Digital Games- But are they art?

a) How does Adams define art? Do you agree with his definition?

According to Adams, there are different types of art, such as literary arts, which include writing and drama, film and television ; fine arts, which include sculpture and painting, music and dance; decorative arts, which include wallpaper, fabrics and furnishings. About the philosophy of art, it contains three points. Art was representational that is to portray a person or scene or object. Then someone began to think that art is an expression of the artist;s thought. And other theories in the philosophy of art is art has cultural values or moral purpose.

I agree with his definition that art contains different types. Everything could be art as long as it contains artistic values. No matter writing or sculpture or wallpaper, all are include artist's feelings and ideas, and some artistic skills that make those art work more beauty and valuable.


b) According to Adams, what is needed for videogames to be considered as art ?

" Art has content ; Art contains ideas "

Art must have content and expression.So why poker is not art because it has no content and expression. For videogames to be art, it must be more than merely entertainment, it needs to express ideas.

" Art has an aesthetic "

Art has rules for determining beauty and ugliness. So videogames to be considered as art, it needs to contains some aesthetic settings.

" Art make you feel things "

Art should make you feel things. So videogames need to make players have some ideas such as cultural issues.

Other points include:

-Art is not formulaic
-Utility and saleability
-Games include fun and need to challenge the players
-Games involve critic

Videogames can be considered as an art form:

Casestudy : Happy Pets on Facebook

Happy Pets is a game on facebook provided by CrowdStar. It is a pet game. Players can own pets and take care them on daily life. The duties in the game are feeding the pets, playing with them, decorating the layout, cleansing the house and bringing them out and visiting your friends' home,etc.

Why videogames can considered as an art form?

1. Videogames contains ideas and expression. As art should have ideas and express feelings so that it could be substantial. Happy Pets are containing some ideas such as how to take care a pet and raise the concerns about the responsibility. When you start to playing the game, you will own a pet and you need to take care them. You will know how to take care of pets. It just like a simulation of our real life. Through the picture above, the images are cutie and colourful, that the game expressing happy and warm mood.

2. Videogames contain aesthetic. In order to express happiness and relaxing, producer uses vivid colors such as blue, pink, green to let the frame more soft and colorful. About the music, it is some relaxing and lively music. And the game flow is smooth. Combine the use of colors, music, images, it has an harmony and construct a relaxing mood.

3. Videogames are creativity. I think it is a new way to telling stories. As film is an art form, it uses characters, music, actions, dialogues, lighting, etc to tell audiences a story. Videogames use a special and creative way to tell a story. It contains new technologies so that each image can join together and has a smooth flow. Through players play the game,  they are involved in the game and they can feel the story. For example, Happy Pets is telling you about a pet story, so players can know the story through playing the games.

4.  Videogame contains cultural issues. Happy Pets is a pet game which closely related to our real life. Having pets is an cultural issues or may be a trend, many people want to have a pet but they do not want to take the duty, so they would like to play this pet games in order to satisfy their wants about having a cutie pet.