Digital Entertainment Creates a New Experience for the Audience
Digital entertainment is what I would like to discuss today. Throughout history, the art of the world has only ever been able to portray what the medium used could allow. Music could be recorded and played through one device while images could be captured from another device and replicated through yet another. This was common practice prior to the modern era. However. with the computer, the world of art changed once again. There existed a machine capable of collecting music, images, creating buildings, forms, etc. all in one place and compiling this data into its own unique creation. One of these creations is video games. Video games only came into existence because society became technologically advanced enough to combine all of this artwork into one place.
The following games were created using this technology. A computer used a program to craft the images, collect and edit the dialogues, record the music and voice acting, and lastly used another program to piece it all together into these individual pieces.
Super Mario Sunshine
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: July 19, 2002
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: December 2, 2006
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
The first two titles to look over are from the developer Nintendo. Nintendo was originally famous for its hand-painted cards from the 19th century. Thanks to the changes of the late-modern era the founder's grandson decided to branch into the world of video games.
Let's begin by looking at Super Mario Sunshine. The first thing any game needs is an attractive image to draw people's attention. For this title, color is the dominant element that draws your
eyes in. The protagonist, Mario, is decked out in a vibrant red shirt and blue overalls. Surrounding him are muted yellows, blues, and whites. From there line is the next prevalent form as the letters for the title are using hard, straight edges here instead of the soft curved lines normally found on some letters as a contrast to the character and images surrounding him. The actual gameplay utilizes color to appeal to the audience. Vibrant colors call attention to the key spots around the world while the world itself is comprised of muted colors allowing for it to remain interesting but not monopolize your focus. Shape is used to set the tone of the game. Super Mario Sunshine utilizes cartoonish and childlike shapes to emphasize the family-friendly appeal.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is from the same developer but gives off an entirely different feel. First, we need to look at the cover art and two elements are the central focus. Form and color. The cover shows us the headshots of an elven-looking man mirrored by that of a wolf. Both represent a lifelike form that appeals to a more serious group of people. Next, we have color that has been used to draw our eyes to the title first and foremost. Bright bold red letters are used on top of the washed-out gold and silver background. In the gameplay, we see a realistic representation of the world. The main character appears human in appearance and the world is easily recognizable as a forest or a cave. The colors of the character and the surroundings feel natural displaying he belongs in this world.
Okami
Developer: Clover Studio (Dissolved into Capcom)
Release Date: April 20, 2006
Location: Osaka, Japan
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Viewtiful Joe
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: June 26, 2003
Location: Osaka, Japan
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Okami is a very unique game I came across. The cover is typical in using color and form to create a visually striking image. You can see that the image is made to feel like the sumi-e art style of Japan. The red sun alludes to its Japanese heritage as well as creates a focus for our eyes and leads it to its origin from the wolf's own body. The wolf is captivating with its pose being frozen in mid-jump as it looks over its shoulder barking at something beyond the frame. The gameplay utilizes the feel and elaborates on the sumi-e style to create a world never before seen in video games. The shapes of the creatures, buildings, and fauna of the world come to life with this game.
Viewtiful Joe uses more modern techniques found commonly in comic books to appeal to people. Comics originated in the late 19th century and can now be utilized in the field of video games. Form is very important in this title. We have the main character dressed in a one-piece outfit that immediately links our minds to other costumes and their heroes. The antagonists are then molded into the shape of otherworldly creatures to help us see that they are the bad guys to our hero. Pattern is also used for the gameplay. You take control of the hero and follow along with the side-scrolling collecting treasures and beating up the bad guys until you reach the end.
Freedom Force
Developer: Irrational Games
Release Date: March 26, 2002
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Bioshock Infinite
Developer: Irrational Games
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Location: Quincy, Massachusetts
Cover Art hosted by: https://en.wikipedia.org/
Freedom Force comes across as a Saturday morning cartoon when looking at the cover. Form is used to shape the protagonists into common superhero shapes. The gameplay is from a bird's eye view. Like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, this game utilizes a more natural look for the setting. Objects are easily recognizable due to their form and coloration. Shape is another heavy factor involved in this game's development. Most of the background objects are displayed in a polygonal form because the models were likely sculpted on a virtual wireframe.
Bioshock Infinite is the most refined game I would like to analyze. The cover art uses a realistic image of a man highlighting the technical abilities of the game. Behind the man is what looks to be an American flag on fire, and in front we see more sparks flying upward into the sky. The game is played from the point of view of the protagonist rather than from a third-person view. The architectural style is reminiscent of the early 20th century. The world experiences weather patterns as well as day and night cycles. As these phenomena occur the world changes visually as well. Lights are turned on in the darkness, clouds on a rainy day block out the sun as water falls from the sky, etc.
All six of these games came into existence because of technology. So many different pieces of art came together and provided entertainment for millions. Digital entertainment has not only created video games but given the masses access to the artwork of the world in the comfort of their home. People now watch movies from home, listen to music from portable players, and share their images from their phones.
Cover Art Credited to:
By http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/7/533287_front.jpg, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1048671By Gametab., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1117828
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6466023
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Great post! All of these games have great art and design in them. I also wrote about the digital influence on art during this time period. I discussed the art from the new Pokémon: Legends Arceus game which has been compared to Legend of Zelda. I'm curious how you think the two compare? A lot of fans hate the art for the Pokémon game, but I felt quite the opposite.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I love how the world of Arceus looks. It feels as if you are walking through a painting in many ways. It's a shame it garnered so much hate. Comparing Twilight Princess and Arceus , I have to say I think the Arceus world looks better, but this could be due to the difference in creation dates. So I went ahead and looked at the world of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and saw that both worlds feel like they are related. I like the direction the designers went with these two worlds.
DeleteHi Tim, I love looking at what you come up with and you didn’t disappoint this time. What a throwback to Zelda and Mario. All of your pieces appeal to me because of the long summers of playing video games with my cousins. The relationship to the theme is spot on. They are all covers of video games and your theme was Digital Entertainment. I didn’t really think of video games being art but I guess they really are. I liked how you linked music being art along with the game itself and how those are now combined thanks to technology. I never really thought about how technology was such an influence on art but I guess it really is. I now see my daughter's friends using art apps to create all sorts of things. Technology might just be the biggest thing in art since the pig bladders being used to hold paint.
ReplyDeleteI loved Zelda Twilight Princess and the art in it is so gorgeous. it seems more realistic than the other games. My all-time favorite Zelda is Ocarina of Time, that game is amazing. I also liked the Mario Sunshine art you included. Is that a new release? I've never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteI think Ocarina of Time is the golden standard for Zelda games now. I would really like to see how the game looks with a graphics and music overhaul. I will always love the electronic notes of the ocarina, but I'm curious how real ocarina sounds would change the experience.
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