What is a video game? Let's get esoteric!

[DesertEagleXIX]

Yes, it sounds like a stupid question, but I'd like to discuss this.

Last weekend while playing Singstar, someone referred to it as a 'video game'. Another person stated, "it's not a video game, there's no hand-eye coordination involved; you need that for a video game." (Singstar requires vocal cord-eye coordination, only)

While I disagree, I see their point. Could you call the DVD edition of "Scene it" a video game? What are the primary elements needed to call something a videogame? Merely, interactivity and a video screen? Is a goal required? Would software like flOw be a videogame by that standard?

[willardhaven]

I never really considered games like DDR "video games", they're more like exercise machines.

To me, "video games" involve controlling some kind of avatar or representation of the player on screen.

My opinion does not fit with the textbook definition, which would be any game with an interface and reward system on a video screen. So I guess Scene It and Trivial Pursuit DVD are in?

[relicbane]

I would say anything that is fun, ie a game, and that is displayed or uses a video output as part of it. So I would say things like the dvd scene it would count, just as much as battleship and monopoly on gba would :D

[DesertEagleXIX]

Is a reward system a requirement, though. I though about this one.

What is the reward system in SimCity? Having a fully-realized, functioning metropolis? Perhaps.

But, then what about some of the interactive art downloads for the PS3 Eyetoy. There's no real reward to speak of.

I like your idea of not including DDR as a videogame. One thing I think about it- there's no 'narrative' to speak of. Most games have a story, however crude- You are the lone protector of eatch being invadeded by insect-like creatures. Or as we know it, Space Invaders. DDR doesn't have that; it's just music, arrows, and quickly moving feet. Now, what if DDR had a story mode, where a hero dances against CPU charcters; then we'd have a narrative.

[Chase]

A game is a game is a game. This is why there are specific names for video games, like first-person shooter, role-playing, et cetera. Rock Band, Dance Dance Revolution, and, good god, even Wii Fit, would be video games. Just because something isn't good doesn't mean it doesn't qualify.

[DesertEagleXIX]

No, chasemurata, we're not measuring quality. If something is good or bad is subjective and irrelevant.

By your standard everything that's a (electronically projected, I assume) game is a videogame. So, even software without specific goals qualifies? But a 'game' has to have rules and goals, right? otherwise, well, it's not much of a game.

A Leapfrog (children's toy) is a videogame then?

[kainzero]

what is a video game?

a miserable little pile of secrets!

but enough talk, have at you!

[integralsmatic]

No, chasemurata, we're not measuring quality. If something is good or bad is subjective and irrelevant.

By your standard everything that's a (electronically projected, I assume) game is a videogame. So, even software without specific goals qualifies? But a 'game' has to have rules and goals, right? otherwise, well, it's not much of a game.

A Leapfrog (children's toy) is a videogame then?


considering you have to play to learn in Leapfrog's sense sure it is. You cant learn from Leapfrog if its played incorrectly....atleast i dont think you can.


i disagree with DDR not being a Video Game. Its just as much of a "video game" as Final Fantasy or Donkey Kong. So you cant you use a controller....Your still interacting with the game and trying to achieve something in a different way. Like Guitar Hero and completing on expert...DDR get complete Legend of Max on Maniac.Its the same thing as completing god of war on GOD level. and those games require just a much or even more coordination than your normal run of the mill action/adventure game.

here is what i found to be a definition of a video game. plain and simple

video game
n. An electronic or computerized game played by manipulating images on a video display or television screen

[munch]

If it's not on the PS3, it's not a video game.

[Chase]

No, chasemurata, we're not measuring quality. If something is good or bad is subjective and irrelevant.

By your standard everything that's a (electronically projected, I assume) game is a videogame. So, even software without specific goals qualifies? But a 'game' has to have rules and goals, right? otherwise, well, it's not much of a game.

A Leapfrog (children's toy) is a videogame then?

Leapfrog? Sure. I consider it an educational handheld video game. Alternatively, it could possibly be simply labeled as an educational handheld device, though they do play educational video games, so I stand by my first assessment.

[jkanownik]

I defer to wikipedia's infinite wisdom:

A video game is a game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game) that involves interaction with a user interface (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interface) to generate visual feedback on a video device (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_device).

A game is a structured or semi-structured activity (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/activity), usually undertaken for enjoyment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enjoyment) and sometimes also used as an educational (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education) tool. Games are generally distinct from work (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_labour), which is usually carried out for remuneration (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/remuneration), and from art (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art), which is more concerned with the expression of ideas. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work or art.
Key components of games are goals, rules (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule), challenge (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/challenge), and interactivity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactivity).

So, the video is pretty much not debatable and it gets into what is and what isn't a game. DVD Scene It and Singstar are definitely games, so that would make them video games. Blue Ocean has rules, goals (even thought they are undefined and unrewarded) and interactivity, so I would say that is a game as well. Electroplankton had rules and interactivity, but no goals or challenge, so I wouldn't classify that as a game.

[DesertEagleXIX]

Thinking about Electroplankton, there was one level where droplets would careen off of leaf tips, making different musical tones. The player could add leafs, making a cascading effect. (I could be wrong about the details, having played over a year ago) Still, I tried to create a challange, by seeing how many bounces I could have the droplets make.

Also, there is a homebrew title for the Nintendo DS called Crayon Physics; there are rules (gravity, momentum, etc) but no clear cut objectives. Player can make balls, dominoes, and other objects. When I start to play, I nearly always have a goal (Often to make the largest, longest Rube Goldberg), so wouldn't this be a game? Are sandbox games, actually games by that definition?

But then again, I think narrative fits in this mess somewhere; and these two titles have no 'story.'