The Evolution of Interactive Media

By Jason Crawford

In the Beginning Pong: Released in

1972, it was the first true video game.

Primitive by today’s standards, it was the first to truly have interaction between players and virtual icons.

Keep the Coins Coming

Arcade Games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong introduced concepts such as: protagonists and antagonists, motivation, and goals.

It’s Called an Imagination

Text-based adventures

Allowed players to use their imaginations to create visualizations in their minds.

The Three Seeds

From these three games: Super Mario Bros., Metroid , and The Legend of Zelda; came innovations from which nearly everything that followed has taken from.Super Mario Bros.- Introduced the concepts of multiple worlds, enemies, and gameplay functions (such as: different powers, the ability to both run and jump).Metroid- Dropped the player into a large open world and gave them the freedom to run in any direction to progress through the game. Also introduced features such as; progression/restriction, lasting upgrades, and exploration.The Legend of Zelda- Considered by many to be the most influential game of all-time, it redefined what games could be by implementing both pre-existing concepts and new ones such as puzzle gameplay, collecting, and storytelling and blending them all together to create the first true adventure game. It also created what is arguably the greatest gameplay formula in gaming, as it has not really strayed from this template in over 25 years.

I am, what I want to beThe late 80’s and early 90’s gave way to the genre of games known as RPG’s, or Role Playing Games where, as you would expect, a player could not only control a specific character, they could shape it, mold it, and form it how they chose. Earlier RPG’s introduced the concept by allowing players to “level up their characters, giving them a sense of ownership over them. It was not until later that players gained full control over their characters. Later games like The Elder Scrolls series allowed players further freedom by giving them plenty of things to do lending to the overall sense of not just control of their characters, but also the flow of the narrative and game.

Welcome to the Third Dimension

After Nintendo milked the second dimension dry with all three of their flagship franchises (Mario, Zelda, and Metroid) there was no where left to go but the Z axis. Along with the obvious changes to the worlds created (2-D vs. 3-D) the move into 3-D gave gamers a better sense of immersion in the magical lands in which the traveled and allowed developers much more freedom in terms of creating complex and engaging locations in which to set their stories. One game in particular, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (bottom left) defined the term “epic adventure” as well as set the new standard for all adventure games following its release.

And the Band Begins to Play

Even the earliest of arcade games had music in them. Mario, Metroid, and Zelda all had specific rhythms that went with their respective games, but they were mostly a collection of sounds that went together to form a good beat.

Fast forward to this generation and many games now have complex orchestral arrangements that accompany the action. Game soundtracks are a common sight and some are even given very high allocates. For instance, the music from the game Journey was recently nominated for a Grammy Award.

The Zelda franchise is famous for its inspired arrangements.

Halo was one of the first games to use orchestral music to swell up the emotion.

The music of Journey was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Hello Hollywood

Cut scenes have come along way since Ninja Gaiden (top left), but each step has been one step closer to creating more immersive and engaging stories in video games. In fact, cut scenes have become so prevalent in games that some developers such as Irrational Games and Infinity Ward have shied away from using them as they take control away from players.

Go Anywhere, Do Anything… Almost

Before Grand Theft Auto III released for the Playstation 2 in 2001 most games were fairly limited in terms of freedom. Franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Metroid allowed gamers to traverse and explore large environments while still keeping them in check as to what they could do. GTA 3 broke down this barrier by unshackling the many restrictions that gamers had had for so long.

No longer were open worlds merely a tool to further a story or concept; now they were vast and versatile playgrounds where the only real boundary is one’s imagination. What Grand Theft Auto III introduced was inspired countless homages. For example: Both Spider-Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction are two of the most successful comic book games ever. Why? Because they allow the player to not only control the hero, but become them by letting them run free in an open world.

2007- Redefining the Medium

The year 2007 is arguably the most important year in gaming in terms of furthering the medium and pushing the boundaries of what games can be.BioShock- This game single-handedly changed both critics and developer’s view of what can be presented in a video game. It challenged gamers to think critically by implementing themes such as political ideologies, and stem cell research and placing them in one of the greatest fictional cities ever created known as Rapture. Mass Effect- The first game in arguably the greatest trilogy in the medium. By taking cues from Star Wars TKotOR, Bioware perfected their craft by weaving a tight, and intelligent sci-fi narrative that allowed players to shape it and it’s protagonist Commander Shepard to their liking. Aiding in this immersion is one the most fully developed cast of characters in gaming. From Garrus, the guy anyone would want to walk into hell with, to Miranda, the stunning, yet insecure female, each one exudes his or her own personalities to create an amazing cast.

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2007 cont. Assassin’s Creed- Up until the implementation of the Assassin’s

Creed franchise, most, if not all, action/adventure games were based solely on fiction. From now on however, games could be more than that. Each installment in the franchise worked more like a virtual history lesson, transporting players back to times they could only read about. From Renaissance Italy to the American Revolution to the upcoming age of pirates, each location is pulled directly from research and history books to accurately recreate life in each of the eras. I personally was able to answer a question about the Medici’s on Jeopardy thanks to Assassin’s Creed II.

Hello, My Name is…With the advancements in technology and animation, the level of depth within video games characters has grown exponentially. Characters are no longer just a collection of pixels; they are individuals with feelings, emotions, desires, personalities, and ideals that players can become invested in and relate to.

Clementine Ezio Auditore Niko Belic

John Marston Andrew Ryan

Also aiding to the depth in characters are the increasing skills in storytelling and growing maturity in video games. Realistic stories require realistic characters in order to gain the level of depth needed to support the narrative.

Games Growing Up

Quantic Dream’s head man David Cage has been quoted to say that games need to grow up. While I believe he is correct, I also believe that games are slowly but surely moving out of Never Never Land and into more mature space. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (left) showed us one of the most technically impressive and haunting piece of gameplay sections ever and at the same time reminded us how devastating war can be.

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Games Growing Up cont.

The year 2008 gave us two different but equally as realistic visualizations of America. Fallout 3 (top right) developed by Bethesda gave players the opportunity to wander around a DC ravaged by nuclear war. Seeing landmarks like the Capitol and the Washington Memorial torn apart is as terrifying as it is stunning.

On the other side of the coin, Grand Theft Auto IV (bottom right) showed players the seedy underside of the American Dream by illustrating through Niko Belic just how easy it is to get sucked into the criminal world, and how difficult it is to escape.

Blending the MediumsAs video games got better and better at immersing their players in engaging narratives, the gap between them and the different mediums began to bridge. Gears of War 2 plays a high-octane summer blockbuster (think the game equivalent of The Expendables), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is reminiscent of a fun adventure film, and Alan Wake plays like a great thriller novel; it wraps you up and keeps you going like a good book makes you keep turning the pages.

On the Horizon

The expansion of video games is continuing and finding new frontiers all the time. Games like The Walking Dead and Heavy Rain have ventured into what I predict will become a totally separate entity known as interactive media. By functioning almost as a movie, they allow players to tailor the experience and story by letting them make choices that effect the flow or outcome of the narrative.

On the Horizon cont.The fast approaching Next Generation of consoles is set to allow even more freedom for both gamers and developers. Though most information about the machines and forthcoming games are a mystery, what has been seen has indicated that players are in for more freedom than they’ve ever had before. Ubisoft’s upcoming open world action title Watch Dogs (bottom left) allows players to use the infrastructure of the city as well as citizens’ personal accounts to their advantage.

Based upon the increase in player options and innovations in the way storytelling is being implemented, it is safe to say that, in terms of video games, the future looks bright ahead.

Photo Credits In the Beginning

o http://bavatuesdays.com/files/2012/02/1pong.gif Keep the Coins Coming

o http://www.arcade-museum.com/images/118/1181242103213.pngo http://

static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/118/287623-arc_pac_man_1.jpg It’s Called an Imagination

o http://levgrossman.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/zork.jpg The Three Seeds

o http://assets3.isatv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Super-Mario-Brothers.gif

o http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/07/NES_Metroid.pngo http://www.freewebs.com/thegoron/NES_Legend_of_Zelda_1.pngo http://images.wikia.com/logopedia/images/b/be/Super_Mario_Bros_logo.jpgo http://lh4.ggpht.com/-

fPSspyFPG6g/UQXgVzRfe2I/AAAAAAAAACA/dMIFjwwKo2Y/s1600/Metroid_Logo_2.png

o http://meangentlemen.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/the_legend_of_zelda_logo.png

I am what I want to beo http://

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d8/FF1_USA_boxart.jpg/250px-FF1_USA_boxart.jpg

o http://static.tumblr.com/nhi78hb/oL7ly878m/oopopo.jpg Welcome to the Third Dimension

o http://www.thesixthaxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mario1.jpgo http://purenintendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ocarina1.jpg

And the Band Begins to Playo http://

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o http://www.rarewarecentral.com/sites/default/files/Ocarina%20of%20Time%20%23%201_2.png

o http://images.eurogamer.net/2013/articles/1/5/5/6/6/9/5/136087394378.jpg Hello Hollywood

o http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yOput4lAToY/UNBv9rhpF-I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/TBdOXS1vGu8/s1600/MGS+Snake+behind+tank+in+Armory.jpeg

o http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yOput4lAToY/UNBv9rhpF-I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/TBdOXS1vGu8/s1600/MGS+Snake+behind+tank+in+Armory.jpeg

Go Anywhere, Do Anything… Almosto http://

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/be/GTA3boxcover.jpg/250px-GTA3boxcover.jpg

o http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ilDs_hTNXug/UWA-a9uiLMI/AAAAAAAAVHc/BXZxuTq7dHQ/s1600/Grand+Theft+Auto+III.jpg

2007- Redefining the Mediumo http://

spinoff.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bioshock.jpgo http://www.justpushstart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/mass-effect.jpgo http://

blogs-images.forbes.com/carolpinchefsky/files/2012/10/AssassinsCreed.jpg 2007 cont.

o http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/altair-ezio-connor.jpgo http://images.vg247.com/current//

2013/03/Assassins-creed-4-black-flag-131.jpg Hello, My Name is…

o http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100711132236/gtawiki/images/f/fb/NikoBellic-GTAIV.jpg

o http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/328/6/5/ezio_auditore_by_yankeestyle94-d33ijv3.png

o http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/3/39162/1692653-red_dead_redemption_john_marston.jpg

o http://www.snakpakk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/cast-feature-clementine.png

o http://www.pcgamesn.com/sites/default/files/bioshock-free.jpg Games Growing Up

o http://portforward.com/games/walkthroughs/Call-of-Duty-4-Modern-Warfare/Call-of-Duty-4-Modern-Warfare-small-386.jpg

o http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDqgp5kmfYA/T3N71zwKk6I/AAAAAAAAAmc/iJHEN0L4EgQ/s1600/nuke2.png

Games Growing Up cont.o http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs43/f/2009/130/b/4/Fallout_3___

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qUV2yhTlqn8/UH1H0rkJshI/AAAAAAAAAB0/6XD7Vyf5E88/s1600/gta-4-pc-game.jpg

Blending the Mediumso http://mycheats.1up.com/view/imageraw/61058/official_wallpaper.jpgo http://

www.uncharted.ch/wp-content/gallery/wallpaper-02/uncharted2-wp-04_by_VAMP-16.jpg

o http://thegamefanatics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/alan-wake-rumor-logo1.jpg

On the Horizono http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/520/711/166.jpgo http://static.tumblr.com/73xd9qg/xX3lpulq3/heavyrain.png

On the Horizon cont.o http://i2.cdnds.net/13/08/618x347/gaming-watch-dogs-4_1.jpgo http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

blJA3soONFs/Tuyk0NGS8fI/AAAAAAAAtaU/gybIvQhfO2g/s1600/Xbox_360_Logo.jpg

o http://www.redbarrels.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/PS4-logo-1024x576.jpg