Question of the Day, November 6, 2010

[The Escapist Staff]

Question of the Day, November 6, 2010



Digital specialist Paul Wheatley British Library [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105042-British-Library-Considers-Videogame-Archive]. Does Tomb Raider have a place beside Romeo & Juliet in a library?


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[Valkyira]

Hell yeah they should!

I've been before, but would actually go again if they did have video games there.

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

I think there should be a 'why not?' option.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Not Tomb Raider specifically... maybe Portal.

But yes, yes they should. And they should make it so you can borrow the games with your standard libary card. POW, free rental service!

 

[Knight Templar]

If the library has other mediums (besides books) I see no reason not to.

 

[The Cheezy One]

Not just for the cultural reason, but if one day games are seen as an important way of conveying a message, people might want to see how they have developed. People don't learn about the development of films by only reading books
Also, good poll options today - more than just a sliding scale of "Love with a passion - Sorta - Meh - Not really - Burn in hell". Two yes and Two no, with different reasons!

 

[Jesus Phish]

I didn't vote, but I'm in the "kinda?" state of mind.

Reasons for adding them
-Some libraries stock videos/dvds/audio in addition to books.
-It'd be brilliant for video games to be accepted on par with other forms of entertainment

Reasons against adding them
-Theft. You go adding games to libraries and I can foresee theft of those games increasing dramatically. People renting them out and never bringing them back and just ignoring the fees that they'll never plan to pay.

-Do libraries which stock movies for example, stock as much as say a Blockbuster/Video rental store? Do they have copies of Iron Man 2? Or do they just (as the libraries I've been to) just stock videos which are of an educational basis.

-Cost. Books range from cheap to expensive. Most games I can think of sit perminatly around the same price. I don't know what Gamestop buy bulk copies of new games for, but I can't see libraries buying in bulk anything. So when a copy of say, Uncharted 2 goes missing or comes back damaged as most things do when they trade hands 100s of times, that's going to have an increase in costs to the library.
The library could try put fee's toward the last person who rented it out.

I think if they go in at all, perhaps put them in as a nonrentable item. Something that can be taken to a quiet area/room away from the rest of the library and studied there. I've always seen libraries as places of knowledge and information, not entertainment, so like periodic journals and newspapers in libraries, which for the one's I've been to are not rentable, bring in games but dont let them off the campus.

 

[HK_01]

A library is for books, not games or movies or comics. That's my opinion anyway. If it's already got things other than books I don't see a reason not to add videogames though.

 

[bassdrum]

To whomever is responsible for the poll options: my only complaint is that I couldn't choose cultural significance AND historical importance. Games are an important part of modern society, but there's also been a really intriguing road to get game design to where it is now.

Besides, nothing will help games earn respect as a medium more than having them be respected as a medium worth paying attention to (other than people stopping treating them like toys).

 

[Heart of Darkness]

I said yes, but the problem with doing so (excluding what Jesus Phish said) is that copies of games aren't exactly going to last a long time if people are allowed to handle the discs (cartridges, too, but they're a bit more durable). People in general are notoriously bad at taking care of items they rented from the library, and game discs are likely to be scratched and bent and melted and all that fun stuff to the point of not being playable.\

A library really isn't a fitting venue to record video game history through its "discography," if you will, but it is a start. A more fitting venue would be something like a museum filled with couches and TVs.

 

[The Night Shade]

Yes of course but tomb raider,i think i'll choose something else

 

[Trivun]

I say yes. Music is recorded there. Films are recorded there. And books too, obviously. Hell, even 'traditional' art (paintings and stuff) are recorded there. So why not videogames? Why should one form of entertainment medium, widely considered to be art, be neglected when others equally as dubious to the nature of 'art' are allowed such prestige by being recorded in the British Library? Videogames are an integral part of modern culture. They deserve the same treatment as other forms of our culture, not being left by the wayside because of a prejudiced few.

 

[MorteSphere]

Not exactly now, but sooner or later, they should.

Right now, people who play games aren't looking for an artistic experience. This is the subculture that gave billions to Microsoft for the Halo games, remember.

 

[Swaki]

we have had games in our library's since the 90s, heck they even found and make their own games, one of which being my favourite game back then, i remember when i was a young lad and all the boys in my class would stalk the library waiting for them to get worms in again.

Its also where i first tried the wii, even when my family moved to a small country village the local library had 6 pcs dedicated to gaming, a ps2 and a xbox with the newest game, no violent games though, and while we waited for those evil people to finish their turn we would pick up some graphic novels and books, it really does work.

But, i like bragging about how great Denmark is, so no, England shouldn't get games MUHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Anacortian]

Sure, but they should be kept like the libraries of old kept books: chained to the table. Video games have too high a value-to-fencibility ratio. If those of the community want to play them there, sure. If they want to check them out, they shouldn't be allowed to even handle them. My local public library can't keep a DnD core rule book for more than a month; video games would be even harder to keep on the shelves.

Obviously, I am only speaking of my perfect library. Other communities can do what they will with no ill will from me.

 

[Mullahgrrl]

Actually they have some videogames in my local library.

 

[Legend of J]

I would say yeah they should because alot of us will even want to resarch old games 0_0 Hell how many of us talk about blast for a past jurassic park trespasser anyone?.

 

[Ruffythepirate]

Videogames might have as much artistic value as anything else, but we don't see everything else in libraries. Libraries are for books.

 

[Swaki]

Not exactly now, but sooner or later, they should.

Right now, people who play games aren't looking for an artistic experience. This is the subculture that gave billions to Microsoft for the Halo games, remember.

and michael bay keep making billions, Dan Brown is one of the most celebrated writers of our time and the bible is the all time best seller, musical talent has taken a back seat to image.

we should just shut down the libraries.

 

[movienut]

Videogames might have as much artistic value as anything else, but we don't see everything else in libraries. Libraries are for books.

My local library has movies and games. I don't see how the games detract from anything else. I say meh, why not?