I'm only seeing this now. Thank you MARED JURPHY <3
ghostsnwitches
Creator of
Recent community posts
The Sims is definitely some kind of ominous and dark shadow looming over the genre. One thing I do enjoy more about Paralives so far is that it feels more European in architecture, which is a nice change to the stock American suburbs in the Sims base game.
That voting mechanic thing is so hilarious in the context of such a deeply depolitised game. Not that electoral politics will ever fundamentally change the world, but what are the Sims even voting for? Why do they care? It's a vague, apolitical dys/utopia with an American set dressing. The greenwashed ecology mechanics just feel flat in the context.
I'm glad you like the idea of that mod though! The more I think about it the more I think I might like for it to have some kind of narrative element, similar to MyHouse.wad I'll make some noise if I ever get around to actually finishing it. Cheers and have fun with Faggots and Their Friends ;)
Thank you for mentioning the context this manifesto was born in. Somehow it feels like we're backsliding there again, at least in some regards. I don't mean this with my nihilist or doomer tinted lenses on, but something's up right? That's why I'm also very fond of how this book articulates faggot love and resilience, it's just as relevant as I assume it was in the 1970s.
I do have a PDF of F&F, so I think my next step would be to get a print copy. There's some really beautiful editions out there I'd love to actually flip through. I assume the author you mention is Asta, the illustrator? In any case I love that he's cool with the piracy, he's the real deal.
To your point about simulations, I think that's pretty much where I landed too. The simulation have built-in assumptions as you say, and they are taken for granted by many players. So games and especially sim games reproduce certain socio-political discourse by uncritically affirming them. This is despite that fact that they are often completely mythologised and essentially made up. The way most video games treat gender is the most obvious example to me, but there are many for sure.
Anyways, cheers and thank you for the thoughtful comment, I really appreciate it!
This is so real. I've often felt at odds with how much of a push towards specialization there is, in video games yes but also in contemporary arts. It feels wrong. I often stand somewhere between being very proud of all the skills I've been able to explore all while feeling incredibly insecure as well about not having some kind of "expertise". It feels like this big important thing to be an expert in something, and to not be can feel like you're not as real or professional as everyone else.
Thanks for that article on substack it was a nice read. Funnily enough I considered unlisting the exact project you link to for all the same reasons you mention, so to have it linked on this blogpost feels a little bit like fate telling me to keep it up! I think this is a very real feeling and also one that I find myself grappling with as well, especially in terms of the public sphere, how much of ourselves we can give ourselves to a public before it turns voyeuristic, etc,... It's kind of complicated but I'm glad I'm not the only one out here trying to figure it all out!
When the sky turned red and the air toxic, I took refuge in a greenhouse.
As Hermit Crabs Do is a photography game set in a greenhouse at the end of the world where you may only take one picture.
It includes:
- A 4:3 resolution mimicking common camera aspect ratios
- Entirely self-made assets in a low-poly, low-res style
- Hidden dialogue interactions
- A night and day cycle!
I would love to see people play and share their pictures. I made it in Godot for class but it's a very personal project. Thanks for checking it out ❀
Hi everyone, I hope the new year has been treating you well!
Just wanted to share this interactive poem I made on here.
John With an I is an ode to my grandpa and the generation of eastern european grandpas stuck in 1989.
⚘️
Holy cow, this is amazing!!! I didn't read everything but just skimming thru and seeing all the games you showcase is wonderful. You've nailed the aesthetic to a T and I hope your teachers take notice of you sticking to the bitsy UI for all the descriptions. Seeing my own game in there was so unexpected but cool as well :') I would get this in a heartbeat if it was made into a physical copy haha, but I imagine that's just for your class. Either way this is such a love letter to the community and it's awesome to see <3














