Comments on: The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect - book and Smithsonian exhibition http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 27 May 2013 02:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: wizardru http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373732 wizardru Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373732 I don't think you were going to get that kind of exhibit in an art museum.  Possibly in a history museum or a technology museum, but this was about the art, afaict. I don’t think you were going to get that kind of exhibit in an art museum.  Possibly in a history museum or a technology museum, but this was about the art, afaict.

]]> By: wizardru http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373725 wizardru Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373725 It is an art book published by the Smithsonian's Museum of American Art, effectively the national museum of art for the country.  They are officially recognizing video games as an art-form....that strikes me as pretty major. Exactly what qualification were you looking for? It is an art book published by the Smithsonian’s Museum of American Art, effectively the national museum of art for the country.  They are officially recognizing video games as an art-form….that strikes me as pretty major.

Exactly what qualification were you looking for?

]]> By: meg gandy http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373661 meg gandy Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373661 was there on saturday, didn't stay long. i think i was expecting more on how the games are made--you know, more on the music, more concept art, etc etc. the only think i really found interesting was how it felt to look at pieces of my childhood re-contextualized behind plexiglass, as an actual museum exhibit. someone told me they had designed the exhibit with people who aren't gamers in mind. i'm not sure i believe that. it felt more masturbatory, especially with the sort of stuff they were selling in the giftshop. they had a museum copy of this book in the last room, and i flipped through it. book and exhibit were both sort of underwhelming. i'm not saying it's bad, and it may be that i just don't "get it." but i clearly wasn't the target audience, and i love both museums and video games. was there on saturday, didn’t stay long. i think i was expecting more on how the games are made–you know, more on the music, more concept art, etc etc. the only think i really found interesting was how it felt to look at pieces of my childhood re-contextualized behind plexiglass, as an actual museum exhibit.

someone told me they had designed the exhibit with people who aren’t gamers in mind. i’m not sure i believe that. it felt more masturbatory, especially with the sort of stuff they were selling in the giftshop. they had a museum copy of this book in the last room, and i flipped through it. book and exhibit were both sort of underwhelming. i’m not saying it’s bad, and it may be that i just don’t “get it.” but i clearly wasn’t the target audience, and i love both museums and video games.

]]> By: Sara Blount http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373548 Sara Blount Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373548 Went to this exhibit yesterday and wound up staying the entire day!  They had a lot of different FREE events including a live action video game, a string quartet playing video game music and a screening of King of Kong: Fist Full of Quarters.  Billy Mitchell, Walter Day and Steve Sanders were there as well.  The exhibit is nice, but you have to go in realizing that this is more about the progression of the art with improving technology rather than the game play.  The book enhances the experience because you get interviews with game developers, artists and composers.  I personally thought it was very well done and Chris and Patrick are so enthusiastic about this project.  I was lucky enough to meet them yesterday and they took time to answer questions and sign my book.  A lot of effort went into this! The book at the very least makes for a great coffee table book that will start great discussions and bring back lots of memories.  Went to this exhibit yesterday and wound up staying the entire day!  They had a lot of different FREE events including a live action video game, a string quartet playing video game music and a screening of King of Kong: Fist Full of Quarters.  Billy Mitchell, Walter Day and Steve Sanders were there as well. 

The exhibit is nice, but you have to go in realizing that this is more about the progression of the art with improving technology rather than the game play.  The book enhances the experience because you get interviews with game developers, artists and composers.  I personally thought it was very well done and Chris and Patrick are so enthusiastic about this project.  I was lucky enough to meet them yesterday and they took time to answer questions and sign my book.  A lot of effort went into this!

The book at the very least makes for a great coffee table book that will start great discussions and bring back lots of memories. 

]]> By: Stephen Schenck http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373287 Stephen Schenck Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373287 That's VERY interesting.  They fixed they eye, but the ghostly fringes still aren't grid-aligned. That’s VERY interesting.  They fixed they eye, but the ghostly fringes still aren’t grid-aligned.

]]> By: JPhilipp http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1373097 JPhilipp Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1373097 When you click through to Amazon, you'll notice that the actual cover shown there is grid-aligned (and uses partially other colors).  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159962110X There's also an "Item Under Review" message there, "because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here". When you click through to Amazon, you’ll notice that the actual cover shown there is grid-aligned (and uses partially other colors). 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159962110X

There’s also an “Item Under Review” message there, “because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it’s described here”.

]]> By: spencerrrrrrrrrr http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372861 spencerrrrrrrrrr Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372861  The spreads aren't horrible, but the cover was rage inducing... I'm a more traditional artist enrolled in an MFA program that is focused on arts and technology (i.e. videogames, animation, etc.). I can't tell you how many times I've almost ragequit over a so called "MFA" (MASTER of Fine ARTS) explicitly state something along the lines of "I don't know much about art" or "I don't really know 'design principles', but...". It drives me crazy that there is this passion or drive to push videogames into the realm of fine art while there is a simultaneous blatant disregard for art/aesthetics/design.  The spreads aren’t horrible, but the cover was rage inducing…

I’m a more traditional artist enrolled in an MFA program that is focused on arts and technology (i.e. videogames, animation, etc.). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost ragequit over a so called “MFA” (MASTER of Fine ARTS) explicitly state something along the lines of “I don’t know much about art” or “I don’t really know ‘design principles’, but…”.

It drives me crazy that there is this passion or drive to push videogames into the realm of fine art while there is a simultaneous blatant disregard for art/aesthetics/design.

]]> By: Matt Toler http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372474 Matt Toler Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372474 Awful, student-grade design in a "major art book." Not everything has to be Chip Kidd, but we need some standards.  Awful, student-grade design in a “major art book.” Not everything has to be Chip Kidd, but we need some standards. 

]]> By: medontlivenoprahsworld http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372424 medontlivenoprahsworld Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372424 Wow, haters gonna hate. Use your energy to write your own book or organize your own exhibition. Wow, haters gonna hate. Use your energy to write your own book or organize your own exhibition.

]]> By: Lars Willen http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372421 Lars Willen Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372421 What? MSDOS -Gorilla omitted? Angry Birds glorious ancestor! What? MSDOS -Gorilla omitted? Angry Birds glorious ancestor!

]]> By: (required) http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372407 (required) Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372407 Please explain how this is a "A major new book"  - I mean anyone can say that but a bit of proof would be good. Does it mean it has got lots of pages or the content has proven the test of time and is considered important? Please explain how this is a “A major new book”  – I mean anyone can say that but a bit of proof would be good.
Does it mean it has got lots of pages or the content has proven the test of time and is considered important?

]]> By: Ian G http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372368 Ian G Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372368 Local Boy Scored a spot in video game history.  http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012303160032 Local Boy Scored a spot in video game history.  http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012303160032

]]> By: GameMaster9002 http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372358 GameMaster9002 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372358 The nostalgia in this comment thread is increasing to the point where we cannot contain it. Why contain it? Let it spill out into the streets... The nostalgia in this comment thread is increasing to the point where we cannot contain it.

Why contain it? Let it spill out into the streets…

]]> By: Stephen Schenck http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372342 Stephen Schenck Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372342 I had Super Mario Bros. sheets on my bed growing up, and I remember even at eight that all those "pixels" that didn't line-up drove me crazy. I had Super Mario Bros. sheets on my bed growing up, and I remember even at eight that all those “pixels” that didn’t line-up drove me crazy.

]]> By: GameMaster9002 http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372334 GameMaster9002 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372334 What about the blaring misaligned part at the lower left?! EDIT: actually, I think Blinky is just staring at that weird-as-heck "pixel" font there... Kind of reminds me of the full-screen promo art for old shovelware titles that were drawn over in Paintbrush or whatever What about the blaring misaligned part at the lower left?!

EDIT: actually, I think Blinky is just staring at that weird-as-heck “pixel” font there…

Kind of reminds me of the full-screen promo art for old shovelware titles that were drawn over in Paintbrush or whatever

]]> By: Stephen Schenck http://boingboing.net/2012/03/16/the-art-of-video-games-from-p.html#comment-1372310 Stephen Schenck Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=149712#comment-1372310 I hate bad pixel art. What the heck is going on with the cover there, with Blinky's eye in particular? Maybe part of some new version of Pac-Man with variable-sized pixels that don't all live on the same grid? I hate bad pixel art. What the heck is going on with the cover there, with Blinky’s eye in particular? Maybe part of some new version of Pac-Man with variable-sized pixels that don’t all live on the same grid?

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