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Schafer: Games need to broaden their subject matter photo

Psychonauts and Brütal Legend designer Tim Schafer has said that the biggest barrier between fresh audiences and videogames is a lack of varied subject matter. Stating that games need to get beyond just a handful of basic genres, the respected game creator posits that the industry has a long way to go if the mainstream will embrace the medium.

"I think it's a subject matter barrier. Not everybody wants to get into these super violent worlds and yet here I am making a game about broad axes and decapitation," he explains. "But I think humour would get more people into games.

"It's getting better, it used to be that the games industry had a short list of inspirations. You had Tolkien-esque fantasy, Star Wars, and then new things get added. I think GTA brought a whole new level of inspiration. And I think the broader that gets, the more people will be interested in games.

"If you look at movies, they deal with everything about life. They deal with all aspects of life: romance, comedy, serious dramas. And games are mostly limited to the summer action blockbuster. They haven't really gone outside of that. But I think they will, and hopefully they will soon, or else people will be solidified in their view of games. Their expectations are set."

I would love to see videogames get big enough balls to tackle meatier subject matter, but I must disagree that it's limited themes that are proving to be a barrier. If anything, the Wii has proven that it's significant simplicity and a further dumbing down of videogames that attract new people. Still, show me a good romantic comedy videogame and I'll be convinced that games have arrived.








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34 comments | showing # 1 to 34
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illuminatatus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:26
illuminatatus
I believe everything Schafer says.
Kraid's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:28
Kraid
I believe Grim Fandango should be ported to the DS or the Wii.
Sean Carey's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:34
Sean Carey
Confirmed : Tim Schafer is currently developing I Love You Man, The Game for X360/PS3!!!
Matthew Blake's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:37
Matthew Blake
Just because the most popular games are simple mechanically doesn't mean they can't be complicated thematically. In fact, that's probably a sure-fire way of getting more people to play: lower the barrier for people who aren't that great at playing games, while delivering more interesting subject matter to make the experience more satisfying. Don't think it can work? One word: Bioshock. Yes, it's not perfect, but it's a perfect example of what games could do to grow. It's also an example of a game that drew on a unique source (in this case, the Art Deco movement). Not to toot my horn, but I'm currently working with a partner on a game based on Commedia Dell'arte, the ancient Italian theatre of improvised comedy and originator of slapstick. I don't know how successful it'll be, but it just goes to show that there are a ton of different sources game developers can draw on.
Phantom Spaceman's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:43
Phantom Spaceman
Psychonauts and Brütal Legend designer Tim Schafer has said that the biggest barrier between fresh audiences and videogames.

I don't think this is technically a sentence.
BattyAdroit's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:44
BattyAdroit
If it would result in less games that girlfriends everywhere automatically roll their eyes at, more power to Mister Schafer.
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:44
PappaDukes
Am I missing something with that first sentence?

Psychonauts and Brütal Legend designer Tim Schafer has said that the biggest barrier between fresh audiences and videogames.

What is the biggest barrier?
the Golden Avatar's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:46
the Golden Avatar
Embedded links define new grammatical rules. Jim is on the cutting edge of language.
Andrew Kauz's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:50
Andrew Kauz
Yeah...he's absolutely right. I think games just need to start mixing different subject matters more deftly. Some types of stories just lend themselves better to being the main driving force of a video game--romantic comedy isn't one of them. But that doesn't mean that any given game can't have plenty of those elements in there.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:51
Tubatic
no to much broader subject matter, I think.

AAA quality games with broader subject matter.

Then again, getting a game dealing with the realities of depression probably doesn't benefit from a level editor or wicked multiplayer.

But if someone really tried....
Sassafrass's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:52
Sassafrass
"I think it's a subject matter barrier. Not everybody wants to get into these super violent worlds and yet here I am making a game about broad axes and decapitation," he explains. "But I think humour would get more people into games."

That's funny, I just wrote a post on humor in games and how games should be exploring a wider variety of emotions than murder, mayhem and brooding. I completely agree with Schafer here. Why are video games so one-note?

Check it out, if interested:
http://presspausetoreflect.blogspot.com/2009/06/humor.html
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:52
Tubatic
my comment was an abstract. It wasn't supposed to make sense...

yeah, that's it...
Peteru's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 09:58
Peteru
Absolutely.

We have "Rambo" in any variation, some "Indina Jones", "Lord of the Rings" and "A Thin Red Line" and a little "Saw" but that's pretty much it. Except for individual attempts to go beyond.

I'd like to know how many other gamers see killing wave after wave of enemies as a base gameplay as worn out concept. For example - I'd like Mass Effect (and most RPGs) much better if there were 10 times less random hostile grunts. Clearing some sewers or evil fortress room after room (where enemies notice only after you come to their room ;) ) AGAIN is a waste of time for me.
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:11
PappaDukes
Jim is the cutting edge of language!
Maxxthepenguin's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:29
Maxxthepenguin
Once again, Tim Schafer is 100% right. Pretty much every game falls under the fantasy, military, sci-fi, or pure conceptual genre settings. Believe it or not, that's a rather big barrier for many people to get over.
Havoc Fang's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:31
Havoc Fang
I love you, Schafer! You combine the elements of a mainstream designer and indie developer into one ball of power!

Sign my face!
silvain's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:38
silvain
I agree with this also. I'd love to see what games can do without violence.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:38
GoldenGamerXero
Tim Schafer has developed many orginal games so he's probably one of the few people who can say this without being a total freaking hypocrite.
Matthew Blake's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:42
Matthew Blake
Actually, I think a romantic comedy game could work, if done properly. More likely than not, the player wouldn't control the actual couple; rather, they could play the zany Marx Brothers-type characters that help the guy get the girl- or vice versa, of course.
Niero's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:43
Niero
I thought Uncharted did a pretty good job at inching towards romantic comedy without being a crate of cheeseballs.
Takeshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 10:53
Takeshi
What Niero said.
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 11:01
Monodi
I have been playing Grim Fandango recently and I just gotta say e did an incredible job combining Casablanca and Dia de Muertos
SRCisFriday's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 11:39
SRCisFriday
Tim Schafer never played Earthbound?
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 11:53
Holyetheline
@Peteru

Exactly. Waves of enemies is alright but I want MOAR!!!!
Pangloss's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 12:02
Pangloss
@Niero: Hell, most actual romantic comedy movies have a great deal of trouble (read: attempt and fail at) not turning into a crate of cheeseballs.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 12:47
Tubatic
@SRCisFriday

Probably not. But that was what, 14 years ago? The setting and subject matter didn't seem to make an impact on the games afterwards, in the big picture.
Reginald's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 13:18
Reginald
lord of the rings is the fantasy staple

aliens, predator, and starwars/startrek are the sci-fi staples

rambo/terminator2/diehard/THE MATRIX are the action game staples.. obviously there's more, but those movies need to be removed from the shelf of influence. if I see one more giger-ripoff xenomorph as the antagonistic force, I'll scream. (I wont be in space, so I can do it)
X-angwin8r's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 13:40
X-angwin8r
While I think Schafer has a point, I would argue that the gaming industry to much closer to mainstream acceptance than ever before. The increasing trend we see in blending different genres (mostly action and RPG) could be seen as steps towards breaking out of established themes. Meanwhile, the latest E3 gives us more ways to interact with games than ever before. I'll admit that overall, subject material seems limited to a few different tropes (fantasy, sci-fi, WWII), I think that too is on its way to greater variety. Now we've got games about wannabe DJ's, cooking mamas and games where you can type anything from a working time machine to Cthulhu into existence.
Tony Ponce's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:06
Tony Ponce
Then we have fitness games, but then you some people criticize it for not being "real".
oshiee's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:07
oshiee
how many of those people who bought Wii's will actually stick w/ gaming? How many will buy games other than Wii Fit, Wii yoga, Wii etc?
Wii is just another fad toy and not a vehicle by which to get video games into the mainstream.
I personally don't care about video games becoming main stream but I crave something new from the medium. I'm so tired of hack and slashes and shooter games. Yes it's cool blowing someone up in the most awesome way possible but after about 10000000 times i'm kinda bored. Give me something new like Flower but bigger and better. Make me feel an emotion other than "wow dude that's totally awesome".
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:18
PappaDukes
@oshiee - me. and i don't own a single game with the word "Wii" in it. Except Wii SPorts of course, but that came bundled.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:27
GoldenGamerXero
@Oshiee and PappaDukes

Count me too. Oh and my cousins down the street who didn't think they would like gaming but now enjoy and support games (both "casual" and "hardcore") Alot more people will probably enjoy a "casual" system and then countine to buy games then a "hardcore!" one.
PrinnyMedic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:28
PrinnyMedic
what I look for in a game in order of importance

1.Story
2.Game play
3.music
4.graphics
5.everything else
stevenjazz787's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2009 14:38
stevenjazz787
While it's true that "story" games are usually limited to a plot to which violence can be worked in, that is not always true; also, not every game or movie with violence is the "summer blockbuster" type. (Disclaimer: Do not confuse violence with gore for this comment, violence is anything time one actor commits to physical harm of another.)

There are games that have stories, that have little or no violence. There are story driven RPGs, Dating Games, MMORPGs, puzzle games, and more that contain all sorts of different activities to get the next piece of the story. Gamers who come on to forums and blogs are typically not the type that play these games, but there are millions of people who do.

There are violent games and movies that are not all B-movies or Summer Blockbusters. There's a difference between Saving Private Ryan and Starship Troopers.

Now for the tough sell...

There are still gamers and game developers out there that think the Story isn't about the experience of someone on the screen but instead the experience that the gamer has. Whether it's Wii Sports, Karaoke Revolution, Rock Band, DDR, Carnival Games, Tetris, or most Retro style games (where you get 2 screens of story at the beginning and end of the game, with several hours of uninterrupted game play in the middle) the story is the feeling and experience of the person or people playing the game.

That's something that movies can't do and why I post on forums and blogs about video games, not movies. Why I care about video games more than movies.

So make fun of the Wii. Make fun of the millions of people who play simple PC games. They are truer gamers than the people I see on the internet, hating on everything that they don't like.
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