Colour in Video Games
And there was light!
It is impossible to talk about colour without mentioning lighting. These are two concepts that will go hand in hand to a greater or lesser extent. Throughout history, colours have attracted the attention of thinkers, scientists, and artists... who spent hours studying how to reproduce the nuances of nature, the tones, and the neural responses that are obtained when perceiving them or starting from the same base, trying to define what it is.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727) discovered in 1666 that white light could be divided into its component colours by a prism, thus understanding the rainbow. He established the principle that explains that light is colour. Johann Goethe (1749-1832) developed the Color Theory, dedicating himself to the study of the physiological and psychological responses of the human being when exposed to different colours and tones.
As I have emphasized before, colour is perceived when there is light and its properties (hue, saturation and luminosity) make it possible for us to sense a broad spectrum of them.
Express with colours
It is important to know that between 80% and 90% of the information that reaches the brain is through sight (largely due to light and colour), so if we want to reach the depths and make a dent in a player, the most important thing we must do if we are developing a video game is to choose a colour palette according to the plot, the category and the emotions we want to convey. It will help us make the experience and gameplay more attractive and accurate in immersion.
Just as neuromarketing uses colours to make products attractive to the eye and to effectively sell the product, video games also use it as a resource. However, it is not its only function. Colour is also present in video games as a tool: the great advantage of video games over movies or series is interactivity, so through colours, we can differentiate spaces, objects that may or may not be used, point out some clue or the path that the game character must follow serving as a guide for the player.
The evolution of its use in video games
But to get here, the colour revolution in this industry was necessary. The first colour video game was created in 1975: Indy 800. This arcade game had brakes and steering wheels for up to 8 players and was also innovative due to its multiplayer feature.
The development of video games and with them that of the companies that support them -such as Valve, Ubisoft or EA-, has contributed to a more specific analysis of behaviours and emotions, relying on psychologists to create them. The aim is clear: to make them more stimulating, close to the player and vivid. The relationship between emotions and colours converges, the latter serving as a communication and transmitter instrument in video games.
Each category usually has a defined palette or colours, for example, the arcade games are very colourful (merely aesthetic), those of military or horror plots tend to use low-luminous tertiary or secondary colours, and in platforms or adventures, something more adult, the colours that blues and greys predominate, cold, sometimes making a colour stand out. And for more childish video games, and without so much load on the plot, bright colours or pastel colours.
The Psychology of Colour in Video Games
If we talk about the psychology of colour and emotional power in a video game, it is obligatory to mention the video game Gris (2018). In this game the 3 functions of colour are used: aesthetic, useful (as a tool) and emotional (as a conductor of emotions).
This platform stands out for having an art direction and a brutal concept, in which the artists involved have created a story with watercolours in which each frame can be a work of art. And it is not for less, it is inspired by the art collection of the same name by Guim Tió “Gris”.
Throughout the process, the idea of linking the player with the "healing" experience after the trip, the discovery that feelings flow, mature, dissolve, and change for others... is the main axis. As Nomada Studio presents its video game:
“Gris is a hopeful young woman lost in her world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through pain manifests in her clothing, which grants her new abilities to better navigate her colourless reality. As the story unfolds, Gris will grow emotionally and see her world differently, revealing new avenues to explore using her new abilities."
It is an experience directed by emotions and colours, on a journey in which to advance (it is not enough to overcome the platforms) but it is also necessary to channel the scenarios and have the courage to venture out to accompany Gris in all shades.
And you? Do you know of any other game that expresses so much, with the use of colour?
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