Video game analyses – new techniques….
August 28th, 2007
I’m taking a break from playing and writing about RE4 at the moment. I re-read my first post on the game and was pretty dissapointed. Even though my goal was to present a unique analysis of the game, I still feel the path I’m taking is the wrong one. I don’t want to write about the game in a goofy stream-of-conscience way and merely hint at the greater ideas.
So, my break began, and I started looking around for some other articles, and as luck would have it, Simon over at www.gamesetwatch.com had found one for me 
And, that reminded me of a few other great articles, all by the same person:
Dead Rising
Viva Pinata
Animal Crossing
What appeals to me is the care given to the techniques used by the game to create its experiance. The discussion takes the game seriously, and tries to relate the ideas to the human condition amongst other interesting connections. I had actaully played “Dead Rising”, and I found the ideas in his review to be really spot on. And something amazing, his review actaully increased my enjoyment of the game! That’s typically not something that happens.
But, the articles got me thinking about what my analysis might be lacking, in particular analysis techniques unique to video games. Sure, people look at the plot of a film much the same way they would for a book, but a film offers much much more. Sound, space, music, acting, makeup, costume, etc. There are many many things in a film which allow for a deeper analysis. One of my favorite film classes focused on spatial relationships in film, looking at how actions were framed, the use of space, engendering spaces / locations etc. After that class, I had a much greater appreciation for film.
And such, I contine to pause looking for new ways to analyze this game. Most likely the control method, the interface, the gameplay, essentially the interactions are what I’m curious about, as they set the game apart from a movie. So, in that regard if anyone has some suggestions that would again be great.
8 Comments Add your own
1. Impossible | August 29th, 2007 at 2:17 am
Nice blow to Blow… hahaha I crack myself up
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2. RohoMech | August 29th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Great, very punny Impossible.
3. Presh Talwalkar | August 29th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Madden is an interesting example of using techniques. First, Madden games were all about choosing the right plays and executing them. Then, they introduced a bunch of things you could do to be more realistic like spinning and dashing. What I understand now, there is also a mode where your main role is a manager/coach and you build the team instead of playing games. Along the way, they pushed the envelope by testing features like “on-field view” in which your view was similar to what players woudl see. What I hear is that you basically couldn’t see any thing so they ditched it.
So here is the general experimental idea: with games, there are long-standing series in which the characters and plot are controlled. Differences in enjoyment can therefore be attributed to game techniques. This idea is similar to how economists take time-series data by tracking people over time; since the individual is genetically the same, differences in a statistic (like income) can be attributed to behavioral elements (education, marriage, geography, etc.)
4. aresee | August 30th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
It’s unfair when people with film or tv backgrounds write off games as an inferior art form. Part of that also comes when critics of games choose to not see the bigger picture or critique without at least trying to educate themselves about the genre. Example: I went to art school and made some good friends who are animators, aspiring to work at Disney/Pixar etc. who write off games mainly because the art and animation typically doesn’t have the fidelity of a big budget production in film. Many people I’ve encountered in the CG field tend to do the same. But just as for film, you have to consider as you said, “Sound, space, music, acting, makeup, costume, etc.” there are other DIFFERENT principles that make games art.
One of the biggest challenges is that the other mediums have been around so long, are established, and have congruency not found in games. There are 12 principles of animation, there are clean-up artists, background artists, in-between artists and so on. There are cameramen, directors, producers, all with the same role at Fox as the do at Paramount, and we award cinematography, writing, art direction, etc for all these.
I’m not saying that we should only look at the technical aspects of games when we critique them. Yes, we should ask ourselves “how does it feel,” “what is innovative about this product,” “what are the graphics like” but not solely those questions. If a game’s narrative tries to explore part of the human condition, then more power to it, like a documentary. But like in film, there are documentaries, teen sex romps, and snuff.
Because Tetris lacks a deep thought provoking expose in some third-world region, does that make it unethical or less worthy than other games?
My personal opinion is the most important thing a game has to do is trigger an emotional response. Be it simple enjoyment, complex critical thinking, anxiety or fear, my belief is that is vital. The means to that end though are up to the developer. /ramble
5. RohoMech | August 30th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Presh – wow, thanks! yea, that’s a really neat idea, I like your example, I’m still digesting it fully, but I’ll see if I can pursue it…
6. RohoMech | August 30th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
aresee – well, I’m speaking about techique for two reasons, and yes one is the establishment of them, so we can judge other games on a more level playing field. But, the other is what you’re saying, how the technical things relate to emotion, to politics, the human condition.
Your example of Tetris is interesting, its a game about exploring spatial relationships, but it could also be a game about futility. The pieces keep falling faster and faster, and recently someone “proved” that a truly random Tetris game WILL end in death….its a beautiful comment on life.
Emotional response is important in art, it is something my analysis will overlook…but if you keep commenting, I’ll try to address it in the comments or in another series of articles.
7. aresee | August 30th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
When I speak of the art of games, I don’t speak solely of the visual elements that go into the game (the models, the textures, etc). Rather, I consider the entire composition of a game as art. The visual arts however are sometimes the easiest way to correlate these things.
For instance, the basic fundamentals of visual art are Line, Color, and Space. In games, we could call these Art, Design, and Technology. Metroid Prime 3 may not have the shaders and HD resolution of Gears of War, but what the developer has done with the technology, giving us a beautiful 60fps game with much more vibrant and varied environments than GoW could ever dream of, with smart level and gameplay design to me make it a masterful work of art. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish to discredit Gears of War, it’s an amazing game, but it’s obvious where my heart lies in the subject.
I do really admire how much you dissect into the psychological aspects of gaming. A lot of times I find these things to be coincidental. I don’t know if Alexey Pajitnov fully intended Tetris to be about futility or how conscious he was in exploring spatial relationships. He very well may have been fully aware of this the entire time, the masters usually are.
8. RohoMech | August 30th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
hehe, thanks aresse,
I like what you’re about fundamentals, and how that relates to games, I totally forgot about AI / Level Design etc. Those things are important in a game, they help create the emotional response you’re referring to.
Heh, yea, I doubt Alexey had any of these deeper thoughts in mind, but honestly, wouldn’t be amazing if you could teach your kids about death by having them play Tetris?
-Daddy, why do I have to game over in tetris, can I not win?
-Well Bobby, thats cause life is like that, you life, eat, and die.
-Daddy that’s sad
-Yea, life is sad Bobby, and oh yea, there is no Santa Claus
-Daddy you’re soo mean when you’re drunk
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