Current Events > What videogames should be taught at school for literature class?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ving_Rhames posted...

Wouldn't the only one that'd be a good fit be Disco Elysium?

Depends on what you are going for, but no. While something like Outer Wilds or any given FromSoft game would only be good in a class specifically about video game writing there are plenty of other games that would be perfectly fine as a form of literature study. The problem comes from the idea of what exactly was being studied and how much should gameplay atmosphere be a major factor as a function of the narrative. Similarly you have the issue as to differences between literature and games that give a vastly different interpretation of a situation, potentially ending with it working in one medium while not in another.

In any case plenty of visual novels would be just as good as Disco Elysium.

gunplagirl posted...

But they aren't even really different perspectives when the scenarios change so radically.

I wouldn't say in Disco Elysium that the scenarios change all that radically. A vast majority of the same beats are hit regardless of play style.

But anyway, I would want to know how the class is structured more.

Disco Elysium has getting drunk/high as a game mechanic and drops unfiltered c-bombs in the spoken dialogue. There's no way you're going to be allowed to 'make' kids play it as part of the curriculum without some parents pitching a fit.

Yeah I guess I can concede it on content alone, but I stand by my original post pretty solidly.

Pitlord_Special posted...

Disco Elysium has getting drunk/high as a game mechanic and drops unfiltered c-bombs in the spoken dialogue. There's no way you're going to be allowed to 'make' kids play it as part of the curriculum without some parents pitching a fit.

Also straight up communist view points being an option in dialogue, can't forget how many parents would want the teacher's head for that

Pitlord_Special posted...

Disco Elysium has getting drunk/high as a game mechanic and drops unfiltered c-bombs in the spoken dialogue. There's no way you're going to be allowed to 'make' kids play it as part of the curriculum without some parents pitching a fit.

Maybe the parents should grow up

gunplagirl posted...

Also straight up communist view points being an option in dialogue, can't forget how many parents would want the teacher's head for that

To be fair, everyone bringing it up already knows it's a leftist meme post given form while parents would view it in the same way that they do with Rage Against the Machine.

Disco elysium
13 Sentinels aegis rim

I don't know what the point of the class is so I can't really answer the question. What are they studying specifically?

Is it?

• The game script?
• The use of interactivity to change the story?
• Characterization & World Building?
• Something else?

Also what's the focus of the class? Comedy? Drama? Poetry?

Having a good story isn't exactly the same thing as being good literature.

Maybe

Death Stranding
Dark Souls
Final Fantasy X
Limbo/Inside

Lots of people saying Fromsoftware games, and I'm just not understanding why. The games are great games with great gameplay, but they're not exactly renowned for their stories. Not to mention like 80% of the class isn't likely to even experience most of the story because the games are too hard.

Damn_Underscore posted...

MGS1 and 2

why do you say this, though?

san andreas

codey posted...

Lots of people saying Fromsoftware games, and I'm just not understanding why. The games are great games with great gameplay, but they're not exactly renowned for their stories. Not to mention like 80% of the class isn't likely to even experience most of the story because the games are too hard.

I would say for the excellent world building more than the plot. After watching Day[9]'s streams and explanations as he plays I perceive them more as pieces of art.

MGS 1, 2, and 3

Joelypoely posted...

but they're not exactly renowned for their stories.

yes they are. the problem is its not told in away that would make sense for a literature class. dark souls narrative methods makes no sense in prose, its full on environmental storytelling

honestly most games dont make much sense unless you are literally teaching the storytelling approach specifically of the medium. games with "great" stories are rarely better than stuff you would find in very middling novels. mgs is a really great example of this because i love those games and they are very fun but their plot is basically a mishmash of movie stuff and pure pulp shit like robot ninja ghosts and psychics that read your memory card.

Gal Gun

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


If you mean just those two games, because those are the perfect games to play from the Metal Gear series.

If you mean the Metal Gear series, then you're just hating

Space Invaders

Would be funny if the teacher assigned Braid and someone cited this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSXofLK5hFQ

Damn_Underscore posted...

Would be funny if the teacher assigned Braid and someone cited this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSXofLK5hFQ

cant post that without the even funnier follow up

https://youtu.be/gWqnz-7iQbY

Damn_Underscore posted...

If you mean just those two games, because those are the perfect games to play from the Metal Gear series.

If you mean the Metal Gear series, then you're just hating

I think you quote the wrong person

CedarPointcp posted...

why do you say this, though?

I meant to quote the post above

Damn_Underscore posted...

Would be funny if the teacher assigned Braid and someone cited this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSXofLK5hFQ

lmao

Games that gave an easy mode would be on the top of my list. Imagine having to develop literal walk-throughs for your students because they have barely ever touched video games before lol.

Pong

ellis123 posted...

Depends on what you are going for, but no. While something like Outer Wilds or any given FromSoft game would only be good in a class specifically about video game writing there are plenty of other games that would be perfectly fine as a form of literature stud

Outer Wilds has legitimate minor astrophysics lessons.

DespondentDeity posted...

Gamefaqs posts as Literature taught by @MrMallard

"Today we'll be looking into the root of 'man fan', based on the derivative memes derived from the original post. As Current Events is a transient platform, meaning that its content is impermanent and always changing, the original post is lost to history - but later archival efforts have allowed us to save hundreds, maybe billions, of derivative permutations.

So, what is a 'man fan'? We could work this out by discovering the etymology of both 'man' and 'fan'..."

man dad predates man fan.

Nier

IHeartRadiation posted...

Outer Wilds has legitimate minor astrophysics lessons.

Yeah, and it has excellent atmospheric storytelling. Both of which aren't really all that relevant in a literature class.

Oh right this what the topic is about. A pointless limitation.

Sengoku Rance

All your base are belong to us

please help i have to get to the first boss by next week

MedeaLysistrata posted...

please help i have to get to the first boss by next week

I'll do your homework for you. 10 bucks.

Imagine zoomers having to play Halo 1 or something and they cant complete it because they dont have auto-aim on PC like they do on console

What are some stories that are unique to games?
Undertale and Outer Wilds fit the bill.
Bioshock is close.
Maybe some old-school Sierra games.

Imagine thinking that zoomers don't play PC shooters.

Though if they had to play a rebranded King's Quest III (so that they couldn't just look up a guide) they'd be pretty screwed. That game is just BS.

ChocoboMogALT posted...

What are some stories that are unique to games?
Undertale and Outer Wilds fit the bill.
Bioshock is close.
Maybe some old-school Sierra games.

Danganronpa V3 has a story that could only work as a video game

ellis123 posted...

Yeah, and it has excellent atmospheric storytelling. Both of which aren't really all that relevant in a literature class.

I think that's the exact kind of video game you should be teaching in a video game literature course.

ChocoboMogALT posted...

What are some stories that are unique to games?
Undertale and Outer Wilds fit the bill.
Bioshock is close.
Maybe some old-school Sierra games.

not the entire story but MGS3 and Nier Automata have elements that cant be replicated in other mediums. For example:

MGS3: Killing The Boss at the end of the game. The player was conditioned to not want to do it, Snake does not want to do it, but the game forces the player to do it nonetheless.

Nier Automata: Basically the entire final sequence, flipping back and forth between 9S and A2, both main protagonists but the player knows they are about to confront each other and fight to the death and the player will have to pick a side. And then the entire save file thing

ChocoboMogALT posted...

What are some stories that are unique to games?
Undertale and Outer Wilds fit the bill.
Bioshock is close.
Maybe some old-school Sierra games.

Bioshock is pretty much the opposite of close. It's basically just a Ayn Rand book given form.

And presumably any game where some of the narrative comes through gameplay is what you are talking about. So something along the lines of Metal Gear Solid, Baiten Kaitos, and Cubivore would be what you are looking for.

pegusus123456 posted...

I think that's the exact kind of video game you should be teaching in a video game literature course.

Literature is based on the prose being able to elevate a book to being art. While you can make the argument that games can be art all the same the only way for it to be literature is if the writing, the actual words that are being conveyed to the person playing/watching someone else play, is strong. Atmospheric storytelling can definitely lead to art, it cannot lead to literature. You can make the argument for Disco Elysium considering how much it relies on its writing, you really cannot with Outer Wilds as the entire point is that the important stuff is what you are experiencing and not something written down.

https://youtu.be/63PzQIbTrM8

I wouldn't say any video game should be taught. But if I had to choose one I'd say something like Planescape: Torment.

The only time a game has made an artistic statement that can only be experienced by actually playing it is in Brothers.

I feel like it's gotta be something accessable. So something like To The Moon is perfect. Maybe even an easy rpg. I'd like to say FF9 because I love the story but I don't know how it would translate to classroom settings. On the contrary FF10 is terrible but it's story has more of the themes schools like to talk about