Some hypocrisy that I've noticed

[not a zaar]

Cutscenes are MOVIES, which are different types of art than games. This is something that annoys me, when most people talk about 'games as art' they mean 'games with good art assets' or 'games that are fucking weird'. The artistry in games, in my opinion, comes from the interaction between the player and the software (which is why I exclude cutscenes, since they are distinctly non-interactive.) The most 'artistic' games, by this definition, are the ones with solid controls and intuitive feedback, games like Mario, Half Life, Devil May Cry, etc...

 

[Jandau]

The problem isn't with cutscenes themselves, but rather with overly drawn out cutscenes, unskippable cutscenes, bad voiceacting in cutscenes, etc.

 

[DM.]

The problem isn't with cutscenes themselves, but rather with overly drawn out cutscenes, unskippable cutscenes, bad voiceacting in cutscenes, etc.

This.

Also Cutscenes where you have partial control.

 

[CheeseSandwichCake]

Simply because I like a painting doesn't mean I have to enjoy the silicon dildo somebody glued to it.

 

[Jingermanoo]

You're so insightful. Hypocrisy? On the INTERNET?

 

[Deacon Cole]

The hypocrisy is this: People who complain about cut scenes, yet think games are a form of art, or like games that have artistic effects. What these people fail to realize is that these cut scenes that they abhor are part of what make video games a form of art.

No, they aren't.

Video games are an amalgam of every form of fine art; visual art, drama, & music.

No, they aren't.

The only thing that set video games apart is the interactive element.

This is the defining element of video games and things like cutscenes are using another medium to water down the video game art form like a painter who attaches a sculpture to a painting. Which, I suppose is as valid as anything else, just know that everything in a game that does not use the interactivity is not a game, it is another medium entirely and I am not happy that developers seem to be shoehorning a poorly-designed game into their CGI animated movie. If they want to make a movie, they should make a movie. If they want to make a game, stop making movies. That is all.

And before everybody starts flaming me, I'm not saying you're stupid or anything like that if you're what I described above, I merely wanted to point it out to you and others.[/quote]

 

[Florion]

I don't consider most games to be art because they are created primarily for the purpose of making money. Even secondarily (?), the themes they explore are pretty shallow. Compared to a good novel, a video game is a childish work with violence and sex sprinkled on top.

Indie games are often truly art. And they often don't even include epic cut-scenes. Just goes to show...

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Shadow of the Colossus was "art." It had almost no cutscenes of any considerable length at all, and I'm pretty sure they could all be skipped.

Art isn't about how long a developer can take to tell a story, and cutscenes aren't the only required method for either establishing mood or following a plotline.

 

[teisjm]

People just enjoy ranting.

As soemone stated in a thread about protoype, it's hard (they say, haven't played yet) and oh it's so unfair, but, as someone said, ususally people whine about games beeing too easy.

"Graphic is ruining games" is another common complaint here, but then again, the wii get's bashed for having sub-standard graphics, "OMG it doesn't even have HD resolution PHAIL"

No matter what games try to do, people will rant, cause it makes them feel better than the people they're ranting about, and peopel like to feel superrior. I'll prolly rant about something as well even though i posted this.

As long as the cutscenes doesn't ruin gameplay or reduce the lenghth of the game I actually like them.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Example of me playing Metal Gear Solid:

'Come on, this cut scene must be over soon... jesus christ come on...'

10 minutes later...

'AAAAAARGH Goddamn you let me press some buttons!!!'

5 minutes later

'Still not letting me press buttons'

Presses off button.



The most unforgiveable cutscene I can remember was the unskippable chat with Theseus in God of War 2 BEFORE THE BOSS FIGHT.

It tended to grate on Titan mode after you kept dying and having to sit through it over and over...

 

[VanityGirl]

Everyone is a hypocrite in one way or another.

Agreed.

 

[KissofKetchup]

Video games are an amalgam of every form of fine art; visual art, drama, & music.

No, they aren't.

Yes, they are. Good Video games blend together all three of those things all in one package. Bioshock is a prime example of that. The art deco theme to the world, that cutscene with Andrew Ryan, the eerily placed music. The graphics alone are art.

 

[KissofKetchup]

Everyone is a hypocrite in one way or another.

Agreed.

I am too.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

The hypocrisy is this: People who complain about cut scenes, yet think games are a form of art, or like games that have artistic effects.

...except that what people like that really want is a story that is integrated with the gameplay, which is an arena where games can achieve their true artistic potential rather than trying to be a movie with a poor editor. Keep in mind: movies didn't become art by imitating theater really well- they became art by find their own style that theater couldn't produce.

 

[Skreeee]

You can think of a medium as art, but that doesn't mean you have to like everything that medium has to offer. It's not hypocrisy, it's difference in tastes.

Cut scenes don't make a game art by themselves, they just add to the overall effect. Just like a single brush stroke doesn't necessarily make a jaw-dropping painting, but an amalgamation of them can create a vibrant scene for the eye to appreciate.

 

[MiserableOldGit]

Nope, not that simple I'm afraid. For a start, I doubt you could find many people who would stand by the statement 'I don't like cut scenes without exception'. The reason I, and a lot of other people object to most cutscenes is because most cutscenes are abominably shit.
I'm always reading something, don't view subtitles or black and white as negative points when watching a film, and can spot a poor story badly told a mile away. All too often cutscenes are poorly paced, awash with inelegant exposition, bad voice acting and feature contrived characters I dont give a shit about acting out tired derivative storylines I've seen played out a thousand times before.
There are some fantastic exceptions that really show gamings potential as a storytelling medium, but they are few and far between. People in the gaming industry all seem to draw on the same half dozen mainstream films for inspiration when there is so much more out there.
Storytelling is a skill in any medium, and it seems to me that most cutscenes are handled by people that have the technical ability but none of the creativity, wit, intelligence, or willingness to research that is required to make anything that will engage any reasonably intelligent person.
The worst are the smug presumptuous arseholes that don't even give you the option to skip their embarrasing attempts at plot/character development.

 

[ShankHA32]

I dunno...sure they were annoying but it always felt more epic after i finally did beat them after those long cutscenes....overal....not a good idea though.