Major elements of a videogame/movie

[Light Lord]

Well, in college we were given this assignment since it's something important in the career I choose to study. Basically, vote for the element that you believe its the most important in a movie or a videogame. If you feel like it, you can also say why you believe that element is important to you. Also, feel free to correct me if I forgot another important element or if one of the options needs to be more specific.

As for me, in a videogame I prefer character development since it allows the players to identify themselves with one of the characters of it, allowing them to feel emotions when the character they like goes through events, be it bad or good. As for movies, I prefer the plot, since most of the time I like a movie it's because I got hooked on it through the story.

Thanks an advance for your help!

[Darros]

Mechanics, I like how a game plays more than te story, which I tend to skip.

Story/Plot because without it a movie would be nothing.

But you really need a balance of everything.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Darros

[Hazuki]

When I play a game, the thing that I want most out of it is fun, because that's what games are supposed to strive for. That said, the mechanics of a game affect this the most over the other elements. The characters and story could be ridiculous for all of the wrong reasons, and it could look ugly and be a cakewalk, but the game has to play well to make it an enjoyable one for me. Without good mechanics, why should I be playing in the first place?

As for movies, a major sign of a really good movie is if it makes you think or talk about it, even when you're not watching it. A good movie must be endearing and be worth taking the time to bring it up and generate enthusiastic discourses. Sure, animation and special effects are neat, but do people actually spend time discussing over those matters as much as a movie's characters or plot? I'll be honest that I was debating as to whether plot or characters matter most, but I went with plot since without it...there's not much to the movie. You'd just have interesting characters, but they wouldn't do anything. I'd rather have uninteresting characters do interesting things, with that said.

[Nightmare]

Allow me to say that I praise you for using mechanics rather than "gameplay", which is an absurd word.

And then, I would like to say that none of these things take precedence for me. I don't really view any of them as "most important" or anything. I believe a truly great game/movie will have a good dose of all of the things you listed (sometimes even without the story portion for video games).

[Inactive Account]

It really depends on the genre. For one example, with games, I am a complete story addict, so when I'm playing an RPG or adventure, I'm looking a lot at story. Visuals and mechanics come after that. I do play other games though, and for certain genres, story isn't really important. For a second example, if I'm playing a mindless addictive puzzle game to pass the time, I need it to have a good mechanic foremost, or it's not going to be fun enough to hold my interest. Visuals come after, and story barely matters. Balance is required in all cases, but different types of game have different balances.

The same goes for movies, really. For some genres I look for plot, for others I'm fine with mindless actiony explosions, though I still need at least some plot from a movie (I have trouble even paying attention if there's very little plot). Visuals are important, but they can take second priority if the plot is amazing.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Kiryn

[shroudening]

I get bored if the story line is bad. Even a game that I've played through entirely 6+ times, I still enjoy going through the story, rather than skipping through it for the gameplay.

Same thing for movies.

[Lord Raven]

A beautiful mix of all of them is what a good game makes. I can't just pin down one thing, because all of those things have to produce some kind of synergy together in order to make a fantastic video game.

[BEST TRYNDAMERE PLAYER]

Depends, if it's online I look for content.

If it's single player(generally RPGS) I look for story and difficulty mostly.

[Original Alear]

I can't vote in the top one because I feel that mechanics and story are roughly equal.

[Lux Aeterna]

In a video game, mechanics are the most important, because to me that translates as "gameplay." Gameplay is naturally most important in a, well, game. The thing is, the rest of your listed choices are supplementary. Take Tetris, for example. No characters, no story, simplistic animation, but compelling gameplay that will have many people play over and over again. And some games can be fun without any challenge. Or animation. I don't have an specific examples, rather I ask that you think of games that are text based.

As for a film? Well, story is important, of course. But who causes a story to happen? The characters. A story can be perfectly interesting, but if the characters are dull, unbelievable, or just generally made, the story will suck and consequently be unbelievable if the characters are the same. Characters are the backbone of any story, and from them, everything else grows. There are some exceptions, but in general, a film without good characters will not be good at all.

Also, if you had added the choice, I would have picked "originality" for both. Because what really makes a film / game great is an original concept that interests people.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Lux Aeterna

[Original Alear]

This is a message from Nightmarre. Although Nightmarre is a great servant of the forest, a higher power that we both serve has temporarily severed Nightmarre's connection to the forest. I believe this is intended to strengthen the bond that I and Nightmarre feel as men who want to deliver truth as best we understand it to serenes forest rather than deceit.

Now clear your mental chatter and hear Nightmarre's words as though they were from a self you might have been and still might be:

In a video game, mechanics are the most important, because to me that translates as "gameplay." Gameplay is naturally most important in a, well, game. The thing is, the rest of your listed choices are supplementary. Take Tetris, for example. No characters, no story, simplistic animation, but compelling gameplay that will have many people play over and over again. And some games can be fun...>...without any challenge. Or animation. I don't have an specific examples, rather I ask that you think of games that are text based.

Tetris and other games like it are fine examples as to why a game doesn't need much more than simple graphics and addictive mechanics, but are they really that good? Beyond a few rounds of such simple games, the mind grows weary and desires more compelling things. Text adventures and games like Nethack are just that; text adventures and games like Nethack. There are many more games that won't at all be good without proper aesthetics. Take, for example, a platformer or a side-scroller. You can go screaming "GAMEPLAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT" for as much as you want, but no one wants to play a completely bare-bones platformer where you're a line in a silent black void "jumping" over other lines. It's much more interesting and engrossing when the game gives you a world to see and to hear.

To make my point more clear, I give you Cave Story, which is one of the more popular platformers/side-scrollers out there. It's more like a Metroidvania, but the point stands that Cave Story wouldn't even be half as interesting if not for the vibrant sprite work and the masterful soundtrack, and that's not even mentioning the whole world-building (I said that story and such aren't as important in a game earlier; there are instances where that isn't the case).

To be precise, the case here is like a watermelon without a knife. Sure, you can still bash it open and eat it, but it's going to be crude and not as pleasing.

Also, if you had added the choice, I would have picked "originality" for both. Because what really makes a film / game great is an original concept that interests people.

This is questionable; video games and movies need to be entertaining first before they attempt to be original. You know what games had original concepts? Eternal Darkness, E.T. for the Atari, Shadow the Hedgehog, and other such games. What's common between them? Eternal Darkness was really interesting, but despite its original concepts, it's not exactly the funnest game to play. Shadow the Hedgehog has you toting guns, speeding around and whatnot as a hedgehog, but it's not a good game. And E.T. is E.T. so I don't need to go in further than that. Games and movies can be as original as they want, but as long as they aren't executing it well, they're not going to be worth anything.

[Lux Aeterna]

Cave Story wouldn't even be half as interesting if not for the vibrant sprite work and the masterful soundtrack, and that's not even mentioning the whole world-building (I said that story and such aren't as important in a game earlier; there are instances where that isn't the case).

Are you insinuating that some other aspect, like music and sprites, are more important gameplay? No?

Well good. I stated what was the most important aspect of a video game, and that is gameplay (or, since you are loathe to the word "gameplay," just replace every instance of "gameplay" with "mechanics" in your mind). The thing is, if a game does not have good gameplay, it had better have some damn good other redeeming qualities to it or it will not be very critically acclaimed. 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors, for example. Well, the gameplay was nice and all, but what really made it great was the story--but that was its point. It literally falls under the genre of Visual Novel. Most people play a video game to play a game, not to enjoy sprites or music. You know what you can do if you want to do that? Go to various art forums and/or just listen to music.

This is questionable [...] Games and movies can be as original as they want, but as long as they aren't executing it well, they're not going to be worth anything.

I hadn't realized you wanted me to be so specific, as I thought "executed well" was implied within the "interesting" part of "interesting concept." But fine, if you want me to be more specific, then: What truly makes a game great is an interesting, original concept that is carried out well.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Lux Aeterna

[Original Alear]

I hadn't realized you wanted me to be so specific, as I thought "executed well" was implied within the "interesting" part of "interesting concept." But fine, if you want me to be more specific, then: What truly makes a game great is an interesting, original concept that is carried out well.

I disagree. A game could easily rip a concept from something else and have a better advertising budget and do fine. It has been noted that Dead Space is remarkably similar to Run Like Hell, and Mass Effect definitely has a strong relationship of influence with Star Control II, IMHO. Actually, the first example doesn't apply to well since Run Like Hell was not well received.

Originality is overrated...as long as it's not the exact same thing, I don't mind a repetition in different ways (see improvisation).

Nightmarre's Response:

Well good. I stated what was the most important aspect of a video game, and that is gameplay (or, since you are loathe to the word "gameplay," just replace every instance of "gameplay" with "mechanics" in your mind).

Ok, maybe. But it felt like you were insinuating that nothing else is important, which is as absurd as saying that other things (music, etc.) are more important than mechanics (there are exceptions to this; see: Kirby games or most importantly, Kirby's Epic Yarn). My point, however, was that they're all equally important if you want a truly great game. I point you to things such as Metal Gear Solid 3, God Hand, Shadow of the Colossus, Super Castlevania IV, Intelligent Qube and the aforementioned Cave Story. Games need to be engrossing, besides just offering solid mechanics.

>The thing is, if a game does not have good gameplay, it had better have some damn good other redeeming qualities to it or it will not be very critically acclaimed.

Why mention critical acclaim? A lot of bad games were critically acclaimed, like all of God of War. Lifeless, soulless games of the most mechanical variety.

Most people play a video game to play a game, not to enjoy sprites or music. You know what you can do if you want to do that? Go to various art forums and/or just listen to music.

First, why are we caring about most people? And second, those same people will inevitably enjoy the sprites and the music while playing the game (a prime example being yourself enjoying Persona songs). Telling people to go to art forums and/or listen to music is just being narrow-minded. Developers have a vision for every game; they build games around that vision and have the suitable music......and graphics created for it. To dismiss them as unnecessary is just spitting in the face of the developers, and how they want you to experience their games.

I'm just going to end my post, and my part in this discussion, with this:

You enjoy the Persona games, right? Take away, or if that's too extreme, dumb down the script, characters, music and graphics. Script becomes only the most bare-bones description of the plot, characters just become things to move the plot with no real depth or personality, music become lifeless bleeps and bloops (think Atari, not NES; NES has good music) and the sprites become nondescript......blobs. The mechanics are still the same though. Will you still be really able to enjoy a game like that? Your answer decides the fate of the universe.

SeverIan already pointed out the thing with the last part of your post.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Loki Laufeyjarson

[Fenrir]

For a single player it may be story/plot, with mechanics coming in second. But in multiplayer games, obviously it's mechanics. So mechanics takes it.

Movies with poor acting is just... *vomits*