Should games be more than just diversion?

welsh

welsh

Junkmaster
This story from NPR raises the question if computer games should be driven more for diversion or for art.

I think that one of the virtues of Fallout was that it aspired towards being more artistic than most games- and that accounts for its longevity and popularity.

What do you think?
 
i don't think it should be mutually exclusive. nor that one game can focus on one aspect, while another can tread a different path...

you can like both without a problem.

i'm more troubled by bad taste and bad gameplay than by the aspect of the game being aimed at being a nice diversion or a work of art.

the truth is probably that the best games likely lie in the middle of this (artificially created) scale.
 
I'm pretty certain a very direct parallel to books, movies and other media can be drawn here.

Most books and movies, especially the mainstream popular ones, are largely pure entertainment. Perhaps it's a shame, but it's also largely the nature of the entertainment industry. The difference between games and other media is mostly that this medium is a very young and immature medium. Once that changes, you'll see more games with more of a message and created more as 'art'.
 
The truth is, we need both fun games and artistic games. We need to satiate both needs.
 
Ravager69 said:
The truth is, we need both fun games and artistic games. We need to satiate both needs.
Click to expand...

I'm with you.

Sander... You realize your next post will be "11111" ?! Does that signify something? Do stars and planets combine orrr?
 
Some games are works of art and leave an impact on you, something like a really good book, movie, or story might.

I don't usually play games just to pass the time. That's just an after effect; but the main purpose is to experience another world. The more immersive, the better.

Examples of fantastic games:
Fallout
Half Life 2
Gothic Series
Morrowind (I know, but w/e I liked it.)
Thief Series
etc ;

The point is that, if you are enjoying yourself, while deeply invovled in a deep plot; then the time spent playing the game is well worth it. You are creating new memories, as if you had experienced this event, or events in reality.

As well all know, memories are always thousands of more times vivid than that of the actual content's visuals.
 
Yeah, but Call of Duty was a fantastic game, but I don't consider it an piece of art. Just a game where I can shoot nazis.
 
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