Games Now Legally Considered an Art Form (in the USA)

[Treblaine]

But that's just it. The games AREN'T free, they're paid for by people who have no say in the matter...

It's unacceptable because the people that don't want to give have no say in the matter. It's claiming the rights to the labor and time of someone else. It's just an excepted form of slavery, when you peel away the morality that cloaks it.

You DO have a say in it, you elected your government. OK, your vote (or the few you can convince to vote differently) won't make much of a difference but then again $200k out of a $3.5 Trillion fund of tax money isn't much of a percentage of your money.

It's good to see Americans keeping such a close eye on govt spending but I don't think this particular issue is going to sway many people. It's public arts projects, it's better than a bridge to nowhere.

Also, Taxation is not slavery, you all agreed on this when you voted for your government to expect these kinds of taxes to be spent at their discretion. You are part of a NATION that has elected a government and decided on this type of taxation. You all voted on this and it was decided, sorry your "only essential taxation" government didn't get in power. Maybe because hardly anyone actually thinks that is a good idea (I think your ideas go even beyond the Republican party's stance of tax/spending).

That's democracy. America. Fuck yeah, and so on and so forth.

Then why not put that control into the hands of STATE governments, which can far more accurately reflect the will of the people, than the federal government, which oversees so many separate clashing cultures (I'm talking specifically about America now, which has a wide abundance of cultures and subcultures spanning across an entire continent) as to make any sort of potential discussion of the matter convoluted and meaningless.

Well if this were to be an internet project, a freely distributed game or something like that then it would not be for one state, it would be nationwide if not globally seen and used. So it makes sense the capital federal authority makes decisions of funding rather than any one state as it wouldn't affect just them and it wouldn't just be money they collected.

I believe states do have similar discretionary funds on public arts projects, but I'm sure they then focus on how they can most benefit the people of their own state. Such as a large sculpture in the sate capitol or whatever.

The federal government is far better at representing ALL the states, commonwealths and districts. They have to square what Texas would like with what Oregon would like. Leaving it down to either state (or any other) won't do.

 

[Nenad]

Cultural acceptance! Yay!
Wonder what will the first federal funded game be like?

 

[mr_rubino]

Where were you may 6 when the great names of Michaelangelo and Picasso became meaningless smears on the wall next to names like Gabe Newell and Dave Jaffe. The Giants of media make others look like smut.

I still don't consider games art. then again i'm not american.

Nor do you understand words, it'd seem, and prefer meaningless name-checking to reasoning.

Incidentally, Escapisteers, we could probably do well to NOT immediately kowtow to people who want to make up their own definitions of established words. Games were already art. The NEA, with all the "power" they have, have only caught up and decided whatever arbitrary parameters they use to fund things can apply to video games as well.

But then again... *grabs a seat to wait for 3 days until the next "Look at this random stupid thing! It is stupid, I say! Ergo, it is not art. QED." thread pops up*

EDIT: Incidentally, Escapist Journalist Guy, I think you don't know what constitutes "legally".

 

[steeple]

really? after all this time? finally?!

oh HELL YES!

 

[AlexLoxate]

Yay, finally. I hope Europe is next.

 

[Agent Larkin]

Ok folks were art now. Let's break out all the really weird stuff we've been hiding.

 

[paranoia.precinct]

Yay! ^-^

 

[Burck]

Remember that this does not make games IMPLICITLY art.

They have to earn their status as art.

As for what makes a video game art, well, the answer will become clearer as the medium matures. All forms of art have their phases.

As for why this matters?
It does because it validates this medium as capable of having substance beyond the typical escapist, relaxing qualities of video games.

 

[wehrp3nguin]

What I get from this is: Video Games SHOULD be cheaper now that they may be funded. Like Valve/Steam lower their prices once a game is like 3 months old; but most AAA console games (aside from $20 PS Greatest Hits) stay $50+ for a few years

 

[WaderiAAA]

Seems like particularly good news for indie games.

 

[FamoFunk]

Well it's about time, gaming and games are an Art form.

 

[Baneat]

I'm sure catholics and concerned mothers are going to *love* paying for things that they don't want to exist at all.

NEA is a sham

 

[BrownGaijin]

And our wall just got a little bit thicker. Take that Schwarzenegger!

P.S. I am a (trying) Catholic, and I approve this message.

 

[Deacon Cole]

Know what I think. I think whomsoever is left at Atomic Games should apply for this grant and use it to release Six Days In Fallujah.

 

[skitzo van]

Cool. Now can everyone shut up about their medium having some worthwhile merit and ***** about something that matters?

 

[LogicNProportion]

YEEEEEEEEEEES!

 

[Bloodstain]

So finally, the time has come.

 

[AetherWolf]

That's a rockin' picture of Edgar from Final Fantasy VI right there.