In the news, a California case against video games has reached the Supreme Court. Essentially, it's just about the done-to-death issue of selling video games to minors.
Now, I really have no idea why this case exists in the first place, but to me it seems rather silly for a host of reasons.
First of all, I'd like to make this point:
Video games don't
Actually kill people-
If you didn't know
Really. Try to kill someone with a video game- it won't do you much good. Try to kill someone with a gun though and you'll probably be successful. So here's my first question. Why on Earth are many of these (Republican) politicians trying to ban video game sales to minors while trying to get every person and their mother their own handgun? Now, this charge is being lead by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, though in favor of gun control, might not be in the best position to talk, considering the nature of many of his movies (*cough* Terminator *cough*).
Video games are not the direct cause of killing no matter how many studies try to pin it as such. And I'm sure that there are plenty of studies saying that guns do kill people. Also, if the case goes the wrong way, I don't understand why someone can join the army and kill real people once they're 17, but not kill imaginary people in a video game until they're 18. In addition, if you can't buy violent games until you're 18, and can buy guns once you're 18 (as it is now), seems like you would be more inclined to try the two out together.
At the same time, kids who are playing video games have a tendency to... well, play video games excessively. We all know that. So, while other teens are going out drinking beer, experimenting with drugs, getting DUIs, and dying in drunk driving accidents- the video game teens are a little preoccupied with playing video games.
All of the attacking lawyers (none of whom have ever played a video game, most likely) cite studies saying that violence in video games leads to violence in real life. In response to that- I'm sure there would be plenty of studies saying that playing video games helps relieve stress (it sure does for me) if there were people who really cared about the other side- but chances are the studies are funded by these rich BMW-driving lawyers, so there is much opposition.
The studies that also find this probably don't take into account something to be observed in every study- confounding factors. For instance, while they may come to the conclusion that violent video games lead to deviance, they may not fully think out the scenario. In my opinion, anyone playing Grand Theft Auto isn't just going to go out and shoot someone. In order to be so deranged, they probably need to be deranged in the first place. It could be childhood abuse, poor parenting, or just a chemical imbalance. But in all honesty, for every kid who just happens to kill someone and play a violent video game, there are millions who don't hurt a fly. Why? Because they're too busy hurting people in video games to care about real life.
Showing posts with label Video Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Video Games. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
It's too late for video games to "never be art"
Roger Ebert is old. He has been in the movie criticism industry for as long as I can remember (though that's not saying much), and is quite the legend, having spent his whole life watching and reviewing movies. And apparently doing that qualifies you to review other things.
What I am referring to, of course, is Ebert's statement that "video games can never be art." First of all, I would like to point out that Ebert has likely never played a video game in his life. And no, Wii sports doesn't count. It seems a little silly for a critic to judge something that he has never tried. It would be like me saying that food can't be art, because I've never been to that fancy a restaurant, or even if I said that movies can't be art though I've never seen one. However, since Ebert seems to have appointed himself as the end-all critic for everything, I'll ignore this fact and proceed.
First off, I'd like to say- what is the critic exactly? Well, let's see. We have art critics, theatre critics, movie critics, food critics, and books critics, all of which can be considered art. Oh, and then there are video game critics too. And don't try to say that they aren't real critics- both Gamespot and IGN (the 2 main review sites) are in the 200s for the most visited websites. Rottentomatoes, the one movie-review site to rule them all, is in the 700s.
Now, here's the real reason I think video games are art:
If something is made
Artfully of art, does that
Make it art itself?
Really, look at all the work that goes into video games. It's an entire collaborative team, with as many parts as a movie production. First of all, you have the artists who make art which is used to model the games. These people graduate from places like RISD and the Art Institute of Chicago. They are as much real artists as any. Don't believe me? Here's some decent concept art, and here's some screens of a game I think is truly art, in visuals and everything else.
Then, there's the music that goes into games by professional musicians. These musicians graduate from places like Berklee and the Yale Conservatory. Just, instead of going on to some orchestra or band, they go on to a career that will actually support themselves. Berklee has a video game music club with over 300 students in it, almost 10% of the school's entire base. Music from games is played in symphony orchestras around the world along with works of classical masters, whose artistry cannot be denied. Here's one such occurrence.
Even still, there's plot and screenwriting. If movies can be turned into art by their dialogue, can't video games? For instance, the game Advent Rising was written by Orson Scott Card- and I'd consider anything by him to be a step up from most movies. Then, there are also actors- if you can consider acting an art. Voice actors like you'd find in any animated movie can also be found in video games. Oh, and there are also cut-scenes and animated dialogue like in those movies. The game Mass Effect is pretty much all cut-scenes and dialogue. So if you were take those cut-scenes and make a movie out of them, that would be art, but they aren't in the context of the game? I think not.
When you properly combine the aforementioned properties along with quality gameplay, I fail to see how it could not be considered art. Look at Okami, look at Katamari Damacy. At Psychonauts, Shadow of the Colossus, Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Video games can be art, Ebert- you've been too busy not playing them to notice.
Sorry for the length of the post, but I had points that I needed to make.
What I am referring to, of course, is Ebert's statement that "video games can never be art." First of all, I would like to point out that Ebert has likely never played a video game in his life. And no, Wii sports doesn't count. It seems a little silly for a critic to judge something that he has never tried. It would be like me saying that food can't be art, because I've never been to that fancy a restaurant, or even if I said that movies can't be art though I've never seen one. However, since Ebert seems to have appointed himself as the end-all critic for everything, I'll ignore this fact and proceed.
First off, I'd like to say- what is the critic exactly? Well, let's see. We have art critics, theatre critics, movie critics, food critics, and books critics, all of which can be considered art. Oh, and then there are video game critics too. And don't try to say that they aren't real critics- both Gamespot and IGN (the 2 main review sites) are in the 200s for the most visited websites. Rottentomatoes, the one movie-review site to rule them all, is in the 700s.
Now, here's the real reason I think video games are art:
If something is made
Artfully of art, does that
Make it art itself?
Really, look at all the work that goes into video games. It's an entire collaborative team, with as many parts as a movie production. First of all, you have the artists who make art which is used to model the games. These people graduate from places like RISD and the Art Institute of Chicago. They are as much real artists as any. Don't believe me? Here's some decent concept art, and here's some screens of a game I think is truly art, in visuals and everything else.
Then, there's the music that goes into games by professional musicians. These musicians graduate from places like Berklee and the Yale Conservatory. Just, instead of going on to some orchestra or band, they go on to a career that will actually support themselves. Berklee has a video game music club with over 300 students in it, almost 10% of the school's entire base. Music from games is played in symphony orchestras around the world along with works of classical masters, whose artistry cannot be denied. Here's one such occurrence.
Even still, there's plot and screenwriting. If movies can be turned into art by their dialogue, can't video games? For instance, the game Advent Rising was written by Orson Scott Card- and I'd consider anything by him to be a step up from most movies. Then, there are also actors- if you can consider acting an art. Voice actors like you'd find in any animated movie can also be found in video games. Oh, and there are also cut-scenes and animated dialogue like in those movies. The game Mass Effect is pretty much all cut-scenes and dialogue. So if you were take those cut-scenes and make a movie out of them, that would be art, but they aren't in the context of the game? I think not.
When you properly combine the aforementioned properties along with quality gameplay, I fail to see how it could not be considered art. Look at Okami, look at Katamari Damacy. At Psychonauts, Shadow of the Colossus, Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Video games can be art, Ebert- you've been too busy not playing them to notice.
Sorry for the length of the post, but I had points that I needed to make.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
"Featuring Songs By The Most Obscure, Non-21st Century Artists!"
It's the middle of the week! And I have just three days left of classes! It's been a very busy week, and will continue to be, between final papers, final papers, and more final papers. Don't worry- exams aren't until next week.
The other day, I was thinking about Guitar Hero, and then thought about how cool it would be if they had "Piano Hero." Then I realized that it would probably be the same as a real piano. But I did figure something out about the franchise:
Put any music term
Before "hero," and you're sure
To have a good game
Really, take a look at the possibilities. So far we have "Guitar Hero," "Band Hero," "DJ Hero, "Guitar Hero [Insert any number you can count on one hand. Unless you have a 6 fingered hand. Or anything other than 5, really]. Now, imagine the possibility with games such as "Chamber Orchestra Hero," "Avant-Garde Jazz Quartet Hero," "Big Band Hero" (they would need like 20 controllers for this one), or "Gregorian Chants Hero." Any of these games would be a cult classic, I guarantee it. They may lose millions of dollars, but what it loses in popular appeal each would make up for in pure uniqueness. And it would be great for the Wii, which aims to attract a wider audience range- the "Chamber Orchestra Hero" would be great for any nursing home.
I hope Activision is reading this post, and maybe they'll become inspired. Maybe.
Title is a spin-off of what the case for "Band Hero" says on it.
The other day, I was thinking about Guitar Hero, and then thought about how cool it would be if they had "Piano Hero." Then I realized that it would probably be the same as a real piano. But I did figure something out about the franchise:
Put any music term
Before "hero," and you're sure
To have a good game
Really, take a look at the possibilities. So far we have "Guitar Hero," "Band Hero," "DJ Hero, "Guitar Hero [Insert any number you can count on one hand. Unless you have a 6 fingered hand. Or anything other than 5, really]. Now, imagine the possibility with games such as "Chamber Orchestra Hero," "Avant-Garde Jazz Quartet Hero," "Big Band Hero" (they would need like 20 controllers for this one), or "Gregorian Chants Hero." Any of these games would be a cult classic, I guarantee it. They may lose millions of dollars, but what it loses in popular appeal each would make up for in pure uniqueness. And it would be great for the Wii, which aims to attract a wider audience range- the "Chamber Orchestra Hero" would be great for any nursing home.
I hope Activision is reading this post, and maybe they'll become inspired. Maybe.
Title is a spin-off of what the case for "Band Hero" says on it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
