Topic: David Jaffe on telling stories in games

[idolminds]

Should be an interesting watch.

I'll download (most) of it tonight and report back. From the comments online it seems he tries to make the point that too many games focus so strongly on the story that it lets gameplay suffer. Of course the internet retard mob has taken this to mean "OMG EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ANGRY BIRDS! JAFFE IS DUMB!" but I'm guessing that isn't really the argument thats presented.

[Cobra951]

Should be an interesting watch.

. . .  From the comments online it seems he tries to make the point that too many games focus so strongly on the story that it lets gameplay suffer.
. . .

I've been saying that for longer than I can remember.

[idolminds]

Gamasutra has a writeup based on his speech.

Ive only watched about 75% of the video so far (downloads...heh), and he makes a very interesting example using Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg filmed it in a certain way with no music and a guerrilla style of filming to make you feel like you're there so when you're watching it you take in the lessons, morals, and emotions of it. But if you were actually there on the beach on D-Day you aren't thinking that, you're thinking "How the fuck do I get over to that rock?" And thats how he thinks games should get emotion out of you, and there are games that do that. I'm sure we've all had feelings like that when playing Demons Souls, for example.

So yeah, its interesting.

[Pugnate]

I actually feel not *enough* games focus on the story.

But what Idol said about SPR is interesting though.

[MysterD]

I actually feel not *enough* games focus on the story.  

Agreed. I've still yet to come across another game that writes prose on the level of detail that Planescape: Torment did (1999).

Regardless, I do think there's a place for games that are VERY story-heavy [Planescape]; game that try to find an in-between on story and gameplay [Skyrim, Fallout 3, etc]; and games that are not story heavy at all [like many sandboxes or competitive MP games].
I do NOT want EVERY game to be the bloody same.
It really all boils down to when you're playing the game - is this game great, as is? Or do I really want something MORE out of this game?

All of this is really subjective.

[Quemaqua]

Story is a relative term. Something with a lot of text and something that's basically a movie where you occasionally push buttons aren't at all the same.

I get easily bored with story-heavy games if there's not much more beneath the surface. Uncharted et al. If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a fucking movie.

[Cobra951]

Right.  That's how I see it also.