Voting Begins for Smithsonian Videogame Exhibit
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
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Finished voting and I must say that overall the selected nominees were very good choices. Certainly there is some video game "pop-art" in there as opposed to real artistic endeavour (yes, I'm equating CoD to a painting of a soup can), but for every one of those choices the other nominees in the category were always more worthy options.
Personally, I would have liked to see voters given 4 votes based upon console in general as opposed to only having one choice per genre per console. While this probably would have meant less "artistic" genres such as strategy titles would have received less votes overall, it would have allowed for a better representation of truly artistic titles. You could have had, for example, Silent Hill 2, Ico and SotC all as choices under the PS2 umbrella instead of potentially being played off against each other in the same genre. (I know only SotC was there, but I'm assuming the reason at least Ico wasn't included is because SotC was). Under a 4 votes per console approach, each of these games many would agree are worthy of inclusion could have received a vote if the voter chose as opposed to only one of them getting a vote and the other PS2 votes being "wasted" on, well, anything in the Target or Strategy genres (other than maybe MGS2).
The only notable omissions I found (that I can recall off the top of my head anyway) were the aforementioned Ico and Silent Hill 2. These are two games that (almost) always come up when games are discussed as art so it's odd they didn't make the cut. As said above, I'm guessing Ico didn't make it because it was either Ico or SotC for the spot and SotC won, but I'm really not sure why SH2 was excluded.
Anywho, my biggest personal issue came when I found myself having to choose between a game I considered great and a game I considered good but perhaps better as an artistic achievement. For me this is best exemplified by the choice between Limbo and Mass Effect 2 (Era 5, Xbox 360, Adventure Genre). I love ME2 and consider it one of the best video games of all time, but beyond some intriguing moral choices and the choose your own adventure story I can't say it really strikes me as the best example of game as art. I really like Limbo and consider the instantly memorable visual style and the thought provoking ambiguous setting/story to be a near perfect example of game as art, but as a game it's short, a little repetitive and loses some steam in it's latter half. In the end I chose Limbo, but I could have easily gone either way. Kudos to those arranging this exhibition for not only creating it in the first place but also for making the selection process one that engages the gaming public in further examination of their own hobby.
Personally, I would have liked to see voters given 4 votes based upon console in general as opposed to only having one choice per genre per console. While this probably would have meant less "artistic" genres such as strategy titles would have received less votes overall, it would have allowed for a better representation of truly artistic titles. You could have had, for example, Silent Hill 2, Ico and SotC all as choices under the PS2 umbrella instead of potentially being played off against each other in the same genre. (I know only SotC was there, but I'm assuming the reason at least Ico wasn't included is because SotC was). Under a 4 votes per console approach, each of these games many would agree are worthy of inclusion could have received a vote if the voter chose as opposed to only one of them getting a vote and the other PS2 votes being "wasted" on, well, anything in the Target or Strategy genres (other than maybe MGS2).
The only notable omissions I found (that I can recall off the top of my head anyway) were the aforementioned Ico and Silent Hill 2. These are two games that (almost) always come up when games are discussed as art so it's odd they didn't make the cut. As said above, I'm guessing Ico didn't make it because it was either Ico or SotC for the spot and SotC won, but I'm really not sure why SH2 was excluded.
Anywho, my biggest personal issue came when I found myself having to choose between a game I considered great and a game I considered good but perhaps better as an artistic achievement. For me this is best exemplified by the choice between Limbo and Mass Effect 2 (Era 5, Xbox 360, Adventure Genre). I love ME2 and consider it one of the best video games of all time, but beyond some intriguing moral choices and the choose your own adventure story I can't say it really strikes me as the best example of game as art. I really like Limbo and consider the instantly memorable visual style and the thought provoking ambiguous setting/story to be a near perfect example of game as art, but as a game it's short, a little repetitive and loses some steam in it's latter half. In the end I chose Limbo, but I could have easily gone either way. Kudos to those arranging this exhibition for not only creating it in the first place but also for making the selection process one that engages the gaming public in further examination of their own hobby.
.......... you do realize you can vote for one game per category per console per era right? a total of around 80 games you can vote forFitzcaraldo said:
Did they shut voting down? It's telling me "We're having technical difficultues, please be patient."
I want to vote! (Please tell me FF7 was one of the choices for it's era....)
I want to vote! (Please tell me FF7 was one of the choices for it's era....)
this reminds me... WHEN IS THE SUPREME COURT GOING TO RULE ON THE SHWARZENEGGER VS EMA CASE?!
shouldn't this show the supreme court that videogames are indeed art if the smithsonian is going to include it?
shouldn't this show the supreme court that videogames are indeed art if the smithsonian is going to include it?
I imagine that RDR was in their long list. The short list they came up with is pretty good.Tiswas said:
As to the point on handhelds, perhaps they wanted to demonstrate a clear progression of where we've come from and where we're going. Current handhelds are pretty much previous-gen stuff and might have broken the flow of the exhibit somewhat. Let's remember we're dealing with the easily confused general public.
Also probably restraints on the physical size of the exhibit.
Yay, voted!
Wasn't quite happy with some of the choices that I was preented with, and some that were left out, and some that I had to vote for on a platform other than the one I played on (FF13, Portal) but I was quite pleesed. And scared that I knew as many of the Atari/Coleco/Intellevision games as I did. I'm so old.
Wasn't quite happy with some of the choices that I was preented with, and some that were left out, and some that I had to vote for on a platform other than the one I played on (FF13, Portal) but I was quite pleesed. And scared that I knew as many of the Atari/Coleco/Intellevision games as I did. I'm so old.
I was glad to vote on this exhibit, although I did abstain from voting on some areas where I did not feel qualified to vote.
I'm also glad that video games are finally getting some recognition on this level.
I'm also glad that video games are finally getting some recognition on this level.
Meh. Art is all about what people perceive as art and what critics say is art. There is no rhythm or reason to it. I'd like to see the title of art bestowed on all games though since this will inevitably create a divide between art and non-art games.
I'm concerned that the western tradition of art is going to get int he way here. Games are art only in their true nature, which is to be played. Museum usually display pieces as static pieces with no interaction. How are they going to set the museum up?
I'm concerned that the western tradition of art is going to get int he way here. Games are art only in their true nature, which is to be played. Museum usually display pieces as static pieces with no interaction. How are they going to set the museum up?
I'm hoping they make it an interactive exhibit where you can touch/feel/play bits of the games. It depends on what they're calling the "art" of the art form. Is it the visuals? THe way the game is put together? The interface? I'd be interested to know how the Smithsonian is approaching that question.Twilight_guy said:
Or I've watched one too many eps of Extra Credits
