critical to their status as protected interface; we went way different on art Trip’s total fascination with game stores speech. In the landmark case Interactive style; we went way different on editorial, to Digital Chocolate. Mark Wallace talks Digital Software Association v. St. Louis at least from the rest of the gaming to luminaries of the ludology v. County, Missouri, the decision at the The Escapist is an odd beast. There are media. narratology debate about their recent Court of Appeals turned on whether or the fine words of our writers, the fancy gameplaying habits, and returned with not games contained expressive value art, the sleek back-end. But which is it As such, we’re quite polarizing. I get interesting results. And Allen Varney similar to that possessed by painting, that brings people back? letters each week saying, “I love the look discusses roleplay theory – tabletop music and literature. The Court ruled of your magazine – why don’t all sites style. Find these articles and more in this that “If the first amendment is versatile Is it the content? Is it the presentation? look like this?” Those are sitting right week’s issue of The Escapist. enough to shield the painting of Jackson Is it the feeling of looking at a print next to letters asking, “Why is your site Pollock, music of Arnold Schoenberg, or magazine, without the clutter? I suspect broken? This is the web, not print!” Cheers, Jabberwocky verse of Lewis Carroll, we it’s some combination of all these see no reason why the pictures, graphic factors, plus some. And I further suspect Yes, it’s risky. But so was making a game design, concept art, sounds, music, that combination is completely different in which the object is to roll everything stories, and narrative present in video for each person. up into a ball to make a star. So was games are not entitled to a similar making a game where we all got the protection,” and upheld First Amendment This is the same for games. The debate chance to rock out on a guitar on our protections for games. over the importance of various aspects guitar-shaped controller. So was of game creation is hot. The quest for spending four years creating the most To the Editor: Regarding your most Had the Court of Appeals not found that the perfect balance of story, gameplay, beautifully rendered colossi as foes. recent Editor’s Note: whether or not games could stack up next to Pollock, beautiful graphics, new themes, old games are art is immaterial to their Schoenberg or Carroll, it’s highly likely favorites is, in essence, one without end. Is taking risks the be all, end all method status as speech protected under the they wouldn’t be protected - which was Or perhaps, no one end. for success? Eh, that’s just my opinion. exactly what the district court had But, in order for you to help form your First Amendment. decided, before it was overturned. It was So, what do we do in this case? How do own, this week’s issue of The Escapist, Sincerely, for this reason that the reversal led to you entice people to return? “Ludo, Ergo Sum,” focuses on the headlines such as “Video games get ‘art’ philosophy of game design. Dave B. Doskocil status in the US”. The thing(s) which bring people back to Thomas returns this week with an Dear Mr. Doskocil: I respectfully The Escapist, I think, are our strong interview with one of the brightest stars disagree. In fact, the question of Cheers, choices. We didn’t go middle of the road in interactive entertainment, Trip whether games are, or are not art is Julianne on much. We went way different on user Hawkins, discussing everything from From the Lounge: [Re: those precious hours we have available Emotional turmoil? How can you rule out Fortunately, the people who mind their “Unremembering William” by Tom to make ourselves more cultured, the idea that a game couldn’t provide all own business are the norm, but there is Rhodes] I took the time to click on your civilized and empathetic.” that? Maybe gaming doesn’t have its a vocal minority that wishes others to Roger Ebert link, and was dismayed but Shakespeare yet, but that doesn’t mean conform to their own views of how they unsurprised to read the following: Wow! Didn’t he write the screenplay for there can’t be one. should behave or parent or worship. This a Russ Meyer movie? Beyond the Valley “Terror of the Few” is what causes most “...I did indeed consider video games of the Ultra-vixens? That’s two precious And don’t get me started on the idea of of the problems. So, immediately, the inherently inferior to film and literature. culture-grubbing hours that many people authorial control--far better minds than other side springs up, usually much There is a structural reason for that: are never going to get back. Unless that mine have argued that the idea of the more coherent, but not usually arguing Video games by their nature require was the other guy, the late Gene Siskel. author itself is moot. from a position of overwhelming player choices, which is the opposite of passions (in all but rare instances). Thus, the strategy of serious film and I would have to say that based on most Anyhoo. Phew! Had to vent. I enjoyed conflict. literature, which requires authorial of the popular movies this year — and your article very much. And it’s nice to control. Ebert has been a tireless champion of see that you understand that the urge to As long as there are good intentions, the the popular movie — most filmgoers play is so essential to humanity that no road to hell will be paved with them. I am prepared to believe that video aren’t lapping up any more of the milk of matter the platform, whether it’s tic-tac- games can be elegant, subtle, human kindness or the cream of toe drawn in the sand or Halo 3, games -Tom Rhodes sophisticated, challenging and visually intellectual civilization than any given will always be played. wonderful. But I believe the nature of gamer. And I have to say I honestly feel the medium prevents it from moving my precious cultural time is better -Dave Allen beyond craftsmanship to the stature of spent on Diablo 2 than on reading The art. To my knowledge, no one in or out DaVinci Code. From the Lounge: [Re: “A Question of of the field has ever been able to cite a Manners” by Spanner] Your article game worthy of comparison with the Seriously, though. If you are trying to makes a good point. Especially in these great dramatists, poets, filmmakers, make an apples-to-apples comparison of days of the internets, people have lost novelists and composers. That a game conventional narrative vehicles vs. touch with good manners and often can aspire to artistic importance as a computer/video games, what is the basis resort to shouting and name-calling right visual experience, I accept. But for most of comparison? The experiences they out of the gate. gamers, video games represent a loss of provide? Learning? Empathic bonding? Trip Hawkins is deep in a secure underground vault, standing in a telephone booth, talking into his shoe. This is probably not true. But it’s how I image the man on the other end of the phone - the guy who started Electronic Arts and 3DO, launched the Madden NFL game franchise, and now runs the mobile entertainment outfit Digital Chocolate. Because Trip (yes, even the people that don’t know William Hawkins III just feel compelled to call him Trip) inspires a kind of crazy imagination in the people around him and because he really does have a secret formula so valuable, writing about its existence must make him a target for international rings of corporate spies. So, maybe Trip’s not pulling a Maxwell Smart when he answers the phone to do this interview. Maybe he’s more a James Bond, wearing a white tux, sipping a martini and playing baccarat in Morocco as he answers my questions. And maybe that secret formula he tells me is locked safely in his computer is actually microscopically etched on a titanium plate, tucked inside a lambskin attaché, secured to his hand with molybdenum handcuffs. Really, he’s probably just sitting in his office in San Mateo talking on a speakerphone. All I know for sure is Trip wants to explain what’s wrong with Madden, why companies shouldn’t follow EA just because it’s successful and provide a little insight into what happened to society between the time people moved out of mud huts and started telecommuting on the internet. Most of all, Trip wants to talk about games. First Cinematic: Trip Dreams Big games and mobile games and games, computer hobby kit that was not much If you wanted to be one of the people games, games, games, games! It just more than a box with some toggle who would shape the personal computer really doesn’t matter what form it’s in. I switches. No mouse, no monitor and you revolution, being born in 1953 would be just enjoy every sort of game there is.” programmed it by changing the wiring. If a good start. You’d be old enough to the young Hawkins had been Newton, experience things like the launch of the A card-carrying game nerd, Hawkins this would have been the part of the Apple II, and young and foolish enough played D&D and enjoyed the Avalon Hill story where the apple hit him in the to believe these clunky new hobby war games.