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In-Game TV

 In-Game TV
type
FeatureClass
 In-Game TV
label
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV
page
InGameTV
 In-Game TV
comment
Video games these days often try to do a lot of things to increase immersion and make the world feel more alive. These include things like physics on various objects in the world, having characters in the background hold conversations the player can overhear, and various other titbits of reality that are put into the game. Sometimes, it even includes a TV with actual "shows" the player can watch.
TV sets have existed in games for decades, as a background prop in most cases. As the player walked by, a TV could be seen in the background, which often display static, nothing at all, or a simple looping animation.
But in some, especially rare, cases, the TV would display an actual "show". It might be only a few minutes long, but that's a few minutes longer than what other games show on their TVs.
Note: Only examples where the player can actually watch the TV directly count. Do not add examples of a show merely being mentioned.
Compare In-Game Novel.
Not to be confused with Show Within a Show.
 In-Game TV
fetched
2024-03-22T21:46:11Z
 In-Game TV
parsed
2024-03-22T21:46:11Z
 In-Game TV
processingComment
Dropped link to EasterEgg: Not an Item - FEATURE
 In-Game TV
processingComment
Dropped link to ShowWithinAShow: Not an Item - FEATURE
 In-Game TV
processingComment
Dropped link to UrExample: Not an Item - FEATURE
 In-Game TV
isPartOf
DBTropes
 In-Game TV / int_11fd6993
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_11fd6993
comment
In inFAMOUS, the trials of Cole are misleadingly broadcast about by the TV Jacker. Also, you can watch the news that vehemently denies the existence of superpowers.
Continued in the second game, where the news reports on the seemingly unstoppable progress of the Beast, while not actually reporting anything specific. There's also the militia broadcasts, but they're more propaganda than entertaining.
 In-Game TV / int_11fd6993
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_11fd6993
featureConfidence
1.0
 inFAMOUS (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_11fd6993
 In-Game TV / int_13a0c5fc
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_13a0c5fc
comment
In .hack//G.U., there is the Internet series, "Online Jack", that contains some details about the characters and story that you won't find out otherwise (not counting in the real life Internet of course).
 In-Game TV / int_13a0c5fc
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_13a0c5fc
featureConfidence
1.0
 DotHackGUGames
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_13a0c5fc
 In-Game TV / int_2dafc8ff
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_2dafc8ff
comment
Continued in the second game, where the news reports on the seemingly unstoppable progress of the Beast, while not actually reporting anything specific. There's also the militia broadcasts, but they're more propaganda than entertaining.
 In-Game TV / int_2dafc8ff
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_2dafc8ff
featureConfidence
1.0
 inFAMOUS 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_2dafc8ff
 In-Game TV / int_2f412783
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_2f412783
comment
Watching TV is the main focus of Pokémon Channel.
 In-Game TV / int_2f412783
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_2f412783
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Channel (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_2f412783
 In-Game TV / int_30c1ffd0
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_30c1ffd0
comment
Similarly, Stardew Valley has a TV with multiple useful channels, covering weather, luck, cooking recipes, and gameplay tips. You can also unlock a movie theater and invite friends (one movie per season on a two-year cycle, plus a concession stand and a crane minigame with new decoration items).
 In-Game TV / int_30c1ffd0
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_30c1ffd0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Stardew Valley / Videogame
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_30c1ffd0
 In-Game TV / int_31e1eca3
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_31e1eca3
comment
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and Platinum editions actually let you watch TV and learn about an outbreak of Pokémon appearing and the news tells you where the Pokémon have appeared, giving you an opportunity to snag some rare ones. The TV also plays some documentaries related to basic game mechanics, as well as shows about your exploits. It's possible to screw with them by talking to the TV station crew and giving nonsense answers to the interview.
 In-Game TV / int_31e1eca3
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_31e1eca3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_31e1eca3
 In-Game TV / int_33dd1d90
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_33dd1d90
comment
Half-Life 2 has the 1984-esque "Breencasts" starring Wallace Breen visible on a multitude of screens throughout City 17 and outlying areas. Valve actually did something revolutionary with their Source rendering engine, by being one of the first allowing the texture on a surface to be a 2-D rendering of a scene animated somewhere else. Thus, every time there's a Breencast, there's a little unreachable map section with Breen talking to a camera.
Driven home through judicious use of cheat codes. There's a video on YouTube where a guy no-clipped through the walls of an area, tracked down Breen's "studio", and shot him. He later ran across a TV that was supposed to be showing a Breencast, and it showed an empty room with blood on the walls instead.
Done again in Episode One where Gordon and Alyx watch a video recorded by Dr. Mossman that takes place far away from the game's current geographic location. The in game commentary will actually zoom the camera to another part of the map that shows the video you watch is being played out and is not really a recording by the game.
 In-Game TV / int_33dd1d90
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_33dd1d90
featureConfidence
1.0
 Half-Life 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_33dd1d90
 In-Game TV / int_562e8a6e
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_562e8a6e
comment
The Max Payne series had several shows you could watch, reaching its peak in Max Payne 2. "Address Unknown" was a creepy psychological thriller that surreality paralleled Max's own struggle, and "Lords and Ladies" was a costume drama/soap opera, both of which had their own story arcs that progressed throughout the game. "Dick Justice" was a blaxploitation spoof of the first Max Payne. There was also "Captain Baseball Bat Boy," one of Vinnie Gognitti's favorites, actually a multi-media franchise that appears frequently as a comic series in the first game. In addition to that, a room in Woden's secret S&M dungeon in the ASGARD building in the first game allows you to tune in to an episode of a Star Trek knockoff. Max Payne 2 also briefly featured a TV depicting a porn movie called Max Heat 8.
Something worthy of note is that every new TV you come across during Max Payne 2 has a new episode of a certain show. After it ends (or if you turn it off and back on), only commercials play, so it's impossible to watch everything in one "sitting".
 In-Game TV / int_562e8a6e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_562e8a6e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Max Payne (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_562e8a6e
 In-Game TV / int_631805af
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_631805af
comment
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has the creepiest television ever. Cookery shows which use benzene! Advertising which emphasizes self-poisoning! The least creepy was the Celebrity Paradox-causing "Celebrity Moralist" short, and even that was horrible.
 In-Game TV / int_631805af
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_631805af
featureConfidence
1.0
 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_631805af
 In-Game TV / int_7357234c
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_7357234c
comment
TVs in Beyond Good & Evil broadcast propaganda from the Alpha Sections.
 In-Game TV / int_7357234c
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_7357234c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Beyond Good & Evil (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_7357234c
 In-Game TV / int_7668653a
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_7668653a
comment
In Mass Effect 2 you can watch the news on television sets, and even get personalized ads!
The extranet terminals mostly give you galactic news and relatively normal ads, but you occasionally run across ads for a TV series starring Blasto, the first Hanar Spectre.
 In-Game TV / int_7668653a
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_7668653a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Mass Effect 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_7668653a
 In-Game TV / int_78d6f120
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_78d6f120
comment
Destroy All Humans! comes with two So Bad, It's Good 1950s B-movies for you to watch: Plan 9 from Outer Space and Teenagers from Outer Space.
 In-Game TV / int_78d6f120
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_78d6f120
featureConfidence
1.0
 Destroy All Humans! (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_78d6f120
 In-Game TV / int_7f640c58
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_7f640c58
comment
In The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, one could watch various Simlish channels on television sets. These variably showed a network television channel depicting a reality show and a doctor drama (where the characters bear a strong resemblance to Luka and Sam from ER), a children's programming channel, a cooking channel, or a sports channel in the University expansion pack of The Sims 2, all of which ran commercials.
 In-Game TV / int_7f640c58
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_7f640c58
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sims 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_7f640c58
 In-Game TV / int_82a3b84e
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_82a3b84e
comment
Pokémon Colosseum and XD have the camera zoom in on the TV to show news reports, complete with a rather realistic-sounding "News Bulletin" jingle.
 In-Game TV / int_82a3b84e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_82a3b84e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Colosseum (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_82a3b84e
 In-Game TV / int_84809b33
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_84809b33
comment
Not necessarily tv but in L.A. Noire, while driving in your car, radio dramas will occasionally play, often five to ten minutes long of actual material before going to commercials.
 In-Game TV / int_84809b33
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_84809b33
featureConfidence
1.0
 L.A. Noire (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_84809b33
 In-Game TV / int_8b5820ed
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_8b5820ed
comment
Red Dead Redemption has some old shorts that John can watch on film projectors (complete with dialogue cards and period music), as well as old-time cartoons.
 In-Game TV / int_8b5820ed
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_8b5820ed
featureConfidence
1.0
 Red Dead Redemption (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_8b5820ed
 In-Game TV / int_8da0ea80
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_8da0ea80
comment
In FireRed and LeafGreen (remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Blue) there's a key item named the "Teachy TV" that's Exactly What It Says on the Tin: it's a portable TV that broadcasts info on the basics of the game, like catching Pokémon.
 In-Game TV / int_8da0ea80
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_8da0ea80
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Red and Blue (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_8da0ea80
 In-Game TV / int_8eba18b
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_8eba18b
comment
In Webkinz, if you buy a TV for your pet, you can watch three different shows. The first is The Secret Chef, hosted by Chef Gazpacho, which serves a purpose in showing off different recipes you can make (although sometimes one of the ingredients is wrong, and you'll have to figure out the correct one yourself). The Monkey & Monkey Show is a stand-up comedy show. Both of these have a few episodes each and full voice acting. The last is Winners' Shows, which are skits made in the Webkinz Studio that have won contests hosted by Webkinz, and thus vary in genre.
 In-Game TV / int_8eba18b
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_8eba18b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Webkinz (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_8eba18b
 In-Game TV / int_91684031
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_91684031
comment
Pokémon Black and White have a TV you can watch. Unlike the previous games, the swarms aren't on TV. However, lessons on items and abilities, as well as Japanese lessons, do show up sometimes.
 In-Game TV / int_91684031
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_91684031
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Black and White (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_91684031
 In-Game TV / int_97e7606f
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_97e7606f
comment
In Alan Wake, there are plenty of TVs scattered throughout Bright Falls. Some of them provide insight into Alan's story while advancing the plot, and some simply screen a show called Night Springs. These Twilight Zone-esque shorts are actually fairly well-written and are entertaining to seek out and watch. Oh, and there's an achievement in it for you if you find them all.
 In-Game TV / int_97e7606f
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_97e7606f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alan Wake (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_97e7606f
 In-Game TV / int_9d239f0a
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_9d239f0a
comment
Watching Kyle's TV in Last Window provides insight into the electoral campaign, which ultimately ties into the ongoing plot.
 In-Game TV / int_9d239f0a
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_9d239f0a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Last Window (Visual Novel)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_9d239f0a
 In-Game TV / int_9f89a5f0
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_9f89a5f0
comment
Pokémon:
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and Platinum editions actually let you watch TV and learn about an outbreak of Pokémon appearing and the news tells you where the Pokémon have appeared, giving you an opportunity to snag some rare ones. The TV also plays some documentaries related to basic game mechanics, as well as shows about your exploits. It's possible to screw with them by talking to the TV station crew and giving nonsense answers to the interview.
This also happened in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Emerald. In that game, swapping records with other players would also get you stories about their exploits.
In FireRed and LeafGreen (remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Blue) there's a key item named the "Teachy TV" that's Exactly What It Says on the Tin: it's a portable TV that broadcasts info on the basics of the game, like catching Pokémon.
Pokémon Colosseum and XD have the camera zoom in on the TV to show news reports, complete with a rather realistic-sounding "News Bulletin" jingle.
Watching TV is the main focus of Pokémon Channel.
Pokémon Black and White have a TV you can watch. Unlike the previous games, the swarms aren't on TV. However, lessons on items and abilities, as well as Japanese lessons, do show up sometimes.
 In-Game TV / int_9f89a5f0
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_9f89a5f0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon (Franchise)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_9f89a5f0
 In-Game TV / int_ab3a6a48
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_ab3a6a48
comment
In Heavy Rain, there are several TVs that show cartoons that you, the player, can actually watch, while another character is watching them. The cartoons are each several minutes long.
 In-Game TV / int_ab3a6a48
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_ab3a6a48
featureConfidence
1.0
 Heavy Rain (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_ab3a6a48
 In-Game TV / int_bca72091
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_bca72091
comment
While all Animal Crossing games have TV sets, those of City Folk and New Leaf are on a schedule according to the day of the week and time.
 In-Game TV / int_bca72091
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_bca72091
featureConfidence
1.0
 AnimalCrossing
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_bca72091
 In-Game TV / int_bfb483af
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_bfb483af
comment
Every game in the Splatoon series often greets the player with a news show hosted by an idol group whenever the game is booted. Depicted on a giant street screen, the news will showcase the current stages in rotation, game updates, as well as the occasional Splatfest news, and even give players a hint about Story mode's events whenever they're starting for the first time. In the first two games, the news is practically a mandatory thing to watch, as you're gonna have to spam the A button if you want to head straight to gameplay. This becomes averted by the third game, where Inklings watch the news on their phones instead as well as given the ability to skip the news and wander while the news is still playing (However, Splatfest-related news cannot be skipped.)
 In-Game TV / int_bfb483af
featureApplicability
-1.0
 In-Game TV / int_bfb483af
featureConfidence
1.0
 Splatoon (Franchise)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_bfb483af
 In-Game TV / int_c8cabfa8
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_c8cabfa8
comment
Airplane Mode is about being a passenger in an airplane. The in-flight entertainment not only includes blackjack and solitaire, but you can also watch two movies and a public domain Merrie Melodies cartoon.
 In-Game TV / int_c8cabfa8
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_c8cabfa8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Airplane Mode (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_c8cabfa8
 In-Game TV / int_c9633211
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_c9633211
comment
No More Heroes featured Travis's TV where he could watch wrestling videos to learn new moves. The player however, couldn't see the actual footage. In No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, you could watch the E3 trailer, play a game based on Travis's favorite anime, Pure White Lover Bizarre Jelly, and also watch a video of the moe show.
 In-Game TV / int_c9633211
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_c9633211
featureConfidence
1.0
 No More Heroes (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_c9633211
 In-Game TV / int_d4e47577
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_d4e47577
comment
At the beginning of Doom³, the player can watch a news broadcast on a TV at the cafeteria. There are also a few propaganda announcements on how groundbreaking and "safe" the UAC is.
 In-Game TV / int_d4e47577
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_d4e47577
featureConfidence
1.0
 Doom³ (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_d4e47577
 In-Game TV / int_e1ec0e62
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_e1ec0e62
comment
Grand Theft Auto IV had a TV with a lot of different shows that could be watched. It even had two theaters with live shows that the player could watch onstage, one of which featured Ricky Gervais and Katt Williams doing standup.
 In-Game TV / int_e1ec0e62
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_e1ec0e62
featureConfidence
1.0
 Grand Theft Auto IV (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_e1ec0e62
 In-Game TV / int_e500f417
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_e500f417
comment
The Harvest Moon series usually has a TV you can watch. In some cases, it's something like the TV equivalent of a Pamphlet Shelf—the "shows" are short and silly. In others, they're still short, but they form a complete story— for example, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town has "My Fair Princess", a fairy-tale show about a princess and a Demon Lord, which actually has its own little story arc. (In Harvest Moon DS, you can actually get the full show on DVD and "watch" all the episodes.)
 In-Game TV / int_e500f417
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_e500f417
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1.0
 Harvest Moon (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_e500f417
 In-Game TV / int_e689486b
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_e689486b
comment
The Darkness actually allowed players to watch all of the movies To Kill a Mockingbird and The Man with the Golden Arm on a TV, along with the Flash Gordon film serial.
 In-Game TV / int_e689486b
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_e689486b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Darkness (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_e689486b
 In-Game TV / int_f0688fff
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_f0688fff
comment
This also happened in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Emerald. In that game, swapping records with other players would also get you stories about their exploits.
 In-Game TV / int_f0688fff
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_f0688fff
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_f0688fff
 In-Game TV / int_f27404a0
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_f27404a0
comment
Most stages in The Conduit include television screens or radios featuring broadcasts that last several minutes.
 In-Game TV / int_f27404a0
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_f27404a0
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Conduit (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_f27404a0
 In-Game TV / int_f8acc9ea
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_f8acc9ea
comment
In Control, you will occasionally come across instructional films recorded by the head scientist Dr. Darling, which helps fill in some of the background of the story and the Oldest House. There's also a creepy low-budget puppet show called Threshold Kids created by some of the Bureau's employees.
 In-Game TV / int_f8acc9ea
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_f8acc9ea
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1.0
 Control (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_f8acc9ea
 In-Game TV / int_f8e081e5
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_f8e081e5
comment
Messiah has a couple of news reports, playing on large street screens or on the citizens' TVs.
 In-Game TV / int_f8e081e5
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_f8e081e5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Messiah (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_f8e081e5
 In-Game TV / int_faf84cd
type
In-Game TV
 In-Game TV / int_faf84cd
comment
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has a TV set in the player's haven, which shows a newscast detailing the latest in-game happenings and quest hooks. Not only that, if you are a Malkavian, you can actually talk to the newscaster.
Even better, by activating the noclip cheat, you can actually get into the newscaster's studio, just to see how many corners were cut to actually make his appearance on the screen look fairly realistic. Also, there was a money clip on the floor of the studio with a few hundred bucks in it, just for the folk that decided to visit.
 In-Game TV / int_faf84cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 In-Game TV / int_faf84cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (Video Game)
hasFeature
In-Game TV / int_faf84cd

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Ready Player One / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 GTA Radio (Radio) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Airplane Mode (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Corpse Killer (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Destroy All Humans! (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Heavy Rain (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 I-Chu (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Messiah (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Planescape: Torment (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Pokémon Channel (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Red Dead Redemption (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Space Channel 5 (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 The Conduit (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Webkinz (Video Game) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV
 Last Window (Visual Novel) / int_b099085e
type
In-Game TV