In Defense of Video Games

Here at work we are restricted as to where we can go on the Internet. Obviously the military doesn't want us looking up pornography, wasting time on YouTube, visiting extremist sites, or looking at pages on how to build pipe bombs. All of these things are blocked. You couldn't get to them if you wanted, not that I would want to anyway. But another item is thrown into this banned list, and it has me really frustrated. Any site that has any relation to the word "Games," is forbidden. I'm not talking just flash game sites (which I find to be perfectly acceptable as being banned), I'm talking about ANYTHING that has the slightest thing to do with the moniker "Games."

News sites, review sites, developer sites, forums, etc. All Blocked. An argument could be made that it is a time waster at a place that you shouldn't be wasting time with. And if you want to start down that path, I could list thousands of sites that I have no problem getting to that are as big if not bigger time wasters than anything related to games. News Sites like CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, none are blocked. Movie news sites such as Variety, Hollywood reporter, Coming soon, Ain't it cool, none are blocked. The list continues: Celebrity Gossip sites, Facebook, Tech review sites, blog sites, recipe databases, etc. What is the whole of the Internet if not an enormous black hole of a time waste? So then why the specific hatred towards Gaming? I could detail my frustrations with this work computer restriction, but I think there is a larger issue present that needs to be explored.

Generally, in our culture, video games are looked down upon. They are kid's toys. That's why when a Mature rated game, a game designed and intended for Adults, gets so much press when an enraged parent finds out what their kid is really playing. That's why you have politicians (who do not really understand and appreciate gaming due to their inexperience), who try to pass restrictive laws regarding the distribution of games. The responsibilities of censoring children's entertainment intake, rests solely with the parent. But that is another post.

It could be simplified by saying that people just don't understand Video Games. The over 40 crowd, for the most part, don't understand the appeal, or why somebody would want to "rot their mind" on worthless video games. Older generations never had the technology at the age younger generations have it now. So it is natural that people don't understand it. But I really don't get why they receive so much hate from so many people. I believe many people are greatly misinformed. There is much to be said about the expanding and maturing industry of game design. So let me geek out a bit about this young, exciting field of entertainment.

Interactive storytelling. It's one thing to read a book and create images in your head. It's another experience to go and watch somebody's vision of a story. It is an entirely different experience to interact with characters, and write your own story in a world people have crafted specifically for your enjoyment. The level of detail that goes into some of these games is staggering. The gorgeous visuals that today's machines can create is simply stunning. I always enjoy taking a step into interactive worlds, exploring and having fun.

And a funny thing is beginning to happen within the game industry. The technology has gotten so great and so powerful, that developers are forced to throw more assets towards creating a game. More art, more textures, more code writing, more, more, more. Subsequently, costs are rising. A triple-A game released today costs quadruple it would have cost to produce a similar game 10 years ago. So what is happening? Since publishers and developer are throwing more money at the games they are releasing, the financial risk of failure becomes much more important. So what you are seeing in the games that are released is an extraordinary amount of time is being put into getting the game right. Getting a solid story, introducing great mechanics (how the game is played), ironing out all bugs, to deliver a satisfying experience and to ultimately craft a strong release that will earn money.

Video games have gotten so good in the past few years, that soon they will surpass film and television in their quality and level of polish. There are already games out now that I think are better experiences than a lot of movies I've seen. Some stories have genuinely touched me and have transcended the boundary that exists between the content and human emotion. Developers are constantly pushing the bounds of storytelling and emotion. There are several guys out there who are trying to get to the holy grail of gaming, making the gamer cry. It sounds silly to say, but it is a real goal for many developers to be able to create that game that impacts the player to the degree of physical emotional response. The games out now are slowly inching to that level, it is only a matter of time.

I hate the Wii. But it is hard not to admire what the Wii has been doing. People who don't play games are picking it up. There are stories of parents fighting the kids for play time, of nursing homes buying systems because they are so popular with the crowd. Finally, people are enjoying games in a much wider market. So many are experiencing them for the first time and really enjoying themselves that it is has become a very exciting time. Who would have thought that a simple innovation in controller design would be the feature that bridges the gap. It's a true phenomenon. But I'm still irritated with it. Mostly because I love good graphics and diverse stories. The Wii doesn't provide much of either. The games are all targeted to one audience, and the system is essentially a rebuild of a last generation system. But it is doing good, and I see it. I just hope those new to gaming through the Wii, will expand to better consoles and titles.

The full cultural penetration of gaming across all demographics, it is something that will take time. I foresee gaming will one day be looked at like any other entertainment medium. People will fondly reminisce about the "classics." I am sure that games will one day take their place amongst great pieces of art and film. But it still has a way to go for that to happen. I'm just so excited about being here at the beginning. The feeling I get when I think about the prospects of the future of gaming is similar to how I imagine some cinema goers felt in the 20s when films started taking off. And they still had Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane, and The Godfather yet to be made. Imagine for a moment, the possibilities of where this field can go.

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