Gaming Without a Safety Blanket 79
Hugh Pickens writes "IGN has an interesting interview with Tom Bissell, author of the recently published Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter, in which Bissell uses his experience in investigative journalism and as a war correspondent to describe his years playing games. Bissell talks about the difficulties in describing gameplay to non-gamers. 'A lot of casual games sort of submerge their storytelling to an almost subliminal level while upping the gameplay sophistication,' says Bissell. 'Writing about pure gameplay is tough. ... I say in the book that's one of the most suspect things about the form; a game with [an] incredibly dopey story but a really compelling mechanical set of resonances can still be a great game. I don't know if there's really a way to talk about that with people who aren't sold on the form.' Bissell adds that it's easier for many to find meaning in the more traditional delivery systems of entertainment and compares writing about games to the difficulty in describing rock & roll to an older generation. Bissell's background as a war correspondent, traveling to regions of conflict, has also translated into the games he likes."
Re:*snore* (Score:1, Funny)
Do we start a conversation where most responses are going to be "me too"?
If we let that happen then AOL will have won.
Re:"gameplay": replace with 'horse', adjust to fit (Score:5, Funny)
I hate this word. Is it one word? Is it two? Who knows. But it's one of the few words we have to describe the stuff that goes on while you are playing a game. We need something better, or we need some dictionary to step up and add it.
horseplay - definition of horseplay by the Free Online Dictionary ... ...
frolic, gambol, romp, caper, play - gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the
www.thefreedictionary.com/horseplay
To answer your conundrum: Gameplay is like horseplay, but less gay.
Re:*snore* (Score:3, Funny)
why is this pure expression of stupidity modded "insightful"? It doesn't have anything to say, apart from "I don't have any thoughts of my own, and I don't want any, and I don't want to listen to someone who has".
It actually says "I don't have any thoughts of my own, and I don't want any, and I don't want to listen to someone who has and I have mod points" ;-)
Re:"gameplay": replace with 'horse', adjust to fit (Score:3, Funny)
Not to be confused with _ponyplay_!
Seriously.
MOD WARS!!!! (Score:3, Funny)
Seriously, why is this pure expression of stupidity modded "insightful"? It doesn't have anything to say, apart from "I don't have any thoughts of my own, and I don't want any, and I don't want to listen to someone who has".
Right now, at least, his post is modded "3: Insightful" and yours is modded "4: Insightful" -- you're winning!!