Photo 26 Sep 4 notes This week I did a Prison Architect interview, which just went live on PC Gamer. What’s great is Chris Delay talking about Dwarf Fortress’ impact on Prison Architect. “What I love about it the most is that it’s the opposite end of the sprectrum to most game design projects. He doesn’t really do any game design. A better name for it would be a Dwarf Fortress Simulator, in which you just happen to be able to have fun because it’s an inherently fun scenario.” Which pins down something I circled endlessly in this article on the “weight” of Demon’s Souls. I argued that in its cruel modelling of the heft of your weapon, your stamina, your brittle bones, your loathing of death, the game actually became more fun. It’s as Delay describes- it skirts more towards “simulating” a fun scenario, rather than pursuing joy first and foremost. It’s the same stuff Far Cry 2, Day Z or Stalker chase with their multifaceted (and, to many, tedious) pursuit of grit, freedom, of actual danger. Which just gets me thinking that there should be a name for this movement. “Hardcore” is far too vague. Also, too shit. And it conjures an idea of difficulty and impenetrability which might (as in the case of Prison Architect) be entirely untrue. Hm.

This week I did a Prison Architect interview, which just went live on PC Gamer.

What’s great is Chris Delay talking about Dwarf Fortress’ impact on Prison Architect.

“What I love about it the most is that it’s the opposite end of the sprectrum to most game design projects. He doesn’t really do any game design. A better name for it would be a Dwarf Fortress Simulator, in which you just happen to be able to have fun because it’s an inherently fun scenario.”

Which pins down something I circled endlessly in this article on the “weight” of Demon’s Souls. I argued that in its cruel modelling of the heft of your weapon, your stamina, your brittle bones, your loathing of death, the game actually became more fun. It’s as Delay describes- it skirts more towards “simulating” a fun scenario, rather than pursuing joy first and foremost. It’s the same stuff Far Cry 2, Day Z or Stalker chase with their multifaceted (and, to many, tedious) pursuit of grit, freedom, of actual danger.

Which just gets me thinking that there should be a name for this movement. “Hardcore” is far too vague. Also, too shit. And it conjures an idea of difficulty and impenetrability which might (as in the case of Prison Architect) be entirely untrue. Hm.

  1. norsepony reblogged this from quinns108
  2. jodymacgregor reblogged this from quinns108 and added:
    “Masochistic”. I mean that in the nice way.
  3. quinns108 posted this

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