In order to find out where we will most comfortably position ourselves in this imaginary gamer field, let us start at the origin point and employ a greedy algorithm. Let us first observe that we are extremely UNcomfortable in our current position - somewhere in between no narrative and maximum narrative, an average narrative is an equivalent of a "B movie plot" (proof omitted for brevity), and the perpendicular axis we have just enough annoying game mechanics to constantly break immersion while spoon feeding enough progress to just about keep us engaged. OMG THIS IS SHADOW HEARTS ISN'T IT?! (proof omitted). We must get out of here fast! But where? Suppose we start moving right, that's sounds like the right direction, right? Note as the more narrative improves, the more jarring and annoying progress inhibiting and the immersion breaking mechanics become, and the more we desire to progress smoothly without hiccups and best fit the narrative, and thus we are also inclined to move down. With no other variables there is nothing stopping us from proceeding indefinitely, so it might appear that our desired location is the lower right corner - a well put together adventure game with minimal mechanics that just complement the narrative rather than presenting any challenge: fahrenheit indigo prophecy, heavy rain or brothers the tale of two sons; yes, we love it. But observe that, barring some puns, the initiall direction was chosen arbitrarily. Suppose we instead moved to the left from the origin point, then with less and less narrative progression starts to loose meaning and value, eventually it won't matter at all, and the only question would be wheather we enjoy the gameplay loop or not, hence we are no inclined to move upwards seeking new form of progression outside of the game itself in improving our peformance. With further diminishing narrative with a smile on out faces we go past rougelikes, beatemups, fighting games and even shmups and eventually arrive at entirely abstract, and purely arcade, so many of these that any examples will appear random: breakquest, qix++, pacman ce; yes, we love it. We have two diagonal direction that we are entirely happy with now, so what about the others? No narrative progression? Sounds like boredom manifest, but concider, simple puzzle games, not the ones that perplex us and make us anxious, but the ones that we know how to solve followins some basic deductions. No real callange, no self improvement, just turn your brain off and solve yet another random puzzle you know how to solve. Refer to simon tatham's portable puzzle collection for examples. Yes, we love it. And finally we come at last, most proud, most contraversial and subjective top right diagonal direction. Total narrative coupled with total performance, these must be the games that blend gameplay and story so well, that we forget we are playing a game, we just experience them, in complete immersion, we progress without knowing or even wanting it, we improve without realizing or even noticing it. None of us will agree on examples here but we will include them for completness: half life 2, f.e.a.r., chronicles of riddick; yes, we love it.
Observe now our problem. We want to move as far away from the origin as possible, in all of these 4 directions:
View attachment 10750
(pardon the overlap op)
But where would that lead us? Where should we best position ourselves? It might seen that we arrived at an impossible dilemma, but BEHOLD the power of mathematics to the rescue, we now apply to this 2 dimensional plane the transformation of inversion!
View attachment 10752Currently observe, observe I say, our diagonals! They are all converging to a single point! This is the point, this is where we stand! (never mind the dark void in the middle, that is merely a consequence of the finite nature of the source plane we are working here with, with an actual infinite plane the void would've been filled and the diagonals would intersect, but we can't be arsed to make an infinite plane right now, left as an exercise for the reader)
View attachment 10753QED
If you would like to know more about operation of inversion and how it can help improve your life refer to these lectures:
