ball around a maze. But my God, those levels!! Since the PLaystation 2 had no AI or anything else to do, it pushed its little graphics card to the limit, rendering beautiful enviroments and difficult but ingenious mazes. Multiplayer was even more fun, racing you friends around the inside of a rotating drum will little characters inside balls.

Your opinion is worthwile, so go nuts and recommend games as well, I need a bigger library
Daniel.

 

[TimeLord]

I always thought that Devil May Cry 4 was more focused of the visuals than the gameplay.

Having said that, once you actually got control of Nero then DMC4 has some sweet gameplay!

 

[Phlakes]

Of course. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll be good games, but it can definitely happen. Look at Flower.

 

[AbstractStream]

Have you played Okami? THAT, my friend, is amazing art in a game. I was paying more attention to the art styles and design than to the story itself. The story is good by the way. Just saying.

In response to the poll, yes.

 

[Limecake]

I'd say yes but chances are the majority of games won't incorporate 'art' into it.

not every movie is a groundbreaking film filled with symbolism. you're still going to have your generic entertainment fests.

 

[Zhukov]

Sure.

The Path springs to mind. It was hardly a game at all. I still rather liked it though.

However, I don't really see how Portal fits that notion. It's entirely gameplay.

 

[mireko]

Gameplay is art. I can't think of an other good definition for it.

[sub]But having this discussion every day is so fun![/sub]

 

[xXGeckoXx]

First New topic

I've always wondered, could a game be more of an interactive art form than a game, so to speak. More art and narrative than gameplay? Take World of Goo or Portal (I don't buy games very often so bare with me, I only speak from experience.) it has no story, moral decisions or extremely complex gameplay. It's building a bridge to more complex games.
Or another would be Mass Effect 1. In my opinion, I was bored with the repetitive gameplay, but I would sit for hours just walking around, talking to people, sharing stories. This is art in the literary form.
One more example would be the relatively uknown Playstation 2 classic, Mythmakers Orbs Of Doom. Not a unique, varied or even very complex game. what do you do? Roll a ball around a maze. But my God, those levels!! Since the PLaystation 2 had no AI or anything else to do, it pushed its little graphics card to the limit, rendering beautiful enviroments and difficult but ingenious mazes. Multiplayer was even more fun, racing you friends around the inside of a rotating drum will little characters inside balls.

Your opinion is worthwile, so go nuts and recommend games as well, I need a bigger library
Daniel.

I agree with you about mass effect but I believe that it is still far within the boundaries of a game.

Check out Okami if you want art.

 

[TheDanielG]

Sure.

The Path springs to mind. It was hardly a game at all. I still rather liked it though.

However, I don't really see how Portal fits that notion. It's entirely gameplay.

It brings people across to more complex games. And what little story it has is so different and beautiful that it has to be given some credit.

 

[No_Remainders]

I think having a game that is more art than an actual "game" kinda detracts from it being a "game", wouldn't you agree?

 

[kingcom]

Planescape Torment, its dialogue and atmosphere.


Also the ad captchas can go to hell

 

[Stall]

I think the whole "gameplay" part of a game is the most important. If you make a game overly focused on story, characters, plot, etc., then you end up with either a very interactive visual novel, or a pretty interactive movie. Gameplay is what MAKES a game... if it isn't as good, or even better, than all the other aspects that hold together a game (even if these aspects are art), then I think the developers have fundamentally done something wrong. There's nothing wrong with decent story, but that's not what makes a game a game... it's not what differentiates games from movies, the stage, books, music, and other things in that ilk.

I think, that for games to become art, people have to focus on what makes a game a game, and elevate that to art. If we continue to focus on making the literally and visual aspects of games art, then I fail to see why this medium should be considered its own medium, and not just glorified movies or novels. I can't see the medium moving forward if developers think the only way to make an "innovative" or "artistic" game is to make the writing super good.

 

[intheweeds]

It gets even artier than the games you have described. I'm thinking of 'Receipt Racer' and that '4 minutes and 33 seconds of uniqueness'. Both of those games are more performance art than games, but they both have game dynamics at the heart.

 

[Halo Fanboy]

"Arty", "gamey?" Why are ill-defined buzzwords taken so seriously?

[sub]But having this discussion every day is so fun![/sub]

Tha's sarcasm right? lol

 

[AyreonMaiden]

They can be. I love a lot of games that have more aesthetic appeal than raw gameplay fun. Killer7 and the Catherine demo come to mind. I feel like those games in particular have a gameplay style that perfectly fits the sort of story being told, in spite of their not being amazingly polished or always a blast.

However, while I love art-y games, I hate art-sy games. Pick any pretentious little Flash game you see pop up here from time to time (anything Jason Rohrer, One Chance, etc.) or The Path, or anything that's intentionally minimalistic at this point that isn't Shadow of the Colossus, and chances are I hate it.

 

[DustyDrB]

World of Goo and Portal are more arty than gamey?
Those are puzzle games (both heavily physics based puzzle games) that are almost all gameplay.
Conversations are part of Mass Effect's gameplay.

Do you just call all the parts of games where you're not killing things the "arty" things?

 

[BoredDragon]

I don't think a game has to be "artsy" to be considered art. I believe any well made game (good story, gameplay, graphics) can be considered art