Gaming might be a more mainstream medium these days, but according to Ian Livingstone, Eidos' creative director and head of acquisitions, it is still struggling for respect.
"We're still seen as the red-headed stepchild of the creative industries, one notch up from pornography in the eyes of most of the establishment," Livingstone lamented to The Guardian. "They forget that half of the world and half of the UK's population play games. Games help define who we are as human beings - they are as important, culturally and socially, as music and films."
Livingstone is a staunch defender of the UK games industry, and has warned that it could die in the future if it's not looked after with such incentives as tax credits and better education for would-be developers.
It would appear that videogames still have a large number of detractors within other industries, but one has to wonder sometimes if it's through genuine disrespect, or good old fashioned jealousy. No matter how many FOX news reporters or ignorant film critics dismiss gaming, it can't be denied that the medium has grown exponentionally, and will continue to do so. Gaming is just as valid a form of entertainment as literature and film, and one day it will get the same respect, whether certain people want it to or not.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
10:46 AM on 10.23.2008 | 
http://www.stanford.edu/class/sts145/
It's close, but no potato.
Once gaming has been around for a while it'll get more respect.
Put it this way; How many commercials have you seen for Tomb Raider games (which haven't been <i>very</i> good in about a decade) and how many commercials have you seen for Braid?
Put it this way; How many commercials have you seen for Tomb Raider games (which haven't been <i>very</i> good in about a decade) and how many commercials have you seen for Braid?
Also, I taught a videogame history course once at a summer camp. It went over like lead balloon. The kids just wanted to play the games, not learn about them.
At least I got to expose them to Monkey Island.
Exactly where in gaming's history did you start?
@ The Exel- I started with Space Invaders, moved to Pac-Man, then branched out into Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Monkey Island, then went to Doom.
There were obviously a lot more games in there, but I can't remember them now. Have to check my old notes. I know Zork was in there somewhere.
There's still remnants of a "technophobe" generation that will never accept anything that's made with or for those crazy magic boxes we call "com-pu-ters".
Your not your f@cking khakis
"Put it this way; How many commercials have you seen for Tomb Raider games (which haven't been very good in about a decade) and how many commercials have you seen for Braid?"
On the long run, if Braid was really ground-breaking(did a good job when it came to integrate themes to gameplay mechanics but we could talk more about other good points and flaws) we will talk about it in a few years. But one thing is sure, we are going to talk about Tomb Raider and Lara Croft in a few years because of what she represents in the industry. She was one of the first videogame sex symbol and that was a step forward in "personality gaming" to borrow an expression from the history of animation.
Finding quality education is indeed a tall order a great many students recede into the abyss shortly after enrolling in these schools because they recognize they are getting a sub-standard education.
Many of those who do graduate go on to secure employment as substandard modelers, programmers, artist, etc. The majority of these facilities preach that they have "industry experienced instructors" few things could be further from the truth.
So yes a greater investment in education must be made.
P.S. The school in question if your thinking of attending, it's name begins with a C.