Jonathan Blow nails it

[Jackolantern]

I know this is a bit older, and some of you may have seen it, but I think it is worth posting. As much of a space cadet as Jonathan Blow can sometimes seem (and his notoriety for showing up whenever he is discussed) no one can doubt he is a truly deep thinker about games and the game industry. In this interview, he discusses why he thinks it is wrong to discuss all games in terms of "fun", and how he thinks that mainstream gaming genres are incorrect, and movies have it better. I think it is well worth a watch. I couldn't help but to think, in just a few minutes, he articulated something I have felt but was unable to describe for years. He also discusses some interesting things he has noticed in Japanese games (although I think American games are actually worse today for what he was talking about).

And Mr. Blow, if you see this, I would love for you to register and chat with us a bit about this topic. I find it extremely interesting.

[Callan S.]

Weird, youtube would load it's ad for me, but not the video.

I'm kind of guessing it's going to be an argument for literature (some amount), instead of just raw entertainment/confirmation/flattery games. Blow should check out the three pound brain blog if that's the case, that fantasy author likes to make arguments like that (in regards to encasing literature into the genre that people actually engage with) and that author (Scott Bakker - googling his own name, no doubt!) also turns up on various blogs and such.

All at a guess - I'll try the video again latter to see if it works.

[Jackolantern]

The video is actually more about what people get out of games, and how it isn't always "fun". It is kind of like how I have liked to talk about games being "compelling" rather than "fun". It compares it to movies and how people expect radically different emotions from different movie genres, and about how games have not grown to that point yet even though it is already the reality.

That sucks about the video, though. I have been having a surprising amount of trouble with YouTube as well later, but I particularly thought you would like it (whether you agree or disagree), Callan, so I would highly recommend trying again later

[Callan S.]

It worked this time. In my estimate, I guessed correctly - he is talking about literature embeded in genre. Literature might sound a poncy name, but really it's about the genuine moving of peoples souls - changing their very life path, to some small degree. That shift is often heart wrenching - which isn't necessarily fun (often isn't)

One might argue a difference between a kind of puzzle/tactical revelation and the perhaps more morally based notion of literature, granted.

But in the end, sometimes we find the heart wrenching compelling, even as it is not fun.

Nice music in the video...

[Jackolantern]

Oh, I see what meant now

I hope you liked it! Agree or disagree, Blow is an interesting guy and I like watching or reading his interviews.

[hallsofvallhalla]

Wow yeah one of the better interviews I have seen lately. He speaks quite a bit to the way I feel too. I am tired of feeling like I have to hold the players hand. That if I don't walk them through every step my game is now too difficult.

I also like the move analogy. That is exactly what I was trying to do with Forsaken Sanctum. Make it a drama that sucks the players in like a movie. A different category of game all together.