Journal of Shanghai University (Social Science Edition) ›› 2022, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (3): 38-45.

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Immersion, Affection and Imagination in Dazzling Interactions— On the Trend of Aesthetic Isomorphism Between Films and Games

  

  • Online:2022-05-15 Published:2022-11-26

Abstract: The change of screen landscape brought about by in-depth interaction and multi-faceted mutual learning between films and games is of historical significance because it indicates the awakening of film and game commercial consciousness and the adaption to the changing times. From the perspective of speciology, the affinity between films and games stems from the art of imagination, a reflection on reality and a combination of realism and fiction. From the morphological point of view, films and games share a remarkable image-based attribute—intermediality. From the perspective of the study of elements, both established forms of film and game are based on narration. From the psychological point of view, the audience’s addiction to films or games is mainly driven by psychological needs. The aesthetic isomorphism of films and games lies in multitudes of similarities between film and game scripts in terms of aesthetics and established practice. The construction logic and ideographic strategies are roughly the same, and the future narrative, through the node structure, constitutes the pivotal component of both film and game texts. Those types with prominent attributes of actions and strong interactive scenes such as adventure, war and science fiction are the best fields that can provide most opportunities for film-game integration. On the surface, it is the stories, characters and experiences that matches films and games perfectly, but in fact, it is the tacit sharing and in-depth matching of the cultural logic between the two that works. Film-game integration reflects the strong aspiration for the grafting and symbiosis between movies and games, and also confirms its possibility. In the context of mobile Internet where complex and various media modalities coexist, the mediality of films and games tend to be noumenon-oriented. The interactions, mutual penetration and aesthetic isomorphism between the two signify a unique sight of deep film-game integration in the future.

Key words: films and games, aesthetic isomorphism, image medium, future narrative