Sara Estus – Question Set 1

In your opinion what should every game have? Why do you like your favorite game?
I think every game should have an appealing appearance; I say this from the perspective of someone who is supposed to design things that not only look good but feel good. Though I think that there is a subjective part to art in games, both tabletop and video; I believe that being able to immerse yourself into the space of the game is a solid quality. Understanding this, my favorite game that I started in class, Stray has a very immersive experience through the art. I mean, you play as a cat, in a utopian city, with robots that have TVs on their heads! The world of stray feels deep, unknown, and very very large, making the player feel like they are just as small as their feline counterpart.

List the games you’ve played and currently play.
Until Then (omg its soo good!)
Legend of Zelda Links Awakening (2019)
Minecraft
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Stardew Valley

To name a few 😀

Can you apply the three-act structure to your favorite game? What is its pacing and how long do you find yourself in each act?
Stray is undoubtedly broken down into chapters, as you finish sections of the story, and move to the next parts, a title rises up stating the name of the next chapter. Though Stray feels long in pacing, it is more up to the challenge level of the play and if they are a completionist.

When coming up with ideas where do you find you start, with the metaphor or the mechanic? 
When coming up with ideas, I tend to curve towards the metaphor rather than the mechanic. I always try to put a narrative behind the reason why I make what I make, and I feel like it can often do more harm than good in my creative process. I think coming up with the working parts to make the final piece may be a better option for the ease of making a game.

Over the course of this semester, who would you like to collaborate with and why?
I do have particular people I enjoy collaborating with, but I also love to collaborate with new people so I can build connections in strengths and weaknesses from myself and others. I think it is important to be open to new things, but also be able to know what works best if trying new things is not an option.