Wed 22 Apr 2009
Things You Can’t Do in a Videogame
ByVideogames allow us to experience things that are too expensive, too dangerous, too controversial or just plain impossible for real life.
That is their great attraction: the chance to be someone we are not, to experience something we otherwise cannot.
How rare then, to see things the other way around. See 3:08 to 3:30 for the climax.
Best YouTube comment?
“Err, I think I should sell my bike. It doesn’t seem to work like yours.”
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:14 pm
The quality might not be as good but Rodney Mullen is just as impressive, if not more so, on a skateboard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U-cgn3cEGA
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Actually, that probably isn’t the best vid on YouTube but there are plenty out there. He’s so quick on his feet he kicks and taps and redirects the direction of the board with his feet while in the air, or grabs it. Pretty nuts…
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
There lots of games about mountain bike/dirt bike riding over difficult terrain. This is just the flash versions, but there are better versions out there. I’ve done far crazier things in game than he does in the video. I’m not knocking him – he’s very good – I’m just saying video games have this area covered. http://www.freewebarcade.com/dirt-bike-games.php
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Skate comes kinda close to this by having a fairly emergent and rules-based environment (rather than pre-scripted interactions a la Tony Hawk) and using machinima elements for gratification instead of doling out fake prizes.
You only can’t do this in a videogame because no-one has made a perfectly realistically mapped 3D Edinburgh that lets you loose with a bike, with controls that feels satisfying and convincing.
Yet.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Also, @Andrew:
Games won’t cover the satisfaction and “awe” factors of this kind of stuff while the designers know what the player is going to do.
The majority of the thrill from skate/bike freestyle work is in re-purposing the environment and doing things nobody expects you to.
To be honest, this wouldn’t be so cool if it were done in a biking game. The closest thing would be if it was done in, say, a piece of urban planning software, or a game about keeping a virtual dog as a pet. In fact, the closest thing that probably exists currently is Garry’s Mod for HL2, and the people who have built working robots from rubber bands and wheels.