Jimquisition: It's Not A Video Game!

[Jimothy Sterling]

It's Not A Video Game!

Addressing a common criticism leveled at certain types of video games, and explaining why they are, contrary to the criticism, still video games.

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[barbzilla]

Good morning to my lord and master. I can't help but agree with you. Provided it is interactive and requires a monitor, screen, television, ect. I would classify it as a video game. No matter if it is good or bad, it is still a video game, even if I have to use game lightly.

Anyhow, great video as always Jim, thank god for you!

 

[MrDumpkins]

I think I'm more in line with what total biscuit said about the issue. I like using the term interactive experience to talk about these kinds of games, but I don't mean it in a derogatory way. Either that or call them games but have some way to classify them as more of an experience than a mechanical challenge or something. I don't know, this is an issue that the community will eventually settle as long as people like Sterling and Total biscuit keep voicing their opinions on it. Good episode as always jim.

Also that TV you showed in animal crossing looked like an apple. If you didn't notice.

 

[masticina]

Ah how children make their own games, give them a paddle a ball and a back garden and... yup they made a game.

 

[JarinArenos]

I don't have a TV that looked like an apple, but it kept reminding me of this

 

[Jacked Assassin]

It disappoints me that PS Home wasn't considered a game by a lot of people. Whether it could be considered a good game or a bad game is a different topic.

I think I was almost compelled to buy Apple Products....

 

[Weaver]

To me there's a difference between 'video game' and 'game'. Walking simulators are not games but they're video games. I know that's a bizarre thing to say, it's just the nomenclature of the term 'video game' is so fuzzy.

 

[JSW]

Thank you for this newest incarnation of the Jimquisition video game (after all, it's a piece of entertainment delivered through a digital medium, therefore it must be a video game.) I liked it so much that I decided to play the forum comment video game to tell you that. I think I go and read an ebook video game now.

(So yeah, you do need to draw a line somewhere.)

 

[Theopenmindedgamer]

What is a game!? A miserable little pile of secrets!

But yeah, i'm getting a little sick of people arguing that video games must have failure state and needs to challenge in some way to be consider a game. I think that as long that it's interactive in some way, it can be consider a video game.

 

[Redmoonwatcher]

Video games are all art in my opinion, whether or not they are good art is something the audience and game critics decide. Also I would like to see this episode about Silent Hill. Because if I don't then how am I to thank God for you for doing that episode?

 

[Mr. Omega]

Saying Gone Home is a game AND using the ever-dreaded S word (subjective)? I can already hear certain "movement" hashtag frothing with rage...

In all seriousness, I agree with this episode. Those arty games are games. One can debate whether they're GOOD, but they're most certainly games. And thank you for using Animal Crossing in the argument. I've tried that myself and the "it's not a game" crowd keep insisting "that's different". Those sort of games aren't my thing, but some people like it. Some people just think "Not for me = bad", and want an excuse to write them off without actually backing up their arguments.

And now I'm off to watch my TV that looks like an apple.

 

[choren64]

I understand everyone has different tastes, but I was personally extremely disappointed by Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, since the formula was changed so much that it became boring for me. I probably would have avoided buying it if I had known at the time that it was by the Chinese Room, makers of Dear Ester. Mostly, I bought it expecting it to be scary like the dark descent, but it was just filled with poems and junk.

In any event, I'd say most of the named titles could be categorized as games since they were made specifically for game platforms and in the mind for a game-playing audience. Sure, not everyone (including myself) enjoys those story focused games, but some others might play nothing BUT those story driven games...

 

[Karadalis]

And heres the problem i have with your definition of modern games: all a game needs to be to be considered to be a game... is to be a game.

The very first sentence you explain to us what you think a game is you say "The modern definition of a game is simply an electronic game..."

But wheres the "game" in pieces like gone home? How do you game in something like dear esther?

Would you honestly call a bordgame where no one can loose and the only things you do is move your playpiece forward field by field and then have to draw a correspondant card for each field with story exposition on it a game?

Heck "choose your own adventure" books have considerably more gameplay elements then these pieces of barely interactable fiction yet no one calls them games.

Wich doesnt mean that the term "game" says anything about quality... heck there are alot worse experiences with games then what dear esther offers for example.

But what it boils down to it is:

Can you actually "play" with these marginally interactive stories... And that is where they simply fail. You dont "play" gone home... you simply listen to it. They tell more or less interesting stories for sure... but show me where you actually "play" with these "games".

So i politely disagree with your assesment.

What is a game!? A miserable little pile of secrets!

And for that quote you get a tip of the hat ol chap -_q

 

[WickedLordJasper]

I do, however, feel relatively confident in saying that The Flowers of Robert Mapplethorpe is not a video game.

 

[Zombie Badger]

f

 

[Dr. Crawver]

Yeah, always thought the "it's not a game" argument to be shallow and pointless. Thank god for you Jim.

 

[blairs1995]

So where would something like depression quest fall?

 

[Ipsen]

Good video, Jim.

Whether you have the loosest of rules or win/loss states like Dear Esther, or stricter rule sets like the console games we typically classify as games, I think the common thread between them is that we have the ability to play in them.

You might be more inclined (or maybe not!) to actually play around with/explore your world and actions in a game with loose rules, like Dear Esther (I'd argue that this is the appeal of sandbox games). With other games (JRPG's, MMOG's, fighters to an extent, most story based games, etc), you might be less inclined to play/explore the game and its mechanics, or rather/instead are more motivated to complete the outlined task to progress events or a story. Arguably, there's still room to 'play' there.

So, is this argument over now?[footnote]Also, is that a TV that looks like an apple???[/footnote]

 

[Karadalis]

So where would something like depression quest fall?

Pretentious garbage?

Nah but seriously.. its a "choose your own adventure" book type of thing.

Only that there is only one outcome and its as interesting as a wet blanket and actually teaches nothing of substance to people who want to know what depression is.

To really understand what depressions really are you sadly have to experience themselve. Its like saying "hey i made this thing that teaches you what it feels like to have phantom pain after having your limb removed"

It simply doesnt work that way.