You know, I didn’t really pay much attention to this thread or this argument, but since you are such an arrogant lad, I think I’ll chime in more seriously this time.
Hey that’s fine if you think Time Machine is one of the best novels evar! I know someone whose favourite movie is Armageddon. It’s absurd that you overlook ****ens, Thackeray, Bronte (both of them), Elliot, Meredith, Trollope—I could go on. Ever heard of them? As for him being one of the most respected authors of the 19th century—please. He was a Science Fiction writer and even speaking historically, his work isn’t in the same league as Orwell and Huxley. War of the Worlds? Island of Dr. Moreau? The Invisible Man? You think those works are more important to literature than Nineteen-Eighty-Four or Brave New World? Or even Animal Farm?
And when you actually talk about all 19th century authors, as you have so thoughtfully done, did you forget Great Expectations, David Coperfield, Vanity Fair, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Middlemarch, Barchester Towers? Hmm.
You could conceivably make an argument that he is a prominent and important science fiction author, but to align him with the true greats is absolutely obscene. I have a masters in English Language and Literature, and have read more in one semester than most people will in their entire lives. It’s obvious that you lack even a semblance of historical perspective—please, so you don’t embarrass yourself any further, take a survey of Brit lit and get back to me.
So instead of suggesting that I reread Time Machine, perhaps you should just read.
And I NEVER said I would like to remove storylines from video games (or music from movies). It’s people like you whose argument is so slender that it takes a complete reworking of someone else’s text so that their own feeble argument can stand up. I just said there is no comparison. When I want a good story I read a book. When I want good music, I use my stereo. When I want to play games, I play games. So no, there hasn’t been a good story in a video game, nothing original, technically sound or deep. And I’ll say this again, for the FOURTH time this thread (and you reading carefully Sonyfan?), I do not want to see the complete removal of storylines from videogames.
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I personally couldn\'t stand a videogame industry where every game turned out was as simple as pole position. I\'d like to see the industry grow, and branch out to new directions.
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Neither could I; so would I. And that’s why I said I’d like to see VG companies hire PROFESSIONAL writers. Why didn’t Rockstar get a professional comic book illustrator and writer to do Max Payne? It certainly would have been much better.
Hey, if my comment was so obvious why spark this debate? If there is no comparison between a good novelist and VG writers (which I’ve always maintained), why go through all of this just to concede my point 2 pages later? The VG industry is growing, but you can’t magically become good writers overnight. Which is why I suggested they actually hire writers or at least consult with one.
Yes you can break any story down to its essentials and say there are only 4 storylines. But that’s not being fair to the medium. With VGs, the stories are just that, stripped down and generic; however, with a talented novelist, there are narratological techniques, depth of character, perspective, allusions and so on that make it much more than the sum of its core. Truly great literature offers something to the reader, deals with high themes and gives the reader something intangible to walk away with, something to consider long after the last chapter is read. With VGs, so often is the ending so terrible and rushed, the player is left with loose ends and improbable and/or impossible outcomes that make little or no sense at all. And the endings are only marginally worse than what preceded it, unfortunately: You killed my family member so I will hunt you down; or monsters are threatening humanity I must save them, I am the last chance earth has! Or the FBI and the police are infidels, I a lowly nobody will solve the murder and apprehend the suspect/solve the crime (Gabriel Knight). I must save the .
This is not the stuff of great fiction. I’m sorry.
More on GK: It was a while ago so bear with me. Voodoo murders. You have lots of dreams, in one of them you get a key when you kill the dragon. Wolfgang, a friend, rips his own heart out so you can open some box—he even puts it in place before he dies—lol! You love this descendant of a slave that your father (?) once loved. There are at least two endings, one where both you and your love die and the other where your love commits suicide for the greater good—aww, that’s sweet. Or is it the one with the Vampires? (I hope not because I’m sure you’ll have a fit if I’m wrong.)
On second thought, you are right, it’s a wonderful story and I’m sure it’ll be anthologized for future generations to enjoy. I implore you, read a book.
