http://www.edery.org/2006/09/agc-writing-comedy-for-games/ For those interested in the business of making great video games. Entrepreneurial spirit a must. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:07:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.edery.org/2006/09/agc-writing-comedy-for-games/comment-page-1/#comment-15838 Vili Forsell Wed, 13 Sep 2006 15:52:20 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2006/09/agc-writing-comedy-for-games/#comment-15838 Tom said: "gameplay may never be “comic” in the way we typically define it" In a way I agree, but on the other hand I also disagree with the point made, and will state why later during this post. First to prelude. Though nobody will postreply to a comment on a blog type discussion, I'll put it in here anyway. Maybe someone will be better for it. As I have understood, comedy is based on drama, for example someones whole family gets wiped out in a tragedy, which is drama/tragedy, which causes all these feelings to mount inside and make one sad. Then one takes the sad part and makes it better (a metaquote from a Beatles song called Hey Jude, now that it came to my mind, sadly for some). For example in a hearty meeting with a relative somebody just overstates the obvious badness of the situation with, for example "and the cheesecake was bad too" (which is a real tragedy, I like cheesecakes) and people might just let the bad get away in a hearty laughter. (Nothing of the preceding has happened, which the obvious unfunniness proves) So, if I'm not totally wrong, that should be one of the bases for comedy (and life), 2 parts sorrow, one part fun. Now to Toms comment on how the gameplay can't be funny. In my opinion, in some cases the gameplay is not funny, but it's tragic. It's so bad it hurts, in some cases, so for instance, make a joke about the gameplay. Make the character of the game sympathic to the players agony. For example in a jumpy game (Pitfall, for example), script the character say in front of a hellish nightmare jump puzzle something like: "That's so easy! *mumbles* If the monkey making my gameplay would even know how to code... *mumbling ends*" (Nothing personal meant, of course, if someone reading this has made a terrible gameplay to a game, I have long nerves... and DEL. Example made just to state a point.) So in that sense I disagree with Tom's point. Sorry for the long post. It seems I am unable to write short comments when talking about games. Tom said:
“gameplay may never be “comic” in the way we typically define it”
In a way I agree, but on the other hand I also disagree with the point made, and will state why later during this post. First to prelude.
Though nobody will postreply to a comment on a blog type discussion, I’ll put it in here anyway. Maybe someone will be better for it.
As I have understood, comedy is based on drama, for example someones whole family gets wiped out in a tragedy, which is drama/tragedy, which causes all these feelings to mount inside and make one sad. Then one takes the sad part and makes it better (a metaquote from a Beatles song called Hey Jude, now that it came to my mind, sadly for some). For example in a hearty meeting with a relative somebody just overstates the obvious badness of the situation with, for example “and the cheesecake was bad too” (which is a real tragedy, I like cheesecakes) and people might just let the bad get away in a hearty laughter. (Nothing of the preceding has happened, which the obvious unfunniness proves) So, if I’m not totally wrong, that should be one of the bases for comedy (and life), 2 parts sorrow, one part fun.
Now to Toms comment on how the gameplay can’t be funny. In my opinion, in some cases the gameplay is not funny, but it’s tragic. It’s so bad it hurts, in some cases, so for instance, make a joke about the gameplay. Make the character of the game sympathic to the players agony. For example in a jumpy game (Pitfall, for example), script the character say in front of a hellish nightmare jump puzzle something like: “That’s so easy! *mumbles* If the monkey making my gameplay would even know how to code… *mumbling ends*” (Nothing personal meant, of course, if someone reading this has made a terrible gameplay to a game, I have long nerves… and DEL. Example made just to state a point.) So in that sense I disagree with Tom’s point. Sorry for the long post. It seems I am unable to write short comments when talking about games.

]]>