http://kotaku.com/5127816/developers-respond-to-nintendos-hint-system-patentToday a Nintendo patent came to light for a hint system which would allow gamers to essentially let games play themselves.
While I agree that such an "automated" way of playing can bring new posibilities like gags, humor, drama and other deep, complex emotions, it is my opinion that videogame already has those in the shape of cutscenes, intelligent programing & level design; likewise, if you need a tutorial on how to do something or how to complete a level so you can achieve progress in the game, I would point, like Jonathan Blow did, that there is a deep flaw in the way the title was made.
Videogames, to me, represent an active way of interaction; to hinder such interaction (hinder at best, muder at worst) should be considered an act of involution.
From full duplex to half duplex. I want to comunicate back, I want my actions and opinions to have weight and consecuences in that world.
Interactivity is an integral element of what sets appart video games and films, for instance. And considering that the video game industry is giving the film industry a good run for its money, I would think twice to spend such a behemoth effort to make videogames play like movies.
I have considered the posibility that maybe this is the way for video games to, in a not so immediate future,
consume the film industry. Maybe like cellphones did to PDA's, or how the internet is doing with every other mass media outlet. But to me, it keeps coming back to the uncanny valley. (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley )
What do you guys think about it?