I Created the Arcade Game of My 1994 Dreams
Over romaticizing your childhood is part of the “grappling with middle age” starter pack. I spend a lot of time in this video reminiscing about going to the arcade with my dad.
It’s weird how some things fade away while others remain timeless.
Time has not been kind to Lethal Enforcers II. It’s objectively the same game as my childhood, but it rarely comes up in the conversation when people talk about arcade history. Instead it falls under the larger topic of “light gun games”. I think a huge part of the novelty was just getting to hold a gun and see the screen react to what you shot.
The more things change the more they stay the same. The VR / AR market continues to trudge along. Many VR games rely on the simple gimmick of how “fun” it is to pick things up in VR and chuck them around. Job Simulator comes to mind immediately, but Half Life: Alyx also uses the gimmick to great effect.
This reliance on “inherent fun” isn’t always a bad thing. Physics based gameplay will still be fun 100 years from now. I have no doubt that long after the apocolypse there will be some kids in a bunker slapping plastic pucks at each other. Likewise smashing a ball with a flipper is just… Fun. Pinball is inherently entertaining by its very nature.
A good number of the people I’ve shared Flip Puck with are non-gamers. It’s interesting because it requires no explanation. The moment folks look at the game board they instantly understand what’s supposed to happen. Putting the buttons on the side has become cultural shorthand thanks to pinball. Even though Flip Puck is something unique, it borrows from existing design language. Seeing people “just get it” is very gratifying.
Other Stuff
I just launched the Inator Club. I dislike Social Media, so I’m starting an email newsletter instead. Social networks are just exhausting. I’d rather just blast everyone who cares an occasional email.
I’ve been invited to speak at FlutterCon Europe in Berlin! Preparing for this is my next priority. I have something cool planned that, if all works out, involves Bluetooth communication.
Lastly, I have the next two videos planned. I’m hoping to get to a monthly cadence, but honestly? I’m taking the exact wrong approach for YouTube. Quality over quantity. I want to be proud of what I post. The video for Flip Puck isn’t perfect, but it represents my current best effort.
Thanks for reading / watching / engaging. See you soon. :)