How art influences game design
What is a true purpose of any art? To
entertain? To stir a reaction? Or even perhaps to inspire. Artistic influences
have always been the bridge to a completely new artistic movement; this can be
seen from Fauvism to Modern Impressionism for example. But, what I’m here to
discuss is, can games be inspired by art? And, most importantly, how dose
artistic movement Influence game design. These are questions that need to be
addressed movies can be defined as works of art through inspirations of real or
fictional stories so why cant video games, even though they are becoming
increasingly beautiful and detailed. I
will be focusing on Surreal/horror based art and I’ll be comparing it to modern
horror games e.g. The Crooked Man, Amnesia, Misao etc.
I first want to start by saying that video games may not
be art forms themselves, but can definitely be influenced and inspired by
artistic movements, just like artists of modern art movements are inspired by
previous artists video games can easily be the next evolutionary step in art to
keep it alive and stop it fading out and so that next generations can view,
enjoy, admire and be inspired by to go out and eventually become their own
artists following this growing practise. Where as both articulate forms and outcomes
may be completely different, both of them may of came from the same idea, but
have been portrayed differently in the artists image. Like with real artists
paintings and pictures such as Roy Lichtenstein who’s art was not accepted by
the masses and critics due to its lack of originality and apparent plagiarism,
which has been an argument, raised regarding the supposed art in video games. A
quote I found regarding the artistic influence of video games compares them to
the evolutionary work from cave paintings to Michelangelo and is Cistern Chapel. “Then she shows a slide of a prehistoric cave painting,
calling it "kind of chicken scratches on walls," and contrasts it
with Michelangelo's ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Her point is that while
video games may be closer to the chicken scratch end of the spectrum, I am
foolish to assume they will not evolve.” (Source from http://www.rogerebert.com/ ) Monday 20th January
When reviewing
Influence/Inspiration Video games to real pieces of art, I decided to choose
the gruesome artistic wonder of H.R. Giger and his brilliantly terrifying Alien
pictures and compares them to that of the game Amnesia.
Monday 20th Jan
As you can see both creatures are
terrifying and share certain inspired qualities, for example the horribly
disfigured mouth on the amnesia character (Right) shares inspired qualities
from the equally gruesome mouth from H.R. Gigers Alien (Left.)Both creatures
also instinctively feel threatening and dangerous form the start to develop
fear in the audience/viewers as they come to recognize these creatures as icons
for fear in the terrifying journey they lead the player/ watcher through. This
is just one example of how art from the past has inspired certain characters
and aspects in modern day games. Many other games follow this inspired
background approach and are shown through the shared and evolved over
the years. A game like the crooked man can be considered to be influenced by
strands of the artistic movement minimalism as it takes a simple approach of
using 8-bit graphics rather than an AAA platform, which is very basic compared
to the extremely graphically beautiful 3D games. Similarly, minimalism focuses
on using the least amount of detail and yet achieving some of the larger and
more impressive reactions and results.
Much like the works of canvas based
interpretations and moods that the horror/ surreal pictures present (for
example the terrifying and amazing talents of Wayne Barlowe), the atmosphere
and depth of feel that the video game based horror immerses you in, actually
feels like your living/playing the story of one of these terrifying art works.
But, the mood create whilst playing one of these games is so much more dynamic
and the experience of living this peace of virtual art is just as breath taking
as interpreting the thoughts and motivations of an artists brushstrokes if not
more so. Emotions like fear, curiosity, engrossment, disgusted and even
distress that some people may feel when looking upon these pictures are
amplified dramatically under the right circumstances to levels that you fear
for your own life and the relief you feel after surviving an encounter can make
you smile, laugh and cry with joy and its these amplified emotions that for a
type of mental high if you will, where you feel completely connected to the
game in every mental sense. These aspects and feelings are merely evolved
versions of the feelings and emotions felt when viewing an unnerving
surreal/horror art piece. “I was scared out of my senses, but
enjoyed it so much that I had to go again right away” (source from http://frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-20159.html
)
In conclusion to these points I hope you may see
how art may not be in every video game, but art has been a part of the
influence of game design and its inspiration in its development. Video games
may truly be the next step forward in evolution for art with the 3D Scenery and
intractable environments that someone can explore themselves and gather all the
different interpretations and understanding their own young minds can collect
and feel and admire and experience.
