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Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and Ga
Posted By: Pak <halofan141@yahoo.com>Date: 12/7/05 7:08 p.m.

In Response To: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and Game (Brian Graham)

: Ebert's whole argument was that movies and books can be used as stepping
: blocks to make ourselves more humane, cultured, civilized, etc. Video
: games, as of yet, cannot. They are merely hours spent doing something we
: enjoy that provides no bonus outside of other hours that we enjoy doing
: it. Playing Halo doesn't reveal very much about human nature or ourselves
: at all, whereas movies and books can offer insight into human nature and
: do so convincingly through the storytelling medium. The idea that a
: narrative in a game can be just as good as a narrative in a movie because
: a video game is just a movie with segmented pieces of gameplay and story
: that barely relate to each other does more harm than good to the argument
: that a video game can be art.

You're saying I haven't learned a wink in all those months I spent playing halo 2 online with real people, that I don't know any better how to interact with people. I would have to argue I have learned a great deal about human nature.

Also, all literary works, being written by people, are inherently imbued with a perspective and knowledge of people. You cannot read, watch, hear, or play a peice of literature or art and not learn something about someone somewhere somewhen. To not learn those things would be asking much of the author. Such a feat would require a person to have experienced no social interaction whatsoever. Considering communication is learned only through social interaction, such a feat is summarily impossible.

Thus, I can conclude that all video games teach us something.

Also, how does relating a game to a movie hurt the argument? In your argument you have offered little or no evidence or logic to support your points so far. Accordingly the credence of your opinion should drop.

: A person who reads a book or watches a movie must be offered something that
: expands and uplifts his humanitity and his cultured nature by playing a
: video game, over and above what can be achieved by book or movie.

How does one become cultured? My opinion would be through learning. All games teach.

: Until a video game can provide us with insight into ourselves by the choices
: we make in it, and furthermore enhance our civilized natures (i.e., not a
: game starring a psychopath), it will not be art, and merely entertainment.

Heres a recent example. I played fable:the lost chapters just during the last few days. I chose to be "good". When I played the original fable I chose to be "good". After beating the lost chapters, I decided to go back a little ways to a previous save and start being evil. I didn't like it very much. I realized while playing the game, that I had fun being good, and didn't like trying to be evil. I learned, conciously, something about myself. This is anecdotal evidence that, by your logic, video games are an art.

: That's the crux of the matter, in the end: Video games do not civilize us,
: they do not build us up, they do not teach us morally by the act of
: playing; a narrative offered outside the context of interactivity might do
: that, but if that's the case, why not just make a movie?

If a narrative alone can do such things, than a narrative + interactivity can do it equally as well.

: Until the interactivity of the game is what differentiates it from books and
: movies and offers insight to the human condition, through playing, and
: uplifts our natures, they will continue to be exceptionally fun and
: exceptionally wasteful expenditures of time.

If you say books and movies uplift us, and interactivity doesn't yet differentiate games from books and movies, then games must uplift us as books and movies do. You defeat yourself with your own logic.


Message Index




Replies:

Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GameBrian Graham 12/7/05 4:12 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaDucain 12/7/05 4:27 p.m.
           Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaNarcogen 12/7/05 9:47 p.m.
     I do wonder...Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 4:29 p.m.
           Re: I do wonder...Brian Graham 12/7/05 4:57 p.m.
                 Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 5:03 p.m.
                       Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Roger Wilco 12/7/05 5:58 p.m.
                             metacriticismNarcogen 12/7/05 9:51 p.m.
                                   Re: metacriticismRoger Wilco 12/7/05 11:23 p.m.
                       Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:25 p.m.
                             Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 9:28 p.m.
                                   Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:zugy 12/7/05 9:36 p.m.
                                   Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:42 p.m.
                                   Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Narcogen 12/7/05 9:56 p.m.
                                         Re: Reprinted from my Rampancy.net posts:Pak 12/7/05 10:09 p.m.
                 Comment repilesNarcogen 12/7/05 9:49 p.m.
                       Re: Comment repilesBrian Graham 12/7/05 10:09 p.m.
     I disagreeEchoes 12/7/05 4:34 p.m.
           Re: I disagreeSep7imus [subnova] 12/7/05 4:56 p.m.
                 Art...Video Games...MurderPallor [subnova] 12/7/05 5:53 p.m.
                       Welcome back. *NM*c0ld vengeance 12/7/05 6:38 p.m.
                       Re: Art...Video Games...MurderSep7imus [subnova] 12/7/05 6:47 p.m.
                             Re: Art...Video Games...Murdermad.max [subnova] 12/7/05 6:57 p.m.
                             Speeding It UpPallor [subnova] 12/7/05 7:14 p.m.
     Craftsmanshipmad.max [subnova] 12/7/05 6:43 p.m.
           Expression.Peptuck 12/7/05 7:05 p.m.
                 Re: Expression.Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:20 p.m.
                       Re: Expression.Peptuck 12/7/05 9:44 p.m.
                             Re: Expression.Louis Wu 12/8/05 9:00 a.m.
                                   Re: Expression.Malleus 12/8/05 11:27 a.m.
           Now that you've defined art and craft so wellchar 12/7/05 7:10 p.m.
                 Re: Now that you've defined art and craft so wellPeptuck 12/7/05 7:16 p.m.
           Re: CraftsmanshipPak 12/7/05 7:42 p.m.
                 My Creation.Pallor [subnova] 12/7/05 7:53 p.m.
                       Re: My Creation.Pak 12/7/05 8:52 p.m.
                             Re: My Creation.Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 9:15 p.m.
                                   Hanging on my "Wall" IMGPak 12/7/05 9:25 p.m.
                                   Re: My Creation.Peptuck 12/8/05 12:21 a.m.
                       Re: My Creation.Peptuck 12/7/05 11:42 p.m.
           Craft, Art, Low Art, High Art, Pop Art, PopTartNarcogen 12/7/05 10:09 p.m.
           Re: CraftsmanshipWado SG 12/8/05 2:29 a.m.
                 Re: CraftsmanshipPak 12/8/05 3:52 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and Gachar 12/7/05 6:56 p.m.
           Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaWhisp 12/7/05 7:03 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaPak 12/7/05 7:08 p.m.
     I also disagree.Shishka 12/7/05 7:33 p.m.
           Er, with Mr Graham, not Narc. *NM*Shishka 12/7/05 7:49 p.m.
           Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:10 p.m.
                 Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 8:26 p.m.
                       Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:35 p.m.
                             Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 8:46 p.m.
                                   Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:57 p.m.
                                         Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 9:08 p.m.
                                         Re: I also disagree.Louis Wu 12/7/05 9:14 p.m.
                                               Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:30 p.m.
                                                     Re: I also disagree.Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 9:40 p.m.
                                                           Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 9:44 p.m.
                                                           Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:50 p.m.
                                                                 Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 9:54 p.m.
                                                                       Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:58 p.m.
                                                                             Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 10:07 p.m.
                                                                                   Re: I also disagree.Brian Graham 12/7/05 10:11 p.m.
                                                                                         Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 10:13 p.m.
                                                                 Re: I also disagree.Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 12/7/05 10:15 p.m.
                                                                       Re: I also disagree.Pak 12/7/05 10:28 p.m.
                                                     Re: I also disagree.Narcogen 12/7/05 10:32 p.m.
                             Re: I also disagree.jman571 12/7/05 8:46 p.m.
                 Re: I also disagree.Shishka 12/7/05 9:54 p.m.
                 Re: I also disagree.Narcogen 12/7/05 10:22 p.m.
     Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 8:28 p.m.
           Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 8:30 p.m.
           Re: Is a rose by any other name...Brian Graham 12/7/05 8:42 p.m.
                 Re: Is a rose by any other name...Pak 12/7/05 8:50 p.m.
                       Re: Is a rose by any other name...Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:36 p.m.
                 art is like the gum at the bottom of my shoe *NM*jman571 12/7/05 8:51 p.m.
                 Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 8:53 p.m.
                       the ART of War, maybe? *NM*jman571 12/7/05 9:07 p.m.
                       Re: Is a rose by any other name...Brian Graham 12/7/05 9:14 p.m.
                             Re: Is a rose by any other name...Pak 12/7/05 9:40 p.m.
                             Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 9:59 p.m.
                                   Re: Is a rose by any other name...Brian Graham 12/7/05 10:19 p.m.
                                         Re: Is a rose by any other name...Pak 12/7/05 10:30 p.m.
                                               Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 10:37 p.m.
                                         Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 10:36 p.m.
                                   Re: Is a rose by any other name...Pak 12/7/05 10:27 p.m.
                                         Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/7/05 11:07 p.m.
                                               Re: Is a rose by any other name...Pak 12/8/05 2:24 p.m.
                                                     Re: Is a rose by any other name...Wado SG 12/8/05 9:18 p.m.
     The problem with art...zugy 12/7/05 9:30 p.m.
           Re: The problem with art...Peptuck 12/7/05 9:46 p.m.
                 Isin't it ironic....jman571 12/7/05 10:14 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaBrian Graham 12/7/05 10:22 p.m.
           Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaSep7imus [subnova] 12/7/05 10:30 p.m.
                 Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaWado SG 12/8/05 1:59 a.m.
           Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaPak 12/7/05 10:31 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaSep7imus [subnova] 12/7/05 10:30 p.m.
     Re: Rebuttal to Narcogen's Article on Story and GaTiny 12/7/05 11:55 p.m.



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