Sex, Lies And Video Games Movies aren't the only entertainment medium finding a successful home on videotapes.

The incredible leaps and bounds made in technology have givencomputer and video games of the past an inferiority complex whencompared to the stimulating masterpieces created today. Gamingindustry trends have established a realism comparable to that ofthe big screen, with lifelike characters, developed dialogue,sophisticated environments and visual effects that have catapultedthem into a category all their own. And with the onslaught of newgame consoles, there's an even greater hunger for slick newsoftware.

"Until now, expressing complex behaviors and portraying arange of convincing emotions through characters has been verydifficult," explains David Luntz, 27, president and CEO ofcomputer and video game designer Z-Axis Ltd. in San Mateo,California. "New technology is removing the creativerestraints that have burdened game developers to date." Casein point: Z-Axis' latest endeavor, the Dave Mirra Freestyle BMXgame, which allows users to freeze time and spin the camera aroundthe rider, was inspired by the "bullet time" cameraeffect used in The Matrix.

But what differentiates games from film is the obviousinteractivity factor, which has managed to increase thegaming-industry audience and keep this evolving category in theforefront of new technology-leading many to consider thepossibility that computer and video games could eventually rivalother entertainment mediums, including film. "As anexperience, video games are more 'sticky' thanmovies," says Luntz. "You may watch a movie four or fivetimes-that's eight to 10 hours of entertainment. A video gameyou love to play is good for hundreds of hours ofentertainment."

Still, Helmut Kobler, 31-year-old president of K2 Films, aHollywood, California, film and Internet production company, doubtsthe gaming industry will ever upstage Hollywood. "It's notso much that games are trying to be like movies," says Kobler."They're pushing the realism envelope-to create the sensethat everything around you feels alive."

And that's really the appeal of games to begin with-thefantasy factor. "Everyone wants games to be realistic,"he notes. "They want the ability to do whatever they want inthose worlds."