Response to Edward

Edward Asked: "To end with a (completely unrelated) question: Might video games be considered potential works of art?"

Well, the answer to the actual question being asked, I think, is rather simple. Yes, video games might be considered potential works of art. They have been considered as such; I have considered them as such. Are they legitimate art forms? This question gets to be a little tougher to answer, but I think it remains a resounding yes.

The underlying question here, I think, is much more interesting than that. Where do we distinguish an act as a completely separate art form? Video Games for example: The actual graphics have to be crafted, the music has to be either created or applied, the story has to be written. Is the story writing its own art form? It is significantly different than crafting the graphics, or writing music. Are video games an art form or are they just an assimilation of distinguishable smaller art forms? To underline my point here, Theater consists of three major parts also. Acting, writing the script, and creating the set. Is theater an art form?

So, here is my question: Where is the line? At what point do we distinguish an art form from another, and at which point do we combine two different crafts and call it an art?