Do you see games as pieces of art? *potential spoilers*

[JWeinCom]

snyps said:

JWeinCom said:

There are 14 different definitions for art in the Oxford English Dictionary. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but the English language is nuanced and words can have different usages. No matter how many times you say period, that won't change. There is a clear difference between creating a play that emotionally resonates with people and finding the fastest way to get all 8 red coins in Tick Tock Clock. Equating those two things makes little sense even if each fits under a separate usage of the word art.

And yet I have equated them. The person who cheeses his way through Mortal Kombat to have nothing but flawless victories, exploits bugs to make 3 heads come off with one punch, and can speed run to the end in record timing (made up example); they are an artist at exploiting the AI in Mortal Kombat. 

That doesn’t make them the same as Steven Speilberg. Each creator or performer is judged within their sphere. 

A kindergartner can be an artist. 

You said you equated them, then said that a speed runner is not the same as a director and cannot be judged by the same standards. In other words, that they are not equal. They are not even relatively close, as there is nothing similar about the activities beyond that they both require skill. 

That's why it does not make sense. Even if you had the sincerest admiration for MK speedrunners, I am positive you would never answer the question "Who is your favorite artist" by saying "l2eeve the guy with the Mortal Kombat speedrun world record", because you understand, hopefully, that is not (virtually) what anyone else means by the term. You can use words idiosyncratically if you want, but it doesn't accomplish any purpose aside from frustrating communication. For the purposes of this conversation, I'm only interested in the definition that would apply to Steven Speilberg. I have no doubt that video games require skill. 

Last edited by JWeinCom - on 15 June 2022