FMV games as a new form of hybrid media

Khotin Demid Maksimovich ORCID: 0000-0002-3644-3079 PhD student; Faculty of Art History; Institute of Cinema and Television (GITR) Assistant Director; MAGIC FACTORY ANIMATION 32A Khoroshevskoe Highway, Moscow, 125284, Russia, Central Federal District demid.khotin@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. The purpose of this article is to fully consider what the FMV game phenomenon is. The research objectives are: historical analysis of the development of FMV games; identification of specific features of FMV games that distinguish them from cinema (including its interactive forms) and traditional video games. This research is valuable for researchers of cinema, video games and hybrid art forms, as well as practitioners who set themselves the goal of creating this content.

The problem studied in the framework of scientific research is that FMV games occupy an intermediate position between cinema and video games, but cannot be fully attributed to either of these media formats. The existing theoretical approaches to classifying media formats do not take into account the hybrid nature of FMV games, which requires the development of new approaches to analyze them and determine the place of FMV games in the screen media system.

An important role in the research is played by the works of Inge van de Ven, which analyze the nature of FMV games. Of particular importance are the works of Bernard Perron, who studied the role of the user in interactive media. Lev Manovich's research on closed interactivity is also of particular value. The study applies Marshall McLuhan's concepts of "hot" and "cold" media, and also examines the narratological concept of "focalization."

Due to the fact that FMV games are a fairly widely interpreted term that affects both video games and interactive cinema, which the author defines as a hybrid media separate from cinema and video games, the more neutral term "FMV work", which includes both video games, will also be used in this study. using FMV, as well as interactive films that use this technology.

Historical analysis of the development of FMV works. FMV (Full Motion Video) artwork is a form of interactive entertainment that uses pre–recorded video footage with live actors as a visual solution. In some cases (early interactive cinema), the work may be based on interaction with videos made by means of 2D animation. To understand the current state of the FMV industry, it is necessary to turn to history and understand the path that FMV works have taken.

The first FMV game was the 1954 Auto Test slot machine, which was a car simulator. The game used pre-recorded videos of traffic situations. The player was required to choose the right action at the allotted moment: turn the steering wheel, apply the brake, or perform other similar actions. FMV games were more actively developed in the 1980s and 1990s. At that time, they existed in the form of arcade slot machines. One of the most high-profile representatives of FMV works turned out to be the interactive cartoon "Dragon's Lair" from 1983, which used 2D animation videos. Interactivity in "Dragon's Lair" was carried out by means of QTE. Short-term events, during which the player must quickly make the right decision. If the QTE failed, the player lost. ^{[1, p. 51]}

FMV games appeared on desktop computers only in the 1990s. Before that, computer games were characterized by artistic primitiveness, and their capabilities were limited by the level of technical development of that time. At that time, computers could not yet display realistic images in motion, but the use of a new CD-ROM with 650 megabytes of memory made it possible to use higher-resolution graphics and embed embedded video clips into the narrative. Then game designers turned to cinema. They started using graphic images or animations (sprites) with digitized photographs of actors (example: Mortal Kombat, 1992), as well as full-length video clips with live acting as cutscenes, representing episodes that the player either cannot influence at all or is able to exert very little influence (example: The 7th Guest, 1993) ^{[2, p. 3]}.

In the 1990s, the use of Full Motion Video was observed in a wide variety of video game genres: in point-and-click adventure (Phantasmagoria, 1995); in interactive shooting (Mad Dog McCree, 1990; Crime Patrol, 1993; Rebel Assault, 1993); in racing games (MegaRace, 1994); in sports games (Slam City with Scottie Pippen, 1995); in real-time strategies (example: Command & Conquer, 1995); in fighting games (example: Mortal Kombat, 1992), etc.

Despite the extensive use of FMV elements when working with different video game genres, FMV games, with the exception of interactive cinema, which is the subject of a separate study by the author ^[3], did not provide their users with a unique experience until a certain point, which could allow them to classify FMV games as a separate media format. Early FMV games used video clips exclusively as an artistic visual solution dictated by the technical limitations of the time.

Since the mid-1990s, the popularity of FMV games began to decline. Although the level of cinematography of games has grown enormously, as video installations were created in accordance with all the rules of cinematographic editing, this stage of development of the video game industry was perceived by many players and researchers as part of decadence. First of all, due to the predominance of low-quality acting in such projects and the poor combination of virtual space and a live actor. The industry quickly cooled down to the use of FMV in video games ^{[1, p. 51]}. An important role was also played by the fact that the technical capabilities of consoles and computers have expanded.: they began to display complex 3D graphics in real time. After that, the use of FMV in the creation of video games ceased to be a common practice, and it was practically not returned to until the second half of the 2010s.

Today we can observe the emergence of a new wave of FMV games. Researcher Inge van de Ven attributes this to the fact that game designers have begun to use FMV elements as the dominant feature of the work, around which the plot and model of user interaction are built ^{[2, p. 4]}.

Structural analysis of the FMV game. Currently, we can typologize FMV works into two types: classical and modern. The classic works include video game works from the first decades. In them, FMV is used as an artistic visual solution and auxiliary element, the purpose of which is to clarify the plot (Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, Night Trap, Phantasmagoria, The 7th Guest).

In classic FMV works, videos are not an element that affects the structure of the work. The structure is influenced by the technological aspect, as well as belonging to a particular video game genre. For example, "Dragon's Lair" was technically an arcade machine game, which had an impact on the structure, gameplay, and perception model of the work. Arcade machines assumed the use of tokens or money for familiarization. This was reflected in the fact that the complexity of the game and the duration of its passage were artificially increased by game designers in order to encourage the player to use more tokens. In "Dragon's Lair", this was expressed in repeating sections over and over again, which were minimally different from each other, and reducing the time it took for the player to press the right button on time. At the level of user perception, arcade machines were public entertainment. Players could queue up to play the slot machine and cheer for the player's win or loss while waiting. Collectivity in the process of playing an arcade machine eventually became one of the cultural images for depicting the American 1980s, which we can observe on the example of such films as: "Very Strange Things" 2016, "It 2" 2019, "Ralph" 2012, etc. With the transition of FMV games to desktop computers, the game process ceased to be public, but the genre and technical capabilities of the time still determined the structure and gameplay of the game.

It was only in modern versions of FMV games that specially filmed material began to serve as the dominant piece around which the plot is built. In order to present the hybrid essence of modern FMV games as clearly and clearly as possible, let's look at specific examples of games: Telling Lies, Her Story, The Shapeshifting Detective.

In Telling Lies, the player takes part in solving a peculiar puzzle. He searches the NSA database, which contains recordings of private conversations between four people who are unaware that valuable information has been extracted from them and recorded unnoticed. The whole mystery and the ways to solve it are hidden in the spoken words of these four heroes.

This work is based on a keyword search. Subtitles of the lines appear on the screen, acting as hints. The player sees and hears only one side of the video conversation. He must find the second one on his own. As soon as the user collects enough data, he exposes the lie and seeks to unravel the truth. The characters of the work are presented in the real world: they lead a normal life, go to work, meet with friends, spend time with their family. The use of cinematic elements and the inclusion of real actors in the video allows you to fully immerse yourself in the work.

In Her Story, the user participates in a detective investigation. He is studying a database containing interviews with a woman named Hannah Smith, who is the wife of a man who disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

During the investigation, new details and fascinating details are revealed, demonstrating that this case is very complicated and complex, filled with many mysteries. The inclusion of imitation VHS recordings in the artistic solution adds a sense of reality to the game.

The Shapeshifting Detective is an interactive noir puzzle game with a full-length video, supernatural motives and a mysterious murder. The plot centers on the unexpected death of a young cellist, Dorota Schau. The main character named Sam interrogates witnesses, trying to expose a cunning killer. As the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that the deceased girl was not distinguished by the positive qualities attributed to her by everyone around her.

An important feature of the work, which is its important "feature", is the ability of the main character, the investigator, to assume the appearance of any of the suspects, which makes it possible to make sudden discoveries and discover new leads for the investigation. The user's task is to analyze the fates, motives, alibis, and behavior of the characters and discover the culprit. The interactive process involves getting information over the phone. The user will have to respond to messages, solving many mysteries.

All the above works combine several criteria. First of all, these works function as a hybrid. In cultural studies, a hybrid is defined as "a composition composed of heterogeneous and incompatible elements in the classical tradition, which are incompatible with each other." The hybrid is characterized as "the basis of their disharmonic harmony, asymmetric symmetry" ^{[4, p. 129]}. A.V. Yashkevich argues that "the hybrid model is able to combine various parts into a single whole while maintaining the self-sufficiency of these parts" ^{[5, p. 28]}. In modern FMV works, we see a combination of video games and cinema, while both parts of the work remain self-sufficient. In this regard, the question of defining FMV works as a video game or a form of cinema becomes debatable.

In order to understand this issue, it is necessary to analyze the audience's position when viewing an FMV work, as well as the nature of the proposed interactivity. L. Manovich in his monograph "The Language of New Media" introduces the term "closed interactivity", which exists in interactive works, where the user shows his active role and freedom of action within the framework of already generated elements ^{[6, p. 59]}. This definition is suitable to describe the experience that modern FMV games offer. Their user chooses not only the order in which the video clips are shown, but also access to some of them. According to Manovich, these works work on the principle of a database, where the player actualizes a sequence from an implicit paradigm. Due to the low level of agency ^{[7, p. 4-6]} and closed interactivity, the user experience of an FMV work resembles reading a novel and watching a movie, in which the reader or viewer is required to show attention, analytical and interpretative abilities. This experience makes FMV works similar to TV series of the conspiracy genre. Like these series, FMV works require the user to pay scrupulous attention to detail and be willing to carefully read scenes and even frames, which can be a very laborious process ^{[8, p. 87]}. This experience differs from user interaction with both traditional video games, which offer an open type of interactivity, and interactive films, which usually offer a non-linear introduction to stories based on the "choose your adventure" principle.

Despite the fact that the level of cinematography has reached a high level in modern FMV works, they do not work like cinema and cannot be attributed to the form of cinema. First of all, due to the structure of FMV works, which consists in the fact that narrative segments in these works are fragmented, the user of FMV works is offered freedom in the order of familiarization with them. Also, as part of the consideration of the relationship between cinema and FMV works, the question of the difference in audience involvement in the familiarization process is acutely raised. To consider this topic, it is proposed to refer to the concept of "hot" and "cold" media proposed by Marshall McLuhan ^[9]. According to this concept, cinema belongs to the "hot" media, since film productions require less participation and interpretation from the audience. Familiarization with an FMV work requires the user not only to perceive the proposed content, but forces him to constantly interact with it, even though the interactive capabilities of these works are very limited, which meets the criteria of "cold" media. This concept demonstrates the essential difference between cinematography and an FMV work.

Due to the fact that FMV works provide their user with a unique experience, the question of who the user is when they come into contact with an FMV work is also of interest in this study. Within the framework of narratology, which studies narrative strategies in art and video games, there is a concept of "focalization" ^{[10, p. 32-34]}. It highlights two main ways of perception: external and internal (from the perspective of the character). When interacting with video games in which plot and story play a fundamental role, the user constantly switches between two types of focalization. During internal focalization, the player actively controls the character, while during external focalization, cinematic scenes are observed. This concept well reflects the principle of user interaction with an interactive film, but it does not reveal the specifics of interaction with an FMV work in sufficient depth, which does not allow it to be unconditionally supported in the context under consideration.

The most significant in this context is the study of Bernard Perron. Perron proposed a new user role, which was defined by the researcher as "player". Its difference from the traditional role of a "gamer" is as follows:

● The unique position of the user, which is achieved by separating interactive and narrative segments that cannot overlap in FMV works.;

● The "player" takes the position of an external observer in relation to the world inside the work;

● In order to achieve the goal, the "player" needs to use the skills of an editor or a "compiler" of the narrative, using analytical skills to connect the fragments of the story.;

● The player's focus shifts from achieving game goals to solving narrative tasks and interpreting what is happening;

● The player requires specific skills of understanding, analysis, and interpretation in order to overcome a unique hermeneutic challenge.

These aspects, according to Perron, call into question whether FMV works belong to the category of games in the traditional sense ^{[11, p. 243-250]}.

Within the framework of this analysis of FMV works, the concept of the user's role as a "player" is supported. In this case, there is a significant difference in the nature of interaction with content, which is not similar to the interaction of a "gamer", "viewer" or "focalizer". When viewing an FMV work, the user is in a unique position where interactivity and narration exist separately and cannot occur simultaneously. With this type of perception, the "player" remains outside the diegetic world of the work, which differs from the gamer's experience in traditional video games. When reviewing an FMV work, the user acts more as an "editor" or "compiler" of the narrative. He uses his analytical skills to connect different pieces of history into a single whole. Unlike traditional video games, where success is determined by achieving specific game goals through victory or defeat, in FMV works the user is mainly engaged in solving narrative puzzles and making plot decisions. Such a user is more focused on interpreting, understanding, and analyzing what is happening than on traditional gaming skills.

The analysis of the nature of FMV works allows us to conclude that their modern implementations, represented by such works as Telling Lies, Her Story, The Shapeshifting Detective, etc., occupy a special position among digital media and that they can be attributed to a media format that is classified separately from cinema, its interactive forms and traditional video games. In this regard, it is proposed to separate these works into a separate category of "hybrid media".

Cinema and video games form the basis of such hybrid media. In addition to FMV works, they also include an interactive film, which also cannot be unambiguously classified as a movie or video game. However, it is worth noting that although an interactive film and an FMV work are hybrid media, there are differences between them at the level of ways to interact with the user and the experience offered, as described above.

In this regard, an updated author's definition of "hybrid media" is proposed, which was first proposed by the author when analyzing an interactive film ^[3]:

Hybrid media is a screen work that uses interactive elements to provide an immersive effect, as well as cinematic principles of storytelling. The role of the user is unique and differs from the usual role of a "spectator" or "gamer".

This definition highlights the special position of FMV works and does not contradict the identification of interactive film as a hybrid media.

Conclusion. Summing up the results of the study, we can conclude that FMV works are a significant phenomenon in the gaming industry, with unique characteristics and original methods of interacting with users. The historical analysis of FMV works allowed us to typologize them according to the principle of the influence of FMV elements on the structure of works. At the moment, there are two types of FMV works.:

● Classical FMV works are works in which FMV elements are used as an artistic visual solution and auxiliary element. The structure, plot, and interactive features in these works are interpreted by technical limitations and belonging to a particular video game genre.

● Modern FMV works are works in which FMV elements serve as the dominant feature of the work, around which the structure, user interaction model, and plot are built.

In the process of a detailed analysis of modern FMV works existing at the junction of cinema and video games, it was possible to identify their characteristics that do not allow us to unambiguously classify FMV works as cinematography or video games.

Unlike cinema, the narrative structure of FMV works is fragmented and the user is invited to independently build cause-and-effect relationships, for which he is given the freedom to choose the order of acquaintance with the narrative segments. FMV works require active participation from the user and force him to constant interaction, which meets the criteria of "cold" media and contradicts the principles of cinema as a "hot" media.

FMV works are distinguished from video games by their closed form of interactivity, low level of agency, as well as the unique role of the user in interaction.

Within the framework of this analysis of FMV works, the concept of the user's role as a "player" is supported for the following reasons:

1. In FMV works, there is a clear separation between interactive sections and narrative sections, which are made in the form of pre-recorded videos. However, the sections cannot occur simultaneously.;

2. The "player" takes the position of an external observer in relation to the world inside the work;

3. In order to achieve the goal, the "player" needs to use the skills of an editor or a "compiler" of a narrative, using analytical skills to connect fragments of a story.;

4. The focus shifts from achieving game goals to solving narrative tasks and interpreting what is happening.;

5. Specific understanding, analysis, and interpretation skills are required, different from traditional gaming skills.

In the framework of this study, an FMV work stands out as a unique form of "hybrid media" - a screen work that uses interactive elements that provide an immersive effect, as well as cinematic principles of storytelling. The role of the user is unique and differs from the usual role of a "spectator" or "gamer".