What makes an FMV game?

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:52 am

Is Novastorm a fmv game? Psychic Detective is -- isn't it? What about Myst? Supreme Warrior and Night Trap most certainly are FMV games. I'm confused.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:02 am

WANT SOME RYE?

COURSE YA DO!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:46 am

What makes a FMV game? That's a tricky one that I guess we can only speculate.

I think my definition of a FMV game goes along the lines of video that is constantly streamed, to flow like a film of sorts, that also occasionally gives the player input to change the direction of said film/video. Most of these types of games revolve around QTEs, or pressing a specific button at a specific time (examples: Strahl, Revenge of the Ninja, Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, etc.). Other types of FMV games that could fall into the genre, but have more "interaction", per-say, would be titles like Night Trap and Double Switch.

I suppose a good defining trait in this description would be whether you could get a similar effect by simply watching the game versus actually playing it. For instance, I watched an entire playthrough of "Revenge of the Ninja" for the Sega CD via YouTube. As awesome as the game looked, I have no desire to play it now, considering the interaction is very, very specific, and I have already seen everything.

I'm not sure where this topic was intended to go, but all games that *utilize* FMV (and not necessarily revolve around it) tend to get lumped into one generalized genre by the gaming press and the uneducated, despite many titles focusing on tried-and-true gameplay concepts and mechanics simply layered on top of streaming video. This includes games like Novastorm and Microcosm, where standard arcade action is layered on top of streaming video, and even titles like the 7th Guest/11th Hour, where FMV is merely the means of traversing the environment, a break between mind-bending puzzles.

BTW, Myst is not a FMV game by any means. If there had to be one simple definition for it, it would be, "Interactive Digital Slideshow".

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:57 am

Over use of FMV? Should there be sub-categories? Supreme Warrior is a FMV fighter, Snow Job is an FMV point and click adventure, Microcosm is an FMV shooter?

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:02 am

I think we can safely classify them all as "Dead".

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:06 am

Haha, I don't know.. I think it would be appropriate to list them in their respective genres: Novastorm, "arcade shooter"; Sewer Shark, "on-rails shooter"; 7th Guest, "point and click adventure"; Supreme Warrior, "crap"; etc., etc.

I suppose adding the "FMV" moniker could be appropriate though, as long as each respective genre is listed with it as well.

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:41 pm

Vance wrote:I think we can safely classify them all as "Dead".

Belt up. I like Novastorm

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:37 pm

I refer to the genre, dude. It is very, very gone.

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:06 pm

...not in this house

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:09 pm

'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:40 pm

Flashheart: If word gets out that I'm missing, 500 girls will kill themselves and I wouldn't want them on my conscience - not when they ought to be on my face!

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:45 pm

Blackadder: The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.

Post by **3DO Experience** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:26 am

Even in the game industry there was a little bit of a bout over the FMV title. Was it only a game that you played though the video (like D) or do games that used video turned into sprites (Monster Manor) count too? We decided on the latter but I think the test of time as included only the first.

Lemmi · Post by **Lemmi** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:50 am

then alot of stuff today is FMV