Something that strikes me is that a lot of game developers in my circle find a lot of depth and engagement and meaning in textured, often older and/or traditionally "broken" games. I'm not wholly unable to see these things, and "good game design" is not a monolith, but it feels... (1/4) - ThreadSky

ultigonio.bsky.social • 44 days ago

Something that strikes me is that a lot of game developers in my circle find a lot of depth and engagement and meaning in textured, often older and/or traditionally "broken" games. I'm not wholly unable to see these things, and "good game design" is not a monolith, but it feels... (1/4)

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ultigonio.bsky.social•44 days ago

...not *alienating* exactly, but just like... I love "polish." I love the mirror sheen that a game radiates when UI, sounds, animation, etc. come together in a way that has that specific elegance or smoothness. When things are paced *just so.* (2/4)

ultigonio.bsky.social•44 days ago

I imagine just about everyone does appreciate these things to some extent in combination with a game whose vibes and design philosophy gels with them, so my gut tells me a large part of the reason a number of my colleagues go to bat for games that modern "good game design" practices shun... (3/4)

ultigonio.bsky.social•44 days ago

...is because they receive less forthright praise than flashier, smoother works, or are more readily written off. I don't really have a point here, I'm just kind of musing, but it's just interesting to find myself among people whose taste in both games and game design vary so heavily from mine.

tunditur-unda.itch.io•44 days ago

if something's beautiful and feels good it's not like i hate that. sometimes it makes me happy. but it's exciting when something ugly or clunky or busted gives me a strong or distinct emotional experience. i already know good things are good. but when something that sucks is good? that's revelatory

tunditur-unda.itch.io•44 days ago

it feels exciting and freeing to be shown that works don't need to be smooth or polished or stay within what can feel like very tight aesthetic bounds. an impish thrill of established wisdom being revealed as contingent or outright illusory, the opening up of the possibility space of experience....

ultigonio.bsky.social•44 days ago

I enjoy discovering textured works, things that are imperfect but as I look back at the things I've rated most highly, I think I actually feel a much greater thrill at discovering something finely tuned, something unique and yet honed, where someone not only had a vision but realized it precisely.

ultigonio.bsky.social•44 days ago

not just "bad" games necessarily, either - I'll see talk of games, entire classes of game, that I simply don't see much in, but the tone will be earnest, the magic appreciated without irony. You then take the magic I do not see and create something in which I *do* see magic. it's interesting to me

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