Last week, I came accross this definition by Gavin Eisenbeisz, the guy that made Choo-Choo Charles:
Entertainment is a zero risk shortcut that leads to gratification of one or more survival instincts. […]. At a fundamental level, entertainment is anything that makes a shortcut based on minimal input from your body (minimal energy expenditure) that gets you as quickly as possible towards instinctual gratification Source: Scientia Ludos “What ACTUALLY is entertainment?”
So, acording to him, survival instincts are a core fundamental for entertainment.
I usually don’t like it when video games are reduced to overcomplicated Skinner boxes, as this strips them of their artistic component. Nevertheless, I think he makes a good point when referring to why people enjoy consuming videogames.
As mortals, it’s natural for us to want control over our surroundings. Even having control over just one aspect of our lives adds to the illusion of safety—and with safety comes our own survival, as well as the survival of our species. Perhaps that’s why cozy games are so popular.
When I was a child, I was afraid of reaching adulthood and becoming homeless because I wouldn’t be able to find a job. I thought that in such a situation I would be alone, with no possibility of financial recovery.
On the other hand, I always loved being at home on rainy days, just browsing online and enjoying something warm to drink.
I reflected on this and considered how I could incorporate these feelings to enhance the concept of my game, as I want it to evoke emotions such as:
- Isolation: The feeling of being alone in a cold, unwelcoming environment—frozen in a silent space with no options left, just waiting for death.
- Comfort: The feeling of being at home, safe and sheltered—enjoying the warmth of your own space in winter or the refreshing breeze after a summer rain.
Creating a game world involves defining a set of rules that limit what is possible in the system. These rules reinforce certain behaviors while preventing others.
I believe that limiting a player’s movement through a fuel system can help achieve my vision for this game by:
- Causing players to get lost, frustrated, or stranded when they hit a fail state they can’t overcome.
- Encouraging cooperation through fuel sharing, thereby emphasizing the social aspect.
- Introducing a survival and management element, ensuring players do not become stranded in the middle of nowhere.
- Reinforcing the main game loop of returning to a central hub—where players must refuel and prepare before venturing out again.
It’s difficult to convey a feeling of comfort without first making a player feel uncomfortable.
It’s difficult to convey a feeling of being surrounded without first making a player feel lonely.
It’s difficult to convey a feeling of power without first making a player feel weak.
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