"it's just a game"

[Omnicretus]

It's a well known fact, that if something can throw a gamer off track, it's this:

"Relax, it's just a game" or "Calm down, it's just a game" or, as this forum proudly displays "don't panic, it's just a game".

It pains me to see people still writing this, and it kills me to see the creators doing so. Pacman is just a game. Tetris is just a game. Half life, Assassin's Creed, Skyrim, LIMBO, Portal and Katawa Shoujo alike, isn't just games. It's art, it's beauty, it's something to be experienced and admired, it's something you put your time into, it's one of the few positive sides of the human mind and influence. It's something that makes you think and wonder, something that makes you feel and jadda jadda, I'm not gonna try and give a lengthy speech, since I've already made my point.

Please don't say it's just a game, it's like saying World Trade Center was just some buildings with some people.

[yipyapper]

Agreed.

[Tomate]

According to dictionary.com
Art - the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

So, games can be artistic too. Sure, there are hundreds of thousands of unappealing, mindlessly simple games about thwarting a generic alien invasion, saving a generic damsel in distress or being badass in absurd ways.

But then again, there are games with depth and feeling and grand stories like Planescape Torment, Arcanum and Dreamfall, and of course Katawa Shoujo.

[Omnicretus]

Exacly my point. The word "game" simply just indicates that it can be interacted with. It tells nothing of what said object might contain. It's like if you look at a painting and say "it's just a canvas".

[Ivan The Mouse]

Exacly my point. The word "game" simply just indicates that it can be interacted with. It tells nothing of what said object might contain. It's like if you look at a painting and say "it's just a canvas".

"It's just a canvas, with painted pictures of screaming faces on it. It doesn't mean anything at all."

Rin will hate anyone with these lines about her painting.

[ThreeStep]

Please don't say it's just a game, it's like saying World Trade Center was just some buildings with some people.

You just compared KS to 9/11 here didn't you? 9/10, good show. If you're not trolling here you should look into it. You've got talent.

[Tomate]

Please don't say it's just a game, it's like saying World Trade Center was just some buildings with some people.

You just compared KS to 9/11 here didn't you? 9/10, good show. If you're not trolling here you should look into it. You've got talent.

Sir, you are a prince amongst men.

[themocaw]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/show/extra-credits

I keep this in reserve for anyone who thinks video games cannot be art.

[Omnicretus]

Please don't say it's just a game, it's like saying World Trade Center was just some buildings with some people.

You just compared KS to 9/11 here didn't you? 9/10, good show. If you're not trolling here you should look into it. You've got talent.

I compared an object to another object, to get my point across, being, that anything can be "just" something, if you're being ignorant enough.

[NoOne3]

I bet someone could Invoke Goodwin's Law by now, so please let just be civil everyone. Let the thing rest.

All I wanted to say is: "It's just a game" works both ways.
It's just a game, so you shouldn't sulk for weeks, longing for an affection of a virtual character. Cause the whole thing is just an allegory, you didn't magically download a bunch of little moe women that will one day step out of the screen (too much Anime, dude!).

And it's just a game, and a specific at that, so you shouldn't rant about lack of 3D animation, and that the story wouldn't win any major literary price if printed, and if you're fluent in Japanese Sign Language, there is no foothold for you to claim Shizune's path bulshit, because of the sign grammar.

Just remember that haters gonna hate, and you should appreciate a good game in the way it deserve, while not overdoing it (perming your hair with a power drill, or setting half of your face in fire, or is a definite no-no!).

[A Humbled Fan]

I think we can all agree that KS is a work of fiction. The characters aren't real, and the story is also not real.

However, just because it's fiction does not mean that we can't learn from it. I like to think of KS as more of a visual novel, than a game, simply because there isn't a whole lot of "playing" involved. Sure, you can choose which direction you want to take, but that's been done before (remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" novels?) But to write it off as nothing more than a work of fiction isn't being quite fair. Just think of all the other works of fiction that authors throughout the ages have written, and the impact that they have had on individuals and societies.

The developers, authors, writers, composers, translators, etc. have put a large amount of time and effort to bring us this beautiful piece of fiction. And to say it's anything less is an insult to them.

[NoOne3]

There's a misunderstanding here, I just have to put right first.

I'm the last one to say Katawa Shoujo is anything less, than a piece of electronic art.

I just don't believe in "Just a game" being a derogatory term.

Look,what I see is just a game, yet it has a power to make countless people all over the world sad, and happy at the same time. I can't recall when was the last time I was feeling so disturbed, and uplifted, affected by some kind of medium. As far as inducing feelings is concerned, it outruns such a vast multitude of examples of, so called "popular culture" I've seen over the years, that I can't understand someones paying those scriptwriting, and filmrolling bastards, while there is a group of people to do it better for free (you're deffinitely spoiling the market Devs!).

Next time someone starts to prove to me KS is just a game, I'm gonna smile, and admit it is, just a great game.

After all, I guess we think similar here, and try to argue on semantics of the term...

[Snow_Storm]

I think we can all agree that KS is a work of fiction. The characters aren't real, and the story is also not real.

However, just because it's fiction does not mean that we can't learn from it.

This. I know it's not real, I know the stories, the characters ,and everything about it ain't real but just like with any other form of media, I find lessons and learn from them.

Granted, I'm not gonan be like "OMG MY LIFE IS SO BAD/GOOD BUT THIS GAME CHANGED IT!" That's just sad.

[DH531]

This. I know it's not real, I know the stories, the characters ,and everything about it ain't real but just like with any other form of media, I find lessons and learn from them.

Granted, I'm not gonan be like "OMG MY LIFE IS SO BAD/GOOD BUT THIS GAME CHANGED IT!" That's just sad.

I agree. Of course this game can't magically change someone's life in an instant, it's up to the individual to take charge and change their life. Though I also think that Katawa Shoujo could give people some sort of inspiration as to what to do with their life, giving them the motivation to change their life. In this sense I feel that 'This is game changed my life!!!' could work. Maybe. Hmmm.

[danyo]

This. I know it's not real, I know the stories, the characters ,and everything about it ain't real but just like with any other form of media, I find lessons and learn from them.

Granted, I'm not gonan be like "OMG MY LIFE IS SO BAD/GOOD BUT THIS GAME CHANGED IT!" That's just sad.

I agree. Of course this game can't magically change someone's life in an instant, it's up to the individual to take charge and change their life. Though I also think that Katawa Shoujo could give people some sort of inspiration as to what to do with their life, giving them the motivation to change their life. In this sense I feel that 'This is game changed my life!!!' could work. Maybe. Hmmm.

It didn't change my life perse, but it did make me realise I was first of all wasting my life by not doing anything, wich made me look for new things to do, so yeah, your statement is pretty accurate.

I also don't think the "don't panic, it's just a game" might partially be there for people to rationalize about the contents and prevent them from judging it by it's cover.