Video Games as Media

[Michaël Samyn]

You know, the main reason why I write and publish these articles is exactly to support people who already think along the same lines. To let them know that they are not alone and to encourage them to persist. I have zero interest in convincing the others or even hoping to make my point of view clear to them.
(I even find it amusing sometimes to toy with them. I know that's mean.)

We just watched Habitación en Roma. Quite a beautiful experience. With a lot of personal reminders, actually. Quite moving for me. It fills me with a strange kind of sadness when I realize how far removed video games are from a simple touching piece like this.

[Jeroen D. Stout]

It is interesting to think on how to best approach this group. I am wondering how an outright tutorial would fare. Quite literary take them through a step-by-step process. Perhaps if people start with the 'how' the 'why' will follow.

~

I found Habitación en Roma after discussing with a friend how sex is handled in films. He said it was mostly gratuity without being essential. I agreed for many films but asserted that you can tell narrative through sex and that it is many directors who fail to do so, not because of the act. We disagreed but I finally found Habitación en Roma which confirms my idea. I wonder how the film would work should the genders be different, actually, contrasting to real life (my real life, in any case) in films male/female sex is depicted in a more frenzied, lustful way. Also, perhaps, because ordinarily in films the characters have little other reason to like one-another apart from having different genders.

Should it ever come to pass I do sex in a game this will be one of the references. It would be immensely telling of a character to see what options are open to him sexually speaking. But perhaps we should kiss in games first? Perhaps we should grab a shoulder with unexpressed affection first and cross glances by which we learn of the shape of things to come.

But the 2-actor, 1-support, 1-room set-up is quite ideal for a game-on-budget, though.

[Michaël Samyn]

I wonder how the film would work should the genders be different

Easy to find out: watch the film that Habitación en Roma was based on: En la Cama. I haven't yet. The trailer doesn't look as promising as director Julio Medem's work.

I liked that it was a homosexual affair, though. That removed the whole male dominance aspect of heterosexual relationships (in movies).