* Preambulatory Note:
I wrote the following essay for a writing class at school a year ago. We could pick any topic, so, naturally, I chose video games. Since it was just lying around, I decided that I might as well post it on here. However, since this was written for an audience that is not so familiar with video games, you might find that I repeat and make note of things that gamers would usually pass off as given, implied, or common knowledge. As I read this I also noticed that my essay-writing skills have vastly improved, but I still found what I wrote interesting and I hope you do too. The word count was limited to 2000 words, in which I had to talk about various aspects of Fumito Ueda's games. In some cases I could not talk about certain aspects as in depth as I would have liked. Also, I must admit that I got a bit lazy at parts because I took advantage that my teacher probably barely understood the topic. She was neither a gamer nor artist, but I know I can't fool some gamers that might read this. I did change the essay a bit and added pictures for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Fumito Ueda's World Design:
As a child in Japan in the 1970s, Fumito Ueda enjoyed watching any object or living creature that moved; he eventually studied animation and became a video game designer. He was lead designer in Shadow of the Colossus and Ico,which weretwo critically well-received titles that achieved popular cult status worldwide. An element of both games that was adored by the public and critics alike was the setting. How does Fumito use the medium of digital games to effectively convey setting?
Fumito Ueda
Digital games are a medium that is not looked at with as much esteem as others. As with all other methods of storytelling, however, there are people who know how to masterfully exploit the advantages of their chosen medium. Books, poems, film, and television shows have proven to be effective methods that, with the help of a compelling narrative, tell or show the viewer the scenery and history of place that was built inside the mind of some creator. Countless examples of excellent directors, poets and writers can be seen throughout history. Because digital games were integrated into society so relatively soon, however, there are no game designers who are yet beheld as the Shakespeare of the digital world. Nonetheless, there are many who have shown great talent yet are overlooked because of social disregard towards their chosen medium. Some of the finest works in the field of digital games were made by Fumito Ueda. It is a common misconception that, like toys, video games only serve the purpose of entertainment. Mr. Ueda's works are enjoyable, but he purposefully manipulates the player's feelings through his games to convey the theme and narrative, and he arouses more than just happiness. When people play games, one of the designer's many goals is to have the players completely immersed, and Fumito uses this to his advantage. In addition, digital games have a visual aspect, and the artistic talent provided in Shadow of the Colossus or Ico makes every scene as expressive as a landscape painting. Many of the techniques used to create and show the scenery borrow elements from techniques used in Asian and modern landscape art. Strong themes are dealt with in both of Fumito's games, such as religion, love, and man's ability to overcome. Because the dialogue is so minimal, the art has to convey these themes and does so effectively. The narrative itself is shown through obvious actions because, even when the characters speak, they do so in a language that the viewer cannot understand. However, this does not hinder its meaning and power. By forcing feelings on the player, using effective art techniques, and complementing his games with a powerful narrative, Fumito Ueda effectively depicts a greatly imaginative and diverse world.
One of Mr. Ueda's games' many purposes, like with works of literature and film, is to be amusing, but the reason that people naturally find different media enjoyable are varied. Video games accomplish this goal by being intrinsically rewarding. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a renowned Hungarian psychologist, came up with the theory of flow. He wrote the following work: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. His theory states that flow is being completely immersed in an activity. When in this state, all other worries or feelings are forgotten completely; the person is applying all his skills to perform a set task. This is seen in sports, music and many other recreational activities. Fumito Ueda's digital games fall under this category for being satisfactory while not actually bringing any real-world rewards to the player. Furthermore, since they are adventure games, there are elements of challenge, fantasy and curiosity in Shadow of the Colossus and Icothat add to this feeling. Little is explained in both games about the setting. The viewers are simply put in a situation that must be at first perplexing due to the fact that a mysterious culture, creatures, people, and places surround them. Regardless, because the player is given freedom immediately, s/he will, naturally, feel an urge to explore the land. Nothing is gained from this action besides further knowledge of a fictional world. Needless to say, this knowledge is useless in the real world, but simply from gaining it, the player feels satisfaction. As for the challenge, Fumito provides it by creating clever puzzles in his games, which in turn forces players to explore and interact with his fictional world. According to Mihaly's theory of flow, it would be because of these puzzles that the players forget any other worry or problem. By doing this, the viewer is submerged completely, and a state of 'flow' is created. However, few other games manage to set this state as effectively as Fumito's. Other games either lack rewarding challenges or the rich environments and setting that he provided.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
BothShadow of the Colossus andIco have been praised for their aesthetics; without them the themes would not be portrayed and the player would not be as engrossed in the story. Technology has advanced since their releases, and they are, unfortunately, not as visually pleasing. Nevertheless, when making the artwork, Fumito focused on overall character and world design rather than pushing the technological limits by aiming for photorealism. In other words, he used what little he had to the largest effect. Ronald Hepburn, writer of Contemporary Aesthetics and the Neglect of Natural Beauty, described that unlike art, humans appreciate nature's beauty for the reason that they are able to focus on any detail at will. Photography and landscape art have tried to emulate this feeling by presenting vast panoramas while also showing nearby flowers or animals. Digital games on the other hand, especially Fumito's works, present enthralling scenes that the player can approach, interact with and view from any chosen angle. Unfortunately, technology has not yet reached the point where it is possible to have as fine details as nature when inspecting objects from a close distance. Nevertheless, it is the grandness of the scenes that are emphasized in both Shadowand Ico,and both products are successful at portraying this point. Specifically in Shadow, Mr. Ueda's world design was a great achievement and a marvel to look upon. However, none can say that the depressing setting and terrifying monsters are beautiful. According to Edmund Burke in his book, A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origins of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, humans are not solely attracted to what is beautiful. Instead, Burke would classify Shadow, along with thunderstorms, horror movies, and explosions, as sublime.Shadows of the Colossus' monsters emit danger, and so does the unfriendly, unlivable, setting. People are fascinated by objects or events that may be dangerous, and there is no safer way to approach them than in a digital game. Thanks to video games' visual aspects, Fumito can convey complicated emotions to the viewers.
The definition of landscape, as written in The Dictionary of Art, is"A picture representing natural inland scenery, as distinguished from a sea picture, a portrait, etc." This definition is broad because the portrayal of landscapes has changed dramatically over the centuries. Moreover, techniques and mediums used in different regions of the world have always been incredibly varied. During the Middle Ages, Europeans emphasized man's dominion and superiority over nature. At the same time, nature was emphasized by Japanese artists. Japanese art focuses on depicting natural scenes that are devoid of human life. WithShadow of the Colossus, Fumito portrayed his own view of a natural setting, albeit one that lacked all types of life. Japanese landscape paintings such as Shower Under the Summit and The Great Wave off Kanagawa shows only natural settings or people submitting to the will of nature. Further Asian influences can be seen with the design of Shadow of the Colossus' only enemies: the colossi, which are based on monsters from Ancient Japanese art. There was one European named Caspar David Friedrich that, unlike his artistic peers at the time, made a work that emphasized solitude and nature, called Monk by the Sea. Both artists, Fumito and Friedrich, portray a person surrounded by vast expanses of barren land. Friedrich's painting shows a monk who, in contrast to the water and sand that he is surrounded by, looks diminutive. This can be interpreted in number of ways: nature's power over humans, tranquility, and the picture is meant to make viewers feel as insignificant as the monk. Ueda uses this same technique, but with another purpose in his second game, Shadow of the Colossus. The main character, controlled by the player, is usually riding his horse for long periods of time. As this happens, the camera is positioned in a way that lets viewers see the character's surroundings. Most of the surrounding land is absolutely lifeless and goes on for kilometers. There are no plants, there is no water, there are no animals, and there are no people. This setting, like Friedrich's painting, makes the player feel diminutive and helpless; it gives a sense of desperation. Moreover, there are painters who use the same methods, but for different purposes. Many landscape artists simply aim to recreate a scene. Some artists' goal is to emphasize a motif in a given landscape, and others try to tell the story of a place or people through a single picture. Fumito Ueda's camera angles and rich scenery give his games qualities found in all types of landscape art. As in medieval art, Fumito shows prominent figures in Shadow of the Colossus. Medieval and Greek artists were biased towards humanism. They depicted humans out of proportion to a natural setting, making man the center of attention.Shadow's enemies, the colossi, are gigantic, and although they are not shown as out of proportion, they take up the whole screen at their appearance. That is enough to stress the importance of their presence. By doing this, their superiority over the land and the player is emphasized, which adds to the sense of desperation that the game strives to achieve. Various methods were used to efficiently show the creative world created by Fumito Ueda.
Casper David Friedrich's Monk by the Sea
As stated by Michele D. Dickey in her eighteen-page essay on game design narrative, "It is through narrative constructs that we have frame and recount daily experiences in problem solving." The same is true of Shadow of the Colossus andIco. Their narratives are equally important for the exploration of setting; they help create a context that makes the world matter to the player. Narrative is what motivates, and in some cases guides, the player to move around. In Ico, the main character is child who wants to escape a castle, so the viewer ends up exploring it. Mr. Ueda's games are related to each other in the slightest of ways. All that they share in common is the setting. Additionally, every character speaks an invented language. As a result, actions and conversations are frequently pantomimed and rarely subtitled. However, many hints about the culture of the people of that world are given with the architecture of the buildings, the people's clothing, and their language. One looks at these aspects unconsciously while progressing through the game. The same is the case with Shadow of the Colossus. In addition, the giant beasts called colossi, which are one of that game's central plot points, also demonstrate Fumito's world's fantastical facet.
Having been released so early since the conception of video games, Fumito's games are frequently overlooked. It is understandable though, that most would consider it unsuitable to compare such products with plays such as Romeo and Juliet orCats, or with movies such as Pulp Fictionand Casablanca.Nevertheless, the goals that Fumito strives to achieve and the techniques that he uses to portray his themes and setting show real promise in the medium of digital games. Digital games need a balance of challenges and intrinsic rewards to keep viewers immersed. This balance is reached by both Shadowand Ico with the use of elements of mystery, exploration, and clever puzzles. These games' visual aspects borrow techniques used in Japanese and European art. The results of the shown scenes and views of the games are feelings aroused in the players that get them further immersed into the fictional world. With the limitations of today's technology, there are not many products that can rival the quality of the mediums of literature or film. Regardless, because of Mr. Ueda's dedication and understanding of his current advantages and disadvantages, he became one of the few that are able to use the medium of digital games as effectively as a writer.
List of Works Cited
Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane. "Landscape in the Arts." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 1205-1223. Student Resources In Context. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.<http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=SUIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3424300409&userGroupName=ecal&jsid=2c794396e649a7bc76686e2297de3f86>
Bento."Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji: Under the Wave off Kanagawa".Great Wave off Kanagawa. May 21, 2013.<http://blog.asia.si.edu/a-closer-look/hokusai-making-waves/attachment/great-wave/>
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. N.p.: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2008. Print.
Dickey, Michele D. "Game Design Narrative for Learning: Appropriating Adventure Game Design Narrative Devices and Techniques for the Design of Interactive Learning Environments." Educational Technology Research and Development June 2006: 245-73. JStor. Web. 3 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/30221219>.
Friedrich, Casper David. "Monk by the Sea." Google Art Project. Google, n.d. Web. 23 May 2013.<http://www.googleartproject.com/collection/alte-nationalgalerie-staatliche-museen-zu-berlin/artwork/monk-by-the-sea-caspar-david-friedrich/326384/>.
Hargrove, Eugene C. "Landscape Painters and Environmental
Photography."Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy. Ed. J. Baird Callicott and Robert Frodeman. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference. USA, 2009. 33-40.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&;source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&;scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3234100178&userGroupName=stignatiushs&jsid=2382a9034dab88c4a67af7d178d5272e>
Photography."Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy. Ed. J. Baird Callicott and Robert Frodeman. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 33-40.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.<http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3234100178&userGroupName=stignatiushs&jsid=2382a9034dab88c4a67af7d178d5272e>
Ross, Stephanie. "Environmental Aesthetics." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 254-258.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Apr. 2013.<http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3446800574>
"Shower below the Summit." Art Institute Chicago. Art Institute of Chicago, n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.<http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/87008>
