Why games are bad at storytelling (and in general)

[CheeseSandwich]

I fundamentally disagree. Some of the best stories I've experienced were in video games, made all the more involved because I was enacting and 'living' it out.

[Deleted]

I get it. You like to read books and watch TV but not play games.

Just like my dad.

Fine.

Can we close this now?

I used to love games. Why do you think I'm on this forum? Then I pretty much just realised that all games are contrived and their mechanics are uncessary and pointless. If I want a good story I'll read a book or watch a film. I don't want to have to kill a thousand boring enemies to get to the next cutscene.

[Post]

Tell me.. friend... When did Saruman the Wise abandon reason for madness?

This is the best response possible for this thread.

[l33t]

Even the "best" games which promote heavy story telling focuses are bad because they will have some element of gameplay mechanics which, again, are pretty much just unnecessary hurdles to jump to get to the main plot point. Mechanics are pure shit. I couldn't care less for combat, loot, and all that. Heck, I don't even care for simple mechanics like dialogue boxes. Who cares what I as a player choose to do? Tell me a damn story properly without all this crap getting in the way.

I guess someone just got his ass kicked in Witcher 3

Strictly on-topic: there are games, and there are Games. If you've been playing CoD or Assassin creed series, I can agree with you, its just useless wasting of time, story-wise. But go and play Telltale's The Walking Dead, compare it to pathetic TV show and then you'll see which one delivers story better.

Games are basically an interactive movies/books. I love books, and I can't live without them. But movies, really? Aside of Interstellar, I can't really remember last time I liked a movie... everything is so cliched, predictable, boring and "Oh-I've-seen-this-a-million-times-already"... bah, to each goes its own, I guess.

[Deleted]

You shouldn't feel so bad about not being good at game mechanics. You don't have to be. Watching TV, a movie, or reading a book don't require any mechanics, other than lying on a couch, so you've got nothing to worry about. However, you shouldn't take your frustrations out on all gaming, because you see, there are plenty of people out there who are actually very good at game mechanics, and enjoy them very much.

It'll get better. Just you wait.

Lol, cute. You think I'm posting because I'm shit at games? What a surface-level assumption. Read my other posts.

See post no. 25.

[chazus]

1)Most games are "gamey" - they are contrived.
2)They are pale shadows of actual story-telling in books and films
3)Most games are for hyper-active teenage boys, with no substance and are filled with flashy graphics
4)Promotes sitting around on one's arse the entire day.

Games these days are less contrived, have better stories, and are less 'no substance with graphics' than ever. Look at the indie catalog. Games now are more immersive and amazing than they've ever been.

Also, how does reading a book or watching tv not 'promote sitting on ones arse all day'?

I feel a bit like I've been played.

[Littleraven]

Games do a fantastic job at telling stories. On par with movies and even books sometimes. All 3 of those mediums have amazing and terrible stories in them. To say that overall games are bad at telling stories is ignorant IMO.

[Rixis]

I feel a bit like I've been played.

I bet you were a crap story too

[Deleted]

Games these days are less contrived, have better stories, and are less 'no substance with graphics' than ever. Look at the indie catalog. Games now are more immersive and amazing than they've ever been.

Also, how does reading a book or watching tv not 'promote sitting on ones arse all day'?

I feel a bit like I've been played.

Perhaps games are becoming as you say. But they're not quite there yet. Take out all of the game mechanics and then maybe we'll be getting somewhere, eh? Just because Dragon Age or Bioshock or the Witcher or whatever game you like has a more developed story doesn't mean that games valid story-telling platforms. Mechanics are FUNDAMENTALLY obnoxious and get in the way of the story.

[Deleted]

Tell me.. friend... When did Saruman the Wise abandon reason for madness?

Damn. Now that's a good response.

@OT: Your opinion. It's certainly true for some games. On the other hand, it's also true that a lot of movies / series / books are rather badly written and don't tell good stories. But there are wonderful books, movies, series AND games out there in terms of story. E.g. some of the best I've experienced were in player-made maps in Neverwinter Nights, which is - a game.

[Deleted]

Even the "best" games which promote heavy story telling focuses are bad because they will have some element of gameplay mechanics which, again, are pretty much just unnecessary hurdles to jump to get to the main plot point. Mechanics are pure shit. I couldn't care less for combat, loot, and all that. Heck, I don't even care for simple mechanics like dialogue boxes. Who cares what I as a player choose to do? Tell me a damn story properly without all this crap getting in the way.

I know right, it's just unbearable having to turn the page in the book. Like, why doesn't it turn itself?

[Deleted]

Sooooooo....getting to the down and dirty. We now know what how it is NOT done.

Now tell us how a game should be.....envisioned by you....

It shouldn't be a GAME. There, that pretty much covers it. Remove all game mechanics and just have a vast explorable world where you can stumble upon story. This way you won't have to do tedious chores to get to it.

[CheeseSandwich]

What is a game that doesn't tell a story, in one form or another? Even counter strike tells a story of a fight between terrorists and counter terrorists, and LoL is a story of settling scores in a civilized manor on a planet that is falling apart, as examples.

[Deleted]

Because you're playing the wrong games.

I'm not playing any games. Clearly. Do you really think I'd waste my time? I know of the big triple A games, but I have no interest whatsoever. People say games like the witcher 3 and all that are great, but again I have no interest in killing enemies and blabla. It's all nonsense.

[Thunderbleem]

You just keep using the words "mechanics" and "contrived" and "unnecessary" repeatedly. By "mechanics" do you mean "any sort of interactive experience?"

In other words, you want to go watch TV. Well, what's stopping you?

[Calfredd]

It shouldn't be a GAME. There, that pretty much covers it. Remove all game mechanics and just have a vast explorable world where you can stumble upon story. This way you won't have to do tedious chores to get to it.

So interactive fiction like Dear Ester and Gone Home?

[Deleted]

What is a game that doesn't tell a story, in one form or another? Even counter strike tells a story of a fight between terrorists and counter terrorists, and LoL is a story of settling scores in a civilized manor on a planet that is falling apart, as examples.

You're not evening listening. I'm saying take all the gameplay out of the game so that the story can shine, not take out all of the story from a game.

[bmjclark]

I'm kind of confused about the point of this. You're saying you want to see the story of the game without playing the game pretty much? Isn't that kind of like me saying i want to get the story out of a book but all the damn reading is getting in the way?

[klogaroth]

You're forgetting about the story creation element of video games.

Especially in games that are very heavy on mechanics and light on a predetermined story. Games where the journey of the player through a world with some pre-set rules and possibly some pre-written lore is the story itself. Where you write, live and tell your own story as you play.

[Deleted]

I'm kind of confused about the point of this. You're saying you want to see the story of the game without playing the game pretty much? Isn't that kind of like me saying i want to get the story out of a book but all the damn reading is getting in the way?

No....

I've said it fairly clearly. Give me the Witcher 3, Dragon Age or whatever bloody game with "good storytelling" without the tedious combat, loot and all the uneccessary things which get in the way. In no way am I saying that this is the equivelant of words on the page being a chore to read like you're suggesting. Books are pure and unfiltered story - the words are the sole aspect conveying the story. Games are a shit mixture of mechanics and story through cinematics. Give me less of the damn mechanics.