'Videogames Are Terrible For Telling Stories' Says Jonathan Blow | PLAY Magazine

[Legend]

'Videogames Are Terrible For Telling Stories' Says Jonathan Blow | PLAY Magazine


I agree with what it sounds like he's meaning, although the article is pretty clickbaity. Basically Cutscenes suck and haven't evolved in 20 years.

[the-pi-guy]

I disagree with the sentiment that cutscenes suck.  
Though they are easy to abuse.  

[Legend]

I disagree with the sentiment that cutscenes suck.  
Though they are easy to abuse.  

They are certainly better than nothing, but to me the lack of input is super jarring. I should never have a reason to put down my controller during a game.

[DD_Bwest]

honestly, i much rather a skipable cut scene  then non-cut scene play where you basically walk with someone, or move around a room waiting for them to finish talking lol  I get the sentiment, but if you put the story so much into interactive scenes, you run the risk of hurting replay value with forcing the player to endure something slow and potentially meaningless once you already know the story.

[Legend]

honestly, i much rather a skipable cut scene  then non-cut scene play where you basically walk with someone, or move around a room waiting for them to finish talking lol  I get the sentiment, but if you put the story so much into interactive scenes, you run the risk of hurting replay value with forcing the player to endure something slow and potentially meaningless once you already know the story.

What about skippable walking scenes?

[the-pi-guy]

They are certainly better than nothing, but to me the lack of input is super jarring. I should never have a reason to put down my controller during a game.

I personally don't find it jarring.

[DD_Bwest]

What about skippable walking scenes?

that would be good lol

[Aura7541]

To me, there should be a good balance between gameplay and cutscenes. The latter serves a very good way to give you a breather, especially after that intense boss fight you barely defeated, for instance. However, it needs to be used in moderation or otherwise, it will create to much of a disconnect between the game and player.

[Legend]

I personally don't find it jarring.

[darkknightkryta]

honestly, i much rather a skipable cut scene  then non-cut scene play where you basically walk with someone, or move around a room waiting for them to finish talking lol  I get the sentiment, but if you put the story so much into interactive scenes, you run the risk of hurting replay value with forcing the player to endure something slow and potentially meaningless once you already know the story.

I agree.  I actually hate that form of "cutscene".  I personally feel cutscenes have devolved since MGS popularized them back in the PSX days.  They went from great cinema, to terrible "We have to walk and talk to some guy over the radio cause the next level is loading".  

[kitler53]

cut scenes don't count as video gaming.  they are mini movies that bookend segments of gaming. it is roughly the equivalent of going to a movie where text scrolls on the screen and you just read the entire story.  might be the greatest story ever but it isn't cinema, it is literature on a screen. cut scenes are cinema in a game.

few games tell a story.  ironically, when thinking of examples where a game told a good story braid is one of the best examples i can think of.