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“Pippin Barr delves into the captivating relationship between cinema and video game storytelling in this intriguing excerpt from ‘The Stuff Games Are Made Of'”
Steven Spielberg’s iconic sci-fi film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, released in 1982, left a lasting impact on popular culture. However, its tie-in video game for the Atari 2600 console, hastily developed in just five weeks, became a cultural touchstone for entirely different reasons. The game was widely regarded as one of the worst in history and even led to the burial of hundreds of thousands of unsold cartridges in a landfill in 1983.
In his new book, “The Stuff Games Are Made Of”, Pippin Barr, an experimental game maker and assistant professor in design and computation arts at Concordia University, reflects on the game design process using his own previous projects as examples. He explores the differences between good cinema and games, highlighting how their storytelling goals may not always align.
Barr argues that despite its negative reputation, the E.T. video game may have actually captured the essence of the film in a unique way. The game’s portrayal of E.T. constantly falling into pits and its disorienting gameplay could be seen as a poignant reflection of the character’s experience of being stranded on an alien planet. Barr suggests that the game’s unpopularity may be due to its departure from traditional game design conventions rather than being inherently terrible.
The relationship between video games and film has been a topic of discussion since the early days of the medium. While video games have achieved cultural and economic dominance, there is still a sense that they don’t measure up to the artistic qualities of cinema. Barr believes that game makers have focused too much on replicating the audiovisual aspects of film without exploring the deeper structural and philosophical opportunities that other forms of media offer.
Adapting films into video games has often resulted in uninspired products that rely on the visual elements of the source material rather than pushing the boundaries of game design. Barr suggests that game designers should look beyond the surface-level action and spectacle of movies to find new cinematic forms that can be translated into games. By adapting films, plays, poems, and songs, game makers can engage in a conversation with other media and discover new ideas for game design.
Video games have the potential to create immersive experiences that go beyond what can be achieved in film. By asking players to inhabit the minds of characters and make choices within a cinematic world, games can explore the space of the mind in a unique way. Barr argues that quiet moments in games can be just as engaging as action-packed sequences, demanding player engagement and creating meaningful experiences.
While video game film adaptations will never be films themselves, they offer the opportunity to reimagine cinematic moments and introduce new ideas to the medium. By engaging in the conversation between cinema and video games through adaptation, game designers can discover innovative approaches to game design that go beyond the formulas of Hollywood blockbusters.