LSD - the video game

[Performante]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62IR-bs4hNo

this game looks absolutely insane. just the opening scene alone is crazy, god forbid anyone to actually play this game on LSD.

the developers released it branded as a "dream emulator" but I'm speculating that it was just a cover up so that they wouldn't be rejected by the ratings board.

[Jangalomph]

Very interesting none the less.

[Armageddon]

This is sooooo old, you could have just put it in the random thread? It's a cool game though.

[Performante]

the old is now new. This brings us to another topic - how artistic games are usually failures. Many people bash mainstream games such as Call of Duty and Halo because of their straight-forward mechanics, design, and predictable gameplay, however they seem to be the ones that more often than not succeed.

Roger Ebert for example, disagrees that games can be represented as a form of art:

One obvious difference between art and games is that you can win a game. It has rules, points, objectives, and an outcome. Santiago might cite a immersive game without points or rules, but I would say then it ceases to be a game and becomes a representation of a story, a novel, a play, dance, a film. Those are things you cannot win; you can only experience them.

Can anyone think of examples of artistic video games, especially ones that have succeeded?

[Dives]

The flaw in Ebert's logic is that he is comparing the consumer to the creator. Of course the player isn't an artist, but the game's creator is. Similarly, a viewer of a movie isn't an artist, but the film maker is.

[Performante]

Good point. What I'm also curious about is if anyone has got a certain feeling after playing a video game. For example, often times after I watch a movie, I'll feel somewhat different in certain outlooks on life because the film influenced how I think. Is this the true meaning of art? Inspiring others to think differently? I feel the same way after I read a book, but when I try to think of a video game that inspired me, I can only think of minor instances.

I really, really want to believe that video games are a form of art. I want to prove Ebert wrong, but so far he seems right. If I created a game that I poured my heart into, that expressed my feelings in a way that others would find interesting, would the game still be fun to play? Or should games be separated into two categories: fun games, and artistic games?

[Armageddon]

Roger Ebert has a flawed idea of what games can and can't be. "you can win a game. It has rules, points, objectives, and an outcome." This is a big load of crap, you can make games that never end and you can make games that have no point and you can make games that do not have objectives. Thinking that every game is Call of Duty is just terrible logic. I recently played a Half-Life 2 mod called 'THAT' it has no point, no story and it never ends, it does have an objective but you can choose to ignore it, and even if you complete it the game does not end, it's just about exploration. To me a game is anything that is interactive.It can just be a piece of interactive art, except you press buttons to do things. Rant rant rant. I hope some of that made sense.

[Performante]

I see your point Armageddon, but would the game still be enjoyable if there was no objective? Did you enjoy playing the mod, and do you feel like you got something from it?

I believe that it takes artistic ideas to create video games, but is the end product a form of art that others are interested by? I am enthralled with architectural design and video game mechanics - they are the two main things that drive my obsession to play and create video games. But when someone plays a game I create, I assume they are more likely to be interested by and inspired from my gameplay mechanics and level design rather than an essence of what the story or experience is.

[Armageddon]

Just going to say, I don't think there is any point in bringing up this subject, it is impossible to close and opinions vary.


Yes I enjoyed playing that mod and yes I got something out of it.

[Performante]

This subject of artistic games certainly isn't impossible to close. It may not be closed by us, but we can try to get as close to an answer as we can and educate ourselves on the way.

Just think of what Martin Luther King did, or Erin Hoffman, "EA Spouse", who several years ago stood up not only for her husband who was being treated like garbage at Electronic Arts, but countless other employees.

[Ark11]

Firstly, that game looks creepy and I don't want to play it.

Secondly, although that game doesn't appeal to me at all. I still like that the creator decided to go with something original instead of going with mainstream games we get these days. I, for one have seen enough soldier simulators, and not nearly enough games that will intrigue people such as this one.

EDIT- FIXED CREEPY.

[Phott]

You took a look at the game and judged it by it's graphics? Hmmm, I wonder where I've seen that before. Oh right, the games industry.

[Ark11]

I didn't judge it by graphics. Its a typo, it says creppy, but I ment creepy.

[source-maps]

why use a game when you can so easily experience this irl

[Phott]

why use a game when you can so easily experience this irl

Agreed, just go down to your local store and buy some LSD. Right?