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Yet another article on HN that reads as if the entirety of programming = making CRUD web apps. I make games, it has nothing to do with the real world, I'm not s

Yet another article on HN that reads as if the entirety of programming = making CRUD web apps. I make games, it has nothing to do with the real world, I'm not solving any real world problems. I'm making a new fantasy world.

everyone 7y ago
Also, this article is extremely short and seems to mainly just be repeating a few already very well established and common ideas; as if it was put together by a marketing guy by cutting and pasting a few things. Is it just an ad for the link at the end 'webflow' ?
webn3rd 7y ago
Still, in my point of view, your viewpoint and the article's one can be aligned. Strictly speaking, converting your ideas about the fantasy world into code to run the game is "solving a problem". I'd argue that any creative process can be coined as a problem-solving exercise, except for the fact that in many such cases the problem isn't tangible and the outcome isn't measurable.
- heavenlyblue 7y ago
  I would argue that life is solving a problem of living. I would not write a post about it.
- CraigJPerry 7y ago
  Having watched a significant amount of the hand made hero series (the closest I’ll get to writing games) i’m more inclined to side with the grandparent on this one. Game dev can be just hardcore programming juggling everything from euler equations to hardware performance budgeting. Sure you can take the view this are just constraints in a problem solving exercise. Or it’s highly skilled programming. I fall on the latter view for sure.
- everyone 7y ago
  Yeah, thats a bit of a stretch tho.. The article really emphasizes 'real world problems' .. They are clearly thinking building some kind of web-app like uber or airbnb or whatever. Like, you could also say that I'm solving the real world problem of, 'this exact game not existing, cus these specific people would love to play it but it doesnt exist' .. But that is a super-stretch.
- amelius 7y ago
  > I'd argue that any creative process can be coined as a problem-solving exercise Problem solving with real-world constraints = engineering Problem solving without any constraints = art
  - acdha 7y ago
    Art has always had constraints: funding, the physical media’s capabilities, and the ability to reach an audience. This is why any time a new technology shift happens there’s a spike of artists trying things which were not previously feasible.
    - amelius 7y ago
      It's a spectrum. I just wrote down the two ends. Also, an artist's constraints are often self-prescribed, and they can easily change them if they like.
      - blondin 7y ago
        > Also, an artist's constraints are often self-prescribed, and they can easily change them if they like. the most amazing art (both graphics and music) i have seen on computer were from atari, amiga, & c64 demosceners. these artists had real software and hardware contraints. i like what you said about it being a spectrum though. i think it's hard to tell when engineering becomes art and art becomes engineering. but one can easily spot pure (for its own sake) engineering or pure art.
        lioeters 7y ago
        There's also a fair bit of "engineering for engineering's sake" (as a parallel of "art for art's sake" - "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_for_art's_sake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_for_art's_sake), "divorced from any didactic, moral, politic, or utilitarian function".
  - thaumasiotes 7y ago
    This is reminiscent of the old divide between mathematics and philosophy: true and useful = math true and useless = philosophy
- datalist 7y ago
  You could argue that, but that would apply to painters, chefs, mechanics, hair dressers, everyone.
white-moss 7y ago
I think game is art. Art is made for publish thought of creater, which has power that solves real-world problems. Writing game code (art) is equals to solving problems.
throwawaypa123 7y ago
You solve other people's boredom problem.
kube-system 7y ago
A game has everything to do with the real world. A game is only successful if real-world people want to play it.
- everyone 7y ago
  Ok, so when u make an unsuccessful game youre not solving problems?
  - kube-system 7y ago
    No, I meant exactly what I said, nothing else. Entertaining games solve people's desire to be entertained.

everyone 7y ago

Also, this article is extremely short and seems to mainly just be repeating a few already very well established and common ideas; as if it was put together by a marketing guy by cutting and pasting a few things. Is it just an ad for the link at the end 'webflow' ?

webn3rd 7y ago

Still, in my point of view, your viewpoint and the article's one can be aligned. Strictly speaking, converting your ideas about the fantasy world into code to run the game is "solving a problem". I'd argue that any creative process can be coined as a problem-solving exercise, except for the fact that in many such cases the problem isn't tangible and the outcome isn't measurable.

heavenlyblue 7y ago
I would argue that life is solving a problem of living. I would not write a post about it.
CraigJPerry 7y ago
Having watched a significant amount of the hand made hero series (the closest I’ll get to writing games) i’m more inclined to side with the grandparent on this one. Game dev can be just hardcore programming juggling everything from euler equations to hardware performance budgeting. Sure you can take the view this are just constraints in a problem solving exercise. Or it’s highly skilled programming. I fall on the latter view for sure.
everyone 7y ago
Yeah, thats a bit of a stretch tho.. The article really emphasizes 'real world problems' .. They are clearly thinking building some kind of web-app like uber or airbnb or whatever. Like, you could also say that I'm solving the real world problem of, 'this exact game not existing, cus these specific people would love to play it but it doesnt exist' .. But that is a super-stretch.
amelius 7y ago
> I'd argue that any creative process can be coined as a problem-solving exercise Problem solving with real-world constraints = engineering Problem solving without any constraints = art
- acdha 7y ago
  Art has always had constraints: funding, the physical media’s capabilities, and the ability to reach an audience. This is why any time a new technology shift happens there’s a spike of artists trying things which were not previously feasible.
  - amelius 7y ago
    It's a spectrum. I just wrote down the two ends. Also, an artist's constraints are often self-prescribed, and they can easily change them if they like.
    - blondin 7y ago
      > Also, an artist's constraints are often self-prescribed, and they can easily change them if they like. the most amazing art (both graphics and music) i have seen on computer were from atari, amiga, & c64 demosceners. these artists had real software and hardware contraints. i like what you said about it being a spectrum though. i think it's hard to tell when engineering becomes art and art becomes engineering. but one can easily spot pure (for its own sake) engineering or pure art.
      - lioeters 7y ago
        There's also a fair bit of "engineering for engineering's sake" (as a parallel of "art for art's sake" - "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_for_art's_sake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_for_art's_sake), "divorced from any didactic, moral, politic, or utilitarian function".
- thaumasiotes 7y ago
  This is reminiscent of the old divide between mathematics and philosophy: true and useful = math true and useless = philosophy
datalist 7y ago
You could argue that, but that would apply to painters, chefs, mechanics, hair dressers, everyone.

white-moss 7y ago

I think game is art. Art is made for publish thought of creater, which has power that solves real-world problems. Writing game code (art) is equals to solving problems.

throwawaypa123 7y ago

You solve other people's boredom problem.

kube-system 7y ago

A game has everything to do with the real world. A game is only successful if real-world people want to play it.

everyone 7y ago
Ok, so when u make an unsuccessful game youre not solving problems?
- kube-system 7y ago
  No, I meant exactly what I said, nothing else. Entertaining games solve people's desire to be entertained.