Reality Sucks
Generally speaking I don't care much for realistic games: sports games, WW2 shooters, realistic driving games, etc. but the question os realism in games goes a bit farther than that.
Many people understand that game mechanics with no basis in the real world can create some really great games (Tetris anyone?) but often people I interact with seems to be obsessed with games needing to "make sense."
Often I hear, "Do you think it's weird that those platforms/tokens are just floating?" or "Do you think it's weird that these enemies just disappear when they die?" or "Do you think its weird that you can't see the character you are playing?"
No, no I don't.
I recently read an article in the December 2005 Edge magazine that really echoed (and more eloquently stated) my frustration with "reality" in games. I cannot find it online to link to, sorry.
So now when people say, "Do you think it's weird (insert common or new game mechanic here)?" I can simply reply, "...games can explore patterns of interaction and systems of cause and effect that aren't based on anything recognisably real." instead of wanting to grab their shirt and scream at them.
Many people understand that game mechanics with no basis in the real world can create some really great games (Tetris anyone?) but often people I interact with seems to be obsessed with games needing to "make sense."
Often I hear, "Do you think it's weird that those platforms/tokens are just floating?" or "Do you think it's weird that these enemies just disappear when they die?" or "Do you think its weird that you can't see the character you are playing?"
No, no I don't.
I recently read an article in the December 2005 Edge magazine that really echoed (and more eloquently stated) my frustration with "reality" in games. I cannot find it online to link to, sorry.
So now when people say, "Do you think it's weird (insert common or new game mechanic here)?" I can simply reply, "...games can explore patterns of interaction and systems of cause and effect that aren't based on anything recognisably real." instead of wanting to grab their shirt and scream at them.
posted by Brad Merritt at 9:42 AM
2 Comments:
I call this "The Reality Event Horizon" - the point where ideas are percieved by the viewer as real for the world or not. This fuzzy area is dependent on the game and the viewer. But it's the point at which they accept or question the reality of a gameplay/story mechaninc. My advice is to either stay well within the horizon (realistic sim) or go way past it (Furry critter platformer) to avoid issues. Some people still have problems.
At work I've coined a term for the solution when questioned. It's just "BFM" - "Big Fucking Monkey" - If you accept that the movie is about a big Gorilla then you have to accept the rest of its world too.
When working with cartoons, I always feel we are well past the reality horizon. Especially when the game is based on a show about a talking milkshake.
I think if people readily accept weird stuff for the sake of comedy they should be able to accept it for gameplay.
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