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[LCfiner]

Goodfellas isn't from this century.

Compare GTAIV to Mulholland Drive.

Sure: Mullholland Drive shits on GTA IV from a great height.

sticking to the Scorsese mob drama theme, The Departed has great writing too and is from this century. The example of Speed Racer in the story is still a ridiculous comparison. I guess the writer wanted to pick an example of a movie that wanted to have a video game "feel".

 

[Salmonax]

Also if X/Dwayne was the hardest decision you had to make in a GTA, clearly thats GTA's failure. The way that was set up from both a story and gameplay point of view, most people would never decide to kill Dwayne.

I was sick of Dwayne's whining and figured X could plug me into more, so I killed Dwayne. I felt like such a jerk doing it; it was actually one of the best moments of the game for me.

Too bad the game basically treats it like a wrong answer (it gives you nothing for it and you lose X as a friend) than a viable choice.

 

[bigdaddygamebot]

IGN has a column in the Chicago Tribune now?

WIN.

 

[BobsRevenge]

no thats not what I'm saying at all. They are good stories that are told in VG that stop the game play, but what I am saying is thats not how a story should be told in a VG. And if they are not using the gameplay to tell a story it shouldn't be considered an example of great VG storytelling

I disagree. I don't think it is necessary, but it uses something advantageous for and specific to video games to really enhance it. I don't think it is necessary for a great videogame story though.

For instance: Mafia.

Also I just wanted to say that Portal doesn't have a great story. It is a curious one told well.

 

[HK-47]

I was sick of Dwayne's whining and figured X could plug me into more, so I killed Dwayne. I felt like such a jerk doing it; it was actually one of the best moments of the game for me.

Too bad the game basically treats it like a wrong answer (it gives you nothing for it and you lose X as a friend) than a viable choice.

That precisely the problem. Killing X nets you all these extra bonuses. Dwayne as an extra gun, the penthouse.

 

[HK-47]

So you're saying you're not buying the next big Final Fantasy release?

Keep FF outta here...

 

[Flynn]

Part of the problem with that article is that it compares GTA IV with Speed racer. Of course GTA is going to look great in comparison.

Now try comparing GTA to, say, Goodfellas and try telling us the writing still holds up.

This is not to say that GTA has no redeeming qualities. the writing is still pretty good... for a game.

I'm waiting or a game that doesn't need me to use that qualifier.

But the gameplay in Goodfellas straight up sucks. Total non-game.

 

[KTallguy]

Silent Hill 2 has an awesome story.
I just finished replaying it recently and the ending is like ...wow.

 

[Gabyskra]

There are good points in the article, although they are poorly expressed. Storytelling in videogames is so much more than writing.

Choosing GTA IV is debatable though.

Portal is a better choice in my opinion.

 

[LCfiner]

But the gameplay in Goodfellas straight up sucks. Total non-game.

The article was trying to compare the writing specifically of GTA to other movies. I was just pointing out how low they set the bar.

yeah, sure, comparing the overall entertainment "package" of a game to a movie is madness.

heck, comparing aspects of games in different genres is madness. eg: The writing in GTA IV is way better than the writing in Fl0w.

that comparison is completely useless.

 

[Flynn]

The article was trying to compare the writing specifically of GTA to other movies. I was just pointing out how low they set the bar.

yeah, sure, comparing the overall entertainment "package" of a game to a movie is madness.

heck, comparing aspects of games in different genres is madness. eg: The writing in GTA IV is way better than the writing in Fl0w.

that comparison is completely useless.

Eric Wolpaw has likened writing in games to making the score to a movie. The movie would still work, visually, without the music. The composer is there to accentuate.

So I think we're talking about writing doing different jobs in different situations. I don't know why they made the comparison to Speed Racer -- discussion of that movie is so loaded, most haven't seen it.

But lets go back to Goodfellas and Mullholland Drive. I'd argue that writing doesn't really serve Lynch the way his craft does. If you read a Lynch script it would seem stupid. It's the way the guy assembles his movies, not writes them that makes them particularly effective.

Goodfellas, well that's a high bar.

I can tell you, though, if we're going to compare apples and oranges that GTAIV was better written than the last Indiana Jones movie, the Transformers movie and the last Die Hard movie. No question.

 

[LCfiner]

Eric Wolpaw has likened writing in games to making the score to a movie. The movie would still work, visually, without the music. The composer is there to accentuate.

So I think we're talking about writing doing different jobs in different situations. I don't know why they made the comparison to Speed Racer -- discussion of that movie is so loaded, most haven't seen it.

But lets go back to Goodfellas and Mullholland Drive. I'd argue that writing doesn't really serve Lynch the way his craft does. If you read a Lynch script it would seem stupid. It's the way the guy assembles his movies, not writes them that makes them particularly effective.

Goodfellas, well that's a high bar.

I can tell you, though, if we're going to compare apples and oranges that GTAIV was better written than the last Indiana Jones movie, the Transformers movie and the last Die Hard movie. No question.

A couple things.

The idea of story as score is an interesting one. I actually think that most people underestimate the effect score has on a movie and its emotional impact. at least, a good score does.

In the same manner, an interesting narrative can help propel the player through the game. In GTA, for example, the narrative of the first couple hours helped push me through the simple training missions.

Goodfellas is a high bar, but The Housers talk a big game. Why set aim for anything other than the best when working on that franchise?

And I agree with you for all three examples you used. Heck, I felt Uncharted was more like Indiana Jones than the last Indiana Jones.

 

[Red]

I wonder if someday GTAIV will be remembered as the first great instance of video game writing and interactivity. Will games like Portal and Bioshock be left in its dust?

I don't agree with a lot of the hate, but I definitely don't agree with a lot of that article. Still, if it gets people more interested in games and the possibilities of the medium, I can't see that as anything but a step forward.

 

[Flynn]

And I agree with you for all three examples you used. Heck, I felt Uncharted was more like Indiana Jones than the last Indiana Jones.

I'd say Uncharted was more Jewel of the Nile.

 

[2 Minutes Turkish]

Has this all been some clever ruse by the Hollywood Foreign Press to make the Oscar's irrelevant?

 

[cashman]

Like a few posters have said before, the writer spelled bioshock wrong

 

[KR3W]

what the fuck?