Welcome to Prof. Canuto's Communication Studies Blog
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Can Video Games Be Never Art?
Watch the TED Talk below and read this article to get a perspective on both sides of a long-standing argument and share your opinion on the value of video games for society.
I think that the value of video games in a society is important. obviously people have their own opinions about video games but I'm here to say that they are good. Growing up I had a cousin that struggled very hard in social situations and he thought he would never be able to do things in life of get anywhere. His parents worried about the same thing. He was also very artistic and good at design so he ended up going into the study of video games. How amazing the way that he was to describe himself and use his art to help design video games. I am here supporting that video games are a great thing in society and right now my cousin is helping work on a video game that will help people to learn more about the art aspect and the evolution of video games.I can't talk a lot about it but its going to help people discover who important video games really are. it will also be very interactive.
I agree with what Robert Ebert said in his article. Video games can not be considered art because there is a winner and a loser unlike art. Yes, there are many different art types and styles in video games but at the end there will always be a clear cut winner. Whether it be sports games, combat games or Super Mario. As far as society, I am not really a fan of video games. I think children should be outside playing or doing something with their imagination. Too many times kids have nightmares or do dangerous things because of things they see in video games. I believe video games is a leading cause in obesity in children.
After watching the video and reading the article I personally believe that video games can be considered art and has a lot more positive affects then I would have thought. Video games take a while to produce and to be released so with in this process you have a lot of creative freedom to get your message out via a game. A prime example of this to me is the game Depression quest. It is a game where it gives the user ability to experience life with depression. This game is a perfect example of how its message is translated and gives us certain feelings and transports us to different lands or just shifts our thought patters. At first I was reluctant to say video games are art or positively affect us but the TED talk shed a lot of light. I personally don't play video games but it sheds a new perspective for me. The whole point of winning in a game and not in art made a point but in one of my classes we were told to create a video game as art. I'm not saying that all games are art but I believe that some might pose as art and serve a bigger purpose then to just entertain. Art is also interpreted by the consumer art is different to every person so labeling something to be art and something not to be is not fair. Art is a lofty concept and should not be pigeon holed
After watching the TED talk and reviewing the article, I have feel that video games are art. While I don't play video games, I can respect that the graphic design that goes into creating the games is extremely complex. It is also very clear that there has been an evolution of games over several years. From anyone I know who plays video games, I know that they can be so involved in a game that they are emotionally invested. I would not be surprised if in a few years there are museum containing the greatest clips of a game. I think it would be unfair to consider the game makers anything short of artists.
After watching the Ted talk by Kellee Santiago and having read the article in disagreement with it by Roger Ebert I am able to see both sides. However in just seeing these two specific arguments I would mainly agree with Roger Ebert. I do not have a current standing position on the topic because I do not so very much care for video games. The point Kellee makes about saying how we are just in the begin and it can grow and only go up form here may be true but you do not know that for sure. Video games come in all sort of ranges and I can see how you would like to call it art but the video game itself is not art to me, the character design and sketches that are put into the game are but the game itself is not. Roger makes a point when he talks about winning. How can art have a winner or a loser? To me the storyline is also art but once again that is just a part of the game. I may not describe it very well but there are multiple pieces of art that do go into a video game but to say that the video game itself is art I do not agree fully with that. I do not believe those who play video games can say that they are studying art.
I am passionate about the fact that video games are art. Art has different styles, art comes in different shapes, but what defines art to me is that it speaks to the viewer, and as Kellee said in the video, is made with the intention of connecting to an audience. I definitely thing there are hundreds of video games out there that achieve that (though perhaps not the ones she used as examples).
It is important to note that video games are created, however you want to stretch the definition, by artists. Ebert says that people like Michael Jordan and Bobby Fischer don't try to argue that their games are art, and to that I ask how many animators were working on Michael Jordan's last basketball game? How many people spent hours drawing concept art and rendering models and composing soundtracks for a chess match? The answer is none, but those people and many more are a part of the gaming industry.
Most of all, I agree with Kellee saying that games are, "a collaboration of every medium we've learned to date." They are a true convergence of art, and will hopefully be recognized as such in the near future.
In this debate, I find myself agreeing with Roger Ebert. While video games are certainly fun and some allow for interesting stories, they aren't art. I think it could be possible that some video games may reach the level of art, but not any time soon, and certainly not all video games. I think that Kellee Santiago overstates as well when she says that video games' influence will surpass that of other media. I don't foresee this being possible simply because video games are less accessible and many people don't play them at all. For the games to be more powerful than traditional media, they would need to surpass the others in usage, which I don't see happening in this lifetime. I also think that the video game medium does not lend itself to becoming art since games typically have objectives and, like Ebert states, you try and 'win' them. That's not art. You don't win art. You experience it and learn from it in a way video games are not able to achieve. Video games do offer other benefits including the ability to express basic emotions in way that may be difficult in other forms. If video games could be art, which I find unlikely, it will be quite far into the future. I concur with Ebert in his analysis of this topic and that overall, you know it when you see it and I definitely don't see art in video games -- at least not now. -Rebecca Turner
This topic is a very complicated one. What we consider as art is the real issue of this idea. Art as the video says following the definition of Wikipedia is a "diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts – artworks, expressing the author's imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power." First of all I feel a little skeptical when a definition of Wikipedia is used to discuss a topic like Art is. I am also very skeptical about considering video games arts per se. Why? Because it is different considering a video game ART when it comes to play the video game. I would say that is important to differentiate what is ART when it comes to video gaming. I consider ART the people who have the idea to create those video games and the ideas that they develop to make that possible. What I am trying to say is that for example as a sports fanatic, for me watching basketball and see those players doing what they do is ART.
In my opinion, I believe that video games hold artistic value. Despite the fact that most of them can be "won" I do not believe that that factor should discredit the artistic value of the experience while playing games. Yes, there are games that are mainly created for basic entertainment, but there are others that contain well-crafted worlds and scenarios which allow the player to connect with an emotion or to experience something. It is valid to compare games now to early cinema. Video game developers are still discovering what they can accomplish with the medium to convey thoughts and emotions, much like early cinematographers. Video games that allow the audience to experience emotions or provoke deep thought are considered art. -Savanna Blackerby
There is no wrong or right answer from this argument because these people have different point of view. In my opinion, video game is art. As I have learnt about art, it is the combination of visual elements and principles of design, which specifically, are to comfort human eyes and touch to human emotion. Video game does contain of all of these elements. Recently, video game has been improved a lot in its design, which can consider as upper level of traditional visual elements, like the movement in game, the realistic of scenarios and the perfect image of characters. If traditional art can be fancy and difficult to interpret, video game is art, which exists as entertaining tool in common life.
I think that the value of video games in a society is important. obviously people have their own opinions about video games but I'm here to say that they are good. Growing up I had a cousin that struggled very hard in social situations and he thought he would never be able to do things in life of get anywhere. His parents worried about the same thing. He was also very artistic and good at design so he ended up going into the study of video games. How amazing the way that he was to describe himself and use his art to help design video games. I am here supporting that video games are a great thing in society and right now my cousin is helping work on a video game that will help people to learn more about the art aspect and the evolution of video games.I can't talk a lot about it but its going to help people discover who important video games really are. it will also be very interactive.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Robert Ebert said in his article. Video games can not be considered art because there is a winner and a loser unlike art. Yes, there are many different art types and styles in video games but at the end there will always be a clear cut winner. Whether it be sports games, combat games or Super Mario. As far as society, I am not really a fan of video games. I think children should be outside playing or doing something with their imagination. Too many times kids have nightmares or do dangerous things because of things they see in video games. I believe video games is a leading cause in obesity in children.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video and reading the article I personally believe that video games can be considered art and has a lot more positive affects then I would have thought. Video games take a while to produce and to be released so with in this process you have a lot of creative freedom to get your message out via a game. A prime example of this to me is the game Depression quest. It is a game where it gives the user ability to experience life with depression. This game is a perfect example of how its message is translated and gives us certain feelings and transports us to different lands or just shifts our thought patters. At first I was reluctant to say video games are art or positively affect us but the TED talk shed a lot of light. I personally don't play video games but it sheds a new perspective for me. The whole point of winning in a game and not in art made a point but in one of my classes we were told to create a video game as art. I'm not saying that all games are art but I believe that some might pose as art and serve a bigger purpose then to just entertain. Art is also interpreted by the consumer art is different to every person so labeling something to be art and something not to be is not fair. Art is a lofty concept and should not be pigeon holed
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the TED talk and reviewing the article, I have feel that video games are art. While I don't play video games, I can respect that the graphic design that goes into creating the games is extremely complex. It is also very clear that there has been an evolution of games over several years. From anyone I know who plays video games, I know that they can be so involved in a game that they are emotionally invested. I would not be surprised if in a few years there are museum containing the greatest clips of a game. I think it would be unfair to consider the game makers anything short of artists.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the Ted talk by Kellee Santiago and having read the article in disagreement with it by Roger Ebert I am able to see both sides. However in just seeing these two specific arguments I would mainly agree with Roger Ebert. I do not have a current standing position on the topic because I do not so very much care for video games. The point Kellee makes about saying how we are just in the begin and it can grow and only go up form here may be true but you do not know that for sure. Video games come in all sort of ranges and I can see how you would like to call it art but the video game itself is not art to me, the character design and sketches that are put into the game are but the game itself is not. Roger makes a point when he talks about winning. How can art have a winner or a loser? To me the storyline is also art but once again that is just a part of the game. I may not describe it very well but there are multiple pieces of art that do go into a video game but to say that the video game itself is art I do not agree fully with that. I do not believe those who play video games can say that they are studying art.
ReplyDeleteI am passionate about the fact that video games are art. Art has different styles, art comes in different shapes, but what defines art to me is that it speaks to the viewer, and as Kellee said in the video, is made with the intention of connecting to an audience. I definitely thing there are hundreds of video games out there that achieve that (though perhaps not the ones she used as examples).
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note that video games are created, however you want to stretch the definition, by artists. Ebert says that people like Michael Jordan and Bobby Fischer don't try to argue that their games are art, and to that I ask how many animators were working on Michael Jordan's last basketball game? How many people spent hours drawing concept art and rendering models and composing soundtracks for a chess match? The answer is none, but those people and many more are a part of the gaming industry.
Most of all, I agree with Kellee saying that games are, "a collaboration of every medium we've learned to date." They are a true convergence of art, and will hopefully be recognized as such in the near future.
In this debate, I find myself agreeing with Roger Ebert. While video games are certainly fun and some allow for interesting stories, they aren't art. I think it could be possible that some video games may reach the level of art, but not any time soon, and certainly not all video games. I think that Kellee Santiago overstates as well when she says that video games' influence will surpass that of other media. I don't foresee this being possible simply because video games are less accessible and many people don't play them at all. For the games to be more powerful than traditional media, they would need to surpass the others in usage, which I don't see happening in this lifetime. I also think that the video game medium does not lend itself to becoming art since games typically have objectives and, like Ebert states, you try and 'win' them. That's not art. You don't win art. You experience it and learn from it in a way video games are not able to achieve. Video games do offer other benefits including the ability to express basic emotions in way that may be difficult in other forms.
ReplyDeleteIf video games could be art, which I find unlikely, it will be quite far into the future. I concur with Ebert in his analysis of this topic and that overall, you know it when you see it and I definitely don't see art in video games -- at least not now.
-Rebecca Turner
This topic is a very complicated one. What we consider as art is the real issue of this idea. Art as the video says following the definition of Wikipedia is a "diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts – artworks, expressing the author's imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power." First of all I feel a little skeptical when a definition of Wikipedia is used to discuss a topic like Art is.
ReplyDeleteI am also very skeptical about considering video games arts per se. Why? Because it is different considering a video game ART when it comes to play the video game. I would say that is important to differentiate what is ART when it comes to video gaming. I consider ART the people who have the idea to create those video games and the ideas that they develop to make that possible. What I am trying to say is that for example as a sports fanatic, for me watching basketball and see those players doing what they do is ART.
In my opinion, I believe that video games hold artistic value. Despite the fact that most of them can be "won" I do not believe that that factor should discredit the artistic value of the experience while playing games. Yes, there are games that are mainly created for basic entertainment, but there are others that contain well-crafted worlds and scenarios which allow the player to connect with an emotion or to experience something. It is valid to compare games now to early cinema. Video game developers are still discovering what they can accomplish with the medium to convey thoughts and emotions, much like early cinematographers. Video games that allow the audience to experience emotions or provoke deep thought are considered art.
ReplyDelete-Savanna Blackerby
There is no wrong or right answer from this argument because these people have different point of view. In my opinion, video game is art. As I have learnt about art, it is the combination of visual elements and principles of design, which specifically, are to comfort human eyes and touch to human emotion. Video game does contain of all of these elements. Recently, video game has been improved a lot in its design, which can consider as upper level of traditional visual elements, like the movement in game, the realistic of scenarios and the perfect image of characters. If traditional art can be fancy and difficult to interpret, video game is art, which exists as entertaining tool in common life.
ReplyDelete