And I’m the best animal pic this week, AGAIN. Woo~

Did you guys make that comparison in the podcast?
No, but afterwards we had a discussion. I have been revising my aesthetic system and am now firmly of the belief that video games are not, and cannot be, art, as I view them (even in their single-player incarnations, and even when those are heavily narrativised) to be more like sports. This is because the participatory mechanism is what allows for the reification of meaning availability. (It doesn’t mean that games are ‘not as good a thing’ as things that are art; for me, they are just different categories of thing.)

It’s a complex matter but probably not a useful discussion for us to have, as it’s only useful if you share my aesthetic theory. Plenty of thinkers do, but most people prefer to use art/beauty/sublime in much less formalised ways. As a philosopher (and a Kantian aesthetic, no less), I mean something very specific by the use of those terms. It will likely devolve into someone getting butthurt because they think (like Ebert thought, in fact) that ‘art’ is some kind of sticker that you slap on a thing to show your approbation of its beauty. This is why Ebert thought games couldn’t be art: he was convinced that all games were Pac-Man and that Pac-Man was the summation of the form. Willfully obtuse and bad reasoning.

I also add that this doesn’t mean that a game can’t contain artful things: the music or the soundtrack or the writing may all be art, but the whole thing, as a game to be played, cannot be art, systemically.

As this doesn’t affect what one does with games, only how one categorises them for academic purposes, it’s not really a productive discussion for the site, in any case. Far more important is that you did not tell us what musical you saw, as if you thought we didn’t care!

“Funny you should mention that . . .”
Did you guys make that comparison in the podcast? Sometimes I have to write the Info Blast while getting some other task done, so I may have missed that particular comment.

“Hiring Drive / This still needs to be a feature.”
I know! I know!

“You also didn’t provide the answer in the podcast, so I’ve got your back.”
I KNOW I KNOW!

“Since you only played about 2 seconds”
That particular recording is phenomenal. I wanted to put the whole thing in, but I thought it would be funnier if I did this instead.

“Lots of nuns”
SOMETHING like that!

“I think the only one of these games that I’ve played was Sword of Mana, and that game was pretty mediocre IIRC. Does this one fare better?”
No. Much worse. Much, much worse. Sword of Mana is just a mediocre remake of a the very good Seiken Densetsu (aka Final Fantasy Adventure). That’s the best game in the series (sorry, Secret of Mana fans).

“It sounds very Loki”
SOMETHING like that!

“I think the reason that Bungie has done this is that they want to have control over how their game is depicted in ads.”
Correct. I thought I said this, but maybe I got distracted. Bungie want to have control of the marketing of their properties. Who would want to give that control away?

“This is like Ebert trying to exclude games as art, it’s just not going to work.”
Funny you should mention that . . .

“Synonym Buns”
One of my favourite sections as well. We laughed about this after the podcast, ourselves. Rigamaroles and ragamuffins!

Also read a few chapters of Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett is great fun. I very much enjoy the Discworld series, and the television adaptations have been pretty good on the whole, with the exception of Going Postal, which is not good–it’s excellent.

[I am in the giving mood. FIXED. -Lusi]

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Reading Raffle:
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Fall Playthrough
Vagrant Story
Begins in October

Hiring Drive
This still needs to be a feature.

Hype and Go Seek
“Relive an adventurous tale rich with agents, espionage, and conspiracies. Challenge deadly villains and monsters with your steel and magic. Clear your name by uncovering a sinister plot or perish in the attempt. A dark cinematic adventure set in a richly detailed 3D world.”
Answer SN was right. Very easy. You also didn’t provide the answer in the podcast, so I’ve got your back.

Musical Interlude
3rd Movement of The Seasons by Vivaldi
Since you only played about 2 seconds, I listened to the whole thing. It’s not my cup of classical tea, but it’s not bad or annoying.

Cricket
England wins an ODI, something, something, Joe Root

XBone Launches in Japan, no one cares
“Lots of nuns” -Lusipurr describing the crowds out for the XBone launch in Japan.

Rise of Mana
I think the only one of these games that I’ve played was Sword of Mana, and that game was pretty mediocre IIRC. Does this one fare better?

“Sometimes being a jerk is it’s own reward” – Silicon Noob
Enterprise A is pretty, but I like E the best. It just looks sleek and awesome. A is great in a classic Sci-Fi kind of way.

Lusi: “This is the DepressionCast”
Mel: “It sounds very Loki”

Lusi V. Bup
Remakes
I think Bup has the timeline for this a bit off. Remaking something one generation old is a bit too soon. Give it two I think.

Freemium
I think that games are increasingly going in this direction and we need to have discussions about how to do it well and without being a slimeball rather than trying to shunt it out of the industry entirely.

OCRemix
Finally a debate with some actual back and forth arguments! About time!
I never imagined that I’d say this, but I agree with Bup. Remixes can be great ways to hear neat interpretations of your favorite video game songs.
End Lusi V. Bup

Google IAP
I’m not against IAP as a whole, but this whole debacle highlights exactly the problems with the current implementation that developers, Google and Apple are using to squeeze dollars from gamers.

Destiny Fragrance Europe
I think the reason that Bungie has done this is that they want to have control over how their game is depicted in ads. They may not want their ads to continue to perpetuate the idea that they’re tied solely to Microsoft.

ESPN Esports
This is like Ebert trying to exclude games as art, it’s just not going to work.

Imitanis Literature Corner
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I really enjoyed the word foods. That was great. “Synonym Buns” LOL.

Imitanis Gaming Moment
Had a busy week. No gaming this week, sorry. I did play air hockey, go kayaking and go to the theatre to see a musical though, so I wasn’t just slacking off. Also read a few chapters of Making Money by Terry Pratchett, which is great like most of the Discworld series. It’s a similar style of humor to Douglas Adams in a nonsensical fantasy setting. Many of these would be great podcast reading as well, though probably longer than your target length.
There should be more D&D this weekend but I’m not certain yet.

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