The Future of Videogame Aesthetics

daniil writes "Here's another look at the 'Realism vs Style' debate. David Hayward, a level designer involved with UT2004 mod Alien Swarm, among others, has written an interesting essay on the aesthetics of videogames, suggesting that, similar to other art forms, the peak of realism in computer games might also be a plateau that acts as precursor to wider experimentation: "We've come a long way since the flint-carved figures of early 3D games, but there's still progress to make before we're producing the game equivalent of sixteenth century marbles. Though it makes for a myopic obsession when compared to the vastness of the picture plane, photo-realism is nonetheless a worthwhile technological achievement to aim for, because it is through this that games will attain the sensation of a lucid dream.""

Video games as lucid dreams.

[mpathetiq]

The only lucid dreams I have are where either

a) I am a "water baron" in India. (not sure what that means)
OR
b) I'm back in high school as an adult going for my second diploma as if it were a bachelor's degree.

I don't think I would want to play those types of video games.

Speaking of dreams and video games

[pHatidic]

Back when I used to play video games I noticed that if I played before bed then I would actually dream in the graphics of the videogame sometimes. At first I would have dreams where I was in Ultima Online and someone was robbing my house, so I would wake up in a cold sweat and go to check on my character (who was macroing on the computer next to my bed).

The all time low was definitely when I got into nethack. You've never had a nightmare until you've had a nightmare in ASCII.

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[Anonymous Coward]

Funny, I have a recurring similar high school dream. Only in my dream I'm an adult but I find out that I never finished high school and I have to go back. I wander around the hallways feeling freaked out.

My other one usually involves a close brush with some sort of disaster such as a mass of tornadoes, nuclear bombs going off on the horizon, or huge waves hitting the building I'm in.

I really would prefer sex dreams.

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[Tezprice]

Venturing further off-topic, I once had a dream where I was being chased by the Predator. I decided to barracade myself in a room by piling shit infront of the door. To my horror the door opened in a Star Trek style and swooshed up into the door frame.

The predator killed my sorry ass.

A lesson was learned.

Re:Realism IS a style!

[WormholeFiend]

Well, I'm still waiting for a post-modern abstractist style FPS

Hmmm..

[borawjm]

Eventually, the mods are going to post a story and, at the end of it, comment "btw, this is a dupe" or, a little more subtle, "this was previously covered here".

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[OakDragon]

Ah, yes - Sid Meier's "Water Baron." What a classic! Played it for hours...

I think not. . .

[oneandoneis2]

it is through this that games will attain the sensation of a lucid dream.

As a side-effect of meditation, I've had quite a few ucid dreams, and can confidently say that mere photo-realism will get you nowhere near to duplicating the LD experience of "Hey, I'm dreaming! This is great, I'm in a world created by my own mind, I can see anything, do anything, be anything. . . Damn, I've woken up!"

Re:its not really a dupe

[uujjj]

The "dupe" posts are just a slashdotter reflex. It is a knee-jerk type reaction to seeing "Posted by CmdrTaco" at the top.

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[NanoGator]

"Venturing further off-topic, I once had a dream where I was being chased by the Predator. I decided to barracade myself in a room by piling shit infront of the door. To my horror the door opened in a Star Trek style and swooshed up into the door frame.

The predator killed my sorry ass.

A lesson was learned."

Was it: "Enough of the Star Trek crap, it's too early in the mornin!

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[Ford Prefect]

You realise that lucid dreaming is basically another name for dreams you can control.

Are you sure you're not just dreaming that you can control them?

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[Hogwash McFly]

Sleep is where I'm a viking.

Re:Speaking of dreams and video games

[Rinnt]

I noticed the same effect: games before bed usually carried into my dreams. But one night I had the unusual experience where games were crossed with dreams AND sleepwalking.

My wife tells it better since she was conscious during the whole ordeal, but I'll try to recap it as she did. It started after a night of Counter-strike and Enemy Territory. Normally I go to sleep first since i have to wake up ealier. Anyway, my wife came into the room after I'd been asleep for about an hour or two. Suddenly, I launched myself out of bed and screamed "Go! Go! Go!". Next I proceeded to sneak through the living room (hiding behind certain objects like chairs, then scrurrying behind another) and approached the kitchen where I intended to "plant the dynamite". I kept looking back at my wife, saying things like "What are you doing?! Get down or u might get hit!". All the while she's just looking at me trying not to burst out laughing. It was close to this point where my dream started to fade and consciousness started to set in. "Oh man, did I just act out that whole senario?", I thought to myself...

I took a break from FPSs after that episode.

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[RedNovember]

What a horrible comment!

But it's my only line!

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[elgatozorbas]

I am a "water baron" in India. (not sure what that means)

I had them too until I turned 4 or so. Mind you, my mother wasn't too pleased...

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[bigman2003]

And check to see which way the door swings.

It's also a good idea to find out which way your friends swing...BEFORE you invite them out to a bar.

Re:Video games as lucid dreams.

[kurosawdust]

a) I am a "water baron" in India. (not sure what that means)

Curse you, water baron! We have no money for our daughter's dowry because of your predatory price-gouging!

NOW WE MUST DANCE!

Re:Adult games? Go to Japan.

[mikeytwice]

The Japanese sure seem to love tentacle porno. Is there a name for that genre? In the Japanese porno I've seen, the vag is always blurred out. Does this confuse the boys-turned-men when they see real vaginas?

Re:Adult games? Go to Japan.

[Thud457]

What's that? The Japanese have strange tastes [seanbaby.com] in video games?

They just Think Different [apple.com] over there. [outpostnine.com]

Re:Speaking of dreams and video games

[Fallingcow]

The worst are sneaky-type FPS games where there are certain objects that can spot you and which you must avoid.

Deus Ex did this to me after I played through it on one of the higher difficulty levels.

On more than one occasion, I stopped dead in my tracks and had to fight the urge to dive sideways when I caught something that looked even remotely like a green or red ring shape in my peripheral vision. The worst time was between classes at college, when I was going up some stairs and thought I saw something... there was a crowd and all. Man, am I glad I stopped myself from dodging. Would have been embarrassing as hell. The dirty looks from the people behind me when I stopped were bad enough :(

Also, DO NOT drive within an hour or two of playing lots of GTA 3 or higher. It is VERY VERY BAD. As in, you'll see cop cars and some part of your brain will be telling you to run into them. WTF?

Re:Realism IS a style!

[Anonymous Coward]

Comments are worthless without uid's.

Re:Adult games? Go to Japan.

[Anonymous Coward]

You have to make the person embedded anally on your tentacle dance.

Wow. I have to say - never did I EVER expect to read a sentence like that in my entire life.