Now that I have your attention with this image, on with the postAll right, before I start, let me enter my "non-biased" mode. I practically live off of anime (which is essentially the same as movies), and I'm also an avid gamer, so before I start rambling, let me remind you that I enjoy both forms of media equally. Putting the industry aside for a moment, both forms of entertainment have their ups and downs; and now, I'll give my two cents worth (well, maybe a bit more) on what they are.
When you break it down to the very basics, there is one fundamental difference between games and movies - interaction. For a movie, you observe a story from a distance, growing attached to the characters as the plot develops. In games, you become a part of the story, taking part in it and (in some cases) influencing the conclusion. Now, many people believe that games are superior because they involve you directly rather than indirectly; and while I agree that this is true in some ways, there are indeed some things that a movie can do that a game can't.
To me, this issue comes down to the viewer's expectations. If a person reads a book, they wouldn't be expecting action or suspense; they would expect a solid plot and evenly paced development. Now, this isn't to say that action/adventure novels can't be written - they get written all the time, actually - but people often agree that the movie adaptations are superior, because they get to witness the action first hand. On the other hand, does this mean that books are inferior to movies? A novel, comprised of mere words on a collection of pages, can delve into the depths of the human mind, tell a tale of modern politics and philosophy, or just discuss the everyday events of an ordinary person's life; and anyone that has read a few decent books would realize that 200 pages of well-written story can reach a level of depth that all the visuals and interaction in the world couldn't reach. It all depends on how the book is written, and how the tale is told. This same mentality can be applied to the modern-day issue of movies and gaming.
So, if a person were filming a sci-fi action movie about a cyborg that fights against an army of evil robots and they asked the general public if they would rather watch the movie or a play a game with the same plot, most of them would probably choose the game. After all, the thrill of playing as a cyborg and exploring a post-apocalyptic world while tearing down anything that gets in your way is an awful lot more fun that watching someone else do it, which is essentially what a movie is. However, what if a person were to film a movie on a similar concept taking place in a similar world, except with heavier dialogue and religious and philosophical undertones that deal with the true meaning of life and the path to destruction that humanity is walking, using specific characters and organizations as symbols of a much larger picture and a much deeper meaning...would something like that work out well in a game? Well, admittedly, I have played some games with remarkably good storylines *coughXenogearscough*, but for the most part, a game like that would bore you to death with dialogue and lack of action. On the other hand, in the context of a movie, the viewer could take their time and appreciate the depth of the plot for what it is, slowly becoming entranced with the tragic struggle against fate or the eerily realistic allegory of the world we live in. In a situation like this, a movie could actually engross the viewer more effectively than a game - and this leads me to my conclusion.
Video games are not superior to movies, and movies are not superior to video games. As much as I'd hate to take such a neutral standpoint, this is the only way I can think of saying it. Like with every form of entertainment, one can only be superior to another in a specific instance; and even so, with enough effort and planning, one can defy logic and write an action novel more entrancing and engrossing than Halo, or program a video game with a plot as philosophical and thought-provoking as 1984. What more needs to be said? I like my games as interactive as possible, and I like my movies (or anime, in my case) to be either entertaining and comedic or deep and philosophical. The trends in the industry may be changing, but the bare basics of the issue will always remain the same: every medium has its ups and downs, and it's up to the artists in each field to capitalize on the advantages and work their way around the disadvantages.
When you break it down to the very basics, there is one fundamental difference between games and movies - interaction. For a movie, you observe a story from a distance, growing attached to the characters as the plot develops. In games, you become a part of the story, taking part in it and (in some cases) influencing the conclusion. Now, many people believe that games are superior because they involve you directly rather than indirectly; and while I agree that this is true in some ways, there are indeed some things that a movie can do that a game can't.
To me, this issue comes down to the viewer's expectations. If a person reads a book, they wouldn't be expecting action or suspense; they would expect a solid plot and evenly paced development. Now, this isn't to say that action/adventure novels can't be written - they get written all the time, actually - but people often agree that the movie adaptations are superior, because they get to witness the action first hand. On the other hand, does this mean that books are inferior to movies? A novel, comprised of mere words on a collection of pages, can delve into the depths of the human mind, tell a tale of modern politics and philosophy, or just discuss the everyday events of an ordinary person's life; and anyone that has read a few decent books would realize that 200 pages of well-written story can reach a level of depth that all the visuals and interaction in the world couldn't reach. It all depends on how the book is written, and how the tale is told. This same mentality can be applied to the modern-day issue of movies and gaming.
So, if a person were filming a sci-fi action movie about a cyborg that fights against an army of evil robots and they asked the general public if they would rather watch the movie or a play a game with the same plot, most of them would probably choose the game. After all, the thrill of playing as a cyborg and exploring a post-apocalyptic world while tearing down anything that gets in your way is an awful lot more fun that watching someone else do it, which is essentially what a movie is. However, what if a person were to film a movie on a similar concept taking place in a similar world, except with heavier dialogue and religious and philosophical undertones that deal with the true meaning of life and the path to destruction that humanity is walking, using specific characters and organizations as symbols of a much larger picture and a much deeper meaning...would something like that work out well in a game? Well, admittedly, I have played some games with remarkably good storylines *coughXenogearscough*, but for the most part, a game like that would bore you to death with dialogue and lack of action. On the other hand, in the context of a movie, the viewer could take their time and appreciate the depth of the plot for what it is, slowly becoming entranced with the tragic struggle against fate or the eerily realistic allegory of the world we live in. In a situation like this, a movie could actually engross the viewer more effectively than a game - and this leads me to my conclusion.
Video games are not superior to movies, and movies are not superior to video games. As much as I'd hate to take such a neutral standpoint, this is the only way I can think of saying it. Like with every form of entertainment, one can only be superior to another in a specific instance; and even so, with enough effort and planning, one can defy logic and write an action novel more entrancing and engrossing than Halo, or program a video game with a plot as philosophical and thought-provoking as 1984. What more needs to be said? I like my games as interactive as possible, and I like my movies (or anime, in my case) to be either entertaining and comedic or deep and philosophical. The trends in the industry may be changing, but the bare basics of the issue will always remain the same: every medium has its ups and downs, and it's up to the artists in each field to capitalize on the advantages and work their way around the disadvantages.
2 comments:
Your *cough*insert-word-here*cough* needs more work...
That is all.
Okay, not really. The level of content with you blog posts on things that are relevant and interesting to you are far more intriguing and insightful then those that aren't. I dislike the anti-climactic and sort of overdone "this is better in X while that is better in Y, you cannot compare the two" ending, yet it did have a moderate twist. I have mixed feelings about using specific examples which exemplify and push the boundaries of a weak area in one category: generalization and consensus should give a more solid answer then a specific masterpiece of work in comparison to run-of-the-mill works of another. All in all, it was very enjoyable with a high level of articulation that kept me interested until the end. Nice post, Mr. Bhaggy-wandin. Nice post indeed.
lmfao i was gonna comment about the same thing...dude the cough has to be separated enough so that the rest of the word is legible!
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