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gaming are videogames art?


Mr. Critical

  

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  1. 1. Are videogames art?

    • yes
      43
    • no
      0


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I need your guy's help. I'm preparing a speech for... well, speech class. And my topic is "see title" and would like your opinion. Its a final grade speech and I'm pulling all the stops and I seem to get non-biased and intelligent answers from this website. So what's your opinion of the subject.

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Yes. Video games are art just as much as any other medium. Just like any other form of art, there are many less than stellar examples of the medium, there is a large amount of media controversy, and there's a large amount of excellent work on the part of the artists. The storylines are as moving as any movie (If you want to get specific, note that Apocalypse Now, which is lauded as a work of art, shares many common plot points with "Spec Ops: The Line"), and the art design is on par with many paintings.

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Of course they are. For an easy example just look at Okami, Wind Waker(or all Zelda games), or Final Fantasy IX(or all FF games), beautiful artstyles, beautiful and expansive universes, epic story telling.

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Video games nowadays, with their newfangled graphics and designs, basically amount to films that you can steer with a controller. And given that film has been considered art for quite some time, I see no earthly reason why video games shouldn't be considered art.

 

At the very least, one  must look at the various artistic components that go into making a game what it is: stories (lit? Yeah, that's art), musical scores (music? Art), and visual design (unarguably art). If there's some curmudgeonly purist out there who continues to insist that video games are not art in and of themselves, then he/she is forced to admit that they are at least mass compilations of art.

 

I, for one, submit that the one feature that pushes video games over the line between being a compilation of art and being art itself is the element of control. Not to say that merely having control of something makes it artistic, but it's the way that element is used in conjunction with the story - the way games' plots branch off depending on the decisions made by the player, and how each branch is creatively rejoined with the main storyline later down the road. Whether one of these branches leads back to the main plot within mere hours, or over such a long timespan that it might as well be considered its own separate plot, it definitely adds a whole new dimension to storytelling. And as far as I'm concerned, that's more than enough to say "Fuck yes, games are art."

Edited by ~Neurotic Thrashy~
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They are three kinds of art combined, the visual art, the music, and the story, all of which are equally important to making a game good. Games such as Okami, Mirror's Edge, and portal 2 all do an extremely good job of this, so I do view them as a kind of art.

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Video games can very well be the best form of art in the world, if they are made well. They combine visuals, effects, music, voice-acting, storyline, writing, player-interaction and emotion all into one project.

 

You know the Power Rangers? You know how sometimes they'll face that one really evil dude, and they'll put all of their powers together and become like, mega-Power-Rangers or something? That's video games in the art world.

 

Ever seen the graphics in Bioshock, and some of those other visual games like Shadow of the Colossus? Quite honestly, how can you see that and not say video games are a form of art?

 

So, all types of art coming together to form something more epic than they could have ever been separately. That's why video games are so awesome.

 

They're freaking Power Rangers.

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Video games nowadays, with their newfangled graphics and designs, basically amount to films that you can steer with a controller. And given that film has been considered art for quite some time, I see no earthly reason why video games shouldn't be considered art.

 

This right here if you ask me sums it up.

 

I've actually taken college classes in 3d art and animation with the hopes of becoming an environmental artist for games, movies, or anything else that would make use of CG. Just because the end result is something that was created on a PC does not mean it isn't art. It still took time and someone to manipulate and create what is seen in the final product. You don't just start up a program and tell the computer you want a nice big muscular orc warrior, the artist actually has to model him, apply texture, rigging, and all that fun stuff.

 

And of course you've got the composers making the music, voice actors, writers, etc. that make up a whole lot more forms of art by themselves. Putting them all together is what makes a game relatable to a movie, and can be seen very easily in a very well made game such as the Half Life series or Mass Effect series which could be taken almost exactly as they are and turned into a movie without much tweaking.

 

While I feel that statement above sums things up when it comes to the argument of art or not, I don't think it actually fits very well. Yes the end result is something close to a movie nowadays, just interactive, because of how detailed things have gotten. The fact that everything within the game world was created by an artist from scratch makes it closer to working with clay or traditional drawing then filming a movie where most of the "media" used in the creation are actually people and physical objects just captured on film.

Edited by Puddlejumper
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Considering that a lot of work can go into a game, yes I would say that is counts as art. The 3d modeling, the music compositions, the backgrounds and scenery, the story, the characters. I would say a game definitely is a piece of art. I wouldn't say a game like Call of Duty is really art, but there are games out there that are very artsy. I'd say Final Fantasy is kind of artsy, with the great graphics and story. Mirror's edge is a fantastic game I remember playing a few years back, again very artsy. Games have the potential to be masterpieces, if done correctly.

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I believe that video games are a form of art. Art is a form of self expression which can catharsis us. We most often associate art with music, visual representations, and the written word, which can be described by stories. I'm going to try to explain this the best way that I possibly can, but I probably won't be able to convey it the way I see it within my mind: 

 

     The writer can make a story that is full of emotion, and he/she can create a person with whom the reader can relate to. However, the writer struggles with creating a mental image, or visual representation, of their story. This is where the painter comes into play. The painter can create works that are not only pleasurable to look at, but also draw forth emotions and memories. The trouble that the painter may find him/herself in would be setting the tone, or mood. Thus is where the composer makes his/her entrance. The composer creates songs that can soothe the mind and soul, as well as invoke powerful emotions. Something that I've noticed is that my memories, as well as those of my friends, all rely on sound. This is why certain songs can remind you of past experiences. If you recently had a member of your family die, and you began listening to a song with a sad tune to it, your mind will associate the tune with the emotions you felt when said family member died. This also applies to other emotions and memories. Now, the issue that composers have, and I have asked a few about this, is that they find it rather difficult to describe the setting(that is, when there are no lyrics.) This is where the writer comes back into the picture. Through the sound, the writer can express memories and emotions with which the reader can relate to. So the three forms of art come full circle.

 

     What does this have to do with video games? Well, video games combine all three of these into a single work: a gripping storyline with beautiful visuals and music to match. If you create a relatable story, a protagonist with a relatable personality, a world that communicates the atmosphere, or setting, of the storyline and music that can pull you into the fictional world, then you have the ultimate work of art. It is everything that the three artists has to offer in a single package. Now, there are far a few video games with all three of these virtues in balance. The ones that I believe have all three in balance are: Red Dead Redemption, inFamous 2, the Uncharted series, Mass Effect, Metro, Gears of War(I don't personally like the gameplay, but the story is pretty good), Alan Wake, and Halo.

 

     I hope that this helps. I also hope that I spelled relatable correctly.

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There are always two sides to this type of thing, and while it may be simple to just pick a side and stick with it, it helps to look at the other side as well. Since this sounds like an argumentative speech (?), I'm gonna assume you'll need a rebuttal. Even if it's not needed, offering some attention to the other side can really help you stand out. 

 

OPPONENT: No, video games are not art.

 

Finding "sound" arguments under this category was a hell of a lot harder than  thought, because it all comes down to times, social perspective and personal perspective.

 

Some say that art is traditional. Paintings, statues, buildings, chapels, and so forth. Some say video games, while containing artistic elements, are in nature too different from what art is supposed to be. Some argue that because there is no artist per se, one person who created the whole thing or can be given credit to, than it cannot be art. Others use the issue of interactivity, which relates to its purpose, as reasoning for this argument.

 

Hideo Kojima, yes the Hideo Kojima, creator of one of the greatest game series ever (Metal Gear) and more, believes that video games are not art. Why? Because of the nature, of its purpose. 

 

"Art is something that radiates the artist...If 100 people walk by and a single person is captivated by whatever that piece radiates, it's art. But videogames aren't trying to capture one person. A videogame should make sure that all 100 people that play that game should enjoy the service provided by that videogame. It's something of a service. It's not art. But I guess the way of providing service with that videogame is an artistic style, a form of art." - Hideo Kojima

 

In a sense, the purpose of video games in the end, is to service people. Which is true, in a sense. No matter what company you work for, the bottom end goal is to make a profit. If you aren't making a profit, you're gonna go under. Sure, a game may look pretty and sure, it may sound amazing, but that existing notion that the service is one of the prime goals somewhat deflates the "integrity"of the product and keeps it from being art.

 

The videogame industry may also be seen as an obstacle that keeps video games from being considered art. Artists working on a game have to work in large and efficient developmental groups. Their ideals, their own artistic elements, may be required to be put aside for the product as a whole as other artists may not share the same ideas. For games to be considered art, the artistic intentions must be taken first rather than the end purpose (service/sales) or mechanics of the game.

 

 

PRO: Yeah, video games are art!  (My side)

 

One serious serious flaw that a lot of the con-arguments face is that very nature of art; what is it? If you asked someone what was art 100 years ago, what would you have been told?

 

With new times come new advancements and new technology. What we consider art today is different due to changes in our culture and changes to our advancements in technology. Paintings have been around for centuries, for millenniums. Video games are barley 60 years old. It's still something new to us when compared to the grand scope of things. In 10-20 years when VR has been taken to unfathomable levels, there will be voices who claim that this level of interaction is not art. They will say that those pixels that we saw on a screen, the moments we shared together in person, THAT was art. And they too will be criticized.

 

Yeah, go to a museum or ask an "artist" in the field to compare a video game to the works of great poets, writers and artists; you probably won't find an answer. But why should such mediums be put against one another? How can you compare something that has been around only a few decades to mediums that have been around since the dawn of civilization? Really, you can't, and as such, really should not be a sound argument. Mediums change. And as such, so too must "our" definition of art.

 

Really though, art is different for everyone. That's what makes it so enjoyable and even personal. Not all of us like the same music or the same literature, and not all of us for sure like the same game. Just because it is a different medium in a different time does not mean we should discredit it. 

 

Video games, in the end, are the collaboration of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people working together to create something new. A new story, a new challenge, a new legend. When you look at the work put into a game, from the visuals to the mechanics to the sounds you hear, it seems hard to not consider it as a piece of art. Some of the greatest stories, grandest lands and unmatched musical pieces have been created thanks to video games.

 

Look at Metal Gear Solid 2 or Bioshock: Infinite and tell me that story did not entice you even once. Look at that ending. Now look at the floor. That's where whatever's left of your brain is at.

 

Look at Metroid Prime 2 and tell me the lands, the atmosphere of Dark Aether, did not do anything for you. The slow, deathly and haunting feel and music provided creating a sense of urgency and fear.

 

Look at Halo 3 and tell me the score did nothing for you, from that signature piano key in the main screen to the heroic Hornet battle to the solemn memorial ending.

 

 

The passion put forth in these games, the elements imbued together to create new adventure, and the memories created from playing them.
 
That is art.
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Yes, absolutely. Just look at the game Bastion for example, amazing story, amazing graphics, smooth as butter narrator voice, incredible soundtrack. All of those features are without a doubt artistic in every way.

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Honestly, I find it hard to believe that this is even a debate. Video games are indeed art. Are they not images created by human beings? Using computers of course but it is AT LEAST digital art in that regard. A 3D character has to be sculpted in the game doesn't it? How is that not an artists work? Or a team? Not to mention the music that goes into the game or the story, though those are technically their own thing but still.

 

There are constantly debates about what is and isn't art, but I think video games should be one of the more obvious ones. I can look at a game like Uncharted 2 and immediately say that it is art. There are so many beautiful things in that game and so much detail, it would be impossible to deny that it is art.

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Your topic is see title? I know of literally zero ways in which anyone here could possibly help with that. (That isn't how you use quotation marks.)

 

Anyway, yeah, video games are art. And like any art, some of it sucks stallion wang.

 

If you really need a concrete answer, go play Journey.

Edited by Koelath
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I view video games as one of the highest forms of art. Mainly because they incorporate aspects from many different sources; they draw from visual art, 3d modeling, huge musical scores, as well as tell great stories. There is no good reason why video games should not be considered art.

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I need your guy's help. I'm preparing a speech for... well, speech class. And my topic is "see title" and would like your opinion. Its a final grade speech and I'm pulling all the stops and I seem to get non-biased and intelligent answers from this website. So what's your opinion of the subject.

Not art per say but an art form. Actually this video series will likely be helpful to you, they'll say what I want to say in a more succinct and understandable way (I know one of them covers this subject);

 

http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/show/extra-credits

 

But in short. yes, they are a art, it's still evolving rapidly and not every game is ate the same that not every film or drawing is art.

 

The storylines are as moving as any movie (If you want to get specific, note that Apocalypse Now, which is lauded as a work of art, shares many common plot points with "Spec Ops: The Line"), and the art design is on par with many paintings.

There is a very good reason for that. Both Spec Ops: The Line and Apocalypse now are based off of the book Heart Of Darkness. That's why one of the characters is called Konrad. :) Edited by Fridge
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I'm sure that 'nostalgia critic' guy did a discussion on this. You might want to look at that, I dunno I've not watched it.

 

I can't see why Video Games wouldn't be considered art for any reason to be honest. I think it's a bad discussion point and should definitely look for something else for your topic.

 

The only thing in my opinion that doesn't make something art is when it has a use. I mean art is just something you look at or listen to or read. And the fact that it's considered a 'waste of time' shows that it has no practical use. Therefore it's art. That's what I think anyway.

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To answer this question, one simply has to play (not watch a video of someone else playing it, but actually play it themselves) Journey. If you can honestly walk away from that experience and say "No, video games are not art" you need a good, swift kick for being a contrary slag.

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Video games require people to make art that is fully realized in the final product. If you also take into account that there are soundtracks and (sometimes) storytelling I would definitely say video games are in their own special category. Video games tend to be blended elements of different forms of art such as music and animation. I would definitely have to say that they are forms of expression and are mostly made by groups of people with a central and core ideal. They are most definitely art. :3

Edited by Pegasus Device
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I decided not to read all the comments, so forgive me if I am a broken record machine.

 

Video games are art, I am sure everyone of our generation can agree. (that phrase right there is key and I will return to that)

 

Graphics dont mean anything. PIcasso gave no care to what looked good. Neither do people of the abstract art realm.

 

Graphics dont mean anything in video games being art.

 

 

Story means more. Books can be art. Newest and most prime example of a video game story being art, well actually two, Bioshock: Infinite and Skyrim.

 

"But Gale, I understand Infinite, but why Skyrim?"

 

Well, what makes art... well... art? I the simplelist terms I describe art, a medium in which creates deep thoughts and emotions through depection of said piece.

 

Bioshock forces you to looks at the broad picture. What are we? Some cog in a giant clockwork scheme or can we actually make a change? It is a linear story that allows you too have meaningful discussions on our reality. Blah blah philosophy and what not.

 

Skyrim allows you to choose. Your decisions are meaningful and will have consequences. From who will rule this land to having someone call the Dark Brotherhood to kill for stealing a tomatoe. Do you want to help the Alik'r woman escape this squad of people killing her, or turn her into the aristrocrats to have her put to trial.

 

Everything you do sets gears in motion. You get to choose the meaning of your game. Just like one chooses the meaning of art. Think of Bioshock as a this shining example of a warrior. This sculpture is perfect. What does it mean? Is it the true emboidement of perfection or the shameful display of mans obssesiveness to perfection. You decide the meaning.

 

Skyrim is this crazy paint splattered canvas. I don't know what it means. But it means something different to everyone. There is no right or wrong way to depict it.

 

 

 

Finally, the comment I make before. The current dominating generations are the ones to decide what is art. If out crazy art was introduced back in the renaissance, they would be stoned. We know that video games are art. It is only a matter of time until the agree generation fades in to make the official dicision.

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Allow me to suggest the topic is not properly framed.

 

Videogames are not art. A specific videogame can be art, but the *category of objects* known as videogames are not art. In the same way that books are not art. Nobody will accuse a dictionary or an encyclopedia as being art, yet there are books that are indeed art.

 

Yes, a videogame can be art. But then, a pile of refuse can be art when presented in the right manner. A guy sitting in traffic not playing a piano can be art. Videogames are a medium, it's what you do with the medium that might be art.

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