(eng.) Archetypical Classification of the Video Games: (Part-1, page-2)
About some games, included in the list, can appear questions concerning their belonging to certain archetypes.
For example, in game series "Half-Life" we see more a background story and a quite simple game mechanic in the interactive genre "shooter" (with very lightweight RPG elements).
And in the "skin" of the protagonist Gordon Freeman often we need to solve certain tasks, besides the fact thatyou always have to go somewhere and to shoot that what stops you in the way. On the other hand, generally there is no a skills system or even an advanced system of bonuses. The unique "bonuses" are those that you find on the levels, such as ammunition for weapons, the stations for filling of health and of energy (paradoxically, in this game the "energy" actually means "the state" of armor suit in which protagonist is clothed) etc.
Well, how would not be strange, having a simple game mechanics, as well as a certain story, which is more like a background, it should be noted that this game has very advanced general gameplay, associated with a variety of situations-tasks which should be solved, in order to pass further to another location.
In addition, all the situations in the game are dictated by a well-developed story, even if seems that it looks more like a background than the in-game story - just the story in no hurry to be fully disclosed. Do not forget that on some levels we meet the characters, who not only speak with the protagonist, but also help him with something, accordingly, they are very active, and their actions directly disclose the story. So, in general, the game series "Half-Life" can enter in the ranks of advanced gaming archetype, but more likely being at the initial "border" line - something like the transition, from the "medium-advanced" archetype to "advanced".
Another example is the game "Pac-Man". - This game is not part of simple archetype? - Actually, no! Because there are bonuses in the form of different fruits, and if you "eat" these fruits, then you get extra points.
Conclusion:Some novice developers ask me about how to create the perfect video game. I answer that nothing ideal can not exist, because something ideal is like a dream, something imaginary, to which you can aspire, but more often can not be achieved. Therefore, you must make Not an ideal game, but a correctly game, compositionally logical. I mean that in the game everything should be in its place, balanced, and is desirable that all the elements to be combined good between them more correctly, harmoniously, to be clear why you play, how to play and for which public-audience is intended. Of course, the gamer should have a good motivation, in order to move right up to the final of the game - and about this, developers must to think very well on the story and gameplay.
Another question that is often addressed to me (mostly on Facebook), it's just about how to make good video games - yes-yes, namely the Good Video Games. Pretty vague, is not it? One of my answers to such questions is in the following way (although here is more detailed):
- So, all of us know that the video game is a program (application, soft), working on special computer software codes, on the basis of programming languages.
Also, let us recall that the great contemporary art, namely the cinematography is... what? - Is movement! - Namely, the movement of the frames with a certain frequency, which creates the illusion of moving images on the screen.
I.e., these program codes or movement of the frames and of image is only some technical details. Although this is a very important details, of course, but is no more than some details. If those technical details have been enough, I'm afraid that the movies and the video games in their present form most probably would not have existed. I.e., all these details would be reduced to some attractions, whether be filmed movie attractions (some simple video filmings, documentaries or with special effects) or interactive (something similar to simplest games or something with more or less advanced game mechanics, as it was at the time of appearance of the first consoles, but probably with better graphics). But only the human spirit, that understands and creates the art, can to materialize these technical details in a work of art (artwork, piece of art).
The Lumiere brothers, at their factory which was invented the device сinématographe (i.e., specifically, it was a highly advanced device for those times, which could to make a filming-shooting on a special film, and then from the developed film, to show the image on the screen), shows a simple filmed scenes from the life or something improvised, as an attraction for the public. But a film director had to appear (namely George Méliès) then that to materialize these rapid movements of the film frames into artistic films (movies, motion pictures). Together with the works of other film directors, all this eventually have led to the art of cinema, known as cinematography.
With the electronic-digital games was almost the same story - had to appear the people of art, or just people who love the art, in order to their efforts, embodied in the interactive works, have led to the emergence of a greatest modern art - the interactive art, also called interactivography. At the present time, confidently and openly, we can talk about such a cultural phenomenon, in which is reflected its documentary and artistic side. - We play games in which can be a story or only game mechanics and all this exists on the basis of a certain theme. For example, the game on the theme about the war, where possible only need to run and shoot in certain historical places and dates - i.e., this is the documentary work. But there is also artistical works on a similar theme, in which it tells about the fates of people, about their characters, relationships and struggle with difficulties, etc. Respectively, the games there are on a very different themes, stories, game mechanics and gameplay etc.
So... if you want to create good games, you must first understand a simple but important truth - the video game is not only a software product. The video game is also a form of art, so it is a product of art (respectively, a piece of art), in the truest sense, which are the movies and theater performances (fr.-théâtral spectacle). The video game is also a unique cultural phenomenon in its own way, with its special interactive artistic language.
Accordingly, you should be able and to know how to write different stories, scenarios, how to do the directing of games (ro.- regia de jocuri; as a game director, he also is the game designer! - i.e. that who make the processing of the literary scenario of the game, in order to create the directorial game scenario, separately - it's basically the same gameplay!; + invents the game mechanics and make the design document, which includes a detailed description of the game), also you should be able to work with 2D or 3D graphics (drawing, modeling, 2D and 3D animation), to make audio-video-photo editing (and various types of image processing for textures, special effects, cut-scenes, etc.), to make programming (by writing codes based on a specific programming language or make simple visual programming), level design (i.e., a full creation of game levels, from the ordinary arrangement of the game objects, to a virtual natural or urban environment + introduction of ready-made interactive objects and characters to create a game action, based on the designer-director's instructions), work with the actors-characters (virtual or alive, again as a director + designer-animator, for cut scenes and various animations, such as movie-capture, etc.), an so on. And if you can not do something from all of this, then you have to start working in a team - for example, to create a studio and find a skilled and preferably professional people to assemble a team of developers, paying all of them (yes-yes, because with the naked enthusiasm will not go far away), be able to communicate well with everyone, able to listen, to give and take advice, give instructions. Or just to enter into the team of another studio and "plow the ground" for other people, and along the way learning how to make good video games - but all of this are already your worries. Such are the things! By the way, to work in a team is more cheerful and faster, so it's time to learn how to be a good, wise manager and employee. ;)
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So, now to the finale of the first part of the article, I would like to underline that this classification of the video games at the beginning I invented for myself personally, to simplify the understanding of the video games, and in order to work more easily on my own projects. Gradually, I came to the conclusion that the importance of this classification far exceeds the personal need, and this prompted me to write and publish this article. I really hope that the article will be useful for game developers, journalists and for other specialists from the industry and art of the games.
Also:
"Archetypical Classification of the Video Games"
Part-2: " The Essence of the Games"
Or follow the link: http://dmitry802.livejournal.com/4801.html
"Game Design: the revealing of phenomenon" (previous article of the author): http://dmitry802.livejournal.com/1529.html
"Interactivography - the new scientific term or The manifest of love for games" (previous article): http://dmitry802.livejournal.com/1881.html
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