Taking Lessons From South Park - How To Not Ruin an Adaptation

[rembrandtqeinstein]

For good adaptations see the Lego games.

They generally follow the stories without getting too burdened in details. They are skillfully written in a way that simultaneously honors, parodies, and deconstructs the source material.

The Lego Movie Game was done particularly well with only mild spoliers. If you haven't seen the lego movie yet SEE IT OH MY GOD.

But yeah Lego games, fun for the whole family, and interesting enough to keep the adults coming back to search for that one last collectable.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Who do I talk to to get the rights to make a "Waiting for Godot" video game?

You'll be waiting a long time.

Beckett's estate is notoriously protective of that work, and don't even allow re-interpretations on the stage, let alone in other media.

 

[RealRT]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Ahem.
Batman: Arkham series.
That's all.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Ahem.
Batman: Arkham series.
That's all.

And of course, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker.

 

[Thanatos2k]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Ahem.
Batman: Arkham series.
That's all.

Batman is portrayed so wildly inconsistently across different mediums and even within one medium that you can't exactly say it was a perfect adaptation. Perfect adaptation of what?

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Batman is portrayed so wildly inconsistently across different mediums and even within one medium that you can't exactly say it was a perfect adaptation. Perfect adaptation of what?

Who said adaptations have to be "perfect" or consistent? Some of the best adaptations are the ones that veer wildly from the source material, and some of the worst are ones that stick slavishly to it.

 

[Thanatos2k]

Batman is portrayed so wildly inconsistently across different mediums and even within one medium that you can't exactly say it was a perfect adaptation. Perfect adaptation of what?

Who said adaptations have to be "perfect" or consistent? Some of the best adaptations are the ones that veer wildly from the source material, and some of the worst are ones that stick slavishly to it.

You're the one with your own personal definition of adaptation that differs from the norm. I'd say it's trying to capture the look, feel, and tone of the source material as closely as possible - and that's what South Park Stick of Truth does better than any other video game.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

You're the one with your own personal definition of adaptation that differs from the norm. I'd say it's trying to capture the look, feel, and tone of the source material as closely as possible - and that's what South Park Stick of Truth does better than any other video game.

No, I'm using the actual definition.

If you've ever studied literature, theatre, film or adaptation on any level, you'll find that my opinions on adaptation are not unusual or abnormal, but are very much the norm. Even the most basic degree in such areas covers this ground thoroughly. Even high school level assignments in adaptation and reinterpretation are common and cover these issues.

Capturing the look and feel of something is one subset of adaptation, but it does not encompass the entire range of adaptation. People haven't expected adaptations to be exact replications of the original for decades (or even Millennia, if you look at what the Ancient Greeks did).

Was West Side Story supposed to capture the look and feel of Shakespeare? Hell, what is a Shakespeare play supposed to even look like, anyway, given it was originally just words on a page? Nonetheless, West Side Story certainly doesn't sound like Shakespeare.

I'll also note that the post you were responding to only mentioned the "best" adaptation - and made no mention of it being "perfect." Even then, "perfect" doesn't seem like the right word. It seems more like you mean "faithful."

 

[TheWiseScarecrow]

Who do I talk to to get the rights to make a "Waiting for Godot" video game?

That would be one awesome game.

I believe adaptations should be able to stand on their own and add depth to the story that only their medium could provide. Otherwise I see no reason to make an adaptation at all.

 

[RealRT]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Ahem.
Batman: Arkham series.
That's all.

Batman is portrayed so wildly inconsistently across different mediums and even within one medium that you can't exactly say it was a perfect adaptation. Perfect adaptation of what?

How does his inconsistent portrayal - which is more a sign of character versatility than nothing else - in other adaptations changes the quality of this one? Arkham's Batman takes elements from all other adaptations and comic original and blends them all together in a way that everything fits well together.

 

[Thanatos2k]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Ahem.
Batman: Arkham series.
That's all.

Batman is portrayed so wildly inconsistently across different mediums and even within one medium that you can't exactly say it was a perfect adaptation. Perfect adaptation of what?

How does his inconsistent portrayal - which is more a sign of character versatility than nothing else - in other adaptations changes the quality of this one? Arkham's Batman takes elements from all other adaptations and comic original and blends them all together in a way that everything fits well together.

I'd say it would be a pretty poor adaptation of Brave and the Bold Batman, for example. We all know they're going for TAS nostalgia there, and it worked great, sure, but I wouldn't call it the perfect adaptation. South Park Stick of Truth is the perfect adaptation, for better or worse.

You're the one with your own personal definition of adaptation that differs from the norm. I'd say it's trying to capture the look, feel, and tone of the source material as closely as possible - and that's what South Park Stick of Truth does better than any other video game.

No, I'm using the actual definition.

The "actual definition" from a dictionary is: to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly

So there is no actual definition of what makes a good adaptation. It is a subjective thing. You appear to be focusing on plot elements. I focus on the tone and presentation, as does Yahtzee. If you're going to quote warrior for another 2 pages to try and prove this wrong, don't bother.

If you've ever studied literature, theatre, film

We're not talking about literature, theater, or film. We're talking about video games. And in fact, treating a video game like one of those is what usually leads to bad adaptations.

 

[Username Redacted]

I think we need a video game adaptation of Adaptation. We'll turn it into a co-op 3rd person shooter where both players play as Nicolas Cage.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

The "actual definition" from a dictionary is: to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly

I'm using the definition as it is used in the relevant fields. But still, the definition you have provided is a fitting precursor - note that it has the word modify in it?

So there is no actual definition of what makes a good adaptation. It is a subjective thing.

Who said anything abut a definition of a good adaptation? I was just talking about the definition of the word itself, as it applies to creative works. Of course "good" is subjective in the creative arts - nobody said it isn't.

You appear to be focusing on plot elements. I focus on the tone and presentation, as does Yahtzee.

That's fine. But you claimed that my definition of adaptation was "personal" and "not the norm." In fact, your narrowing of the definition to only those elements is an unusual interpretation, as far as this field of studies go.

We're not talking about literature, theater, or film. We're talking about video games.

Video games are often considered a branch of literature, as are theatre and film. So, yes are talking about those things. Especially as we're specifically talking about an adaptation of a TV Show that is not separable from the video game. How do you discuss the adaptation of a TV show into a game, without discussing the TV show?

Again, you're narrowing definitions unnecessarily. Literature doesn't just mean books, and contemporary conceptions of it are much more porous and malleable than you are giving credit for. Anyway, you could just replace any of those terms with "creative arts" and my comment would just be valid.

My examples were given, because the study of video games is a descendant of those other fields of literary study. If you want to know about adaptation theory, and what adaptation means, then the vast majority of published work in the area comes from literature and film studies.

 

[tehroc]

What was wrong with the Ghostbusters game? It wasn't horrible by any means.

 

[Evonisia]

All I know is Stick of Truth is the best video game adaptation of anything from other media.

Please, we all know Simpsons Hit and Run is THE king of video game adaptations.

Spoiler

I jest, opinions and all that

 

[Thanatos2k]

Video games are often considered a branch of literature, as are theatre and film.

Again, you're narrowing definitions unnecessarily. Literature doesn't just mean books, and contemporary conceptions of it are much more porous and malleable than you are giving credit for.

No, YOU'RE narrowing your definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature
"Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written work; etymologically the term derives from Latin literatura/litteratura "writing formed with letters", although some definitions include spoken or sung texts. More restrictively, it is writing that possesses literary merit, and language that foregrounds literariness, as opposed to ordinary language."

Your usual methods at work - claim one thing, do another. I told you I wasn't interested in a quote warrior battle, so I'm done. You attacked Yahtzee for his definition of "adaptation" and now you're admitting there could be multiple definitions. The usual nonsense. Don't respond to me again.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

No, YOU'RE narrowing your definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature
"Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written work; etymologically the term derives from Latin literatura/litteratura "writing formed with letters", although some definitions include spoken or sung texts. More restrictively, it is writing that possesses literary merit, and language that foregrounds literariness, as opposed to ordinary language."

How am I narrowing that definition? If anything, I'm broadening it.

Your usual methods at work - claim one thing, do another. I told you I wasn't interested in a quote warrior battle, so I'm done. You attacked Yahtzee for his definition of "adaptation" and now you're admitting there could be multiple definitions. The usual nonsense. Don't respond to me again.

Firstly, I didn't attack Yahtzee.

Secondly, I'm not engaging in a "quote warrior battle" - I'm just having an adult discussion. And when did I "claim one thing and do another"?

Thirdly, I never denied anything about "multiple definitions" - you were the one who used a narrow definition (which I said was a valid subset of the broader definition), and then claimed that I was somehow abnormal for having a broader one.

Sorry you can't handle constructive discussions. I made a very simple comment, which you then turned into a personal battle. Funny how you talk about "quote warriors," yet you ignore the general thrust of my argument, and instead focus on rather unimportant specifics. Wouldn't that be something a "quote warrior" does?

 

[Mstrswrd]

I like how you're not even beating aroud the bush anymore and you're just straight up name dropping FuckBastard McCoy-er, Gabriel(1) in these articles.

Anyway, I think the conclusion you came to, that there is no set method outside of general basic rules like, you know, actually having an understanding of level design, is the same conclusion most come to.



1: Gabriel called himself that once in a video. He's also called himself Connect-4 von Smith (sm-eye-th) and other things. It was a running joke earlier in the Let's Plays that he and Yahtzee do.

 

[Toadfish1]

How in the fuck do you do an article on great videogame adaptations and not mention Goldeneye?