Welcome

Hello and welcome to this little portal into my head and the clutter inside. The following is an introduction to the path ahead, what will and will not be covered as well as some early insights on what’s to come.

For those of you wondering what your about to get into with the same level of caution one would use when approaching a bear, know that I will not be tackling any hot topic issues currently sapping the life out of the world like a fat lazy mosquito. Nor contributing to the ragging dumpster fire that is our current online culture by injecting my thought on things that I am no where close to being credible enough to talk about.

That being said, there is one thing that I know a lot about and that will be the crux of the conversation here, Video Games. Specifically, narrative in games and the meaning they create when put into games. As well as how games are trying to include narrative, what is good game narrative as well as a bad narrative, and what this mean for the medium moving forward.

Now after that last paragraph you are one of two people:

Either you have some interest in game narrative and wish to explore all the possible avenues that it brings to the world of Video Games.

Or you believe game narrative is going to be the death blow to the medium, one that will drain all the fun and interest out of games and are still around because you want to see how wrong I am before constructing a rebuttal.

For both sides consider the following; the former use it as a retort if you encounter someone from group B, while the later, please consider this before doxing me.

Film was once only viewed as a means for making comedy, but now is one of the most popular and impactful entertainment experiences we can get. Music was once only for the rich and powerful meant only to entertain, now it’s the voice of generations speaking hymns of rebellion and dissatisfaction. Fantasy and Science Fiction were once though of as only fit for children, now it enthralls millions of men and women with stories of high adventure and existential dilemma. Video Games were once simple programs few could access, now there widely available and comprised of dozens of features from art to music to tech.

What I am trying to get at is that Art is a constantly expanding medium and it is always moving closer to delivering a more meaningful experience. So, in the case of Video Games, a medium that has now mastered the core aspects of design, programming, art and music, is now moving to creating lasting experiences that linger with players long after they put down their controller.

Now, when I say meaningful, I’m not talking about the meaning players make with the game, such as a difficult challenge they overcome, or a game mode that is a favorite among their friends. That kind of meaning games already give to us, however this meaning comes from gameplay or external factors, the meaning I’m talking about is narrative meaning or relatable experiences. I’m talking about Frodo’s drive to save the Shire while battling a losing war with the One Ring for his free will. I’m talking about Luke’s battle with the Empire and his struggle not to succumb to evil like his father before him. I am talking about Tony Stark’s regret for all the damage he’s done to the world. I am talking about real, human, emotion, something every man, woman, and child with a pulse can relate to and empathize with, because these are the things that bring us back to movies, TV, and books. Stories about flawed individuals over coming monumental hurdles that leave us in a state of relief and satisfaction, knowing that difficult situations can be over come. We as humans seek this release in movies and other media so why can’t video games do the same. Why can’t games give us the same feelings as any other piece of Art?

Now you may still be concerned about video games becoming Art because you may like the simplicity of, run, gun, fun. To that I say, don’t worry, we still have B movies and action flicks so games made in a similar vain are not going nowhere. People enjoy a little mindless fun here and there, but people seek out and attach to more engaging stories. Stories of love, hope, honor, duty, right and wrong, these make up the tales that will live on forever.

Its that kind of meaning games need to finally step onto the Art stage, to begin resonating with people who want something more out of there play time, as well as giving all of us better games to get invested in and return to time after time. Like it or not this is the direction gaming is heading towards and is currently in the transition with smash hits like The Last of Us, Undertale, and Spec-Ops The Line, games that explore concepts and realities that the average person would never get to see, let alone experience what it would be like first hand.

So welcome one and all to my head. I hope you will find something of use.

Peace.