All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

futurebird · 2019-05-26 15:13:18

Story telling is the oldest human art form, it's the mother of all other forms of artistic expression. From the first hunters and gatherers who embellished and dramatized their experiences in the wild around an ancient camp fire to the video games, movies and books that we have today people have always created art to tell stories.

The statement "all stories are about wish fulfillment" bothers some people because of course some stories are very sad and dark in their content. But wishes and desires are complex. In a tragedy terrible things happen, but what makes telling and hearing such a story satisfying is that, unlike in the chaotic often meaningless series of events that make up real life, in a tragedy terrible occurrences are given significance and reverence. The hero has died, but we all know how brave she was, how she suffered, horror and destruction are given importance and weight that isn't guaranteed to exist in the real world. To tell a sad story is to say that even suffering will not be forgotten. And that is wish fulfillment.

But what about the notion that "all art is story telling?" This is probably the more controversial statement! What about abstract art? What about Duchamp and his strange urinal? What about the works that resist coherence? I would argue that the essence of telling a story is still there. Each person who interacts with a work of art makes a story and when we really love a work of art we say "this speak to me" that is, it awakens a story.

But I want to talk about video games. Video games are art. It's ridiculous that this needs to be said, but even though they have been around for nearly half a century people will still ask "are video games art?" as if this questions were not settled. The more interesting question to me is "are video game the next primary form of art? Will they take the place of film as film took the place of the theater as the theatre took the place of the campfire in the hazy past of human history?

To me, the answer to this questions is: obviously yes!

The range of emotions and creativity in games continues to expand. Games have made me laugh and cry and they have made me think as much as any great film or book. But, games, because they place the audience in an active role, present unique challenges for creators: How do you do the work of wish fulfillment without making it cheap or easy? Many game take the easy route: you are the hero, loaded with weapons with the power of the gods you crush through "enemies" with little danger to yourself. You never really die, you just loose your stuff, or have to go back a bit and try again. It's fun, and exciting but it lacks depth. But, how do you entice your audience to take on real challenges? How do you make the experience of being weak... or even of not winning be a kind of wish fulfillment? How do you give death meaning and depth?

I think that OHOL has solved a small part of this challenge. The meaning comes from your relationships and dependence on others. You may die but the projects that your started can be picked up by others. Death can have significance because when the game is at its best your care when other players die to the rather harsh world you find yourself in... so you have hope that when you die others will care. For once, getting the top level gear isn't always the focus, you want to share that gear with your family. It's exciting to see a game that unlocks this kind of artistic expression without falling back on cut scenes and tons of passive content that make "playing" the game more like a movie. You are active the whole time in this game and you create the story.

I hope that future changes to the game will nurture and preserve this aspect of play.

futurebird · 2019-05-27 21:40:40

bump.

read my art theory essay. heh

futurebird · 2019-06-06 23:42:27

bump.

Spoonwood · 2019-06-06 23:54:09

Its not wish fulfillment to get greifed in a game. Nor is it wish fulfillment to have some goal in a game and then fail at achieving that goal.

MistressZues · 2019-06-07 06:33:25

Spoonwood wrote:

Its not wish fulfillment to get greifed in a game. Nor is it wish fulfillment to have some goal in a game and then fail at achieving that goal.

Don't be so pessimistic lol not every life is griefed not every life is a failure that is what drives us as humans to keep trying. Success is not a guarantee if it was then it wouldn't be as satisfying.

One Hour One Life Forums

#1 2019-05-26 15:13:18

All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

#2 2019-05-27 21:40:40

Re: All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

#3 2019-06-06 23:42:27

Re: All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

#4 2019-06-06 23:54:09

Re: All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

#5 2019-06-07 06:33:25

Re: All artistic work is storytelling all stories are wish fulfillment

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