But I want hoverboards. The first time I saw that movie, I was too young to appreciate it, but they had freaking HOVERBOARDS. That I came to call it "you know mom, the movie with hoverboards - I want the same at christmas btw kthxbye."
Well, I don't really know clearly what I was expecting or hoping to have by now so it's difficult to articulate. I haven't put my finger on it entirely. Just that we don't have it yet. MMOs was probably the worst disappointment for me in that area, as it seemed like such a...theoretically exciting thing to explore. You create a world and the parameters but then
real people interact within that virtual space with whatever you've created.
UO and EVE made me think, wow, this is a thing where in a virtual space you can do things which will have real impact on the game experience of others, and they can have real impact on yours (to use the lucid dreaming comparison, you are aware you're dreaming, but other people are also in your dream, aware they're dreaming also. but to them, you're in their dream. etc) Actually, it's probably ATITD, a small experimental game, that made me think there was the potential to really explore some stuff here.*
And all that...enthusiasm for the potential of what we
could do, of course, rubs up a bit harshly against what we've ultimately got...which is largely mouthy shit-talking teenagers in a virtual themepark where they play on the rides and win prizes, comparing them with eachother for status and prestige. -.-;
I dunno. Perhaps that's just more just... people (and my harsh and unfair perceptions of them!). But what you make affects who the people are and the way they behave, right?
(though I know I'm straying into 'who are the games for' territory here, and I should not do this) But I think for an MMO, people and their behaviours
are part of the game.
*Though I think expectation played into that, as well.
To give an example, a social situation was provided for the players to solve. A dynamic rp type kind of thing, but with a political bent (which was admittedly controversial). Basically, it deliberately benefited a player with one type of avatar and not another. It was deliberately unfair to see what the players would do to counteract or address it. I'll admit the games resources were limited in the actions you could take, but at the same time, you could enact laws. You could all refuse to have that benefit. You could trade or give the beneficial things to avatars denied it. So there's a fair amount of social power given to the players there, and a...very strong implied suggestion about taking matters into your own hands.
What did the players do?
...They whined on the forums that it was unfair
Because that's what you
do in online games when something unfair happens. It's the done thing. We're used to doing that, rather than having any real power to change things ourselves from within it.
But not when the game provides you the tools to actually do something about it and is deliberately doing a social experiment to see how people would behave in a virtual world!
(though, I might be putting an unfair slant on that)
It's not just MMOs, though... Games uniquely place the player (unlike the reader or viewer) into the world to interact and discover. Therefore it seems to me those experiences should be more challenging and meaningful because you're getting those visceral responses, you have agency and immediacy. But they're mostly not, because mostly our stories are a bit shit (to be blunt).
Though if I'm entirely honest, that depends on what day and mood you catch me on, whether it's "games are amazing! they have all these amazing properties and unique things you can do!" to "games are a bit shit. everything's got shinier, but nothing's better in a real sense. if anything it's more dumbed down."
Nah, just entertainment in general. Story-based entertainment is just personal.
Yes, you're right of course. I was projecting my own stuff onto that. I think I had more in my head going from Prince of Persia (which has no real story apart from to provide loose motivation for the mechanics. the princess! the egg-timer!) to Mass Effect as some kind of example and extrapolated.
Well I still think that what I watch on youtube are either
Heh. Well, yes, I'd watched many clips of things for nostalgia, rather than playing them through all over again.
I think that's one of the (many) reasons I was surprised I was having such different reactions in my FF playthough - given that had been kept alive by watching things like clips. But the actual experience of
playing it was different than what I remembered.
Though in all honesty, it would have to have a
very good story for me to want to watch a playthrough on a youtube video
I think I'd probably just go and watch a film. Unless it was something I was already heavily invested in, I've rarely found
watching games to be in any way engaging. (some exceptions, but for the most part, and some more than others).
That said, I'd happily watch an ending or a cut scene in a game I had no intention of playing because the mechanics don't appeal.
Re: Gone Home - Aw
Well, it does depend. But the thing with Gone Home I guess is putting you in that virtual space? Evoking a kind of mood, providing a specific experience? And you feel a certain way being that person and rummaging through the personal items of your family, and as a player, making those discoveries about them.
(Which are actually pretty subtle, I needed a bit of time to put everything together re: the dad's uncle... >.>)
I find it really interesting that many people found it so intrusive that they were putting many of the items back where they found them. I, of course, left shit all over the floor as I'm naturally a very messy, but I felt a bit guilty about it. (I also loved the admonishment about leaving lights on in the house when you aren't in the rooms - really cleverly anticipating there!)
I don't think you can get that experience from just watching it being played. As much as people will argue you may as well do, because it's just an interactive movie. The interactive is the point, though.
Author
Topic: What's in a Game? (Read 5967 times)