Dante Inferno-Why do games have to destroy literature so badly?

I don't want to discuss god of war series but I kind of have to before because people are going to say "but god of war butchered greek mythology". Hardly. It is based on an unique premise about why there are no gods now which is incredibly interesting. Besides getting medusa head it never killed of people who were already dead greak enemies, such as achilles, odysseus, or any of those characters. IT is rather an original story based on the greek mythology with sometimes rather silly script (at times). Now Dante Inferno on the other hand is a butchering and an illogical god of war clone based on dante inferno (how so). If they actually read the book (which I actually doubt) they would make it an exploration game yet, that isn't manly enough for gamers. First of all making dante a cross wielding super knight is utterly insane. He is mostly a coward in the book, and faints at the gruesomeness of hell. Next, they fight these characters that were never in the book. I mean this game goes back to the roots that videogames are for the uneducated, and dumb which is not the way I believe games are evolving into. I think that games are becoming a universial standard but this just proves me otherwise. Regradless of gameplay, and graphcis or any other stuff this game is basically as big of a child game as any wii 'casual game' is.

Who the heck is that?

The Divine Comedy is a work of art. Would such work of art transfer to gaming media well, though? Would it still be fun if it was 100% faithfully recreated? Probably not. I was once saying the same stuff as you about this title and it butchering what it's loosely based on, but I've come to my senses, I think. If the game is good and awesome, then I'm fine with it. I let go of my elite rants and given in to what should be a damn fine game.

How else are you supposed to make a game about The Divine Comedy entertaining? Make it a bloody adventure game? Only us PC gamers would buy it then.Vandalvideo

Its just a name and just a game.. While its true that it doesnt have much in common with the literature its supposedly based on. thats really something you get used to in gaming, like u said: a exploring game with a pansy main character probably isn't the best way to make a god of war clone, which I suppose was the main thing that the devs had in mind..

Having said that the original work of Dante's is very rich and could've been very well made into an excellent game with a different concept...Just not what the devs were aiming to I guess..

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]How else are you supposed to make a game about The Divine Comedy entertaining? Make it a bloody adventure game? Only us PC gamers would buy it then.nhh18

[QUOTE="nhh18"]

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]How else are you supposed to make a game about The Divine Comedy entertaining? Make it a bloody adventure game? Only us PC gamers would buy it then.Vandalvideo

The Divine Comedy is a work of art. Would such work of art transfer to gaming media well, though? Would it still be fun if it was 100% faithfully recreated? Probably not.BioShockOwnz

That's right. I still think it's a stupid idea for a game, so I won't be playing it, but it's really only Inferno-themed. It's not meant to be an adaptation, despite the name.

I would rather they had called it just "Inferno", but most of their audience wouldn't realize that it referred to Dante's poem unless the "Dante's" part was tacked on it.

]You just said how could they make divine comedy entertaining? It isn't loosely based on the divine comedy. Maybe 4 or 5 lines came from the book but besides that it is completely different to the book. Should the game be based more directly on the book rather than inspired by and steal its name?nhh18

Pieces of literature with political and philosophical themes normally don't translate well to games. They aren't doing the entire Divine Comedy, merely an interpretation of Inferno.

I'd like to know how many people on this board have even read a part of the Comedy... or even part of Inferno. Especially the TC.

The important things about the Divine Comedy are not the execution or the literal storyline. The important things about it, are the themes, which are universal no matter who the character is portrayed as, or how the actual storyline is executed. What they are doing is taking the setting, and themes of the Divine Comedy and making an entertaining experience out of them.

The reason Dante made the Divine Comedy the way that he did was because he wanted to tell his story. He wanted to speak about how he had gone through trials and difficulties, fallen into the darkness of hell and then emerged, spiritually renewed... That is the most important theme of the Divine Comedy, spiritual rebirth. Ultimately, the path taken and his portrayal of the character are irrelevant to the theme. Visceral Games has actually come up with a brilliant substitute that not only provides a good avenue for exporing the theme of the storyline, but it also helps to set up the game as a fun, brutal action game. Having Dante be a crusader who did terrible things, and has drifted away from God is a brilliant adaptation. Because, ultimately, it provides a great way for them to tell the story of how his trials in Hell ultimately bring him closer to God and give him a spiritual rebirth.

Just because it doesn't follow the poem literally does not mean it is butchering it. The only thing butchering the Divine Comedy is our modern educational system which fails to teach its students that the actual storylines of the classic books they read are not the important parts of those books... The important parts of the Odyssey, the Iliad, the Divine Comedy, Metamorphosis, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and any of the hundreds of other classic novels/poems/stories that you could have read of the years, are the themes and ideas discussed, not the actual story that they used to portray those themes.

So, please, stop saying it is butchering the Divine Comedy. Because, just so long as it manages to deal with the same themes(which you can't know until you play through the entire game), it is perfectly fine as an adaptation....

'Cause most gamers don't give a hoot about literature?

Honestly, do you think anyone, but a select few gamers will even know the source material is an italian poem? Hell, i had to google that.

I only found out it was a bookor whatever after watching it on gametrailers and the guy saying it was.

Yes the Poem is a "work of art" and will forever be in history balh blah blah, but who cares about history nowadays?

Pieces of literature with political and philosophical themes normally don't translate well to games. They aren't doing the entire Divine Comedy, merely an interpretation of Inferno.

I'd like to know how many people on this board have even read a part of the Comedy... or even part of Inferno. Especially the TC.

foxhound_fox

Same... And of the people who did read it, I would like to know how many actually understood what the entire purpose of the storyline was... Probably 3-4 people on this entire forum.

'Cause most gamers don't give a hoot about literature?

Honestly, do you think anyone, but a select few gamers will even know the source material is an italian poem? Hell, i had to google that.

I only found out it was a bookor whatever after watching it on gametrailers and the guy saying it was.

Yes the Poem is a "work of art" and will forever be in history balh blah blah, but who cares about history nowadays?

-Snooze-

Pieces of literature with political and philosophical themes normally don't translate well to games. They aren't doing the entire Divine Comedy, merely an interpretation of Inferno.

I'd like to know how many people on this board have even read a part of the Comedy... or even part of Inferno. Especially the TC.

foxhound_fox

"but god of war butchered greak mythology". nhh18

If you want people to take you serious you might want to know how to spell Greek.

'Cause most gamers don't give a hoot about literature?

Honestly, do you think anyone, but a select few gamers will even know the source material is an italian poem? Hell, i had to google that.

I only found out it was a bookor whatever after watching it on gametrailers and the guy saying it was.

Yes the Poem is a "work of art" and will forever be in history balh blah blah, but who cares about history nowadays?

[QUOTE="nhh18"]

"but god of war butchered greak mythology". ThePistolGod

If you want people to take you serious you might want to know how to spell Greek.

'Cause most gamers don't give a hoot about literature?

Honestly, do you think anyone, but a select few gamers will even know the source material is an italian poem? Hell, i had to google that.

I only found out it was a bookor whatever after watching it on gametrailers and the guy saying it was.

Yes the Poem is a "work of art" and will forever be in history balh blah blah, but who cares about history nowadays?

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]

Pieces of literature with political and philosophical themes normally don't translate well to games. They aren't doing the entire Divine Comedy, merely an interpretation of Inferno.

I'd like to know how many people on this board have even read a part of the Comedy... or even part of Inferno. Especially the TC.

nhh18

oh my god... What is even the point of reading it if you aren't going to explore the themes or reasoning behind why it was written? And it most certainly wasn't about Florentine politics. He made a lot of jabs at Florentine politics in Inferno, but the entire Divine Comedy most certainly was not about Florentine politics...

most people in or past college have heard of it.pyromaniac223

[QUOTE="-Snooze-"][QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] Now that was good. I actually thought you were serious for a second.pyromaniac223

Having Dante be a crusader who did terrible things, and has drifted away from God is a brilliant adaptation. Because, ultimately, it provides a great way for them to tell the story of how his trials in Hell ultimately bring him closer to God and give him a spiritual rebirth.horrowhip

Same... And of the people who did read it, I would like to know how many actually understood what the entire purpose of the storyline was... Probably 3-4 people on this entire forum.

horrowhip

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] most people in or past college have heard of it.Vandalvideo

I haven't. There's one answer for you sir.

:)

And themes aren't the main reason why books are written. The plot, and storyline shouldn't be disregarded.

nhh18

Plot and storyline are only there to provide grounding and direction for the themes. Sure, they are important, and without the right plot/storyline, the entire thing falls apart, but if you want to analyze literature, ultimately, plot and storyline mean nothing to the effectiveness of the actual story. He could have written hundreds of different plots/storylines and achieved basically the same result(recognition as a classic). but ultimately, without the themes, without the ideas, the entire thing is worthless.

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"][QUOTE="-Snooze-"] Im very, very serious. I couldn't tell you the first thing about the Divine Comedy, and im sure many gamers would agree. Maybe not system Wars gamers, but the real gamers wont even know what they're being lead through.-Snooze-

[QUOTE="nhh18"]

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]

Pieces of literature with political and philosophical themes normally don't translate well to games. They aren't doing the entire Divine Comedy, merely an interpretation of Inferno.

I'd like to know how many people on this board have even read a part of the Comedy... or even part of Inferno. Especially the TC.

horrowhip

oh my god... What is even the point of reading it if you aren't going to explore the themes or reasoning behind why it was written? And it most certainly wasn't about Florentine politics. He made a lot of jabs at Florentine politics in Inferno, but the entire Divine Comedy most certainly was not about Florentine politics...

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] most people in or past college have heard of it.Vandalvideo

Start to finish, including analysis/complete understanding of the poem? 3-4 people total....

[QUOTE="horrowhip"]

[QUOTE="nhh18"]I read it 8 months ago for my english cla ss (lol can't say anythign with a ss in it) The book was mostly about florentine politics but I didn't really want to go into themes, and reason why he wrote it. Just discussed one action where he faints to show how dissimilar the two characters are.

nhh18

oh my god... What is even the point of reading it if you aren't going to explore the themes or reasoning behind why it was written? And it most certainly wasn't about Florentine politics. He made a lot of jabs at Florentine politics in Inferno, but the entire Divine Comedy most certainly was not about Florentine politics...

[QUOTE="-Snooze-"][QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] That part's true, sadly, but a LOT of people care about history. Divine Comedy is one of the all time greats, most people in or past college have heard of it.pyromaniac223

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"][QUOTE="-Snooze-"] Im past college, as are all my friends ... i really, really doubt anyone knows it. They'd assume it's a Chris Rock show.-Snooze-

[QUOTE="-Snooze-"][QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] That part's true, sadly, but a LOT of people care about history. Divine Comedy is one of the all time greats, most people in or past college have heard of it.pyromaniac223

You just realized that?

I'm assuming by "we" you mean America and well, education isn't taken as seriously as it is around the world and it hasn't been for awhile. It's actually a complete joke.

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"][QUOTE="-Snooze-"] Im past college, as are all my friends ... i really, really doubt anyone knows it. They'd assume it's a Chris Rock show.ThePistolGod

You just realized that?

I'm assuming by "we" you mean America and well, education isn't taken as seriously as it is around the world and it hasn't been for awhile. It's actually a complete joke.

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"][QUOTE="-Snooze-"] Im past college, as are all my friends ... i really, really doubt anyone knows it. They'd assume it's a Chris Rock show.ThePistolGod

You just realized that?

I'm assuming by "we" you mean America and well, education isn't taken as seriously as it is around the world and it hasn't been for awhile. It's actually a complete joke.

nah. It was all about florentine politics. There weren't many themes. He mostly created the rings of hell to show his distaste toward the florentine politician. I think the christian religion and hell itself was a background.

nhh18

Inferno is just the first part of the story... There is later Purgatorio and Paradiso. Inferno made a lot of comments about Florentine politics. A LOT. But, if you want to talk about the Divine Comedy(like your original post suggested), the whole thing has very little to do with Florentine politics. It is focused primarily on the theme of spiritual renewal. How trials and difficulties in your life only reinforce your faith in God. Dante had been banished from the city he loved. He had lost his way, and he had lost faith in God. The Divine Comedy was his tale of how he fell into the deepest, darkest pits of hell, fallen completely away from God, and then emerged, renewed in his faith. THAT is the theme of the Divine Comedy. THAT is why he wrote the entire 3 part Epic Poem known as the Divine Comedy.

Understand?

You have a terrible english class.pyromaniac223

No joke... But as I said before, the only thing butchering the Divine Comedy, is our modern educational system. There is no point in reading it if you don't discuss the themes of it... Plot and Storyline are only devices used by the Author to portray his/her ideas. Knowing the plot/storyline don't mean you know the book. All it means is that you can repeat what you read like a parrot. Until you can analyze and understand a books themes, you haven't actually learned anything about it.

[QUOTE="nhh18"] ]You just said how could they make divine comedy entertaining? It isn't loosely based on the divine comedy. Maybe 4 or 5 lines came from the book but besides that it is completely different to the book. Should the game be based more directly on the book rather than inspired by and steal its name?Vandalvideo

that's funny,because I seem to recall having Wallace and Gromit,as well as Sam and Max downloaded on my 360 harddrive.and I plan on Purchasing the Monkey island remake.. :roll:

Start to finish, including analysis/complete understanding of the poem? 3-4 people total....

horrowhip

That's a slippy slope of a definition. I'd say the only person with "complete understanding" of the poem is Dante himself, and my guess is he isn't debating poly counts in Forza 3 vs. GT5. :P

Anyway, I agree with what you said earlier -- the key to the game is how well Viceral is able to portray the themes of the poem. If they can get that right, it doesn't matter if it's an FPS set in the year 4500 (after all, Joyce did alright with the whole Ulysses thing). That said, I can't help but feel that the game is going to be a simple God of War clone, and the title is just tacked on to help market the game.

[QUOTE="pyromaniac223"][QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"] Yes, the Chinese will devastate us with their intimate knowledge of Medieval Western literary epics. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"][QUOTE="nhh18"] ]You just said how could they make divine comedy entertaining? It isn't loosely based on the divine comedy. Maybe 4 or 5 lines came from the book but besides that it is completely different to the book. Should the game be based more directly on the book rather than inspired by and steal its name?Kandlegoat

that's funny,because I seem to recall having Wallace and Gromit,as well as Sam and Max downloaded on my 360 harddrive.and I plan on Purchasing the Monkey island remake.. :roll:

You might. But the average person will not.