Smithsonian lends legitimacy to the art form of video games

ChoochChooch K-Pop authority™, Pho KingMadison Heights, MI Icrontian
edited May 2011 in Gaming

Comments

  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    TAKE THAT EBERT.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    So voting on this right now. Deus Ex better make it in. Also.... WTF, they put Portal and Half Life 2 on the same ballot.

    I'M SO TORN O_O
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    A lot of the categorizing and such doesn't make much sense. Also, they are discussing video games as a purely visual art, not as in interactive narrative.

    This is actually not the kind of recognition that gamers have been seeking for the form. Games should be recognized as pieces of art as wholes, not viewed as mechanisms for distributing visual art.
  • BasilBasil Nubcaek England Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    Don't see Planescape: Torment.

    But at least Halo made it in. Twice.


    Excuse me while I rage.
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    Either way, if anyone wants to come and see this, I know a place nearby you can crash and drink rad beers. Just sayin'.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    CB, I agree with you; but at risk of this devolving into a semantic argument about the word "art" I think they're taking baby steps. This is literally the "art" of video games; the visuals.

    Those who fear video games or don't understand that they can be narrative devices need to start somewhere; the visuals are something they can grasp onto.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    Check out the voting site, its kind of enjoyable.
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    Mass Effect 2, Limbo, and Oblivion pitted against each other in one of the groupings. It's impressive that Oblivion still made me think really hard about how to answer that one, especially when pitted against the other two.
  • TiberiusLazarusTiberiusLazarus Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    That one caught me as well. I clicked on Mass Effect 2 just as I read Oblivion at the end of the list. Tossed it back and forth and realized ME2 was probably the right choice.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    CB, I agree with you; but at risk of this devolving into a semantic argument about the word "art" I think they're taking baby steps. This is literally the "art" of video games; the visuals.

    Those who fear video games or don't understand that they can be narrative devices need to start somewhere; the visuals are something they can grasp onto.

    It's not the semantics of "art" which are in question.

    It's the difference between, "the art of video games" which is what this exhibit is about (which is fine and good), and "video games as art" which is what much of the media is trying to put forth the exhibit as being about.

    Those are two such completely different things it's crazy.

    I'm not decrying the exhibit, however, I think it's really exciting and positive. I've been planning to head out to our nation's capitol and visit with our friends out there sometime soon, and now I might try to plan that visit around seeing this exhibit. :)
  • EH
    edited May 2011
    So I e-mailed Ebert a link about this (politely, of course). Wonder how he'll respond: quiet tears of defeat, or ragequit from life?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2011
    Or denial, which is much better for one's cognitive bias.
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