IB Lit and Lang Blog 9: Once upon a time...
TED Talk: How video games turn players into storytellers https://www.ted.com/talks/david_cage_how_video_games_turn_players_into_storytellers#t-501271
The TED Talk I chose is "How video games turn players into storytellers." The speaker is a video game developer for a popular action-adventure game: Detroit: Become Human. In the talk, the speaker talks about how film, TV, and book writers write stories that are very one-sided, stories that don't have any choice, because the writers are the ones who made all of the choices. He details how storytelling is supposed to mimic life and cause the audience to feel emotions. However, there is a part of storytelling that the conventional storytelling methods can't reproduce, which are choices. He argues that choices are a huge part of our lives, but with the conventional storytelling methods, the audience only watches as the characters deal with the consequences of their own choices. Video games, however, present the ability to let the audience be a co-writer of the story of sorts. It allows the audience, or the player, make their own stories by making their own choices. Instead of watching characters deal with problems that the character created, they can deal with problems that they themselves created. The speaker then brings out a scene from the game that he helped design and let the audience make the choices. He then goes on to talk about how there are many different outcomes that could play out. A linear writer has to deal with time and space, an interactive writer has to deal with time, space, and possibilities. The audience is no longer passively watching a story play out, they are now a co-writer, a co-director, and a co-actor, making their own choices.
The speaker does a decent job in presenting their argument. They are a writer themselves, a writer who is tasked with taking into account players' decisions. He is the one who helps write the stories of video games, including the one that was played at the TED Talk. David Cage, the speaker, is the founder of the video game development studio, Quantic Dream, and wrote and directed three different narrative driven games. So, he is overly qualified to speak about storytelling and how he believes video games can help evolve it. However, because of this, the speaker has a very clear bias. He loves video games, therefore, he is biased towards them rather than "conventional" means of storytelling like movies or books. However, the structure of the talk seemed natural. He started by talking about storytelling in general and then branched it off to video games. It then goes to a demo of his game and allowing the audience to make the decisions for the character, and ends with how video games, and interactive stories in general, can help to evolve storytelling for the better. The argument seems valid as well; if the audience is connected to the story in some way, either by their own choices or some other way, then that will make for a much better experience for everyone involved.
I am connected to this topic because I find that when I'm connected to something, I enjoy it more. I find movies and shows to be interesting when they are about something I find interest in, like most people, but I find video games to be even more interesting. Video games rope the player in the conflict, which causes them to be connected with it in some way. For movies, there are times where I completely understand what the characters are going through and their motivations, however, video games allow me to be able to make those choices for myself, and therefore I am dealing with my own consequences and watching my own choices unfold. The motivations of the character, which, in some cases, is just the player themselves, are much more relatable and understandable.
The TED Talk I chose is "How video games turn players into storytellers." The speaker is a video game developer for a popular action-adventure game: Detroit: Become Human. In the talk, the speaker talks about how film, TV, and book writers write stories that are very one-sided, stories that don't have any choice, because the writers are the ones who made all of the choices. He details how storytelling is supposed to mimic life and cause the audience to feel emotions. However, there is a part of storytelling that the conventional storytelling methods can't reproduce, which are choices. He argues that choices are a huge part of our lives, but with the conventional storytelling methods, the audience only watches as the characters deal with the consequences of their own choices. Video games, however, present the ability to let the audience be a co-writer of the story of sorts. It allows the audience, or the player, make their own stories by making their own choices. Instead of watching characters deal with problems that the character created, they can deal with problems that they themselves created. The speaker then brings out a scene from the game that he helped design and let the audience make the choices. He then goes on to talk about how there are many different outcomes that could play out. A linear writer has to deal with time and space, an interactive writer has to deal with time, space, and possibilities. The audience is no longer passively watching a story play out, they are now a co-writer, a co-director, and a co-actor, making their own choices.
The speaker does a decent job in presenting their argument. They are a writer themselves, a writer who is tasked with taking into account players' decisions. He is the one who helps write the stories of video games, including the one that was played at the TED Talk. David Cage, the speaker, is the founder of the video game development studio, Quantic Dream, and wrote and directed three different narrative driven games. So, he is overly qualified to speak about storytelling and how he believes video games can help evolve it. However, because of this, the speaker has a very clear bias. He loves video games, therefore, he is biased towards them rather than "conventional" means of storytelling like movies or books. However, the structure of the talk seemed natural. He started by talking about storytelling in general and then branched it off to video games. It then goes to a demo of his game and allowing the audience to make the decisions for the character, and ends with how video games, and interactive stories in general, can help to evolve storytelling for the better. The argument seems valid as well; if the audience is connected to the story in some way, either by their own choices or some other way, then that will make for a much better experience for everyone involved.
I am connected to this topic because I find that when I'm connected to something, I enjoy it more. I find movies and shows to be interesting when they are about something I find interest in, like most people, but I find video games to be even more interesting. Video games rope the player in the conflict, which causes them to be connected with it in some way. For movies, there are times where I completely understand what the characters are going through and their motivations, however, video games allow me to be able to make those choices for myself, and therefore I am dealing with my own consequences and watching my own choices unfold. The motivations of the character, which, in some cases, is just the player themselves, are much more relatable and understandable.
Big Alec, whats good. Basically, this blog post was cool, since it talked about a topic that is relatable to me. It's dope to create your own story in a video game, as well as life. I liked your personal connection too. It's crazy how in today's day and age we can literally control a virtual person and just see how it plays out. Anyway, good blog post, but it could've used a little bit more analysis of the appeals.
ReplyDeleteHey Alec! I really liked this blog because I can relate to the topic, since I grew up playing video games(mainly Mario Kart lol). You had a very detailed summary, which makes it seem like I watched the Ted Talk myself! You did a good job establishing the authors credibility and also explaining his stance/bias because of who he is. I could also tell you were interested in this Ted Talk since you went into detail about how it relates to you. Overall this was a good blog, however to make it better, you could have elaborated more on how the speaker used pathos, egos and logos, and how these techniques contributed to the argument.
ReplyDeleteHey Alec, I liked how you summarized the TED talk in detail, and provided information on the speaker's background and potential biases. However I think you could have been more specific regarding the devices used by the speaker to get their point across (pathos/ethos/logos).
ReplyDeleteAlec, I read your blog post and will now offer to you my thoughts on it. I thought this was a really interesting TED Talk. I was actually going to choose this one but I thought it would be overdone, but I kinda wish I did it now. The idea that choice enhances storytelling is something I totally agree with, as I have experience with this. I thought your analysis of the rhetorical appeals used was rather thorough, but I kind of wish you would have gone into further detail regarding the pathological, emotional, appeals used in his TED Talk. Your personal connection also made perfect sense. So yeah, good blog post. Thank you Alec, very cool!
ReplyDeleteHi Alec I enjoyed reading your summary of the TED talk. It was very detailed and I like how you incorporated the audience perspectives. I like your insight on the Cage's presentation, how there is bias in what he is arguing, and how it flows very naturally. I agree with what you say about the audience in regards to your second paragraph, that there needs to be connection between the audience and what is presented in order for the audience to have an enjoyable experience. I definitely connected to your connection with video game because I feel the same way. When I am playing a video game, I feel like I am the character I'm playing because the choices that are made in the game are my decisions, whether that would be good or bad. Either way I am experiencing the choices that I chose to make. One thing I wished you did was include the use of pathos, logos, or ethos within how Cage developed his argument a little better. But overall, this was an interesting read and I really enjoyed it because of personal connections. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteYo Alec, the TED talk that you chose sounds really interesting. Thinking about the storytelling in video games is really cool. Especially the Detroit: Becoming Human game because it is a game that I played. I like the way that you discussed how in video games the player is a "co-author" in the writing of the story as the story changes to each player. You were able to connect to this topic very personally which gives you a personal insight and different perspectives than other people.
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ReplyDeleteAfter watching Cage's TED Talk, I had a feeling that you would watch the same one. I was completely intrigued by the topic considering that I love playing video games. I think you did a great job explaining Cage's claims on the subject. Also, I believe that you did a great job explaining how his background gave him credibility as a interactive story writer. I have to agree with Sam Levine's comment, you could have gone a bit more in depth with the devices Cage used to get his message across, but I can't blame you, he spend a good chunk playing the game. Overall great job and fun read!
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