Chalk Talk - The Art of Storytelling

This weeks Chalk Talk assignment focused on the art of storytelling. We asked GameSpot members to discus video game literature as well as its effects on the games mythos and hisotry. We asked them to consider whether or not gamers had a postitive or negative impact on the game in question as well as to consider if games needed the explination or if it was better to leave story telling to the gameplay. DraugenCP: Literature, is much more than mere entertainment. It is not just the core structure of a novel that makes it interesting, but especially its ability to transmit complex ideas, themes and topics. When a novel is set in a world with many predetermined characteristics, it is already much harder for an author to approach whatever theme he has in mind in a natural way. read more. adam1808: The problem I have with videogame fiction is much the same to my issues with "books of the films" or the Star Wars Expanded Universe, namely that it can at most be complementary to the original story. The idea of a videogame-based novel is that it fills in aspects of the game's fiction that were left out of said game because it by its very nature, it had to be a game.read more. vguy555: Avid fans of certain video game franchises can definitely appreciate some of these novels, as some actually provide an insightful look into the game's universe. Yet, some of the information in these books should also be taken with a grain of salt.read more. WTA2k5: Video game literature, at its pinnacle, reaches a middling level of significance, at best able to be deemed throwaway fun or solid-but-needless filler. It can get much worse from there, however. A number of books have infamously contradicted the narratives of the video games they're based on read more. zinoalex: Do video games enhance the overall gaming experience or do they deter from it. I find the prequels to be most interesting because they tell the back-story of the game. They can provide the reader, the gamer, background info that the game does not have time to delve into. read more. Extra Credit Sometimes a good blog is simply a good blog, and these GameSpot members deserve recognition for their efforts and contributions: - Storytelling in Video Games By: lim_ak - Favorite game Original Soundtracks By: Witchblade13 - Impressions: Sleeping Dogs By: Uesugi-dono. Next Week's Assignment: The Digital Devil in the Details: "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower" - Steve Jobs When gamers hear "digital distribution" we as a community have varying responses. Some feel that the ability to digitally collect games that they may have missed out on in the past to be a great gift from the past, while others may feel that the lack of a tangible item makes for a hollow experience. This weeks chalk talk assignment is about Digital Distribution and the impact that it has on the gaming community. Need some inspiration? Consider the following: Has digital distribution increased or decreased your personal interested in getting a game, the impact that it has on the indie community, or possibly reflections on DLC of additional gaming content that was not available before. Post a link to your blog in this week's roll call topic. &larr; Check here for more editions of Chalk Talk.