I don't know if anyone's familiar with Ursula Le Guin's essay, "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction," but it's the first thing I thought of as I read this article.
Short version: most fiction is based on conflict. Shoot those aliens. Beat up those bad guys. But one of humanity's first and most important inventions isn't the spear or the blade, but the container.
And the idea behind Le Guin's essay is that fiction doesn't have to be about beating up the bad guy. Sometimes it can be about filling that container. Discovering new, good things (and, sometimes, bad things), and adding them.
Conflict, after all, tends to be destructive. But taking Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3, and putting them into that Carrier Bag is additive.
That's why I think these games work — for me, at least. Yeah, it's fun to run around blowing stuff up in a Metroidvania or Roguealike — but when I play Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons, what I'm doing is making something. Building something. Gathering various somethings into my carrier bag. That's valuable, especially in times when a whole lot of us aren't doing those things in real life.
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Re: Random: Animal Crossing Fan Shares Designs For All 20 Premier League Shirts
As an official American, I have to blame the fact that I recognized almost all those team names (and jerseys) on Ted Lasso.
Now, where's the AFC Richmond jersey . . . ?
Re: Reminder: Space Invaders Invincible Collection Launches Today On Switch eShop In The West
If you're gonna release a Space Invaders collection for sixty bucks, you might as well jump in with both feet and charge a hundred.
Anyone who's in at sixty doesn't care about the price.
Re: Metroid Series Tops Wii U eShop's "Best Sellers" List Following Dread Reveal
@Shambo — here's a good guide, with video and links, for setting up that RG351M: https://retrogamecorps.com/rg351/
Re: Soapbox: Why Do People Love Games Like Stardew Valley And Animal Crossing?
I don't know if anyone's familiar with Ursula Le Guin's essay, "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction," but it's the first thing I thought of as I read this article.
Short version: most fiction is based on conflict. Shoot those aliens. Beat up those bad guys. But one of humanity's first and most important inventions isn't the spear or the blade, but the container.
And the idea behind Le Guin's essay is that fiction doesn't have to be about beating up the bad guy. Sometimes it can be about filling that container. Discovering new, good things (and, sometimes, bad things), and adding them.
Conflict, after all, tends to be destructive. But taking Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3, and putting them into that Carrier Bag is additive.
That's why I think these games work — for me, at least. Yeah, it's fun to run around blowing stuff up in a Metroidvania or Roguealike — but when I play Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons, what I'm doing is making something. Building something. Gathering various somethings into my carrier bag. That's valuable, especially in times when a whole lot of us aren't doing those things in real life.