3 ms·
This is what makes Zachtronics games so devilishly good and horrific -- they are the asymptotic expression of work as games. You can't not see it.
by xyzzy_plugh 3y ago
This is what makes Zachtronics games so devilishly good and horrific -- they are the asymptotic expression of work as games. You can't not see it.
- Pet_Ant 3y agoZachtronics is getting to roleplay the job I want to have instead of building enterprise CRUD apps. I get pride and self-worth from my Zachtronics work and money from my day job. (I went into IT because I liked solving challenging problems, not because I wanted a lucrative career.)
- dreamworld 3y agoIs it him that is seeing an asymptotic expression of work as games, or you who are seeing an expression of his games as work? In other words, what's so bad about games looking like work, or work looking like a game, if they're deep, fun and engrossing? If the job or the game is terrible, discard it: maybe the real difference is we can't always discard the job because we need to survive.
- xyzzy_plugh 3y agoThat's what makes it art.
- ThrowawayR2 3y agoI took one look at Zachtronics' TIS-100 and similar games and decided I'd rather learn actual ARM assembly language. At least I'd wind up with a usable real world skill at the end of it.
- falcolas 3y agoFWIW, I would consider the problem solving in exceptionally constrained environments to be the gained skill. The language is just one of dozens you'll learn as a developer or engineer.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- ThrowawayR2 3y agoHaving coded in environments that would be considered tiny by modern standards, the constraints in Zachtronics' games don't meaningfully resemble real world constraints.
- falcolas 3y agoYou're absolutely correct. But as they say, if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. It doesn't have to resemble real world constraints to be a useful exercise.