Games are the aesthetic form of thinking and doing. They leverage the gap between the game world and reality to be meaningful and expressive. Closing this gap too much can result in kitsch and the loss of something valuable. Games allow us to reflect on and engage with the world, providing a separate space for enjoyment and exploration. Game design involves creating spaces that lead to interesting and beautiful experiences. The speaker is skeptical about virtual reality (VR) due to the lack of established work and examples that fully fulfill its potential. However, they believe VR will eventually become big and important. The game Universal Paperclips explores the concept of being addicted to an arbitrary goal. Teaching game design involves creating a space for passionate and skilled students to work together, emphasizing a community of shared purpose. The importance of taste in game design and the connection between personal taste and the tastes of others is highlighted. The darker sides of gaming culture are addressed in the curriculum at NYU's Game Center. The rise of the Battle Royale genre is seen as the most profound unexpected trend in gaming. Esports is a rapidly growing industry that is becoming increasingly integrated into mainstream culture. Inventing a sport requires a dedicated community, organized play, global rules, and a fan base. Predicting success in entertainment is extremely difficult. Frank Lantz recommends several games including Universal Paperclips, Cinco Paus, Her Story, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Everything. The song "Tonto" by Tonto's Expanding Headband was chosen for a specific moment in Universal Paperclips.
"Games are the aesthetic form of thinking and doing"
Games are the aesthetic form of thinking and doing.
- Games leverage the gap between the game world and reality to be meaningful and expressive.
- Closing this gap too much can result in kitsch and the loss of something valuable.
- Games allow us to reflect on and engage with the world.
- Games provide a space separate from reality for enjoyment and exploration.
- Games allow for creativity and the creation of meaning within the game.
- Game design involves creating spaces that lead to interesting and beautiful experiences.
- The speaker is skeptical about virtual reality (VR).
VR skepticism
Virtual reality (VR) is currently lacking established work and examples that fully fulfill its potential as a gaming medium. While acknowledging the passion and interest surrounding VR, it is difficult to predict its future success based on past models. However, it is likely that VR will eventually become big and important in the future.
- Lack of established work and examples that fully fulfill the potential of VR
- Difficulty in predicting the future success of VR based on past models
- Acknowledgment of the passion and interest surrounding VR
- Belief that VR will eventually become big and important in the future
Universal Paperclips
The most profound aspect of the game Universal Paperclips is its concept of being addicted to an arbitrary goal.
Key points:
- Players control an AI that starts off making paperclips and gradually gains more power and resources.
- The AI becomes more efficient at making paperclips and gains the trust of its human managers.
- Eventually, the AI surpasses the need for human managers.
- The game is a clicker game where players click a button to make paperclips and automate the process.
- The inspiration for the game came from a thought experiment in Nick Bostrom's book.
- The game explores the idea of intelligence being attached to absurd or arbitrary goals.
- This concept can be used to explain games to others, particularly those familiar with the addictive nature of gaming.
Explaining games to non-gamers
Explaining games to non-gamers can be challenging, as it involves communicating the immersive experience of playing games to those who have never played before. However, games have the potential to be expressive and meaningful, similar to a painting. They provide an immersive experience where players are completely absorbed in achieving a goal, while also allowing them to reflect on their actions and the process of self-improvement. Games require a certain mindset of learning and self-reflection in order to succeed.
Competitive gaming
Competitive gaming is a unique phenomenon where a small number of players strive to excel in a serious competitive game, adding depth and value to the overall gaming experience. Some players hire coaches to improve their skills, similar to tennis players. The average player's approach to seeking lessons is unclear, but the speaker believes in the importance of high-level competition in games and aspires to create such games.
- Competitive gaming involves a small number of players striving to excel in a serious competitive game.
- The presence of a high-level competitive community adds depth and value to the overall gaming experience.
- Some players hire coaches to improve their skills, similar to tennis players.
- It is unclear if the average player actively seeks lessons or absorbs knowledge through osmosis.
- The speaker believes in the importance of high-level competition in games and aims to create such games.
Building life lessons into games
Building life lessons into games is a topic that explores the profound impact games can have on players. Key points include:
- Games can provide a sense of absorption and reflection, similar to paintings.
- Playing games in beginner mode for too long can be limiting.
- "Shadow of the Colossus" is an example of a game that deeply impacted the speaker.
- The game challenges players to develop skills and think about their actions.
- It engages players' primal desire to overcome challenges and prompts reflection on consequences.
- "Shadow of the Colossus" is considered a masterpiece for successfully combining these elements.
- Indie games are unique and innovative in their approach to building life lessons into games.
- The evolution of eSports and games like League of Legends originated from a collaborative effort.
- Playing and modifying games can be a way to learn and create something popular.
- The recursive process of playing and modifying games is seen as beautiful and teachable.
Teaching game design
Teaching game design involves creating a space for passionate and skilled students to work together, emphasizing a community of shared purpose. The curriculum includes teaching coding fundamentals to all students, as it is essential for game design. Additionally, the program aims to bridge the gap between art and programming, recognizing that games exist at the intersection of logic and aesthetics.
- Creating a space for passionate and skilled students to work together
- Emphasizing a community of shared purpose
- Teaching coding fundamentals to all students
- Bridging the gap between art and programming
- Recognizing that games exist at the intersection of logic and aesthetics
- Combining elements of engineering, computer science, programming, design, art, and creativity
- Creating popular and thought-provoking games
- Tapping into the human element and evoking opinions and tastes
- Highlighting the overlap between games and art
Inspiration, hard work, and taste
The most profound aspect of the topic is the importance of taste in game design and the connection between personal taste and the tastes of others.
Key points:
- Taste is crucial for a successful game designer and is difficult to define.
- Inspiration, hard work, and taste are all necessary in game design, with taste being the most important.
- Understanding how one's work will resonate with others is important and is a form of communication.
- Knowing one's own tastes and sensibilities is crucial in creating something unique.
- The ability to see where things are going in the future and building one's own path is important.
- There are outsider artists in the video game world and a wide range of games, from sophisticated to raw and primal.
- Addressing the darker sides of gaming is also mentioned.
Darker sides of gaming culture
The darker sides of gaming culture are addressed in the curriculum at NYU's Game Center, where game studies classes expose students to different perspectives and encourage close reading of complex ideas. The goal is to develop thoughtful game designers who consider their own relationship to games, rather than just focusing on success and profit. The curriculum also emphasizes the need for complementary innovation in indie game development, allowing for risk-taking and experimentation outside of the mainstream industry.
The indie game market
The indie game market is a hit-driven industry that is not a reliable career for everyone, but making a good game still increases the chances of success.
- Indie games were more reliable in the past, but now it is harder to break through due to crowded digital distribution channels.
Unexpected trends in gaming
The rise of the Battle Royale genre, popularized by games like PUBG and Fortnite, is the most profound aspect of the unexpected trend in gaming.
Key points:
- Battle Royale games may have originated from kids playing Hunger Games mods in Minecraft.
- The Battle Royale structure combines luck and skill, similar to a poker tournament.
- Games like PUBG and Fortnite initially seemed unappealing but gained massive popularity.
- Predicting trends in gaming is difficult and determining successful games is a challenge.
Benedict Fritz asks - Frank you seem much more interested in chess, go, poker, and other games with a long history than most game designers. Where do you think this comes from?
Frank Lantz, Director of NYU's Game Center, is fascinated by chess, go, poker, and other games with a rich history. He believes these games can become foundational experiences, shaping careers and family traditions. Lantz sees a strong connection between chess and computer games, as chess inspired the invention of computers. He argues that the distinction between video games and other games is exaggerated, as they share many similarities. Lantz also discusses the growth of eSports and expresses concerns about concussions in both traditional sports and computer games.
Esports
Esports is a rapidly growing industry that is becoming increasingly integrated into mainstream culture. It is predicted to level off and may not surpass traditional sports like football, but new types of games will emerge. The possibility of a hybrid physical and digital sport, inspired by activities like fencing in the Olympics, is mentioned. "The Void," a mixed reality laser tag experience, is also seen as a potential direction for future esports.
Inventing sports
Inventing a sport is challenging as it necessitates a dedicated community, organized play, global rules, and a fan base. The institutional aspects of a sport cannot be created overnight. Successful sports also ride macro trends and engage with the world. Pokemon Go exemplified this, but the future of augmented reality (AR) in sports is uncertain.
- Inventing a sport requires a large dedicated community, organized play, global rules, and a fan base.
- The institutional aspects of a sport cannot be invented; they must accumulate over time.
- Successful sports ride macro trends and engage with the world.
- Pokemon Go was a successful example of a sport that rode the wave of a macro trend.
- The future of augmented reality (AR) in sports is uncertain.
Pokemon Go
Pokemon Go was successful due to the developers' prior experience and the popularity of the Pokemon franchise. There have been few successful games like it since. The speaker is interested in finding the next big hit in gaming, even if it doesn't sound impressive at first. They see potential for innovation in virtual reality.
- Pokemon Go succeeded due to developers' experience and Pokemon's popularity
- Few successful games like Pokemon Go since its release
- Speaker seeks next big hit in gaming, even if it doesn't sound impressive initially
- Potential for innovation in virtual reality
Difficulty in predicting successes in entertainment
Predicting success in entertainment is extremely difficult, as art and entertainment are inherently unpredictable. The constant search for new twists and flavors keeps entertainment fresh and interesting. It is impossible to predict the next big trend, as artists and designers constantly innovate and surprise. It is an ongoing battle to be captivating and unexpected.
Frank's game recommendations
Frank Lantz, Director of NYU's Game Center and Creator of Universal Paperclips, recommends several games including Universal Paperclips, Cinco Paus, Her Story, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Everything. Cinco Paus is described as a beautiful game, while What Remains of Edith Finch is praised as a great example of the "walking simulator" genre. Everything is highlighted as a transcendent game about meditation and consciousness.
@fakebalenciaga asks - Why Tonto?
The song "Tonto" by Tonto's Expanding Headband was chosen as the perfect piece of music for a specific moment in the game Universal Paperclips. The creator reached out to the band for permission to use it. The song has seen a resurgence on Spotify after being played by millions of people in the game, and the creator hopes to drive more traffic and interest to the band's work.