You've probably seen this image. I've seen it many times. I have mixed feelings about it.
It's a funny image, and represents a good cause. It's usually posted by people who want to support fairer working conditions for game developers, and want to show support for smaller titles.
It's usually posted in contrast to something like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs: Legion, The Last of Us: Part II, or God of War: Ragnarok.
There's a part of me that cringes every time I see it, though. I imagine there may be other game developers who feel similarly.
I think the reflexive cringe comes from the phrase "shorter games with worse graphics." People being paid more to work less sounds great, tbh, and barring any sort of production pipeline blocking, I think most devs would be into that.
These are the thoughts that fly through my mind when I hear people say "I want shorter games with worse graphics."
Short compared to what?
Shorter than Elden Ring? Shorter than Hollow Knight? Short like Venba? Short like Celeste? How short could a AAA game be before, even despite posting this phrase, you'd find it unsatisfying or incomplete? How short could an indie game be before you don't consider it a "real game"? Games can be anything from Ulysses to a haiku, but it rarely seems like people are talking about the haiku style of games.
What does "worse graphics" mean?
I just can't imagine a world where "worse graphics" could possibly correlate to Hi-Fi Rush, Undertale, Hollow Knight, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Celeste, Mario Odyssey, Wind Waker, A Short Hike, or Hades. Even though those are the types of games that I often see people use this meme in support of. Those games have incredible art that talented artists worked really really hard on. It feels like a bit of a sting to associate those beautiful games with the term "worse graphics." That phrasing, sadly, implies that photorealism is the bar by which all other games are compared.
Forever Games
Where do replayable games, like roguelikes, tycoons, crafting games, and farming sims land on the realm of "shorter games"? They're not inherently any shorter than a big AAA game, and they're designed to be replayable and to suck your time in. That can be great, but it also might be a treadmill that is not inherently any more honorable than a game trying to tell a linear story.
Are you really "not kidding"?
This meme has a very confident, smug energy and I think that tone invites this question: Do you REALLY want shorter games with worse graphics? I know this is going to depend on the individual lives of each human being who's ever reposted this meme, and it can never be truly answered, but it really begs the question of whether or not people REALLY DO WANT "shorter games with worse graphics." Because let me tell ya, there's a lot of shorter games with worse graphics right now and they ain't selling very well. Check the Steam reviews. Ask devs how many copies they sell on itch. There are many devs out there who make shorter games with worse graphics and no matter how many times people post this phrase, people don't seem to flock over to support those projects. And that sinking feeling of "oh, these folks don't mean the games that my friends and I post regularly on itch, they mean Hi-Fi Rush and Wind Waker" is a little bit demotivating, given the gusto with which this meme is posted. There are people whose whole careers hinge on the hope that there's an audience out there that wants "shorter games with worse graphics" and there doesn't seem to be an actual sea change that's helping those projects out. There is a treasure trove of games out on itch that you can play in between hyped releases, but most people's playing habits don't seem to shift.
Lastly...
...there are thousands of devs out there who work hard, collaborating with other devs and artists, to make their games the best they can be. Devs work hard to bring their artistic vision to God of War: Ragnarok or to Bomb Rush Cyberfunk or to experimental indies with intentionally-ragged art styles. Everyone is putting their heart into their art to make something that will connect with the player. Sometimes, this can be pulled off by 1 or 2 people. Sometimes, this will require hiring more onto the team. It's slightly dissonant to see people say they want to see "worse graphics" when you're trying to get a job in texturing or particle effects and want to deliver something your team is trying to push a boundary on. This is true in both small projects and big projects. Artists are putting their stamp on Horizon Forbidden West just as much as they're putting their stamp on Venba. There are artists looking for work in the indie space who want to make better and more beautiful "graphics."
Anyway, no disrespect to people who post this meme. I understand that it's a show of support and solidarity. I understand that it's just a joke. I know that it's not a big deal.
But I'd be lying if I said that these mixed feelings didn't flash through my mind every time I saw this hedgehog. Figured I would share them.
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honestly? bring back ugly games. low-res, 30fps, baked in lighting... id rather see that than have a game over 140gb of high-res 8k 'look at how realistic this man's pores are' textures everywhere
I usually stay out of the shit storm but... I'm really pumped for this game. And I hate to see people trash it for nothing.
The backlash against Cyberpunk 2077 as being transphobic or fetishistic is honestly laughable.
Take, for instance, the poster with the ambiguous sex character. The one with a "female" body and "male" genitalia.
The character has a female body with a penis. That's it. Could be nonbinary/genderqueer, could be a guy. Could be a girl. To see it as "fetishism of trans women" is to a) imply that only trans women can have a female body with a penis and b) to ignore the contexts of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, especially with its relationship with gender and sex.
Cyberpunk 2077 is set in a universe in which all are equal because nobody matters. It's run by capitalism.
Trans and GNC people are a regular thing.
Nobody cares if you have tits and a dick and nobody cares if you get rid of your tits or dick or if you have any combination of the two. It's a society with undoubtedly and indisputable free expression.
And about the advertisement.
As already stated, the universe and society are different from our own in that they are actively and openly controlled by capitalism. They are all manipulated and used.
When all are equal under capitalism, all get used. That poster is not fetishistic. It's just using a group of people to sell a product.
It's sexualization and nothing more.
You know, like how people use a sexy man or woman for their advertisements? It's like that but in a society where sex doesn't matter. It's not necessarily good but it is a direct result of capitalism. That is what this poster is saying to our world. "We're all tools, nobody is better or held higher than the other"
This is the context you are taking out of the content when you call that poster fetishistic or sexist.
There is no sexism in Cyberpunk 2077 because sex does not matter in a society where people are simply tools for the money and power machine.
(and, by the way... seeing a person with a "female" body and "male" genitalia and automatically thinking "trans woman" is honestly kind of reflective of how you yourself view trans women)
The entirety of the dream daddy discourse I’m gonna engage in for now (I may decide to go into more depth with my criticisms later, but I’m still enjoying the game and having fun and I’m stressed as fuck so I don’t feel like it right now):
I like it.  I know the game has issues- I can enjoy something while being critical of it.  It does more good for me than it does bad.  I can understand and respect people who want nothing to do with it, and I’m not gonna try and argue with them because their reasons are valid and even if they weren’t you can dislike things without having reasons that make sense to others- as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone!  But I can’t respect people who think no one should play it or like it and go around screaming at others for enjoying something that has flaws.
I know the game grumps have hella flaws too.  I’m not ignoring that or ignoring the game’s problems- but for now the game makes me really happy for what it HAS done, as a trans mlm, who is sick of seeing white dudes everywhere in all of gay media- and it really does seem like they tried hard to make this game respectful and good.Â
I understand why some may not like it or even may hate it, but please don’t shit on people for enjoying it.
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Honestly blocking these people is the best thing to do at this point. Take it from me. As a black trans person all I see now is other people telling me what I should be offended by and when I try to explain what the genre is they all ignore me as If I don't matter anymore. They aren't worth our time anymore. block em all.
Mhm! Best not to entertain their thirst for bullshit
If you're going to try to reblog my post with some stupidity, I'm blocking you. I told you. Don't do it. Keep your headassery to yourself. I won't be replying to anybody else. I will only be blocking from here on in. This isn't a discourse account.
it is so funny that there are only 30% of players finished chapter 1 in Witcher 2 because we have elden ring style of bosses. Kayran is fine to me but a lot of people don't know how to kill this monster.
I hate Letho because he is way too smart and strong as an enemy especially Geralt in chapter 1. It is an insane game design that we can't take potion in mid battle and we have also another monster boss before Letho fight. Letho deflects our attacks, and he is using signs and bombs so he reminds me when I am playing RE high difficulty or elden ring lmao
