The Escapist, Issue 36: Extra!

[Evil Avatar]

This week the authors at The Escapist looked at the philosophy of game design. Casual Friday takes another look at this issue (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/36/26), with two authors giving opposing viewpoints on the same topic. New articles include:

John Walker: A Word Is Worth A Thousand Pictures (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/36/26)
"Graphics are hugely significant to many people - that can't be ignored... But I challenge you to find the review that says, 'This game would be excellent and worth your time, if only the graphics were better.'" John Walker discusses the importance, and lack thereof, of graphics.

Tim Stevens: Graphics Matter (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/36/31)
"Is it wrong, one wonders, to covet someone for their toned abs more so than their mental acuity? Some moralistic person will likely tell you so; the same way holier-than-thou gamers have historically chastened any who would openly show interest in a game, thanks only to its polygonal beauty." Tim Stevens explains why graphics matter.

[Roc Ingersol]

Great. Now I have to go re-install Baldur's Gate again.
Fuck you John Walker. This is all your fault.

[captainspankypants]

The idea of a game as an artistic narrative still doesn't feel quite right to me. There are a few that actually use the gameplay to tell a story (Shadow of the Colossus), but most games that have anything close to a significant story would be much better and more powerful if they weren't bogged down by the game elements (or you could say the gameplay elements would be better if the story didn't keep interfering).

Obviously this is just my opinion. I just feel that video games should and usually do have more in common with a game of basketball than a production of Macbeth.

[vherub]

"beatiful" games tend not to age well if all they have to rely on is their beauty.
Whereas even the ugliest of games can yied the happiest of marriages for many a year (tetris has to be one of the ugliest pos games and yet it is a marvel of entertainment).
Similarly, most books lack any graphics whatsoever and still manage amazing stories.
Videogames have their own path to follow, independent of the other mediums for expression.

[Logik]

I was going to say something about John Walker not having ever read any reviews for Disgaea, then I realized he was just misquoted.