Scattered Thoughts on Game Stories
May 25th, 2007I have to say, I find it quite depressing that these days, when watching a particularly mediocre movie on TV, I find myself writhing in disgust at the cheesiness of the dialogue and the clichédness of the plot and characterization, while at the same time thinking to myself “…but if a game were to have a story of this quality, it would probably be lauded by critics everywhere as being the best thing since Grim Fandango.”[1]
I also have to say that I absolutely hate when people cite the ability to cry in a game (or lack thereof) as an indicator of its artistic merit (or lack thereof). The majority of books and movies I read do not make me cry at all, and on the rare occasion that one does, it’s quite likely that I’ll never, ever want to read or watch it again. Such a lack of waterworks on my part does not, however, imply that I wasn’t emotionally moved by a particular story. There are many more emotions in the panopoly of human experience than just pure, abject depression, after all. Yeesh!
- Or, if you prefer, replace “Grim Fandango” with whatever the last game was that garnered critical success due to its story. I freely admit to being out of touch in this regard. ↩
May 26th, 2007 at 11:16 am
For the game player it could be depressing. For the game designers it might be embarrassing. But you, a future professional in the field, shouldn’t view it as depressing (at least not so much). See it as an area where you can improve the state of things!
May 26th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Amen.
Although, not to be a cynic, but popular art tends to converge towards the inane due to economic practice and marketing. Honestly, everyone wants movies with better writing, but crappy stories are continually produced. In fact, good, well-written and original films are a rarity and continue to be. I think for games this will be the same. Rikard is right in some sense - it is an opportunity to improve, do better or show how it’s done. The problem is, it A) may not be recognized (even Grim Fandango, despite it’s greatness, was never an all-time best seller) or might not engender changes in the industry. But know there are people out here like you dying for you to make games worth playing and that are entertaining and meaningful beyond their gameplay gimmicks.
May 26th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Rikard: You’re definitely right. I’ll have to become a better writer first, though.
Leopold: Exactly. I couldn’t care less whether a well-written game were a mass-market success (my favourite films, after all, are the weird indie ones that no one’s really heard of), so long as well-written games were at least allowed the chance to exist. Thankfully, the indie game market is growing as we speak, and that’ll hopefully make such a chance to be much more likely.
May 28th, 2007 at 6:03 am
Maybe you’re a robot?
May 29th, 2007 at 12:16 am
OMG! THAT would be cool!
May 29th, 2007 at 12:18 am
I concur.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
This is what drives me mad! People let computer games get away with absolute murder Re: stories, where even the most hackneyed, cliché ridden tale will be celebrated. If it were a film or TV show it would be ultimately - and quite rightly - dismissed, but it would seem that the immediacy of the gameplay weakens folks critical faculties.
If anything, the interactive element should change the way stories can be told and confound our expectations, but most seem to be retreads of a generic formula. They’re written first and foremost as cinematic stories, then gameplay is wrapped around it.
I don’t know.
Hello.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
The Metal Gear Solid series is a way to start the water-works, yep.