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

[QUOTE="nhh18"]

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.

horrowhip

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?

Based on the TCs grammar, I can faithfully say that he has not read the divine comedy (did not even state what the name of the "book" was)

TalesofRaGnArOk

ya know, Bad Grammar does not = illiteracy,I know plenty of intelligent people that can read very well,but have horrible grammar..

but way to be a condescending pompous ass ;)

If Dante were alive, he would approve of this game.

It nails the entertainment, emotion and, at least partially, the overall theme of redemption of his work. And if Dead Space's jabs at politicians and religion are an indication of Visceral's general design guidelines, it might nail the slightly controversial aspect too.

[QUOTE="Kandlegoat"]

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"] That was a rhetorical question mean't to explain why they made the game the way they did. If they were more faithful, they could have only done an adventure game, which you console fans wouldn't buy.horrowhip

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.

fair enough.

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:Kandlegoat

Based on the TCs grammar, I can faithfully say that he has not read the divine comedy (did not even state what the name of the "book" was)

This would lead me to believe that the TC has gotten all his resource material from wikipedia

And like God of War, Dante's Inferno is exploring a different side of Alighieri's poem - his quest to find Beatrice, but it also explores Dante's main theme - the medieval description of hell, which I think the game covers nicely

TalesofRaGnArOk

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.horrowhip

[QUOTE="PBSnipes"]That's a slippy slope of a definition. I'd say the only person with "complete understanding" of the poem is Dante himself,Vandalvideo

[QUOTE="horrowhip"]

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

PBSnipes

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.

fair enough...

But, I think they are doing fairly well at differentiating the game. It is similar to God of War, but is there really anything wrong with that? Not to mention, there isn't a whole lot that you can do with the Action genre anyway.... As for their storyline, they have the proper setup for the storyline(IMO). The question is just how well they execute on that setup... There is potential. And to me, that is enough at this point in time. The game is still pretty far from release, and they haven't shown that much, but what I have seen looks pretty good. So, I say keep an eye on it.

[QUOTE="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:Vandalvideo

I just play what I intrigues me,I don't really think on the lines of Console or PC.I see where you are coming from though,most of the halo fans would stick their' nose up at a king's quest game and say "WTF why can't I kill or blow **** up,I have to click a part of teh floor to move?,dis game sux lulz"

I guess we need more generic space marine, save the planet/galaxy from the evil invading force shooters instead, huh? God forbid we actually get a game that is based in something with a little substance at it's root.

I guess we need more generic space marine, save the planet/galaxy from the evil invading force shooters instead, huh? God forbid we actually get a game that is based in something with a little substance at it's root.

ironcreed

I guess we need more generic space marine, save the planet/galaxy from the evil invading force shooters instead, huh? God forbid we actually get a game that is based in something with a little substance at it's root.

ironcreed

I agree with this..

how's them black phantoms treating you btw?

Stop being an eliteist and just play the game. I would not want to play a coward adventuring through hell.

[QUOTE="ironcreed"]

I guess we need more generic space marine, save the planet/galaxy from the evil invading force shooters instead, huh? God forbid we actually get a game that is based in something with a little substance at it's root.

Cherokee_Jack

Dante's Inferno is original for gaming. It has the basic GOW gameplay, but the setting, character and influence are original.

[QUOTE="TalesofRaGnArOk"]

Based on the TCs grammar, I can faithfully say that he has not read the divine comedy (did not even state what the name of the "book" was)

This would lead me to believe that the TC has gotten all his resource material from wikipedia

And like God of War, Dante's Inferno is exploring a different side of Alighieri's poem - his quest to find Beatrice, but it also explores Dante's main theme - the medieval description of hell, which I think the game covers nicely

nhh18

To be fair, if you don't understand it, then you may as well have not read it to begin with.

But don't feel bad. He probably didn't truly read it either given that he says Dante's main theme was his depiction of hell... If you pay close attention to the dev diaries, you can hear the developers mention the tale of redemption, the tale of renewed faith. That is the actual main theme.

Dante's Inferno, wasn't that a movie starring Pierce Brosnan about a mega volcano? :P

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"][QUOTE="pyromaniac223"] My friend, if college students in the U.S. can get through school without even hearing mention of something like the Divine Comedy, that's awful.-Snooze-

[QUOTE="ironcreed"]

I guess we need more generic space marine, save the planet/galaxy from the evil invading force shooters instead, huh? God forbid we actually get a game that is based in something with a little substance at it's root.

Cherokee_Jack

I would think that the work that is being done in actually creating the 9 circles of hell as described by Dante for 9 levels in a game involves using quite a bit of imagination. The fact that I will be able to play through a recreation of this vision in a game is something I am actually quite thankful for. As no other literary work has so vividly described hell in such tormenting detail as Dante did in the Inferno.

Gaming is a form of media, and if anything, this is a tribute to the far reaching influence that Dante's work has even still to this day. They are not trying to butcher it. Like so many others, they happen to love the story and as game developers, saw it as an opportunity to recreate the 9 circles into 9 levels in a game. A rather convenient fit, to be sure. They merely turned it into an action/adventure in order to make it game friendly, which in no way harms the integrity of original work itself.....unless you choose to let it do so within your own mind.

In fact, the only thing I see it harming thus far, is the feelings certain purists who feel that the work should no be touched. Thereby, preventing gamers with an opportunity to traverse through a gaming interpretation of the 9 circles of hell. Not to mention the fact that this game will serve to expose many to the original itself and will prompt them to read it, if they have not already done so.

So, even if this game is considered blasphemy by many, which of course it is and will be. Then so be it, as that is rather fitting for a game of this nature. By all means, keep stirring up the controversy please. As controversy only breeds success. I am sure Visceral will not mind, lol.

[QUOTE="nhh18"]

[QUOTE="TalesofRaGnArOk"]

Based on the TCs grammar, I can faithfully say that he has not read the divine comedy (did not even state what the name of the "book" was)

This would lead me to believe that the TC has gotten all his resource material from wikipedia

And like God of War, Dante's Inferno is exploring a different side of Alighieri's poem - his quest to find Beatrice, but it also explores Dante's main theme - the medieval description of hell, which I think the game covers nicely

horrowhip

To be fair, if you don't understand it, then you may as well have not read it to begin with.

But don't feel bad. He probably didn't truly read it either given that he says Dante's main theme was his depiction of hell... If you pay close attention to the dev diaries, you can hear the developers mention the tale of redemption, the tale of renewed faith. That is the actual main theme.

The actual main theme is more or less getting his life back on the holy path before its too late (look to 'The Fox' for a good example) or an even bigger one (more time spent on it) is the discussion of talent vs. virtue (Brunetto, his gay teacher is the biggest I can think of). In this respect the game will almost certainly not do; however, if you expected it to then you don't understand games very well.

This game is going to be almost completely environment based from the book, there will be minor themes included, but they won't be important (hence minor). The environment and general feeling of hell is what they are going for, using Dante's hell as a basis for it, and in that regard they are doing a very good job.

Edit: I hope there are a lot more than 9 levels (or a few are very long) because some of the later levels of hell have sub-sections (if i remember correctly its 7-9).

[QUOTE="KungfuKitten"] Education sucks everywhere. I don't see the point. Literature is overrated. Few are interested in it. It's like the parents want their children to suffer the same because 'it's part of Your basic knowledge' while they know nothing about it themselves.Vandalvideo

There is just no way that education is 'better' if it inserts more crap into their the pupils ears.KungfuKitten

[QUOTE="KungfuKitten"]There is just no way that education is 'better' if it inserts more crap into their the pupils ears.Vandalvideo

Dante's Inferno, wasn't that a movie starring Pierce Brosnan about a mega volcano? :P

10thwonder

that would be Dante's Peak,which I hear they're turning into a Roguelike RPG.