I didn't say they have to not include anything other than interactivity, and as has been said in the Pong example, the graphics are white pixels on a background, but at this most basic level, it actually succeeds at aiding the video game in question being showing how the video game looks like, in a utilitarian and functional way. However, not every game needs blazing hot graphics enough to rival a movie, is the point I intended to make.

Going by your own logic movies are only about moving images because originally they had neither sound, music or even narrative. :P

Oh, guess I could say that. A great movie is one that will convey a lot with just moving images. Though I have to ask how did they lack narrative, as the point of a movie is to tell a story visually.

All this "what is a game" talk reminds me of the whole "what is music" topic. Would you consider something like John Cage's 4'33" to be music? What about John Cage's other works?

When it comes to games, is the empty program (the one that immediately terminates) a computer game?

Thats not exactly a new problem. I faintly remember gaming mag reader-letters from 15+y ago (like printed stuff) complaining about pimped promo screenshots vs. how the game looks for real in the end.

Visuals have an objective impact on gameplay and game feel. People who parade the old "graphics don't matter, only gameplay matters" trope around make the mistake of equating graphical fidelity and aesthetics. Aesthetics matter. A lot. Be they more toward the photorealistic side of things or the impressionstic side of things. The way a game looks and moves has a huge effect on how it feels, and how satisfying/affecting it is to play.

There's a difference between putting undo emphasis on graphical fidelity, and recognizing the importance of visual aesthetics.

Well, if aesthetics matter so does graphical fidelity since the latter is necessary to employ the former effectively. Surely there's an upper limit at which graphical fidelity has little to no impact but there's certainly a minimum which needs to be achieved for the aesthetics to work as intended.

Yup, you're right. Fidelity definitely impacts aesthetics as well. What I mean is that there's a difference between recognizing the impact visuals have on an interactive experience, and putting undo emphasis on graphical fidelity for its own sake. I think the latter is more what people are arguing against when they say "graphics don't matter, only gameplay matters," but they're definitely throwing out the baby with the bathwater by failing to distinguish between fidelity for fidelity's sake, and the importance of aesthetics. If that makes sense.

Me?

Yes, you!

And your loved ones!

*giggles like a girl*
He called me a dev...

Dude, out of the two of us you're WAAAAY more of a legitimate game developer.

I'm more like a feral dysfunctional manchild who owns Unity :P

Well I am a Hardwest kickstarter backer, so I recognize you from our previous interaction.

So what's the final verdict of the tactical save system? Still keen on no save scumming?

I hope there will at least be a auto-save every 10 minutes feature, so if there is something I really need to do, I only lost 10 minutes progress and will be too inconvenient to save scum.