Ok, this is going to be very long winded, but I think it is necessary for such an abstract topic, I will divide my statement up into more manageable chunks.IntroFirst and foremost we need a concrete definition of art. A quick search gives us this:The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture.While this is good enough I dont think its sufficient. This may be the definition of art but it is hardly the purpose. The purpose of art (imo) is to convey a complex idea. And that is really what comes into question when it comes to Video Games. Nobody could really contest that a game creator uses creative skill and imagination to make their product. The contention comes when you think about whether games convey an idea or are simply entertainment. In the rest of this post I will show firstly the difference between things in a medium that do and do not fulfill the purpose of art. I will then show how video games are a superior art form as opposed to moves painting and the like. Finally Ill show some examples of games that fit into the categories of art and non-art. I realize that Im dealing with a lot of abstracts here and its impossible to be truly objective, but Ill do my best to represent what I mean.What does and does not fit the definition and purpose of artThe easiest medium for this would be photography. First ill show some pictures that fulfill neither the definition or purpose of art: this is not art, this is not art, and this is not art.The second category is a bit more difficult, but here are some that fit the definition of art but not the purpose: This fits the definition of art, so does this, and this. They are all certainly a product of human creativity and fit the definition of art. But what complex idea do they convey, do they meet the purpose of art?Finally pictures that meet both the definition and purpose of art: This is one, Another, Id even say this too.I was planning to do music and movies as well but these media are much more difficult to breakdown and as a result it would make this about twice as long and three times as abstract.Why Video Games are a Superior Art FormThe main idea here is that video games are interactive. You directly experience the feeling or idea that is being represented in the work. This makes it a much more powerful and personal experience than watching a movie or listening to a song. I have never went to a friend and talked for 20 minutes about how a song in which the artist was portraying their anger and talked about how angry I was. But I have had a bad game experience and went to talk to my friend for 20 minutes about how I was mad. What im trying to say is best represented in this quote ...you dont have to empathize with a character on a screen, the feeling happens directly to you.. Its like taking the phrease show dont tell and moving it to the next level, feel dont show.I find that games are the best art form because they fulfill the purpose of art in a way no other medium thus far can possibly hope to.Most of this power comes from good game design but this is also true of other forms of media. A badly made movie will fail to show the struggle of a father/son dynamic as well as The Godfather.I realize that this is going to be the most controversial pert of my post so, fell free to reply even if you think that video games are an art form but not the best as I claim here.What games do and do not fit the definition and purpose of artNote: I am not saying that the games listed here are good or bad simple whether or not the fit the definition and purpose of art. Ill be using commonplace titles so that even people who dont play very many games will have a general idea about what game Im talking about.Games that do not fit the definition of art: FIFA), Farmville, and Solitaire ). You can see that most of these are simulations of things in real life and are not very creative, mostly they fill the purpose of simple entertainment or time filling. This is not to say that simulations cannot be artful as 3rd World Farmer is a simulation game that fulfills the purpose of art very well.Games that fit the definition of art but not the purpose. Super Mario Bros.. Its hard to think of specific examples of this but I think the one is sufficient. Its a very creative and well designed game.Nest are games that fulfill both the definition and purpose of art. In this section Ill talk for a short biit about what parts of these games make it artful. Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this game is fear and panic incarnate. Mark of the Ninja, ever wonder what its like to be a ninja? Papers, Please, this game is really difficult to describe, pretty much you are a worker at the boarder of an oppressive dictatorship, its definitely worth a play if you are looking got something truly unique. Lastly Antichamber, for if you ever want to break your brain.With games, I have added a 4th category that comes directly due to interactivity. These ae games that can be art. I think what I mean by that will become more clear as I show some examples. Call of Duty, of course you have the well known 12 year old who slept with everyone mother but many parts of this game are powerful message about what war is like; there are better representations of this but this game fits this category very well. League of Legends, this game can be anything from a mindless time sink to an immersive experience where you directly experience victory, defeat, panic, triumph, fear, and even the occasional sportsmanship. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, this is truly the best representation of this category, anybody who has played can tell you about the amazing landscapes (I just gotta freak out for a second, when I first saw the Soul Cairn, my brain exploded. And the last area of the main quest just makes you feel like a bad-ass who has crossed worlds to beat this evil, its just awesome). The potential art in this game is immense, from the world design even to how the character interacts allows the player to fell and be something the never could. This is what I mean by the category can be art. These games fulfill the purpose of art if the player makes it so.TL;DRGames are a superior art form because they have interactivity and allow the player to directly feel the idea that is being conveyed by the creators. This at its core fulfills the purpose of art better than any other medium can. All media have things that are art, and that are not art. Just because you can point to some games that are not artistic does not mean the medium is invalid as a form of art.Hello, users of CMV! This is a footnote from your moderators. Wed just like to remind you of a couple of things. Firstly, please remember to read through our rules. If you see a comment that has broken one, it is more effective to report it than downvote it. Speaking of which, downvotes dont change views! If you are thinking about submitting a CMV yourself, please have a look through our popular topics wiki first. Any questions or concerns? Feel free to message us. Happy CMVing!
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 05:03:18 +0000
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