[game_preservation] Game Canon

[Andrew Armstrong]

  Replying to everyone here at once; I agree with everyone! Firstly; 
Canon should be expansive - why not if we can do so? :D However, the 
degree which it is classified Canon is just so that it isn't 
/everything/, and probably it'd take both influential (ala Bill and 
Matts work, although their website goes a lot deeper!) and the pioneers 
and tech instigators. Like other technology mediums, there is a lot of 
good first attempts, with the polishers really shining it later for real 
use, but both are important.

Secondly; that list was just an example which sprung this idea again - 
that there are tons of appendixes and short lists of games without the 
kind of historical context most people here recognise, thus have massive 
flaws. Daikatana? Trespasser? Both perhaps good examples of some really 
poor design, even if it tries to pioneer some aspect or other, but 
otherwise only interesting at all in how bad they are. Even Lets Play's 
of these games are notorious! Not quite canon material perhaps, but it 
does depend...they'd have their place but it'd be low down the list.

The IGN list is actually surprisingly interesting for noting the 
pioneers and influencers, even if it is very boring, and also oddly not 
really complete or in depth (it again is like a book appendix, and has 
similar issues with the choices in games perhaps, but so does anything!).

Thirdly; That is great news Henry that you've still got it on your mind. 
I'm certainly up for helping whatever effort. It would be the case that 
a great step would be to get the LoC to consider games properly. I could 
check out the UK scene on it too, and I am sure some other European 
institutions might be interested since they preserve films but not games 
as such (we can assume the actual game museums/archives will protect 
them but they of course need to be notified of these important games too 

:) so a list is always good). Even just getting them on board to protect 

the actual media if not much ephemera would work wonders for posterity.

In any case, glad there is some interest, however minor! I think the 
easiest part for many people is arguing why a game is really, really 
important in a good way - which is the major first step. I said perhaps 
start small, and this is mainly because if anything, the IGN list shows 
that even a small few-paragraph description of "why" is a good starting 
point for further investigation.

Andrew
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