Video Games in Television

[Depression Moon]

I'm extremely confused where to put this since it's half and half, but I decided this would be best.
I recently got a copy of Game Informer's May 2009 issue and they had a column on Video games in television. A lot of the things they are saying are definitely evident. Video game representation on TV is weak compared to others. They had mentioned the Spike Video game awards, although they didn't say it I think they agree that it's trash. It's not serious enough although I don't want it to be boring like the Oscar's because they're so uptight.

I would show you guys the article, but I can't remember how to fcopy images with my scanner. There's a button that shows paper another that shows Scanner to PC and a couple of others with images of paper beside each other one is colored and the other isn't. A Lexmark scanner.

What do you all think about games in television?

[charliepanayi]

I always remember Final Fantasy VIII cropping up briefly in the film Charlie's Angels - shame they didn't realise that it wasn't a two-player game, as two kids are seen to be playing it XD

Anyway the portrayal of video games on TV etc tends to be pretty poor, they usually seem to have someone just randomly pressing buttons at a screen and the like. The TV show Spaced is one thing that does tend to get it right though, and doesn't make the 'playing video games means you're a bit of a loser' assumption.

[LunarWeaver]

I like when the TV the actors are playing on makes 80's laser and pew pew noises.

[MJN SEIFER]

I always remember Final Fantasy VIII cropping up briefly in the film Charlie's Angels - shame they didn't realise that it wasn't a two-player game, as two kids are seen to be playing it XD

Anyway the portrayal of video games on TV etc tends to be pretty poor, they usually seem to have someone just randomly pressing buttons at a screen and the like. The TV show Spaced is one thing that does tend to get it right though, and doesn't make the 'playing video games means you're a bit of a loser' assumption.

Yeah, I saw someone play FFVII on a show called "2 out of 4 children" (I think), but he described it like he was playing a shooting game...

[scrumpleberry]

It just makes me chuckle. I don't really care, all it means is that TV viewers who aren't gamers get a slightly skewed view of games. So what? "AUGH FFVII ISN'T A FPS OH MY GOD" that's not really going to make them think any worse of it.

What really does bother me is when articles go "VIDEO GAMES ARE ABOUT/USED TO BE ABOUT SITTING IN A DARKENED ROOM FOR HOURS ON END, HAMMERING/PRESSING BUTTONS TO KILL MONSTERS" no no no its about escapism and having fun :( It's a little worrying that they can't even try to understand the reasoning behind gaming. It doesn't go like

Nerd #1: "Hey nerd #2, we're both nerds! Obviously we like doing nerdy things! I enjoy sitting in basements and getting RSI! I think that's what I'll spend this glorious day doing! Do you wanna join me? Remember to bring your nerd glasses!"
Nerd #2: "Hell yeah! Let's sit in front of a computer screen on a summers day with the curtains drawn, hammering at our keyboards becauuuuse obviously we find these strange strange things enjoyable! We embrace unhealthiness naturally, we go out of our way to do unhealthy things because we are nerds!"

doesn't fucking work like that xDDDD ESCAPISM AND FUN, BITCHES. Think for a fucking second before you write another article on video games and how they are the ruin of society. Nearly none of these articles mention why people play them other than ADDICTION AND UNNATURAL LOVE OF VIOLENCE ZOMG

/sidetracked

[Vermachtnis]

I remember one episode of Big Bang Theory where Sheldon was playing Mario on an Emulator. And I remember thinking it was awesome because they were talking about emulating which isn't all that legal and it was actually Mario. Like Nocti said, it's usually Space Invader sounds and stuff.

[Big D]

I remember a short-lived but amusing '90s sitcom called Shasta, wherein the main character bragged about having both a PlayStation and an N64 - thus allowing him to play Metal Gear Solid or Turok 2 - or both.

Spaced, a UK comedy starring the mighty Simon Pegg, used video games to great effect to illustrate the characters' moods. Tim has a bad experience with a girl, so he starts Tomb Raider III so he can drown Lara repeatedly. A Tekken 3 fight between Paul and Nina is used to punctuate verbal sparring between the hero and heroine. Stuff like that.

[blackmage_nuke]

I once saw a show where they were playing guitar hero but werent even facing the screen.

Ironically i find that the only time games are portrayed realisticaly on television is when they are being parodied

[qwertysaur]

The guitar hero episode of South Park comes to mind :p

[Depression Moon]

Hmm, maybe my message wasn't clear. I was referring to programs that are specifically tailored to the art of video games.

I just wanted to add how they talked about G4 and how they have declined in their gaming programs over the years. They started out with several shows about video games with Arena, X-Play, Icons (later turned Game Makers), Cinematech, G4TV.com, and Cheat and now a lot of those are gone you have a bunch of reality shows that replaced them like COPS and Whacky Videos.

They also said ATOS is one which I don't really see at all. On occassion they talk about games, but 90% of the time it's about gadgets and immature humor. I've noticed lately how X-Play has been having less viewings. there are only three shows a week now and the shows length have cut by three minutes. Before they never had those extra long commercial breaks where you think it's coming back on, but all they show is footage of the cast and crew while they're waiting for the break to end.

[Heath]

Spaced, a UK comedy starring the mighty Simon Pegg, used video games to great effect to illustrate the characters' moods. Tim has a bad experience with a girl, so he starts Tomb Raider III so he can drown Lara repeatedly. A Tekken 3 fight between Paul and Nina is used to punctuate verbal sparring between the hero and heroine. Stuff like that.

Ah, I didn't expect anyone else to think of this, but it's what instantly came to my mind.