The Most 'Alive' Game Ecosystems
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День томуWhy is it that some game ecosystems feel like they exist long before you press play? A meditation on fictional worlds that seem to have a life of their own.
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There’s a mod for Red Dead Redemption II… that lets you play as any animal in the game’s ecosystem. And it is, quite literally, a transformative experience. With this mod I tore through a town as a deer, and I raced through the grass as a mountain lion, and I soared through the skies as an eagle… And through it all, I gained a new understanding of a world I thought I was already deeply familiar with. I knew this virtual ecosystem was vibrant, but by changing my perspective, I realized… it’s alive.
Some worlds feel like they exist long before you press play. When a game pulls this off, the results can be breathtaking - and sometimes even a little uncanny. So let’s discover what makes a digital ecosystem truly seem to have a life of its own…
0:00 Living Game Ecosystems
1:04 A Thousand Details
3:43 Dwarf Fortress
6:10 Secrets of Immersion
9:27 Physical Worlds
11:30 Simulated Routines
13:13 Pursuing Perfect Ecosystems
15:38 Momentary Beauty
17:59 A Wildlife Adventure
19:50 Worlds that Linger
Media Shown: Red Dead Redemption II, Lost Ember, Dwarf Fortress, Ants Simulation, Skyrim, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, God of War, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Star Wars, Journey into Prehistory, Planet of the Apes, The NeverEnding Story, Black Narcissis, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Wizard of OZ, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles, Lord of the Rings, Cleopatra, Waterworld, DAU, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
Copyright Disclaimer: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. All video/image content is edited under fair use rights for reasons of commentary.
I do not own the images, music, or footage used in this video. All rights and credit goes to the original owners.
♫ Music Used - That’s The Way It Is - Instrumental, Do Not Seek Absolution, Mountain Banjo, Mrs. Sadie Adler, Widow, Fatherhood and Other Dreams (Red Dead Redemption 2) Main Title, Hummingbird (Lost Ember), Trailer Music (Dwarf Fortress), Pictures of the Past (Rain World)
♫ Additional Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio:
Mysterious Green Fluid, Sanity Unravels, Haddonfield Horror
♫ Additional music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com):
Beauty Flow, Bittersweet
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
#CuriousArchive #Worldbuilding
@valiang8867 6 місяців тому
The sheer insanity when he says "I didn't even know there were bats in this game! I'VE BEATEN IT TWICE!"
@gameworldjt 6 місяців тому
that line was delivered well
@AGHHHHHIHATETHIS 6 місяців тому
its great when he shows emotion
@Skorpychan 6 місяців тому
Thinking back, I think I've noticed them in passing, but never actually NOTICED them. That's the beauty of the game; something happens and you don't question it because you WOULDN'T question bats in a church tower IRL.
@rosyidharyadi7871 6 місяців тому
Lol, I also just knew about bats after watching this video.
@MsDogleaf 6 місяців тому
Yes he voice is so good
@lizardbrain_art 6 місяців тому
I think the absurd level of detail in RDR2 is precisely what makes it work. As someone who lives in the western US, loves being outside and is acutely aware of how much beauty and diversity we've lost over the past two centuries, I find the game both extremely cathartic and extremely tragic. No other game has come so close to replicating the feeling of packing up your camp on a cold, misty morning by a mountain stream, listening to the wind and the birds. It's a romantic depiction of an America that only exists in small pockets now, and it gives the player the same deep nostalgia for simpler, less industrialized times that the characters are feeling in the story.
@sirshotty7689 6 місяців тому
I feel you there. I remember when I was a kid there was this old log pond down the road from where I lived. You’d find all sorts of stuff like tadpoles, salamanders, and dragonflies. Occasionally you’d see a nutria swimming in there too. Now it’s a suburban neighborhood. The pond was completely drained, filled, and turned into a residential area. There are still plenty of areas just like that around, hell most of Oregon is like that but it’s still sad to see the pond go. It makes me think about how much else has expanded before I was here and how will our ecosystem continue to dominate and change the established one. I see the woods around me and think someday it’s going to be nothing but concrete and asphalt whether in 10 or 100 years. It’s a little disheartening.
@kennydoggins1712 6 місяців тому
@@sirshotty7689 just remember that nature will take over almost immediately once we stop forcing it not to. Look at Chernobyl. It's a whole biodiverse forest now. Sure some harm will be measurable forever because of it but nature will in fact work around it.
@sirshotty7689 6 місяців тому
@@kennydoggins1712 yeah I know, I’m just being a bit cathartic. I know fighting nature is a losing battle but it doesn’t make it any easier to see something you cherished be gone.
@JackEverfree 6 місяців тому
Every fall we would go into the foothills of the Ozarks to hunt and be away from everything with the rest of our family. Now the entire area is privately owned by a logging company and you can’t enter anymore.
@kennydoggins1712 6 місяців тому
@@sirshotty7689 no it doesn't. But it also means you will find more and more new spots as time goes on.
@thekingzhaul5914 6 місяців тому
Some day, I really, really, _really,_ wish Curious Archive to cover the harsh and hostile world of Kenshi. It's perfect for this kind of thing with how weird and interesting it is.
@jimster1111 6 місяців тому
kenshi is the most jank game i have ever played and i love it. kinda like new vegas or morrowind in the way that it doesnt hold your hand
@bagSSss-oc8if 6 місяців тому
YES
@tonywalker3541 6 місяців тому
Agreed. Despite the fact that it is presented as a dying world, Kenshi feels strangely alive. In its own way. Especially with all of the random conflicts that you can encounter on your journey.
@therealcybersheriff 6 місяців тому
I actually can’t believe he hasn’t got a Kenshi video yet!!
@alekid2086 6 місяців тому
It perfectly encapsulates the topics of the last several videos on Curious Archive, really making sure you are a PART of the living world
@iampersonango 6 місяців тому
For me Rain World was a diffrenr expirence. The abondoned structures just added a feeling of threat and melancholy, but also hope. That even though nature was bulldozed for the structures, it stills finds a way to continue thriving.
@julianemery718 6 місяців тому
What about the bioenginerred creatures?
@Caebel1472 6 місяців тому
Rainworld shoulda been in the list, most alive feeling game ive played. This is due to some of the most incredible and AI and animations I've seen from an indie game
@dutchthenightmonkey3457 6 місяців тому
I love scug game and it is very good to scug in the scug game
@ajodea1191 6 місяців тому
I love Rainworld so much ❤❤
@spookyfrogs1874 6 місяців тому
@@dutchthenightmonkey3457 i love when scug goes "it's raining time"
@jacksonglenn1075 6 місяців тому
It’s a blessing when curious archive posts the exact minute my lunch break starts
@Minty7602 6 місяців тому
For you
@parkaller7959 6 місяців тому
@@dracorexyz Timezones exist
@howdydobuckeroo1204 6 місяців тому
Hehhahah this is funny to me because I’m here 2 am in the morning. You lucky lunch consumer. (I am sleepy)
@kaiserwhence2468 6 місяців тому
@@parkaller7959bros probably a flat earther
@dracorexyz 6 місяців тому
@@parkaller7959shit im stupid
@coloredinshadows2243 6 місяців тому
One of the things I love about RDR2 is that you don't feel like someone special. You don't feel like the world revolves around you. You just feel like you're just another person in the world.
@elijahtommy7772 6 місяців тому
6:40 it isn't really a 2D texutre on the mud. It is flat like you said but it is something called a normal or bump map. Basically it calculates how the light would reflect/light up the surface as if the 2D bump map was actual 3D detail. That way it looks and interacts with light just like a 3D mesh would, and the only way to tell it's flat is by looking from the side.
@AXLplosion 2 місяці тому
I'm pretty sure the mud also uses parallax occlusion mapping, which is also faked depth, but instead of only affecting the lighting it also offsets the rendered pixels based on a height map.
@MeritWD 6 місяців тому
In Bioshock, you can hack cameras so that they detect enemies instead. Enemies detected will trigger alarms. Every time I play bioshock, I am always fascinated when a random camera I hacked in a far away room triggers an alarm. Splicers were just there, doing their own thing, and now they're fighting drones and stuff, all without me. The world feels like it doesn't revolve around me, because it shouldn't
@rickardspaghetti 6 місяців тому
Btw, Curious, there's a new animated series currently being released called "Scavengers Reign". It's about the crew of a colonizing spaceship stranded on an alien world after their mission went tits up, trying to survive in an ecosystem as hostile and indifferent as it is both beautiful and horrifying. And the horror pulls no punches. I think it would be right up your alley. They're up to six episodes now, and I think it'll go for twelve episodes in total.
@jimster1111 6 місяців тому
i recommend watching it for the first time while on mushrooms or weed. theres some great worldbuilding
@t00sa 6 місяців тому
Seconded! Could be another cool ecosystem video. I'm loving show so far, and it feels really fresh and different :D
@lepotato135 6 місяців тому
Oh my God yes! I was just going to comment this, thank you so much. I hope that Curious Archive and others see this. Even if they don't cover it (which is alright), the series is incredible like you said and it'd be great for people to watch it.
@tjarkschweizer 6 місяців тому
Wait. The series is out? Where can I watch it? I just saw that animated short like two weeks ago.
@t00sa 6 місяців тому
@@tjarkschweizer It's up on Hbo Max (or "Max" cause they changed it lol)
@tarsis5933 6 місяців тому
To me, it's got to be Monster Hunter World, that game is just insane. Everything, literally *every single creature and plant* had a role with one another, including the monsters themselves, I'm amazed they were able to include so much appart from the battle mechanics, so much so that i think if you hang out and explore the game turns into a completely different one.
@hyperbannana9262 6 місяців тому
Agreed, hopefully the next one does it even better, like adding more dynamic weather
@BadEnd98 6 місяців тому
True. I remember these quests that we investigate, and take pictures of cat tribes. And seen many more things about other creatures, like the Great Jagras swallow whole aptonoth then comeback to it's cave to throw out to feed small ones, etc...
@darkbladegaming1956 6 місяців тому
Personally I think that monster hunter world while not the same quality as most of these still has a really flourished ecosystem that genuinely feels alive
@guilt9453 4 місяці тому
Looks like MH wilds will do just that@@hyperbannana9262
@debleb166 3 місяці тому
Once, while trying to get a picture for the Lynian Researcher, I followed around a Viper Tobi Kadachi for days of game time. I got to see every part of its life, where it eats, where it sleeps, what monsters it avoids and what ones it will fight. I got to see every part of the Hoarfrost Reach that was its territory. I got to sit in the coil of its tail and see the iridescent scales on its belly. I never got that photo. But man, if those experiences don't make the already beautiful world of MHW even more humbling.
@AkuTenshiiZero 6 місяців тому
On the topic of glitches, I had one particular doozy in Subnautica. A reefback wandered into the shallows, and wound up getting stuck on the terrain. It rolled and thrashed around, most of it's body above the surface. And...Not gonna lie, I felt pity for what amounted to a beached whale.
@finpin2622 6 місяців тому
It’s funny, I think detailed environments in video games give me a deeper appreciation for the ecosystem of the real world. It’s just like, knowing how much of an momentous effort has to be made to simulate even a fraction of that complexity makes it all the more mind blowing. Sometimes I’ll be sitting on a bench in a park and see a squirrel just hanging out, or looking at me, and I’m like “woah. That’s a whole living being. It lives here. It’s just going about its life right now, living and breathing, and even thinking, in ways I will never be able to comprehend. But it also feels things like pain and hunger. Damn.” Or, even simpler, I’ll see something in real life and think “DAMN that is incredibly beautiful” in the same way I’ve seen gamers stop and admire a game environment. Like even if it’s just light coming through a curtain in my regular room I’ve lived in my whole life, I just appreciate it. That’s what I love about video games tbh, they just reframe the world in such a wondrous way. (And you know what, even video games that are totally unrealistic and different from the real world reframe things for me the same way. I spent weeks after playing Little Nightmares 2 imagining the ways I could parkour across fire escapes and sides of buildings n shit if I was a tiny child.)
@alexterieur8813 6 місяців тому
And this is why videogames are art. I think art has the power to allow oneself to reclaim and recalibrate their own perspective on reality. The example you gave is an amazing example of that: seeing mundane objects and giving them a fresh new perspective. Another example would be how art and by proxy videogames can allow us to recontextualize mental pain and struggles. Instead of seeing them as roadblocks, it can be seen as a transformative and subversive force !
@fabiofuoco 6 місяців тому
Bro this was beautiful 🥲
@luigi727 6 місяців тому
W
@navyblue8719 6 місяців тому
I love beautiful souls like you who find beauty in the simple, little things in life. May you keep finding beautiful things in your life.
@sunlight8299 3 місяці тому
You have written a very beautiful comment. I'm moved by it and who I imagine you to be. The Hulk just enjoying a beautiful environment in the desert before a helicopter shows up to start shooting at him has always stuck with me. 😊
@Diablon76 6 місяців тому
I'm playing through Monster Hunter World lately and the ecosystem is easily one of my favorite aspects of it. Sure fighting monsters is fun and all, but being able to just exist in these wild environments and observe them is just as cool to me. Following them around peacefully and watching them hunt, drink, sleep, clean themselves, get in conflict with other monsters, taking note of all their unique little habits, all the little details... It gives such immense appreciation for these animals that, in gameplay, mostly just exist for you to beat up. I've always done my best to capture my favorite monsters instead of killing them, but the more I play World the more I end up capturing basically everything, because I start to appreciate every single creature in it, even the weak "boring" ones or the ones that are annoying to fight. Even the environments themselves are full of little details and secrets, many of them helpful to you once you're familiar with the locales, it's such a great, rewarding feeling in a game that is otherwise basically just a giant boss rush. You start being familiar with all the maps, all their little tricks, all their hidden paths, all the monsters and where they like to hang around, sleep, or eat, all their little habits and quirks that you can often exploit to your advantage. As much as it makes you take them down easier and faster, it also gives you this sense of belonging and respect for the nature of this world, I love that so much.
@spookyfrogs1874 6 місяців тому
oh my god dude i have been absolutely consumed by MHW the past few months, I would *love* to see him to a video on it!! Especially my cutiepie paolumu
@DualSwordBesken 6 місяців тому
@@spookyfrogs1874This channel already has 2 videos on MH, though unfortunately only for the Ancient Forest and Wildspire Waste, so no regular Paolumu. At least Nightshade gets some appreciation.
@BadEnd98 6 місяців тому
It's literally Australia in Fantasy
@RuneKatashima 4 місяці тому
Also, the thing about World. You should capture everything, it gives more resources than killing anyway. Of course you can't Capture Elders though. But yeah, killing in World doesn't make sense.
@VisonsofFalseTruths 4 місяці тому
@@RuneKatashima that myth is still going around? This has been a thing since the game's original version launched and people have tested, double tested and tore apart the code to disprove it. No, capturing gives the SAME resources as carving, the reason it FEELS like that is for carving some resources you have to break certain parts, or cut a part off AND carve it. Capturing gives all those and is faster. So it IS still the better option. But they both draw from the same pool of possible rewards in the same amounts, capturing just bypasses some requirements that some loot otherwise has. This has been a thing since the game launched and people have tested, double tested and tore apart the code to disprove it.
@starsmash2888 6 місяців тому
I’ve probably beaten red dead 9 times I’m just that obsessed with it when I learned there were bats my jaw literally dropped in disbelief because I just never knew
@ASolitaryHowl 6 місяців тому
Another game where I feel similar is WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition. You play as a lone wolf in yellowstone national park, trying to start your own pack. While not as graphically pleasing as rdr2, it is still fun to play. Playing it on accurate ironwolf difficulty you have to think like a wolf if you want to survive.
@noelvalenzarro 6 місяців тому
Isn’t that the furry game?
@LostSwiftpaw 6 місяців тому
@@noelvalenzarro You should assume any game with an animal main character is a furry game
@drunkpunkrat5764 6 місяців тому
@@noelvalenzarro No, why would it be?
@ASolitaryHowl 6 місяців тому
@@noelvalenzarro No, why would you think that?
@noelvalenzarro 6 місяців тому
@@ASolitaryHowl Upon further research yeah there was a big demographic shift when furrys found the game for multiplayer stuff. For a time it became known as “a furry game” unfortunately.
@amandasmith593 6 місяців тому
I vividly remember seeing bears fishing out of a river in Grizzly Hills in WoW back in '09 and being absolutely blown away by it. It was such a small detail, and so thoroughly unimpressive by the standards of even just a few years later, but it was incredible at the time.
@StuffandThings_ 6 місяців тому
I'm surprised Vintage Story never got a mention. Its immersive, detailed, full of daily tasks, and can be downright gorgeous if you take a moment to observe at the right moments. What really sets it apart is that like Minecraft it is a voxel game, so you can interact with any and every bit of the world, and its procedurally generated too.
@thomashiggins9320 6 місяців тому
I play that game a lot, and I think it'll get there, eventually. But, right now, the base game has only 10 types of animals in it. They interact in really interesting ways -- watching bears hunt the pigs and bighorn sheep, for instance, or seeing wolves going after the smaller prey, or watching a ram with a couple of ewes produce a flock during the course of a spring and summer -- but right now those 10 species are all that exists. Also, the fact that the Drifters ignore every living thing except the player-avatar seems a bit... off. I do look forward to the major releases for that game, though, and you can tell the DEVs really carefully consider how everything affects everything else. They don't always get it right the first time -- but then, nobody does.
@mdc3227 4 місяці тому
It doesn't have an eco-system though.
@xxfalconarasxx5659 6 місяців тому
I think another game series worth bringing up is STALKER. The series had a very ambitious world AI system, the devs called "A-Life". Humans actually moved around the world, performed tasks, had routines, formed and disbanded squads. Animals roamed the world, predators hunted prey, they traveled in packs or herds, is small numbers they may run away from you, but in larger numbers, muster the courage to attack. The NPCs were always doing doing things, even when you were far away and they were no longer rendered. It was apparently too good that they had to tone it down for the final release. Some of these cut features are restored in the standalone mod "STALKER Anomaly". Apparently in beta versions of the first game, NPCs were able to take quests and complete them. Playtesters were sometimes frustrated by this, because some NPCs were actually stealing their quests and turning them in before they could.
@Willpolita 5 місяців тому
I was fascinated with something that happened to me in this game and never saw in another game, in the first village there was a guy who gave me some missions, any NPC, after hours of game, walking randomly in an abandoned place I saw a body lying down In over a barrel, I went to check it out and it was this NPC, but it was far away from where he was usually and he was dead, when I returned to the initial village and someone else had taken his place, I found it so crazy, almost exploded my mind.
@SterileNeutrino 4 місяці тому
It was pretty good. Chilling on a trasheap and seeing pseudodogs chase strangers and getting sucked up into anomalies. The weather pattern and day-night cycle really gave the whole environment life.
@UnclePengy 6 місяців тому
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is similar to RDR2 in that most of the NPCs (except bandits and wayfarers) all have lives that run outside the characters' interaction. They have homes they'll sleep in at night, get up and go to their jobs, take lunch breaks, etc. In fact, that's how they designed the game; they first made a world that worked on its own without a gamer's interaction, and then started adding the game elements (quests, etc.). Sometimes tailing an NPC to discover their habits might be a crucial step to planning a theft or the resolution of a quest. Pretty impressive for a first-effort, crowdfunded game by a startup company. And the forests and countryside are amazingly realistic. The game's setting, this little fiefdom in Bohemia, is almost the main character. They didn't have to go that hard, but they did.
@nekothelad5271 6 місяців тому
I would really love a video on Deep Rock Galactic's ecosystem. It may not be the most in-depth but it's really unique and I'm a huge fan of your videos where you just cover a bunch of different species from one game/movie/art project.
@that1cat999 6 місяців тому
Curious Archive: *exists* Me: Stops everything to watch new video
@FoolishPedro 6 місяців тому
With all the videos looking into videogames recently, I'm surprised you've not looked at The Eternal Cylinder yet. Definitely a videogame with its own unique ecosystem to look at!
@natto4now 6 місяців тому
One of the best paet of all those small details in red dead is that they arent there to steal the show they are there so people who look for them can find the little things
@abhishekingle3542 6 місяців тому
The description that you've given during this entire video, made me feel emotional... And made me respect more for the game creators even more!
@FlyingFly1315 6 місяців тому
one of your best videos yet, it inspired me to dig up an old world building hobby I haven't touched in almost 2 months, keep up with this new style of video it's really great (and inspiring I guess haha)
@madssss433 6 місяців тому
Lost Ember is an absolutely beautiful game and I'm so happy to see it included in something that's getting a lot of attention. It's one of those games that's stuck with me ever since I played it, and I make sure to recommend it everywhere I go. I nearly cried the first time I played through the game, the story is so beautiful once the pieces start to come together. I make sure to introduce it to all of my friends when I get the chance, and every one of them, without fail, has adored the game. I also highly recommend both the Unravel series and ABZU if you enjoy the more stylized and thematic elements, especially the latter.
@manitshukla568 2 місяці тому
I just really love this channel. Every single video is like finding out a new part of my conscious. Like thinking about details or questions that i just ignore irl. Its a real tranquil experience to watch every video of this channel. Thats why i like every single video that i watch, even though i like videos extremely rarely
@icmsloth9495 6 місяців тому
What an amazing video! Your narration and analysis are incredible, I love your content
@andyk26729 6 місяців тому
A minor correction - DAU was filmed on a set that was 12000 square metres (a couple of football fields), not 12000 square miles (the same size as Belgium, or Maryland)
@TroyTheCatFish Місяць тому
Thank you 🙏
@MissMisnomer_ 5 місяців тому
Every video is a treat, but this one in particular just convinced me that there are some games I need to check out for myself, because exploration of the world is one of my favorite things to do in Breath of the Wild, and I've been looking for more content like that!
@Kim-fm2vo 6 місяців тому
I'd like to give some details about your segment on RDR2. A common technique for the "flat texture" mud you mentioned would be "Parallax Occlusion", which gives the impression of 3d visuals within a 2d surface. It isn't really an illusion so much as it is actual deformation just taking place on a flat surface. It's very interesting, and I'm glad you mentioned it in your video.
@Insanity_TM 6 місяців тому
Always love these videos. It’s probably a combination of the subject, the voice and the composition of the video.
@slayeroffurries1115 6 місяців тому
Monster Hunter definitely comes to mind
@Alex-dr2lp 6 місяців тому
Only worldborne
@Incrediblefatslug 6 місяців тому
I'm writing a book about a lone human on an alien planet and it was impossible to ignore the ecological themes. The moment I created a technologically advanced society, I knew that this beautiful world I created would have to face destruction at the hands of those who would strip it of its resources. I love your work. Thanks for inspiring me.
@kepukepu3093 6 місяців тому
Sounds like a really interesting concept, I hope to have the opportunity to read this book someday!
@thegreatdream8427 5 місяців тому
Not necessarily. Why not flip the script and have the society have learned from their ancestors' mistakes on Earth and intentionally strive to live in harmony with nature while still having advanced tech? Perhaps the conflict could be about saving the natural environment from some kind of calamity that only the arriving humans have the ability to cure - rather than being the calamity themselves.
@powerhavengaming2854 6 місяців тому
This is the most interesting video about gaming I have ever watched. Thus video flows like art and you sound genuine and incredibly comfortable to listen to. Iwill appreciate game worlds so much more after watching this. Thank you so much for making this. 🙏
@prolepsis-hx8om 5 місяців тому
This is such a well-written video essay! Honestly, you captured so many inarticulable feelings about games like these so well. Thanks!
@idontevenknow3369 3 місяці тому
This honestly is my favorite UKposts channel there’s so much effort in every video and I’ve never got bored of one
@lasercraft32 4 місяці тому
I really appreciate how you make such thought provoking videos focusing on all the subtle unspoken beauty of video games... I feel like too many people in our society just see games and shows as just pointless fun or a waste of time distracting us from the real world. But they're more than that, they're _art._ Art that can be incredibly impactful and help us reflect on our life and its meaning. And like art, some are more impactful and though provoking than others. Some art really is just for fun, and there is beauty in that too. :)
@WhiskeyBlack777 6 місяців тому
I'm playing RDR2 for the first time. My 14-year-old got it a couple yrs ago on ps4 and this year he bought it for me on PC for Valentine's Day because "Mom, it's the greatest game ever made. It's my favorite game ever and I NEED YOU TO EXPERIENCE IT!" And there have been plenty of times that I've cried while playing, not because of the storyline, but just because of the sheer overwhelming beauty and immersiveness of the game. It's truly the greatest V-day gift I've ever gotten. Maybe the greatest gift period. Being able to bond with kiddo over this and experience it is so amazing.
@chuckleroy6427 6 місяців тому
Been watching your channel a couple years, loved this video more than usually somehow, it was great🎉
@spoodlenoodle 6 місяців тому
I'm going through a hard time right now but watching your videos makes me forget for awhile and feel interested
@ryanadolfi4007 6 місяців тому
same here! life is rough right now, but these little opportunities to escape and, i dunno, recalibrate, are very important to me. i hope things get better for you, by the way. i know that might be easier said than done, but still.
@spoodlenoodle 6 місяців тому
@@ryanadolfi4007 thank you! I will keep pushing- I hope you do too! We got this! 🥰💪
@elizabetho.7484 6 місяців тому
Love the voice, love the writing, love the videos. Bear line and glitches--hilarious. Keep up the amazing work CA.
@itsnipcitybaby2619 6 місяців тому
Great video as always. I'd love for you to cover Scavengers Reign. It's such an exciting imaginary ecosystem.
@IroAppe 6 місяців тому
I think I just got recommended this, because I watched a lot of Subnautica. Even more so, I thought it would fit so well in here. It has such a special atmosphere. Every time, you venture out exploring the world, it feels alive, it feels like you are really there under water, and you hear and see and feel the world around you in a way that is very intensive in the moment. It's not just there, but even more so incredible is, that it's all according to the lore, that you can discover. The living world around you isn't just there, it is scannable, and you find out how this ecosystem works, with so many species depending on each other. And when you venture out, during the moment you just float there and look around you, you see and hear so many things, it really feels like you are there, in the moment.
@mooncakezy 6 місяців тому
True, especially when you take time to read the description of every things scannable, blew my mind how detailed and rich they are!
@kurathchibicrystalkitty5146 6 місяців тому
This might be one of my favourite videos of yours, which is certainly saying something! You have such a thoughtful and poignant way of explaining each topic. Thank you for making such great videos! 😄 How about a video on how game environments can impact gameplay mechanics, or the other way round?
@cobbington773 6 місяців тому
Man your videos just keep getting better
@cattyfacepunny6239 6 місяців тому
i just want to say, you have introduced me to my favrote game i have ever played ( rain world ) i am so so greatfull that you made a video on it because if you didint i would have never found that game and i love it so much.
@yopyopu3258 6 місяців тому
When i found this channel Idid not expect You having such an impact on my perspective. Thank You ❤
@Astrobay13 3 місяці тому
Insane video. I love the mix of video game and movie analysis. I love watching both types of videos, but I've never thought about the amount of similarities both media have
@666stonewall 6 місяців тому
I love just, watching, my friend explore Rainworld. I truly admire the devs for their amazing work.
@geordiejones5618 6 місяців тому
I grew up in Maine, lots of outdoorsy people. Hiking, boating, hunting, fishing, nature gazing. RDR2 imo is the best representation of the American landscape. It's an incredible achievement of fictional realism.
@KimchiKommander 6 місяців тому
One of the best examples of a detailed world breathing life into a game is Monster Hunter World. That game is just above the rest in terms of being lived in, rather than a theme park of killing monsters. They all behave certain ways, interact with the environment depending on whats going on, the turf wars aren't even the selling point, its how everything feels alive. Compare that with Monster Hunter Rise - a later released switch titled ported over, and it doesn't even feel the same. Sure its fun, but there's something about World's well, World that really set it above the rest and will always be my favorite of the series. Fingers crossed for monster hunter world 2.
@cwinchcarwash2629 6 місяців тому
im a big fan of how you made such an interesting video from such a, i suppose, niche starting point (being the animal mod)
@axelssantoso5667 5 місяців тому
this one video right here reminds me so much of a jacob geller video , good work man this is some good stuff
@diwa2360 3 місяці тому
this reminds me of frieren. they make it a point to show that the passage of time, the changing of the world, all happens regardless of your participation in it. that even as the "protagonist" of the story, it's still only one story in a world that makes it clear there are hundreds and thousands of others going on at the same time. you can brush up against them from time to time but ultimately they're separate; but at the same time, being one of those stories makes you feel even more connected to the world at large really beautiful work, your video essays are always such a joy to zone out to
@BadNessie 3 місяці тому
Very fitting examples you picked! Abzû does an outstanding job on this, too.
@chickadeestevenson5440 6 місяців тому
it's intresting, how your work on Monter Hunter World brought me to your channel. And it's a very alive world.
@ryanadolfi4007 6 місяців тому
can't wait for what the next game has. just the idea of what they could do is so exciting!!
@MrFool-ys3uo 6 місяців тому
Always love your video about the biology of each creature. Can you do a speculative biology and world building of "Made in Abyss"
@Montageisfactss 6 місяців тому
I really like ur content curious archive ur videos allways makes me good❤❤😊
@biblicallyaccurateangel2476 6 місяців тому
rain world really encapsulates all that you’ve listed, i was so happy to see it mentioned!!!
@ollietomlinson3290 6 місяців тому
I'd just like to say, although this can't compare to any of these games, when you win a match in StarCraft two you can look around the map and see some creatures have naturally spawned. Granted this is not very good at making an ecosystem, as it's just usually one or two species and it's only on some maps, I think it's a neat feature of the game.
@Beryllahawk 5 місяців тому
I was so tickled to see Alba mentioned here! Even if it's meant for kids, it's SO thorough in the details of those ecosystems, for as far as it goes. No ants, though, heh. You saying that sixty percent of RDR2 is riding your horse through the world makes me for the very first time actually WANT to play the game. I'm usually not a fan of shooters and action games (I find them very frustrating, in all the not-fun ways for my brain), but the details you discuss here... And even the glitches, ha!
@spookyfrogs1874 6 місяців тому
This may be my favorite video of yours. Also, the creatures spazzing out in Rain World is definitely a feature I would never want removed
@Capital_CW 6 місяців тому
Its a good day if he uploads
@ishakk435 2 місяці тому
yes
@matejbobrovsky8665 6 місяців тому
You always make my think about interesting ideas. So, good job.
@wajikuroki4177 6 місяців тому
I was considering getting RDR2 when I saw it's on discount right now, and you've convinced me
@Robert-vk7je 4 місяці тому
Following a cat around in dwarf fortress is a thing of beauty and playing Rain World was an experience, I'll never forget. Thank you for mentioning those games. :)
@jnee 6 місяців тому
I'm a big fan of the older Monster Hunter games. You can only explore small sections of the map and the rest is a huge backdrop that lets your imagination fill in the blanks. The environment hints towards habitats and natural formations without having to simulate them or render them in detail.
@themightyhood5922 6 місяців тому
This channel is supremely underrated These videos slap
@namelssssnake9466 6 місяців тому
Very shocked not to see Monster Hunter here, especially World, MonHun always had a very fascinating ecosystem by its world and lore alone, but World truly brought it alive in breathtaking fashion without taking anything away from what makes it a “Monster Hunter” Experience, and its what MonHun Rise really took away, which is just a shame, still a great game but its just not the same
@tjarkschweizer 6 місяців тому
He has made two monster hunter world videos. You can find them easily under playlists.
@namelssssnake9466 6 місяців тому
@@tjarkschweizer thanks for the info, just found the channel from this vid in my reccomended
@lacountess 3 місяці тому
I never imagined I would watch a nature documentary about video game echo systems. What a time to be alive.
@StreetComp 3 місяці тому
Thank you for such a thoughtful and well done video on a really interesting subject. One recent game I can recommend is My Time at Sandrock, it’s a pretty relaxed game but the small dev team has some interesting things to say and it’s very helpful to pay attention as you interact with the 25 or so characters that inhabit the town. The map isn’t huge and the combat is basic but there is a long main quest line and plenty to do. It becomes clear pretty quickly that getting to know the residents well enough to choose someone to marry, build a life, and even have kids is what the game is about and I promise if you play for long enough you’ll start getting a little confused about what is real life and what is the game!
@spookyscaryskellytons1327 6 місяців тому
I don't even game, but I watch your channel religiously and I'm strongly considering starting out. All those war games never interested me; you've taught me there is a whole world of other things out there
@Tallacus 5 місяців тому
I am glad I have clicked on this video, I would have never head of a game like Lost Ember, I love games where you can play as different animals. I for one want to create the World of Kong book in VR using the Unreal Engine and just watch the animals from that book interact in their prehistoric haven.
@KraylusGames 6 місяців тому
Outer Wilds is another excellent example of a game with a living ecosystem. The entire world is physically simulated and there are basically no loading screens. It even has themes of ecosystem destruction! I'm kinda surprised it didn't make the cut for this video
@matteste 6 місяців тому
I do hope that you one day will cover the intricate and fantastical world of Made in Abyss.
@nonelekgodumo748 6 місяців тому
Bro I won't lie, you are making me rethinking my life, and the way I relished the there are other things that are more important, in the environment that there are animals and people, that are trying to survive, cause not everyone is in the wrong, each person has their own views on themselves and other people, animals just following their minds, their instincts and trying to live their own life
@scaleonkhan183 4 місяці тому
16:41 - 16:57 summed up perfectly, AMAZING video. I love this perspective so much.
@adryanmonk 6 місяців тому
I highly recommend looking into Monster Hunter World/Icebornes ecosystems - some of the most beautiful I've ever seen in gaming. I probably spend hundreds of hours just exploring and watching!
@handtomouth4690 4 місяці тому
He made 2 videos on it then seemingly dropped it and refuses to elaborate or even mention it now.
@adryanmonk 4 місяці тому
@@handtomouth4690 oh thank you for mentioning I wasn't able to find any video but it seems I overlooked it (: Wonder why it's not in the video
@TheJaniable 6 місяців тому
let's just appreciate the transition right after 18:55 it's amazing so amazing I didn't even notice it at first, then realizing what happened I had to rewatch it multiple times
@user-jb4bw4gk1t 5 місяців тому
I Never Heard someone with a really calm voice like you. You're the best man. I hope you have a good day.
@molotovangel 6 місяців тому
Great video but I would actually say the matte painted backdrops from the 70-80’s are much more immersive than modern CG backdrops which feel like something is off.
@lukehahn4489 6 місяців тому
I'm always mesmerized by your videos and left with a feeling of the preternatural
@Jared-e 6 місяців тому
I love coming across a new UKposts channel that is as good as this.
@Nicolas-od2ls 3 місяці тому
amazing video, loved every single minute of it
@waldofabian1202 6 місяців тому
Not that these newer videos are bad, but I really miss the old speculative biology and world building videos. Those were why i grew to love this channel and create my own speculative biology game.
@spookyfrogs1874 6 місяців тому
i'm sure he'll return to that stuff when he has the opportunity too, i wouldn't worry too much :) i love both styles though, but i agree there was a bit of a shift
@puppys4ever 5 місяців тому
One game I really thought you should of talked about is no man’s sky. ( it’s literally a game about exploring procedurally generated ecosystems)
@H0WL3 6 місяців тому
stellar video man keep it up
@canis39 6 місяців тому
I've always appreciated a world that can exist (or seems like it can exist) whether the player character is present or not. It's nice to feel like you are simply part of a larger world, instead of the world revolving around you. Rockstar has always cared about this. In both the GTA and RDR franchises, it's fun to just wander around and observe.
@CaptainGuluGulu 6 місяців тому
ı just like games that let you fully embrace it like rdr2 the witcher 2 journey and lot more
@Death_t0_furr7s 6 місяців тому
you should make a video on the game "The eternal cylinder" it has a lot of very interesting species and biomes i would love to hear you talk about. also, keep up the great work
@aleksandrtsyganov7770 6 місяців тому
Your videos are awesome! Thanks man
@laky528 4 місяці тому
even tho i have never thought about ecosystems in gaming this video just caprured me and didnt let go till the end
@ZedAmadeus 6 місяців тому
Some developers have said stuff like squeezing through gaps isn't actually about hidden loading screens anymore, so much as... like, locking you into an area... if say, you walk into a combat arena, having it bookended by these gates means you can just... completely book it out of there. It's more to do with pacing and encounter design, because current gen hardware, like the PS5 have made load times not really something developers have to worry a ton about
@goosewithagibus 5 місяців тому
In regard to the mud texture stuff: that's just called mapping. Game engines use multiple textures to do things on flat surfaces. It's called a bump map in this case. Your graphics card is sent the images for the model and some shader code that tells it what to do with those textures. It essentially is just a height map that tells the graphics card to alter the way the 3D model is rendered to great and actually 3D effect from 2D information. You also use this with specular highlights, illumination, and normals (the direction a flat plane is facing). You can get all sorts of wonky and fun with mapping. It's used in pretty much every 3D game and is just the standard for making 3D models appear to have more physicality than they actually do. They're the backbone of modern graphics imo.
@SaraWorleyEcho 2 місяці тому
One of my favorite game ecosystems is Fe. I come back to it and play through it over and over again
@ThommyofThenn 6 місяців тому
Ah yes the "Bran Stark" rdr2 mod Ok i'm finishing this now and I just had to edit my comment. I started out watching your subnautica video which I loved, but this video is taking it to the next level imo. This was really thoughtful and the way you mixed the game footage, with film and still photography was very poignant. Games can be such a beautiful art and this video communicated that so nicely
@kleger3254 5 місяців тому
This video was so soothing to watch. I might actually end up getting RDR2 simply to enjoy the open world.
@burntpaws 6 місяців тому
honestly this is a super effective way to make me want all of these games so much - fantastic job CA!!! 💖
@WorldWeaver 6 місяців тому
Journey! I love how Journey doesn't really have much defined life, yet it feels so alive, and simultaneously, so dead. You're wandering through ruins, past gravestones and crashed metal monsters, and learning about what was and what will be, all while releasing shoals of ribbons from their prisons, running around with singing kites, and finding amazing secrets hidden among the dunes.
@sneakyb2414 6 місяців тому
Really hope to hear your take on Scavenger Reign. Even though it is not a game the world building and its ecosystem are crazily amazing. Love what you are doing btw. 😆😆😆😆
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