Games in Animation History

Animation has a long and varied history with many differing attitudes and styles, from art house to slapstick comedy. This semester, I'm supposed to take a class (Animation, Auteurs and Digital environments) that is all about analysing and critiquing Animation(and games) in it's historical context and comparing it with the precedent.

The gamers in the class are outraged, this doesn't have much to do with our degree, much less our preferred subject matter. Not to mention that the animators already have a leg up with having done a history course. (we think) Persevere we must.

So what's a gamer to do when the BIG assignment is all about, taking a film, game, studio, series of work and discussing how it fits into the context of Animation History? Try and work something out with as little information that you have.

(9/3/10) : I think my lack of understanding these categories is hindering the kind of essay ideas I am coming up with. I hope the lecturer will clear this up instead of leaving us in the dust.

Here's a great big list of the categories for the subject with some of my ideas on what I can do with it.

Animation as Optical Toy:
I'm pretty sure all games can be considered an optical toy or a use of optical illusions. Being digital in nature, there is a fine line between a game being an actual object and the experience of playing the game. The main question would be, is a game really just an elaborate optical toy?

Game products based on traditional optical toys:
- Eye Toy
- Project Natal
- XBox Live Vision

Animation as Comic:
My initial understanding of this was the use of comedy but instead it refers to the transition of comic books or strips to animation. I'm thinking of using it to compare or contrast on the following topics:
- how narrative is used
- influence on how story is told
- graphic styles
- influence on culture (comics on games or games on comics)

Find a franchise and see if a game has been made of it, there are just too many to name.

Here's some examples:
- Spiderman
- Batman
- Gundam
- Visual Novels

Animation as Theatre:
According to my course guide this is where the history of comedy is referenced. Not sure if it also refers to theatrical arts. Likely topics to cover would be the use of comedy in games, methods of characterisation (how characters are expressing themselves) or use of theatrical elements. Not sure of the exact requirements, hopefully it will cleared up soon.

Here's something that reads like work:
- how character animation impacts/enhance user response to either story or gameplay
- development of comedy in games
- use of comedy in game eg. in dialogue, character interaction

Some games to look at:
- Sam & Max
- Monkey Island Series
- Toonstruck
- Newgrounds

Animation as Live Action:
TV sitcoms, Disney and Games are all listed under this topic, so I guess an essay about the gameplay mechanics eg. immediate response of controller to screen. Not too sure, it's hard working in the dark.

Though Live Action Gaming does turn up LARP if you look. I don't think that's what the assignment is asking for.

Animation as Fine Art:
The most obvious choice is art games, the hardest task is finding enough examples and reference material to talk effectively about this genre.
Essay topics would include:
- How the art game (auteur game) is impacting on the gaming scene
- Why there is an increase of art games
- What is the role of an art game / How does a game without game play work

Games to look at:
- flOw
- Flower
- Today I Die
- Aether
- Braid
- Heavy Rain

Animation as Puppet:
Digital puppetry is the subject matter here, so things like machinima or avatars are a crucial element to crafting an essay.

Games/Items to look at:
- The Sims
- Second Life
- Red vs Blue
- World of Warcraft

Simular products:
- Populus
- Black & White

These are looking at using computer generated "people" and manlipulating them as their God.
Essay Topics:
- Use of video games as a film making technology
- Social factors in digital environments
- Use of avatar in playing games

Animation as Music:
Something about music videos so I guess music games may be covered in this section. Perhaps writing about the multiplayer/social group of these games.

Modern Music Games:
- Dance Dance Revolution
- Guitar Hero
- PaRappa the Rapper
- Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan or Elite Beat Agents
- Electroplankton

Animation as Science:
Early computer experimentation, edu-tainment (serious games) and virutal simulations are all linked in this topic. The obvious thing is to find a product and blab on about it, though I'm not sure how well you can link military simulations to the history of animation...

Topics to look at:
- Early computer programs eg. graphic user interfaces
- Virtual simulations eg. military training simulations, Sim City
- Educational games
- AI, Real Time Strategy units

Games to look at:
- Sim City
- Spore
- The Sims
- VBS1 & VBS2 (Training tool for the British Military and the USMC and other military forces around the world)

Non Games:
- Ghost in the Shell
- The Matrix
- Tron

The problem with this is I think I would keep going back to how graphics are needed to make this user friendly... I think I am missing the point of this essay.

Animation as Documentary:
Virtual realities, multi-player and games with ethical/political messages are the call here.

Stuff to look at:
- The Sims eg. Alice & Kev
- World of Warcraft
- Second Life
- Harpooned
- Dafur is Dying
- Escape from Woomera

Animation as Play:
I have no idea as to what this topic will be, I'm tossing up between stage play and "I'm going to play". If it's the later, there will be way too many things to think about since nearly all games are about play.

(11/3/10): Out lecturer doesn't even know what this is going to be. I think it is heading towards "gameplay" which will be a tricky path indeed.

Heroes of Video Gaming - Part I

Students will research and write a 500 word essay responding to the question “Who or What has had the greatest influence over modern games (and why)?” Students are expected to prepare a succinct, well articulated opinion piece. They will be graded on the cogency of their argument, research material found to back up their claims and to a lesser extent, writing / referencing skills.

Who or what do you come up with when faced with an assignment like this? That is the challenge I am currently dealing with, so here's an early run down of potential subjects.

Inventions

• Cathode Ray Tube: Without it television and computers would not be what they are today. One of the major pieces of technology that lead to advancements in visual entertainment and interfaces. You can't play a video game without a screen.
  


• Joy Sticks: You can't fly planes, wage war or save the universe without some influence from this baby. Traversing the X, Y and Z dimensions has never been easier. Also comes in Arcade and Thumb(Analog) flavours.
  


• Game Controller: The Joy Stick's more advanced brothers, comes with more technological advances than the last. Until humans can play using their minds, we're all going to settle for hand-eye coordination and Gamer's Thumb for a while yet.
  


• Computer: Responsible for the making and playing of games, the computer has continued to inspire people to stretch limits and break some molds.
  


• Lasers: An invention that lead to the invention of CDS and Science Fiction weapons. You can't have a light saber without lasers.
  


• CD-ROM: When Floppy Discs are not large enough, this shiny and slim disc entered our hearts and still lives on. Indispensable for installing and storing games.
  

Organisations

• The US Military: Arguably one of the most influential organisations out there that have influenced the development of video games. From computers, AI, virtual reality and the Internet, this organisation has had a big hand in making technology for war and civilian use.
  


• NASA: Boldly going where you can't and inspiring generations of boffins, nerds and geeks to create technologies for space travel, physics and Space Nazis. For us earth-bound creatures, we still may not be piloting Star Fighters without these egg heads.
  


• MIT: Boffins need an education and at this fine institution many of the world's computing and networking technologies got their start. Spacewar!, GNU Project and Jargon File all got launched here.


• Stanford University: Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, it is famous for educating a myriad of people who went out and developed companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Electronic Arts, Sun Microsystems(Java, kids.), Nvidia and Google.

Companies

• Nintendo: One of the largest game companies that still influences popular culture and gaming trends. Popularity has ensured that when a non-gamer thinks of video games, it is very likely they're thinking of Nintendo.


• Atari: The little engine that could have, Atari pioneered home consoles, arcades and personal computers in the early days. After the debacle of ET and a saturation in the market, it has never recovered the glory of days past.


• Apple: Starting with personal computers and now dominating wireless multimedia devices. Presenting games to the consumer has never been easier for independent gamer developers to get a foothold in the market.


• Lucas Arts: Part of Lucas' domination of entertainment, this company is synonymous with adventure games and light sabers. Despite the focus on the Star Wars franchise, many of the adventures games remain firm favourites in the hearts of many.

People

• Alan Turing: Mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, and computer scientist whose work in the devlopment of computer science made him one of the key players in the creation of the modern computer.


• Ralph H Baer: Developer of the Brown Box, the first home console and is considered the spawn point for the video game industy.


• Geroge Lucas: The man behind Star Wars, a franchise that inspired generations. From Space Invaders, jokes and military plans, somewhere in your mind Star Wars has influenced your vision of space.


• Shigeru Miyamoto: The face of Nintendo, a life that is filled with commerical success. Considered to be one of the most influential game designers around.

Others to consider

• Issac Assimov


• Microchip


• Internet


• Dungeons & Dragons


• Star Trek


• Senat

Things not to consider:

• Coffee


• Saturday Morning Cartoons


• Midi Music


• 4-chan


• Web Comics


• Critics