A philosophy of creative constraints

Good constraints create good work. Constraints should motivate and energize.

The rules should be clear. Consistent. Easy to follow. Constraints should create choices. But, not too many. Constrained work should have a unique feel.

Above all, constraints should be fun.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m back and ready to make some games.

🎨 I took a screenshot of an old scene I made in Dreams (PS4) years ago. So, I challenged my self to get it to under 32kb. After some posterization and dithering, I kind of like how it turned out.

🎨 I took a screenshot of an old scene I made in Dreams (PS4) years ago. So, I challenged my self to get it to under 32kb. After some posterization and dithering, I kind of like how it turned out.

đŸ•šī¸ Play more games offline

There's something different about playing a video game offline. Try it. Turn off WiFi in the house or go into offline mode and boot up your favorite game.

Does it run? If so, you're in luck. You're in for a treat, because playing a video game offline is calming.

  • Nothing is trying to "keep" you longer than you want to be there.

  • Microtransactions don't work or are non-existent.

  • Your experience is less noisy. It's more focused.

  • There's nothing tracking you while you play. Nothing is sending data back home about you.

  • There are no notifications interrupting your experience.

The mere fact that the game runs offline means it's built to last. If it can boot up without internet, you can be confident it will boot up 10 years from now.

It's pure. Boot up the game and play. Immerse yourself like you used to back in the day. Just enjoy the artistry on display.

No updates needed before it can run and the only thing getting in the way of you and your game is a loading screen.

If you can, avoid looking up hints and guides. Don't try to optimize your experience based on someone else's suggestions.

Just play. Play the way you want to play.

đŸ•šī¸ Feeling down? I made a game that will put a smile on your face... and you can finish it in 2 minutes!

Play it HERE.

I wish HTML was a person so I could just hug it and give it all the appreciation it deserves.