Where do we go from here? Videogames measured against movies

After watching a gameplay video of Red Dead Redemption 2, I've come to realize the great strides videogames as a medium have made to become movie-like experiences; maybe one day soon this line will be so blurred that we could hardly tell a game from a movie apart, with the nice bonus that comes with videogames: interaction.

Should games strive to be a storytelling medium or focus more on the fun factor? In other words, do you want games to provide realism, narration depth such as in movies or capture you through their gameplay mechanics?

Should games strive to be a storytelling medium or focus more on the fun factor?

Why can't they be both?

Can't wait for the real Westworld.

Is RDR2 the ultimate movie game currently?

Games should not have gone movie like or hollywoodized. thats what ruining video gaming.

And yet some of the most loved, celebrated and adored games are movie/hollywoodized games...... Shows what you know

/smh

Sega CD already tried that.

Sums it up perfectly ^^

Well, yes, I mean if you can create top notch fun around book/movie-quality narration, then you have the ultimate medium, I believe, but what about all these other gaming experiences that we've come to love throughout the gaming history? I'm also talking about arcade-type of fun, for example, and any other typology that doesn't involve storytelling, where the focus is mere fun through challenging gameplay. Do you think games should still maintain this aspect or evolve into a more, comprehensive medium (as much as technology can allow) that can embrace different aspects to create the experience? Simply put, should gameplay still be prioritary or you're in favor of a more balanced mixture of all elements?

casual mainstream media. praised anything that is terrible. these games offer little gameplay and more rely on scripted sequence and QTE.

Keep going and maybe diversify even more.

Complex reflex and mechanics games like Dota, League, Star Craft, Fighters, etc. will still be there and if they pepper in "cinematics" into those in a non intrusive manner, sure (like optional).

Just not fond of padded open world design if that's even related to what we're talking about.

In short, it probably doesn't matter. We'll have a diverse set of games (esports, casuals, expensive graphics but simple mechanics, etc.) even if it sometimes feel like stuff are homogenized (generic open world design is the current homogenization).

In a movie I get drawn into the story, but I'm passively following it, I'm a mere spectator, my actions have no consequences on what I'm observing.

A videogame needs to capture me actively, makes me feel a protagonist and my actions should count to some extent at least. If a videogame fails to provide this type of active interaction and makes me feel like I'm merely watching a movie, then it becomes pointless to even call it a game.

As long a games keep gaming as their core aspect, then it doesn't matter how deep or realistic they are, because ultimately I'll be the one actively engaged in the experience; that is what movie cannot provide and is what separates gaming and cinematography from each other.

Can you tell me what latest AAA story driven games have a massive and heavy use of QTE's?

Can we stop comparing games to movies already?

All games are stories. The story is usually some dude needs to jump over a load of spikes and stuff to save the day and how the story plays out depends on your input hence you are the star.

If you take away the possibility of failure then within that game you lose the sense it was you who won the day but more the written character as so much of the game was set peice action sequences.

A game with slot of dialogue to watch removes you from the action and slightly away from the ‘game’ aspect and more towards the storytelling aspect.

You could say Half Life 2 was a movie game but it never took the controls away from you which goes a long way to keeping you in the moment.

Games and movies have been tied together for a long time now. From the likes of Wing Commander III and IV (early 90's) and Phantasmagoria (95) were among the earliest games to to try and go movie like, with FMV sequences, the later was pretty much all FMV. It's far from a new phenomenon.

A classic

@aia89

i doubt it.

I think back on when I was a teenager and I read a 'choose your own adventure novel' and then I read 'The Shinning'

The thing about a really good high quality Narrative at the level of something like Better Call Saul is that it has to be controlled. The outcome has to be controlled, how you get to the outcome cant vary. Its really hard to tell a highly compelling narrative if the gamer can change direction.

For example, you story might depend on the player selecting a boat, well what if he doesnt want a boat? what if he wants go around, or maybe not even go at all. Well now you have to force the player to get the boat. and the better the narrative the more things you have to control.

with a game its just the opposite, freedom means more interactivity.

so the two 'design languages' are in exact opposition to each other.

this is why I think good story telling in games (I mean REAL good not bullshit good) comes at a cost of game play

Well, according to steam, the future is VR hentai games.

@Macutchi said:

@tryit said:

@aia89

and then I read 'The Shinning'

I am a horrible speeler.

but my points are awesome :)

You clearly haven't heard of one of the greatest novels ever written: Rayuela. It's also used to teach narrative in literature studies. Basically you can read it from start to finish in sequence or jumping chapters following the authors directions. It is considered a masterpiece.

I think that could be done with a video game eventually

@tryit said:

@Macutchi said:

@tryit said:

@aia89

and then I read 'The Shinning'

I am a horrible speeler.

but my points are awesome :)

agreed.

as you were

nope.

not a good enough response to my detailed explanation as to why not having control over the players action makes story telling extra hard.

good game = high level of player choices

good story = a controlled environment to tell a story

two opposite ends of the coin which is why the entire effort is silly.

what if I dont want to buy the boat that is central to the entire story? how do you do foreshadowing if you cant control the actions of the gamer?

also..what about NOT following the authors directions? and there is the problem. the gamer needs to be able to make the choice of going any number of directions greater than the number of 2.

one is either in action or in observation. mixing the two...I dont know about that

The gameplay elements of movie games being left behind in 2006 is the problem

An amusement with opening of exchange to watch expels you from the activity and somewhat far from the 'diversion' angle and more towards the narrating viewpoint.

You've made a good point there

Next step is your mom bedroom.

Did someone just read this article? They talk about this very thing and RDR2.

https://ew.com/gaming/2018/10/22/red-dead-redemption-2-prestige-video-games/

The irony is I love good story telling, some of my favorites are shows like Better Call Saul, Hell on Wheels, HBO OZ. Its hard for me to be satisfied with story telling, I want it deep and hard :)

I also like games..a lot

But i do not like story games.

at all.

Give me good gameplay with the occasional (skipable) cutscene to move the story along.

The stuff that trys to meld the two sucks ..... cinematic walking for example