Are Games Art?

[Dimnos]

I only used Gus' definition of art because I feel he is the foremost authority on art around these parts. However I do feel games are a form of art. Yes there are a lot of shitty games out there that dont lend themselves to that argument but the same could be said about painting and books and music. Namely your grindcore bs. (Just a small jab there, no offense) On the other hand there are lots of paintings and books and music out there that do fortify those mediums as art and that side of games is smaller in proportion to the shitty ones, hence the debate. I think Gus pins down and defines art as best as anyone can, because like he himself said its just semantics, but I feel he is mostly comparing games to paintings where I think they are more like movies and/or books. Then again one could argue that in creating a game its more like a painting where enjoying it is more like movies or books.

[DougClayton4231]

Originally Posted by Dimnos

I only used Gus' definition of art because I feel he is the foremost authority on art around these parts. However I do feel games are a form of art. Yes there are a lot of shitty games out there that dont lend themselves to that argument but the same could be said about painting and books and music. Namely your grindcore bs. (Just a small jab there, no offense) On the other hand there are lots of paintings and books and music out there that do fortify those mediums as art and that side of games is smaller in proportion to the shitty ones, hence the debate. I think Gus pins down and defines art as best as anyone can, because like he himself said its just semantics, but I feel he is mostly comparing games to paintings where I think they are more like movies and/or books. Then again one could argue that in creating a game its more like a painting where enjoying it is more like movies or books.

Yeah, Grislygus has a great perspective on the art matter. BTW Grindcore is the worst genre of music I've heard. Subjectivity is a major factor in the whole art debacle, but I honestly cannot see people looking back at 80-90% of all the videogames ever made and think "Art". Pac-Man, Pong, and other Atari era shit will probably be in a gallery one day. I just don't expect Modern Warfare to go along with it.

[Dimnos]

Originally Posted by dextire

So, you're saying a game can only be considered fine art if it's mainstream?

I think what he is saying is that just to few games can actually be called up for consideration as art and the ones that could be are mostly indie games that the vast majority of the population dont know and/or care about therefore the category of games as a whole cant be called art. Which I can agree with because to few games can actually be considered as art, by myself or anyone being realistic about the subject, but does that really define the category? Goes along with...

Originally Posted by DougClayton4231

...I honestly cannot see people looking back at 80-90% of all the videogames ever made and think "Art".

Originally Posted by Doug

Pac-Man, Pong, and other Atari era shit will probably be in a gallery one day.

A gallery or a history museum? Like I said before I dont think you can really compare games as an art to things like paintings or sculptures. At least not from the perspective of the user/viewer/appreciator. You dont see books or movies in a gallery.

Originally Posted by Doug

I just don't expect Modern Warfare to go along with it.

Right. Modern Warfare is part of the lump of games I consider not lending themselves to the argument that games are (or at least can be) an art form. While it is a fun game there really isnt anything creative about it or the way you interact with it.

[mew barios]

i just wanted to throw out there that coding is my primary creative outlet, and i would describe finding an elegant solution to a complex problem as being a life-affirming moment. though the thing i really find artistic about a game doesn't have as much to do with the game itself as it does with how it actually works. that's not a perspective i expect to share with many people, but that's the burden of being artsy fartsy