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What Game Developers Can Learn From Wall-E
Slick Icarus | 11:11 AM on 06.30.2008 9 comments




When I saw Wall-E yesterday, I noticed something in there that was missing from most every other film and game I had seen in the last few years: subtlety. Wall-E is a film with very little dialogue; the story is told through what you see. In a sense, you tell yourself the story. The problem with a majority of games nowadays is that they have no subtlety whatsoever. They cram everything into your head, they show and tell you everything, like a mother to her child. Whereas a game like Shadow of the Colossus or Half-Life 2 presents the story in a passive, its-up-to-you-to-figure-out-whats-going-on kind of way, something like a Metal Gear Solid (great games, mind you) have to explain every last bit of plot to you and just end up feeling convoluted and more complicated than they really are. Meanwhile, some games don't even try to tell a cohesive story (Ninja Gaiden 2) and just end up feeling stupid.

Look, all I'm saying is to assume the audience is smart enough to understand what you show them without you having to explain every last bit of freakin' plot to them. If a seven year old can understand the plot of Wall-E without being told anything, just watching it, then we sure as hell can figure out why the zombies are trying to eat our brains.

P.S. I love you Pixar and want to have your babies.



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9 comments | showing # 1 to 9

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njsykora's Destructoid Blog
Pixar >>>>>>> Dreamworks

That's all I have to say.
Mr Wilson's Destructoid Blog
One of the best movies I have seen in the last 5 years...maybe more. Also, your point=true.
Shin Oni's Destructoid Blog
Wall-E wins everything. Someone find me a fucking Wall-E for my house.

I want Pixar to make my Wall-E and EVE babies.NAO.
BlindsideDork's Destructoid Blog
Ninja Gaiden has a story?



PS: Wall-E = Chick flick. Not bad...but chick flick.
Shin Oni's Destructoid Blog
oh...I have a tendacy lately to ignore topics..

I agree with you on the simplicity most games need to revert bac to. This ties into graphics also as they're great, Almost everyone is too busy worried about graphics and then have gameplay as a very bad secondary.

now....back to Pixar making me Wall-E/EVE babies...
Vongore's Destructoid Blog
Aslo, Wall-e is made out of a GameCube :D
Gen Eric Gui's Destructoid Blog
Yes. God yes. Subtle storytelling, more of it, please. One of the reasons I consider SMT: Nocturne to be one of the best RPG's of all time is because it didn't shove the story IN YOUR FACE CONSTANTLY, it let you figure things out for yourself. Same thing with Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song, and to some extent, Yggdra Union.

Please, game devs. Learn from Wall-E. (I want to see that movie so bad it hurts...maybe sometime this week)
Cowzilla3's Destructoid Blog
Wall E was truly awesome and true point amn.
craineum's Destructoid Blog
I haven't scene Wall E yet, I really really need to. but Pixar has always been about the details... and the story, that is why they have always been great. I remember watching toy story and seeing nicks in the paint on the door... back when that kinda crap took awhile to render.

Some day soon I hope that the publishers are willing to take some more risks in allowing developers to put out stuff that pushes the envelop. Instead of the current series of 4. Its happening, just not enough.


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