Our First Patreon Exclusive Podcast Episode!

Thank you, coltdee!

Resonant Arc

Nice discussion guys -- particularly interesting last question regarding negative events getting normalized if used frequently. I do think there is a lack of entertainment that has a darker tone however, most stories seem to follow the same pattern of Introduction > challenge > accomplishment > negative event > overcoming challenge/event.

nuGeorge

Just bumped my patreon to the $5 tier because you guys are worth it, the patreon podcast was great, AND ya'll deserve any extra buck I can offer these are hard times/your content helps me get through my work from home schedule.

coltdee

this was great. thanks for bringing your A game even to the private stuff 👍

coughsoda

Thanks for answering these! Looking forward to some talking points on The Magus, I hope to have finished it by then. Agreed on The Last Wish. It was my first exposure to the Witcher universe, and I was quickly absorbed. I enjoyed hearing about Dead Space’s “interface” being purely diegetic. I love action games that can take as much UI out of an artificial overlay as possible, save for the occasional menu. Another example I enjoy of unconventional interfaces is Mortal Kombat 11’s Krypt. What could have easily been a list view of unlockable items was instead a puzzle/maze of treasure chests. Love it when games convert menus into game spaces, (so long as it’s not a chore to explore). On the topic of rules not being art… I think there’s some interesting room for expansion there. I agree that in most sports, there are hard rules designed purely for mechanics and competition. Like you said, the art may be in the performance of the rules, but not the rules themselves. I also believe that game rules can be used as a creative constraint, or medium, in both their own design, and level design. “I have designed the player’s abilities to be X, so I will design environments and challenges to be Y and Z.” This alone still feels sterile. I’m not saying design = literature. But what if movement throughout that space, and the use of its mechanics, tells a story and drives home those human elements/themes? You could argue that it still takes the performance of the player to create this “art,” but I would argue that if the design is deliberate and brilliantly executed, that the rules are part of the art as well. Especially if the player has little choice in their performance, like in Bioshock. “Would you kindly?” The mobile game, Florence, is an amazing example of designing game mechanics/rules as a way to tell an impactful story. It’s a quick game, very worth the small premium. The gameplay forces you to feel what the character is feeling. One example: Florence gets into an argument with someone in the game. The player is required to place dialogue bubbles with the right shapes into the correct places… Much like searching for just the right thing to say in a real argument. Sometimes the pieces come easy; sometimes the other person interrupts you; and sometimes none of the pieces fit. You search and swipe more and more frantically as the argument becomes more and more heated. You’re so focused on winning the argument that the content of the argument is entirely irrelevant. In fact, there is no dialogue at all. The gameplay has successfully married the player’s frustrations with those of the character. Florence has a lot of those Human Elements you mention, and I believe they are best conveyed through the design of its mechanics, UI, and as a bonus… it’s music!

I want to see Casen do an explainer video on the plot of all KH games were he goes full Charlie Day conspiracy theory with the red string and everything.

<3

coughsoda

Really appreciate you guys doing this - looking forward to listening.