ch3m1kal wrote:Once again, I find that the easiest way to think about this is "Am I objectively getting more out of this experience by playing it myself over watching a let's play?"
If the answer is yes, then it's probably safe to call it a game though, of course, that should generally not be the only criteria.
Again, my problem with that is that it's entirely subjective. That kind of rules out story-based games for people like me who have that is the most important factor. I likely would never have played Telltale's The Walking Dead, or Heavy Rain if I had seen a Let's Play of them first. There'd be nothing more for me at that point. The only games that doesn't extend to are games with almost no story. Your Mario games and the like. That's why I still haven't watched Kathleen play through The Stick of Truth. Because once I do, I won't want to play the game anymore, even if there are branching paths.
JackSlack wrote:Maybe we should just go with the Extra Credits opinion: The question is wrong.
The idea that trying to label things as a 'game' is a bad idea was kind of what I was trying to get at earlier. That's why I tried to use a fairly all-encompassing definition for what a 'game' is, as well as brought up the fact that the term 'video games' is also hurting the medium overall. I feel like a point that was brought up is why people get so annoyed about the subject. Calling something 'not a game' is basically a lot of peoples' ways of just dismissing it (note: I say a lot of peoples' because it, like everything, is not true of everyone who shares that opinion). They shouldn't have to worry about it because it's not part of their medium. But that creates a friction that doesn't end up helping anyone.
I do like the term interactive experiences. Though I feel as though people who want to continue this argument would then try to go into 'what does it mean to be interactive.' Using examples like Dear Esther with the argument that, due to the nature of their gameplay, they aren't really 'interactive' in a definitive sense. But that's speculation on my part, I admit. That just seems like people will do the same and try to twist it to put out things they do like and try to limit all over again.
EDIT: Thinking about it, the worry I have with the idea of 'interactive experience' is that it seems like it's too broad overall. Like... pretty much anything can be considered an interactive experience.