So in reading the pieces for the blog, my mind keeps coming back to the two main ques ions that i pose to you....
1. Is there a defined genre pattern for video like there are for literature and many other aspects of our lives?\
2. If there is genres are they too broad and need to be more defined?
Here is what I answer to my own questions....
1. I would say there is a some what defined genre pattern that maybe many do not seem to think is there. I would say that the genres are more defined by the type of game play that is happening verses the kind of game you are playing and what it is about. In literature there are genres like horror and sci fi and they have their own definitions, in video games like in the piece that we read where she compared the two kind of zombie games, the games are the same within the content she mentioned that Both "Planescape Torment (Interplay 1999) and Silent Hill (Konami 1999) feature zombie assailants, violent confrontation, exploration, peril and death. But Planescape Torment and Silent Hill belong to different genres, and they employ different strategies in their bid to generate generically appropriate affect. Planescape Torment offers its players intersecting worlds, bizarre creatures, amnesia, gore and questing. It's a fantasy role playing game (RPG), and its meandering structure enhances its capacity to honour its generic roots. Silent Hill is a 3D survival horror game. The success of the Silent Hill series is a result of its capacity to frighten its users." (Genre and Affect in Silent Hill and Planescape Torment by Diane Carr). But the game play is different in one game from the other within the story lines.
2. So does this make the content on the genres that are slightly outlined too broad, i think so. But, how do you define them more? That is the good question. I am not inclined to answer this question because i am not as versed in videogames and all the components however i do think that it should be done. why not? It is a good idea especially if the videogaming industry is wanting to become more concrete and taken more seriously in the eyes of social groups. They are already on their way in developing its own language and trying to nail something down so that it is consistent time to start nailing down the genres in which video games are categorized.
I guess I fail to see the problem with defining video games into genres. Some overlap and of course there are always news ones being invented, but what's the harm in labeling them? Classifying things is an important part of our ability to learn and discuss things. So, I guess I'm saying, I agree with you. :)
ReplyDeleteIn response to the earlier comment, I don't see too much harm in defining genres, as, like you said, we need them to make it easier to discuss things.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I feel having a genre for everything might stifle creativity on the part of developers. Having a name for what they're doing might let the conventions of said genre stick in their head, and as such they might not try new things simply because it hasn't been seen in what they're going for. A 'safe' developer might make a first person shooter and only put in guns, while one not constrained by genre names might be adventurous and throw in a hand-to-hand combat system just to give it a shot.
I like your response as to why video games should be placed into specific genres. This class, is just the beginning of how more involved video games are becoming in our society. It's positive for them to be placed in different genres showing us that they are important enough to look at and compare them to other styles or even different types of entertainment.
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