{"author_link":"\/users\/missfire","author_name":"Missfire","author_uid":"missfire","comments":[],"epoch":1744642214,"event":"LD57","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":414943,"likes":1,"metadata":{"p_key":"211397","p_author":"Missfire","p_authorkey":"1172420","p_urlkey":"451202","p_title":"When frustration is a feature, not a bug","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD57","p_time":"1744642214","p_likes":"1","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1172420","us_name":"Missfire","us_username":"missfire","event_start":"1743811200","event_key":"111","event_name":"Ludum Dare 57"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD57","removed_author":false},"_superparent":406845,"_trust":1,"author":172420,"body":"It\u2019s been almost a week since the game\u2019s release: [Grimm Syndrome](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/grimm-syndrome)\n\nReading all the feedback has been fascinating. Here are a couple of comments from friends:\n\n\u201cThe cleaning part was frustrating\u2014I had no idea what was expected of me. But it ended up matching the character\u2019s own frustration really well.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s nice to notice that, over time, the game seems to forgive more mistakes. And you become less narrow-minded along with Melody.\u201d\n\nThose moments made me really proud as a game designer.\n\nYes, these remarks partly reflect design flaws. But they also highlight how well everything came together. For me, it\u2019s crucial that in a story-driven game, narrative and gameplay walk hand in hand. Not side by side, not in turns\u2014together.\nThe cleaning mini-game underlines Melody\u2019s routine\u2014joyless, repetitive, frustrating.\n\n![melody_gif.gif](\/\/\/raw\/481\/a2\/z\/6c30e.gif)\n\nMeanwhile, the \u201cfeedback\u201d in the rhythm sections evolves: at first it\u2019s harsh and dismissive, later it becomes softer and more accepting. It reflects what\u2019s happening not just around Melody, but inside her as well.\n\nAt one point, we thought about adding short rating pop-ups like:\n \u201cHorrible\u201d \/ \u201cCould be better\u201d \/ \u201cThat\u2019ll do\u201d \u2014 but we simply wouldn\u2019t have had time to implement it.\n\nAnd what do you think about that kind of detail? Do you appreciate it, or does it feel like overkill?","comments":0,"created":"2025-04-14T14:22:21Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":414943,"love":1,"love-timestamp":"2025-04-14T15:39:26Z","meta":[],"modified":"2025-04-14T15:39:26Z","name":"When frustration is a feature, not a bug","node-timestamp":"2025-04-14T14:50:14Z","parent":413339,"parents":[1,5,9,406845,413339],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/grimm-syndrome\/when-frustration-is-a-feature-not-a-bug","published":"2025-04-14T14:50:14Z","scope":"public","slug":"when-frustration-is-a-feature-not-a-bug","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1310469},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"414943","n_urlkey":"451202","n_parent":"413339","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/grimm-syndrome\/when-frustration-is-a-feature-not-a-bug","n_slug":"when-frustration-is-a-feature-no","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"172420","n_created":"1744640541","n_modified":"1744645166","n_version":"1310469","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/grimm-syndrome\/when-frustration-is-a-feature-not-a-bug","text":"It\u2019s been almost a week since the game\u2019s release: [Grimm Syndrome](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/grimm-syndrome)\n\nReading all the feedback has been fascinating. Here are a couple of comments from friends:\n\n\u201cThe cleaning part was frustrating\u2014I had no idea what was expected of me. But it ended up matching the character\u2019s own frustration really well.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s nice to notice that, over time, the game seems to forgive more mistakes. And you become less narrow-minded along with Melody.\u201d\n\nThose moments made me really proud as a game designer.\n\nYes, these remarks partly reflect design flaws. But they also highlight how well everything came together. For me, it\u2019s crucial that in a story-driven game, narrative and gameplay walk hand in hand. Not side by side, not in turns\u2014together.\nThe cleaning mini-game underlines Melody\u2019s routine\u2014joyless, repetitive, frustrating.\n\n![melody_gif.gif](\/\/\/raw\/481\/a2\/z\/6c30e.gif)\n\nMeanwhile, the \u201cfeedback\u201d in the rhythm sections evolves: at first it\u2019s harsh and dismissive, later it becomes softer and more accepting. It reflects what\u2019s happening not just around Melody, but inside her as well.\n\nAt one point, we thought about adding short rating pop-ups like:\n \u201cHorrible\u201d \/ \u201cCould be better\u201d \/ \u201cThat\u2019ll do\u201d \u2014 but we simply wouldn\u2019t have had time to implement it.\n\nAnd what do you think about that kind of detail? Do you appreciate it, or does it feel like overkill?","title":"When frustration is a feature, not a bug","wayback_source":[]}