Video Games = Art = Video Games

It's a debate that's neither as relevant or as serious as "Do video games cause violence?", and it has far fewer hilarious consequences due to the supreme court. Nevertheless, it is still an important thing to consider. Important that the work of the creators isn't belittled into something childish and forgetfully recreational, because it isn't. Video games require months of development on the mechanical side, as well as many sleepless nights from the people who drive the concept. Video Games still have that stigma of being something you only do between important things. For some, that's still true, but for an increasingly large number of people, VGs ARE the important things. If it was purely for my own entertainment, why the hell would I be spending time writing about it to the 3 or 4 people who actually care to listen?

Is it valid to accept Video Games as something more than just recreational entertainment? At the dawn of artistic creation, painting and sculpture and pottery were all base things that weren't necessary for survival, but were done anyways because humanity needed to find a way to entertain themselves. Not everyone accepted it as a means of survival or commerce. In the opinion of those people, you were just folding clay into something that can hold water and carving crude shapes in the side of it. As it progressed and evolved, it rapidly became more than just a hobby, it became a bona fide focus, and one of the greatest commodities in the world, as well as an extremely respected field, whether it was painting, sculpture, language, music, pottery, what have you. Video games are the new art for a modern age. Of course they're not necessary for survival, but much in the same way that pottery and painting weren't either, that's part of what makes them so great. As it has moved on and evolved, it has wound its way into millions of people's lives, created good relationships, kept us entertained, and spurred our imaginations to new heights, all things an art is supposed to do.

Film critic Roger Ebert once stated in a blog post that video games, in principal, can never be art. I don't want to spend much time on his statement because he's not what this post is about, but he's the clearest most noticed example of people who say that video games aren't an art form. Well, why not? Fantasy literature is universally recognized as an art form. Graphical composition and illustration is universally recognized as an art form. Musical composition, especially that which is used to complement a scene or enhance/define a mood is universally recognized as an art form. So when you combine the three into one cohesive project, at what point does it no longer become an art form? You have three major medium being carefully woven together to create something even greater than the sum of their parts, and that's somehow not an art form? It may not be one person doing all this, but even the greatest artists didn't work alone. Just like Da Vinci needed Canvas and an Easel, the game creators needs their developers to craft the software into a virtual platform, much like an easel, for him or her to paint their vision upon. The writer needs readers, like the game needs gamers, turning the page with each click of a button and each movement of the joystick. The musician needs an audience and I'm not alone in that I listen to more video game music independently than I do mainstream media. The art I so love to perpetuate has inspired me to write, to play, to read, and given the means, create my own rendition.

One more thing that may hold the genre back from being taken seriously,  is that it's still a young medium. A lot of us grew up playing it to entertain us, and maybe at first it wasn't ever meant to take on such an imposing presence in the market. It was something to put your child in front of while you went about and did your grown-up work. Maybe it's because we were conditioned to love them at a young age, but I know I still play games all of the time, but not because I'm conditioned to. If that was the case, I wouldn't review them, nor would I focus on the many aspects therein. When people hear about my biggest hobby and how much I put into it, their favorite response is "Get A Life." This is what Youtube Lets Player HCBailly has to say about it:

"Maybe it's a sign that I'm addicted to gaming, but I honestly don't know what I would do with my life without it. People often say to me, 'Get a life.' Doing what? What could be better than taking care of my health, working 1-2 days per week, and spending the rest of my time with my fiancee and gaming? I can't imagine my life being much better than this. What would normal people do? Go to bars and get drunk? Knock up their girlfriend and raise a family they can't afford? Or both? If that's what it means to 'get a life' then I don't want one. "

In a society that over-sexualizes everything and has a hard time enjoying things at face value, or permitting others to fully enjoy what they do, I think HCBailly really hits it home here. It's just what we like to do, and it's something we can fully immerse ourselves in, no different than how a musician gets lost in their music, or a writer gets lost in their own world, or an artist implants their true emotions into what they illustrate. Games aren't just for kids anymore. They're for anyone who would see and appreciate fine works and allow themselves to step into the wonderful worlds they provide. We don't need to stop playing them in order to become adults or be respected within the world.

As though it were a sign from the heavens that the powers that be approve of the creation we love so much, The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. has decided to open a new exhibit 360 days from the posting of this entry, entirely dedicated to the art of video games. The exhibit will cover 80 games throughout 5 eras, and will be categorized not only by age, but genre and system as well, which is just about the best way I could think to show this exhibit. If you think you know what should be there more than others, then you have a chance to give your opinion! The Smithsonian has selected 240 games to choose from and only 80 will make it, but your vote can influence what will and will not be shown at this exhibit. Follow this link: http://www.artofvideogames.org/ and let them know what you think.

I'm not going to be so foolish as to demand recognition immediately from those who are of the school of thought that video games could never be art. What I do ask is that those of you who DO believe that, keep in mind that the medium you're so used to were just as ostracized when they first came about. It's still a young creature, video games. I just ask you to give it an honest chance and open your mind to all of the wonderful things that they hold. Give them a shot before you throw them away.  After all, you can't say anything about anything without first immersing yourself into it.

Silverknight727: MIA

TinfoilSamurai272 here. Your blog author has disappeared, and hasn't been heard from for about a week. I looked all over the place, but couldn't find him anywhere. I did find this at his keyboard though.

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MY BROTHERS HAVE ESCAPED YOU. YOU'RE TOO LATE HAHAHA

They see Mephisto
He hatin
Controlling his Durance as he wipes the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
All out of Mana
Still Waitin
But he's throwing lightning as he wipes the party.
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Shit he's gonna wipe the party

[Sorceress]
Council wants to put me on hold
Kick their ass and pop them into gold
Blizzard is a raining mess of cold
Anything they had will soon be sold
Stygian dolls die in an explosion,
Turns into high hit point erosion
Poison from them zombies cause corrosion,
Die again, it's a full death throe implosion
Got uniques, ghostlies, and champions
All the item drops are worthless mostly
Got a fireball, make the bad guys toasty
Frost Nova, little bastards follow me but slowly
Teleport all the way to the end of this
Down to level three just to magic farm this bitch
3 Blue and 2 Yellows magic items which
I'm gonna show Deckard Cain and make a free game to ditch
Durance of Hate, goin solo
Not bad for magic glass-cannon ho
Throw cold, gonna make his ass move slow
Corral him to the portal, nowhere to go
Lightning ball, wipes half my HP
Random-ass ghosts pop up and smack me
Didn't kill the council, now they back attack me
Gettin swarmed by every enemy I see, be back after I TP.

The Lord of Hatred
He laughin'
He's holdin the portal as he wipes the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Gotta get the Soulstone
Go Smashin'
Turn his essence into gems after he wipes the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Shit he's gonna wipe the party

[Paladin]
I been Zealin and Smitin, Might n Fanaticism cause my party's fightin
Gotta Charge to level three 'fore The Council sees this big ol' invasion ragin all up in their haven
Pally been sippin on that 'Juvenate and the mana pot cause he ain't Got none in his armor slot
Breakin 5 frames with a mace in your face
Motherfucka's keep rollin up, smashing every asshole that's in my space
I got a Schaeffer Mace in my right hand, Ravenfrost on my finger freezing yo ass
None of you fools are gonna last
Playin an overpowered class
Gotta get to Mephisto
Put up Holy Shield perfect chance to block block shots to the Pally I stop stop
Whack Whack hope ya'll ain't rockin fuckin stoneskin
Got so much strength I can flex, ain't got no need for Dex
Gonna cause a mash up and smash up and leave ya'll as bloody wrecks.
Keep a sword on switch, Gonna stab a bitch, kick your broken corpse, down into a ditch
Goin toe-to-toe with Immortal foes, that's the way that the Pally rolls.

The first Prime Evil
Got lightnin'
He throwin his magic as he wipes the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Diablo's brother
So frightenin'
Just like his two siblings he gon' wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Fuck he's gonna wipe the party

[Barbarian]
A fuckin whirlwind, bitch I'm gonna win
I'm the Immortal King and I be smashin in
Rockin a full on Leap Attack, a bonus stack wieldin a two-handed hammer 'bout as strong as sin
So they move around me tryin to sneak in back, they don't know about my 360 move
Raise my weapon and give a shout with a boom
Feel that gloom? That's the sound of doom
Straight outta Harrogath, show respect
Did a quest, Akara gave me a re-spec
Battle Orders, gotta give the shout
Party's gonna turn this fight to rout
And bein a Barb that I am I rage at them, swing and a slam killin their hellish doods
The Barb's a hoss, a total boss, you can't mess with this shit cause we're a stronger brood
I'mma shout at you then I'mma have to cruise, cause there's two more Evils that I gotta bruise
I aint got all day just to mess with you
Gonna throw your lightning, well fuck you too!
I got stupid resistances you must agree
You know that it's worthless to use that on me
I got more hit points than you've ever seen
Gonna slam my Immortal King's hammer through your motherfuckin spleen and cut scene.

Bump up Resistance
And Defense
Or else you'll be fucked and he gon' wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Why is he hatin?
No reason
His hate is enough for him to wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Oh no he's gonna wipe the party

The Sorc gets last hit
s'important.
Magic Find that fucker who just wiped the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
A Stone of Jordan
Who gets it?
While we all argue he gon' wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Guess he gonna wipe the party
Damn he's gonna wipe the party
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Please check all trade boards to see if he's shown up there. If any of you find him in the Durance of Hate, please tell him that we love him, and we all want him to come back.