Five things video games can learn from movies

As the convergence of media continues and more film and video game franchises combine by crossing into each medium, why not look at what each does well and implement those techniques into the other?

In other words, what can video games learn from the film industry and what can the film industry learn from video games?

Below is part one of a two-part series looking at what each industry could learn from one another.

So what can video games learn from movies?

Great Story

There are clear examples of amazing storylines, plot development and characterization in video game, but many console bouts boil down to "go kill the bad guy." If the industry is ever to be legitimized and taken seriously the epic tales players meet should be something players can engage in. It is the only interactive medium after all.

Something called editing

A truly great film can not exist without great editing and video games desperately need to follow suit. Sometimes it's due to graphical missteps in a game's cinematic sequences and sometimes its a lack of attention or background in editing, but video games often miss the mark when choosing when to cut away from a shot or scene or even in repetition of gameplay (there is editing some editing work there too). Editing is a powerful tool and can alter a viewer's perception of what's happening on the screen - The Kuleshov Effect.

Music is important

Once again, too few video game developers understand the importance and impact of a good musical score. Instead, we find billowy and repetitive themes that add little to the experience aside from additional noise. Just as how music can cue a specific emotional response to what's happening on the screen in a film, unique and distinctive musical pieces can diversify the experience in a video game with each environment creating it's own personality by not only its artistic palette, but music as well.

Try some metaphor, symbolism, and motifs

The difference between a "movie" and a "film" is contingent on its artistic merit. As in great literature, one of the most expressive ways content in any medium reaches the realm of art is through creative and expressive techniques such as metaphor, symbolism, and motifs. Video games have never attempted to reach the next dimension of expression with these techniques in a visual and interactive medium where it is easy to tie-in a visual motif in association with a character or gameplay element.

Sometimes less is more

Flashy visual effects, massive boss battles and an innovative physics engine is the recipe of the day for many video game titles. Although there is nothing wrong with this formula, it's sometimes better to go back to the basics. Games like Pac-Man, Tetris and Frogger are not just classics because of their popularity during the dawn of the medium, but because they are simple, timeless entertainment. "Casablanca" never had any explosions, car chases, scantily-clad woman or 3D CGI (cough, Avatar, cough) to warrant it a film masterpiece, it was the mastery of its writing and brilliance of its acting that made it a classic despite its technical inferiority. Video games can make a conscious effort to focus on the core of a great game, such as its gameplay and story, the fanfare should come second.