Grind is in the eye of the beholder (Destiny)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Sunday, June 30, 2019, 12:13 (1764 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
edited by Kermit, Sunday, June 30, 2019, 12:19

Not wanting to be spoiled is not about just not knowing a twist. It’s about allowing yourself to experience the unfolding of a narrative. Even something straightforward with no “twists” or “shocks” benefits from this.

Narratives are set up for this. We are always asking ourselves when editing “what does the audience know right now? What do they think about this at this moment?” Even about small things such what affectation a character’s response to something should be. And so decisions as to how to present the narrative are designed around these questions.

Let me ask you something. If you like knowing beforehand, do you read the walkthrough for the games you play the first time?

For me, the kind of decisions you’re making as an editor can be appreciated even with or without the knowledge of the plot. There’s “the story”, and then there’s the “storytelling”, which are not exactly the same thing. Its one thing to know that character X betrays character y, but to actually witness it, to see the expressions on their faces, the way it’s shot, the music... that’s the stuff that ultimately makes or breaks the scene. And for me as a viewer, if my brain is occupied by surprise or desire to know what’s about to happen next, I actually don’t take in all that other stuff properly. I miss stuff, or forget it immediately after seeing it. Having a basic knowledge of the plot ahead of time let’s me shift my focus to the storytelling, and away from simply following what’s happening.

To answer your question, I don’t typically play games that would require a guide. I usually play games where the challenge lies in proper execution, not in figuring out what I’m supposed to do next.

Cody's describing a standard assumption among storytellers ever since there have been storytellers, which is that the audience doesn't know what will happen in the story, and yes, many stories are designed to surprise audiences as one aspect of the narrative--that's a perfectly noble and time-honored purpose of stories. Yes, there are rewards to knowing the events of the story beforehand and most stories worth their salt don't depend on surprise (although some genres depend on it more than others). Knowing events going in is not superior to not knowing. You are denying yourself a certain experience in favor of an experience anyone can have the second time through. Besides, the better the story, the more depth it reveals with each subsequent experience of it. All that said, life is short and you might make the assumption that you've got one shot at experiencing a story, or that it won't really be worth a second time through. In grad school I found out plots ahead of time simply because rereading wasn't really possible in the time I had, and I had to get everything I could get out of a piece of literature in one go. I did get more out of it than I would have if I'd read blind, but I recognized the compromise. I realized that I was sacrificing an aspect that would have brought a different kind of enjoyment. I wasn't reading for enjoyment so much as for study.