Art and choices

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice! There seems to be a lot of “choice” in video games. Mass Effect, Deus Ex, Skyrim, and many others use the draw of “choices” to bring in more players to buy their games. It’s even on the back of the box. But, all of these choices are set by the games parameters. Sometimes you come across a game that gives you the ability to choose how you go about playing it. To write your own story, to create your own experience. While watching an episode of Extra Creditz on penny-arcade.com. They had an episode about using the game mechanics as a metaphor (http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/mechanics-as-metaphor-part-1). They asked the viewer to take a break and play the game that had been linked in the videos description. The game was a “non-game” made by a former teacher for his students. The game was called “Loneliness” and it didn’t have any objective, description or anything of the like that would really drive the player. It opens with instructions on how to play, saying, use the arrow keys to move and to keep going until it ends. The graphics of the game are simple grays and blacks, with the “characters” being represented by black squares. Throughout my experience of playing this non-game, I created several different stories in my head. Was my little black block a crazed axe murderer running rampant on the streets? And that’s why all the people were running away from him? Or was my character a plague character, grotesque in his nature and appearance, and that’s why people would flee from him? Then it dawned on me, the mournful piano playing in the background, and the dark grays and blacks. My character was alone. Anyone whom I tried to approach would flee, because of their shallow nature. No matter who I approached they would all leave. They wouldn’t stay. This was the most emotionally engaging game that I’ve ever played. Maybe because I kind of connected with the character. Whatever it was, I felt something for that little black square. However, this is about choices that are made in games. There were no real choices in this game. I suppose players had the choice to approach or avoid other black squares. But, what was their motivation in doing so? Players could write their own story with this game. They could create their own motivation. Maybe they decided to roll with the mass murderer gig. Or maybe they created something completely different. The thing is, that it was up for interpretation. And that, is what makes art. Art is an expression, of some kind. It can be an expression of emotion, or an expression of a story. Art can depict anything that it wants to. The artist that creates the piece may have something in mind of what he or she wants to convey through the piece, however, when that piece hit’s the public eye, all bets are off. The viewer, the audience, the player may see something different than what was originally conceived. It is up to the sole viewer to decide what he or she thinks about the piece, and what it means. I think that if games were to be more like this, then we could really be considered an art form. That’s not to say that we already aren’t and that there aren’t already games out there which could be considered art. There are many games which convey story, character, and have different overtones, morals, philosophies and different points in them when the creators can truly express their opinions. Many games do this. Whether in the writing, or some sort of task that the player carries out. Bioshock is a great example of delivering messages to the player. Throughout the game there are many, many pieces of propaganda surrounding Andrew Ryan and his vision for his underwater utopia. Could this be the writer proclaiming his opinion of the individual, or how he thinks that the world should be run? In the opening sequence, the player is treated to a video, Walt Disney World style, as he is lowered below the surface of the sea to Rapture. The video is Andrew Ryan speaking of the wrong doings of the surface world. Players quickly find out that Andrew Ryan is a character that is all about the individual, and what one person can accomplish with hard work. A man of capitalist notions. Meanwhile, there is another who usurps Andrew Ryan by uniting the citizens of Rapture. Atlas, you’re guide through the hellish environment of this underwater city. Players gather that Atlas lead the resistance movement against Andrew Ryan, and helped those who couldn’t make it in Andrew Ryan’s world. Is this the creator of Bioshock speaking of how, if we all band together we can accomplish anything? Also, throughout the game of Bioshock players have to make choices. Which ultimately end up with ending A or B, yet there are subtle differences in gameplay depending on what choices the player has made. If the player chooses to save the little sisters, then they gain only a small amount of Adam, with which they can upgrade their powers and abilities. They are also treated to the sunshine and rainbows ending. If the player chooses to harvest the little sisters, they gain much more Adam, and are able to upgrade their powers freely and make many changes to their skill set. However, with these decisions of harvesting over saving, the player gets the ending where the main character takes over the world and darn near blows it up. What is the creator saying here? Is this about the corruption of greed? Is the good ending about the meek inheriting the earth, with the player not being greedy and saving the little sisters? It’s up for interpretation. I think that’s what makes art. Though, with that definition, art is up for interpretation. Art can be found in whatever. Though, I think that having something more open like the Loneliness non-game, is a good example of what games could be as an art form. Though, I’d like to see something a bit more mainstream. Like Flower, or other games from That Game Company. Keep track of those guys for games that are more on the artistic side of the industry.