everyone need[s] to . . push back against . . streaming-friendly [push]

[droqen]

https://x.com/han_tani/status/1821339952237703642

[AB]

[droqen]

I have a pile of thoughts but mostly, like, contradictions, that I want to make

[droqen]

First a sort of summary o what I'm seeing, in terms of Melos' perspective:

"1. Youtubers: Need to figure out some way of . .  covering non-stream-friendly games"

"2. VTubers/Streamers: . . taking advantage of parasociality dynamics to encourage viewers to be more open to a wider range of coverage. . . . More introspection on the role you may play in many's lives . . ."

"3. Designers: . . . game design isn't understandable through watching 5 YouTube videos or while optimizing your game for TikTokability."

". . . a game that becomes rich often managed to snag all the built up desire for a certain vibe! And that vibe often is built up by freeware devs or hobbyists. So it's necessary to pay it back, not sit on it."

"4. Publishers: . . . start funding some games for the sake of funding them . . . publishers should pay designers to act as mentors in these situations if needed! I think there's endless potential in funded mentor-mentee relationships."

"5. Storefronts: . . . push for curation initiatives that can get more money into the pockets of more games without the unstated requirements of high-polish. . . . merely . . . e.g. sacrificing one company's $1m profit for an $50k investment in 20 small games' futures."

. . .

"8. Players: How do games fit into your lives? How do games fit into your friends' lives? Are there little ways of shifting playing habits away from games that compel us and take up time and money?"

"9. Heads of profitable mobile/aaa studios: You need to be thinking about all of this and ways to give back to games. . . . no longer does it make sense for a mobile game company to make millions and do nothing with it but fund more mobile games."

[droqen]

You are talking to people who have bought into numbers-first systems.
Maybe they were born into these systems but regardless asking them to go against the grain of why they are doing what they're doing and how they got there in the first place is kind of unreasonable.

Heads of profitable studios are stuck heading profitable studios. YouTubers have built up a practice of covering games using a specific medium and are stuck covering games in streams (and videos); obviously they are going to cover the games that are friendly for them to cover in their medium. What do players want out of their games? They are... probably getting it already. Why would they stop spending their time doing something that enjoy?

I think Melos' writing does not center enough on the recipient of the message for me.

"How can you, the person I'm talking to change your way of being inand moving through this world in order to benefit me, and my field, and my perspective on my field?" Like, who are you to say that to people?

[droqen]

I completely agree with Melos' perspective on games and game design as far as I understand it: game design isn't understandable through watching 5 YouTube videos or while optimizing your game for TikTokability. It's a lifelong skill built up through practice, experience, study, mentorship, friendship

[droqen]

But what I don't agree with is the conclusion (not explicitly stated but which I infer from Melos' actions) that I should therefore implore others to take actions in order to support my perspective.