Jimquisition: Videogames Are Not Movies, Get Over It
- Thread starter Jimothy Sterling
- Start date
That second vid is actually a well thought out and stated presentation. It is spoken clearly and without any unnecessary and gratuitous swearing. I would listen to him if all of his videos were like that. Unfortunately this and his premier video for the escapist are complete opposites of each other. Again though, it needs more... anything. Some colour, more clips, a picture or two... whatever. That and the way he ended it was in quite bad taste.Levethian said:
As for the first video you posted, when looked at alongside the games are not movies clip it seems almost like someone tried to do a parody, but accidentally just made exactly what they were trying to parody.
A bit of fine tuning and this could be an excellent addition to the Escapist?s roster.
Bit more information-ee, lil? less needless snark and calm the fuck down Jim, you were standing like someone was going to take you soap box away from you, calm down, loosen up and let the English rage flow deep from within
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Regardless of my minor quibbles i'll be watching this again.
Bit more information-ee, lil? less needless snark and calm the fuck down Jim, you were standing like someone was going to take you soap box away from you, calm down, loosen up and let the English rage flow deep from within
.Regardless of my minor quibbles i'll be watching this again.
I totally agree with your point, some of these games make me feel like a guy who walked into an Asian massage parlor only to find it's an actual massage parlor. Good show, sir. Good show.
EDIT: Totally should've waited until the video was over before commenting on it. You want games to be taken more seriously. That's not what I want, actually. I just want them to focus more on the actual gameplay.
EDIT: Totally should've waited until the video was over before commenting on it. You want games to be taken more seriously. That's not what I want, actually. I just want them to focus more on the actual gameplay.
He makes good points, but he needs to drop the bigger than life "oh I'm such a douchebag I'm saying things people don't want to hear" act. If not because he didn't bring up a single point that hasn't been hammered ad nauseum then because this is a character, a gimmick, drop it and act like a real commentator. If we want gaming to be accepted as a real medium for expression we don't need some guy pretending to be cool and edgy whining at us every week.
Now this is only the first episode. But first episodes are important because they give you first impressions. And the one I got from The Jimquisition isn't good. This is not Escapist Magazine quality. Look at all the videos The Escapist already has in it's line up. Now look at this. The quality in both the production and presentation are incredibly poor. Each series needs it's own distinct style and a badly framed man in a black suit with a red tie, standing in front of the ugliest wall I've ever seen, simply does not cut it. Neither do the crudely drawn doodles that are poorly paced, humourless and totally lacking in charm. They appear quickly with no time to take in the information they are supposed to be communicating. The opinions expressed in the show are valid and well thought out, but he has expressed them and others like them better in Podtoid and The Electric Hydra Podcasts, not to mention his written articles. What the Escapist should do now is take the podcast they have off the air (read my comment in that to find out why), cancel Jimquisistion and sponsor Brad Nicholson to bring The Electric hydra to The Escapist. This way you can have Jim Sterling on The Escapist and in his Element.
I have no desire to bash the show in terms of production value, presentation, quality etc. I'm also unfamiliar with his previous work elsewhere.
At the topic at hand, though, I felt the argument was lacking. For one, this would be a sound argument well over a decade ago, as a heads-up when technology boomed and video games were changing their form and presentation. Now... it's coming too late to the party just to get drunk and dance naked in somebody's face.
Secondly, this is a position I don't necessarily agree with, but maybe I could see the point made, if the argument was complete. I'm not the biggest fan of Extra Credits either, but at least those guys go to lengths to establish their arguments, via examples and/or suggestions. This was venting... which is fine when it's funny, but not-so-fine in any other case.
Thirdly, what did come up finds me disagreeing for many reasons. For starters, videogames are and always will be comparable to movies in one way or another, because they share one thing: they are both visual mediums for telling a story. Granted, the presentation is different and you can argue that not all games are about telling stories; which is true. However, unless anybody suggests we completely eliminate story-driven games, the point is moot. Considering their connection, it's not only unlikely, but also not advisable to completely separate films and games. Certain games in particular and gaming in general have only to gain from keeping an eye out on movies, without that meaning they have to follow in their shoes or try to be like them.
Not to mention, the idea of something cinematic is a development, an evolution of video games. You couldn't sit people down and make them read dialogue box after dialogue box for ten minutes, while the sprites just moved half an inch every now and then back in the so-called "golden" days.
Seriously, I know many don't care for Metal Gear Solid, but those who like the series even a little bit, can you imagine it any other way?
I will give him this, though. His intention is noble, insofar as praising games as "cinematic" and "Hollywood-level" goes. There is a condescending side to this argument whenever it's brought up and ironically, it hurts games like Heavy Rain and Fahrenheit the most; mainly because these are exactly the kind of games that do not need to promoted as such, considering they rely on interactivity. Cutscenes in Metal Gear Solid or Devil May Cry are there to either tell the story or set the mood. What sets the mood in Fahrenheit is the interactivity. Everything else is the salad dressing; important salad dressing, but dressing nonetheless. So, at least as far as that goes, he has a point. It's just the idea that games should be removed from movies that I find false.
At the topic at hand, though, I felt the argument was lacking. For one, this would be a sound argument well over a decade ago, as a heads-up when technology boomed and video games were changing their form and presentation. Now... it's coming too late to the party just to get drunk and dance naked in somebody's face.
Secondly, this is a position I don't necessarily agree with, but maybe I could see the point made, if the argument was complete. I'm not the biggest fan of Extra Credits either, but at least those guys go to lengths to establish their arguments, via examples and/or suggestions. This was venting... which is fine when it's funny, but not-so-fine in any other case.
Thirdly, what did come up finds me disagreeing for many reasons. For starters, videogames are and always will be comparable to movies in one way or another, because they share one thing: they are both visual mediums for telling a story. Granted, the presentation is different and you can argue that not all games are about telling stories; which is true. However, unless anybody suggests we completely eliminate story-driven games, the point is moot. Considering their connection, it's not only unlikely, but also not advisable to completely separate films and games. Certain games in particular and gaming in general have only to gain from keeping an eye out on movies, without that meaning they have to follow in their shoes or try to be like them.
Not to mention, the idea of something cinematic is a development, an evolution of video games. You couldn't sit people down and make them read dialogue box after dialogue box for ten minutes, while the sprites just moved half an inch every now and then back in the so-called "golden" days.
Seriously, I know many don't care for Metal Gear Solid, but those who like the series even a little bit, can you imagine it any other way?
I will give him this, though. His intention is noble, insofar as praising games as "cinematic" and "Hollywood-level" goes. There is a condescending side to this argument whenever it's brought up and ironically, it hurts games like Heavy Rain and Fahrenheit the most; mainly because these are exactly the kind of games that do not need to promoted as such, considering they rely on interactivity. Cutscenes in Metal Gear Solid or Devil May Cry are there to either tell the story or set the mood. What sets the mood in Fahrenheit is the interactivity. Everything else is the salad dressing; important salad dressing, but dressing nonetheless. So, at least as far as that goes, he has a point. It's just the idea that games should be removed from movies that I find false.
The games are/aren't films nonsense is just that nonsense if you enjoy one over the other or both equally it makes no difference just enjoy them for what they are
Yeah, not a big fan myself. Seemed like he was being offensive for the sake of being offensive. Unlike Yahtzee, who is offensive in a good way for the sake of humour.
Can't say I am impressed. Couldn't even watch the video all the way through. Being annoying for the sake of being annoying isn't clever or funny, it's annoying. I'm not one to bash the individual performer, but maybe this guy needs a new bit.
I do think this could be an interesting take (although has been done better by others). But I agree that this might work better as a written article. Having not seen his other stuff, I can't say I'm impressed by this first impressions.
I do think this could be an interesting take (although has been done better by others). But I agree that this might work better as a written article. Having not seen his other stuff, I can't say I'm impressed by this first impressions.
Good to see you'd give him a chance. I thought the delivery was fine, maybe another microphone would help (I think he dropped that one) But I'd have to strongly disagree with you, he's not trying to sound like an ass. It is pretty much insulting to the media for games to be measured by film standards, that like rating a meal's quality by it's kung fu ability (this simile may have been exaggerated to expose effect)Sober Thal said:
Why would Bob have to worry about his job again though?
I meant that he's happy to take the piss out of himself - not gaming, not his views, but his presentation, mannerisms & appearance. I'm glad he takes his philosophies on gaming seriously.LyR said:
Looking over his YouTube vids, this Escapist debut was fairly poor in comparison. Perhaps trying too hard?