Just wanna let you know, the F*, Kill or Marry is the cherry on top. Video is perfect in a many ways! Just the right amount of memes to make it feel not too tiring but funny, great pacing, and really just well laid out facts, man. Thank you so much for making this xD Glad to be a subscriber
@@DarylTalksGames caught me off guard and had me laughing hard! XD Quick question! What can we generally expect from your twitter tho? :D I really hope you could also tweet out that a video is coming soon because UA-cam notifications is weird sometimes, even if I had set it to "all"
“Loneliness is dangerous. It’s addicting. Once you see how peaceful it is, you don’t wanna deal with people.” I think Jim Carrey said that, or at least quoted it
I thought he meant being alone. Actually I'm 24 now and I can honestly relate The amount of BS reduction and the energy you can spend on yourself to be in a place which you never could've imagined Through college i was a imposter trynna impress people by being someone I wasnt and when I graduated i had to deal with the consequences. I was lonely but my housemate helped me understand why I feel as such and i Started to use it for myself I got good at where I worked,quit hazardous habits and invested a lot on health and i went places that I literally Never even dreamt off and now live in a place that I've always dreamt of getting to It's totally us Life is actually very simple to figure out but we just complicate ourselves with unnecessary things
7:30 This brought up an amazing memory I had of Minecraft a long time ago. I had a creative world with a taiga biome close to spawn so I built up a huge collection of dogs, necessitating a giant floating doghouse with a grass floor, mossy cobble walls, huge glass block windows (window panes weren't released yet), lapis roofs, and glowstone lighting in a modular design. Every day I'd tame some more dogs, add on another 5x5 room to the existing structure and wander about in the quickly growing mass of dogs. One day when I was coming back from the latest taming trip, it started raining as I went up the wooden stairs with the dogs. I got them in the latest expansion and sat there for a while, looking out at the rain. Minecraft (Calm 1) started playing and I felt this amazing sense of absolute calm as the dogs barked and the rain pattered against the blue roof. I looked over the trees below the doghouse and took a screenshot that has since been lost to an old computer. I wish that I could share that experience with others but there really isn't a way to share it. Everything has to be exactly the same; the same obsession with taming wolves, the same boring day at a school that didn't know how to handle high-functioning autism. the same gentle rain in a beta game, the same beginnings of severe anxiety disorder. That was an experience that only I could have at that exact moment in time.
Maybe so, but still, I understand it. I can't feel exactly what you felt, of course. But I know it's remarkably similar to things I have felt before. And I can sense it. I'm glad you shared it ^.^ (even if it was 3 years ago)
In the description there is a list of all the games, movies and shows shown in this video, and they are all categorized by format and given dates... Except Tom and Jerry, which is listed as such: "Tom and Jerry (idk, its old af)" This had me laughing way more than it should have!
Hey Daryl, long time no see. The biophilia you mentioned is fascinating to me. I wonder if we can reproduce this feeling in games, could open world games help speed up patient recovery time just like putting plants outside a window could? This could potentially be a great alternative if neccessary for patients or a supplement on top of the current treatment.
DUDE, first of all it has man! Hope all is going well in your world. And that’s such an interesting idea dude, I’d be curious to see if it’s any better than just a window to be able to experience an entire environment 🤔
I mean, that's why so many scifi settings stick you in VR nature whenever you get hospitalized. Personally, I think Pokemon Snap is the way to go for getting people on a stimulating task while also appreciating the nature "around" them. It's why I'm surprised it took so long for anyone to do it again.
Already a fair amount of work done on this, since the 90s even. I remember researching this for school back in the mid-00s. This paper goes over some previous uses and future applications, along with possible drawbacks: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6231506/ Ton of papers linked from it in case you wanted to deep dive as well.
The melancholy of loneliness in games in particular is painfully addictive, an outlet that lets you feel safe and comforted while letting you hurt, and indirectly letting you know the feelings are okay. Playing games has always been that outlet for me, but I've never been able to describe it until watching this. The end of this video nearly made me cry at the realization. Keep making content like this, it's genuinely amazing.
@@ReubMann this game for me, it's for a great feeling and experience. I've tried the hardest mode, tbh it's for hardcore survival player, so I won't blame the mechanics. Not good for everyone but it's just fine.
Yeah. I haven't been obsessed with a game like I was BOTW since I was a teenager (42 now) and let's not forget this is only Nintendo's first experiment into making an open world in 3d (not to mention it was originally made for the very limited wiiu). It's only going to get better from here.
And to be honest this is kind of why I struggle to get into it, I hate getting lost in games, I'm the kind of guy who likes to focus hard on goals and locations so getting lost is frustrating and confusing
It's weird. I have sedatephobia (I think that what it is) meaning that I find uncanny silence terrifying. No sounds that indicate living beings. But at the same time I love silence in nature. The sound of birds singing, water flowing and the wind blowing. Distant sounds of people. I like silence when it feels safe. Well this was just a little ramble that I wanted to share. Great video as always. ❤️
I think that makes sense, to me it feels instinctual to be afraid of just...that dead silence. With no hint of anything, like a calm before the storm in a way. But in nature, there's near always the sound of something moving and alive. Doesn't feel like something is trying to sneak up on you as much.
Daryl makes f/m/k joke about trees in zelda, fully unaware that 10 minutes after hearing the joke my girlfriend and I would still not be in agreement over whether fucking or marrying a tree is worse this is our first Daryl video what have you done to us
Hey, i just want to say that i'm gratefull that this type of channel exists. The idea of using something complex, far aways for the normal humans as understanding the psychology by using videogames while still using them as a serious example of study is something that requieres lots of dedication and work. And I'm gratefiul for this. Thank you so much for your time and dedication of your videos.
That one moment in Hollow Knight really felt special, the music, the emptiness and the peace. The second best thing happend after unlocking the tram, it made me realize just how big this game really is.
As someone who cares too much about my surroundings' thoughts and does too little overall to fix my own issues... Sometimes, loneliness in games lifts that weight off for a moment, I guess. Of course, getting lost FOR REAL invokes danger, you are physically displaced where you lack information and may be at risk of harm, so we feel bad, nervous. Loneliness brought forth by problems isn't GOOD. But this "voluntary self-abandonment", particularly in videogame form, could work as 'unburdening yourself'. Game mechanics and objectives aside, you're now going on your own. And, since it's a game, while you may be "alone and lost", you won't necessarily crack, because in the end it's fictional. Of course, my comment is just what it is. An opinion.
I've actually started to seek this feeling of being lost in real life too, in the past several months. Sometimes, when I go for a run and don't feel like doing a lot of physical effort, I go off the man-made trails and into the unknown forest. Of course, I always keep in mind the general location of trails and paths around me, and so I have the idea of the direction I will need to go to be back in familiar territory, but still, for a few minutes, there are no humans around me whatsoever. It's very relaxing.
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but one game that I thought captured the feeling of being lost very well is "A Short Hike". It's a small game with the simple task of hiking to the top of a mountain. No guides or maps telling you which way you must go. You're free to explore in any direction and discover areas and secrets at your own pace. It's one of the most comforting experiences I've had in a game.
I was able to write an essay in college for a nature literature class about Nature in videogames. This video essay is so much better than mine, I wish it was made before I wrote that to cross reference and get some information from those studies. Cheers
"It's the questions we can't answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he'll look for his own answers." - Pat Rothfuss.
Watching this video made me so emotional for some reason. It might've been about all those view shots of different games, the vast night sky while talking about biophilia. And since I'm a very emotional and visual person, it struck me. I could imagine climbing a tall mountain or a tree in a video game or irl, and just stop and look around. The feeling of peace and calm being so high up, alone, without any distracting sounds or noises. It's always nice to see and hear videos about these sorts of things because it reminds me that other people experience games the same way I do. And even though I personally haven't played Hollow Knight, the bench you were talking about, I could feel the sense of being lost, alone, and far away from others. But also, strangely at peace as well. Beautiful video and good job, keep it up
Man, kind of bummed you didn't bring up Shadow of The Colossus here. SoTC is one of the best games to show this desolate lonely lost feeling. It's an open-world game with nothing in the open world, which is just so strange. It's basically just a game of this whole peaceful loneliness. Great video, really enjoying the content!
feeling alone validates the relationships you have with those around you. when overcome with other people, its good to reset, to come to the understanding that you truly are not alone
I actually fought the traitor lord without Cloth. Basically used brute force to do it, as in I build a charm loadout focused on damage more than sustainability.
What a beautiful and thoughtful video! I'm in that strange group which finds an elegant peace in the back alleys of GTA, an empty post-apocalyptic parking lot, or the kiss of rain in almost any circumstance. Attuned to the novelties of Lost Spaces, we adore such areas and moments, finding them one of gaming's most fascinating, subtle rewards. There is certainly a similar harmony to be experienced in the virtues of virtual nature, but something about the abandoned spaces of Humans speaks deeply to what is found in each of us. Here's to all the pathfinders...
The example of the Ash Lake in Dark Souls reminds me of an architectural concept used by Frank Lloyd Wright in basically the same way. He used narrow, constricting, portals for doorways and hallways to emphasize openness and release in rooms.
Just found this video and I recently started playing Sky: children of the light. It for sure has a lot of the open world stuff and the part about finding places to be alone. It's a social game but also very calming if you just want to fly around and/or find hidden areas, out of the way.
I’ve been alone most of my life. I don’t have reactions to the absence of others anymore. I never learned how to communicate well with people. People are terrifying to me. Phone calls are horrible. I must mute my phone so I can breathe deeply. When on a call, I feel the need to be perfect in my speech, and that causes a ridiculous degree of stress. I’m a slow thinker, so the longer I have to formulate my thoughts, the better. This is how I can write well in comments but almost never speak irl.
Don’t mind me, I’m just commenting for this amazing video/channel to be recommended and favored by UA-cam for more people 🙂 (Daryl has hit the ball out of the park so many times he should really sign up to be a baseball star lol)
I find it amazing how well the human brain can just take this changes and is not totally confused by it. Like seeing a face without body in a video call should freak us out, but it doesn't.
The closest thing to getting lost and recreating my own map irl has been building an Ebike and taking it places. I don't have to deal with traffic, I get to wander the unknown bike paths, and it's not super strenuous. So uh, if you like getting lost I suggest doing this.
Watching game design videos works the same way for me as trees work for those patients. It's just pleasant to think about, takes my mind off of other things. And afterwards, I feel a bit more recharged.
I was feeling lost in life, and spontaneously I typed "lost in game " in UA-cam search bar and I stumbled upon this, I'm glad I watched this. Feeling a sense of lost and loneliness 1am alone is a bit unbearable, but this video answered some of my question, and the aesthetic and humorous delivery made me feel better. Thank you, like and subscribed. Can't believe I just found this channel, looking forward for more of your content.
Hey Daryl, thank you so much for your vids. This one was awesome as always and particularly touching to me since I'm a long time Hollow Knight player and I'm currently watching a friend play. I think we shared a lot of what you described, a sort of "shared loneliness", of feeling alone together. Just wanted to point out, that to me, your videos do the same effects that those sad songs you talk about. Your calm voice analysing feelings that we felt at some point gaming, helps remember and reinforce those shared feelings. Cheers from France and good luck getting through that wall ;)
Gheez you nailed this video so perfectly. Even if we feel lonely and so many people feel it. I hope we all find someone who appreciates that together. Thank you for an amazing video.
That bit of Biophilia reminded of a moment when I was playing Witcher 3. I literally stopped in game to look at the scenery of Skellige, specifically the area between Fayrlund and Fyresdal, which features an abandoned siege tower.
As someone who has been really loving metroidvania games lately and loves that feeling of being out to explore new places on my own, this video is such a treat! ^_^
One time I took a 3 day scooter drive(yea scooter.. like 40mph lmao) , I got trapped in a icestorm, and before I could make it to the next town had to take a break and build a fire so I wouldn't freeze. The feeling I felt after that moment, in the woods by a fire changed my entire goal of the trip. After I warmed up I did head on to the closest town I could find and got lucky sleeping in a truck this kind woman working in a restaurant had parked outside of the restaurant. Staying awake all night in the frigid cold also forced me to reckon with myself, recognize my mortality, and I found more appreciation for certain things. (Like how the ice on the windshield resembled Ice People, or how even in that ice storm I still saw a red cardinal trying to make it work.) The adrenaline of knowing if you don't make the right decision on your own in a certain moment there could be deadly consequences can be really intoxicating, and freeing. Make you feel like if you can solve this crisis on your own, or experience a place that is unique just because of the function of time. Maybe keeping on living has some reason, even if its only to beat every challenge that comes your way. Though in stark contrast the feeling I felt as a kid being surround by kids but feeling alone, unwanted was a much more depressing, and different experience that just led me to want to escape into true loneliness, or disappear in some way, and even in highschool I lived for those 4 am walks with my headphones in. Skipping down the empty roads, just enjoying the feeling of being alone, with no expectations. Great video by the way. Got me thinking about those memories, and a lot of other fond memories, as well as how they compare to my feelings when I played Metroid Prime, Little Nightmares, Luigis Mansion etc for the first time.
God your opening sequence was so fucking beautiful man. Actually brought a tear to my eye. Perfect music, perfect shots, great time of your voice. Just beautiful man.
That clearing in hallowknight that he talked about is literally what I’m trying to get to right now while watching this video. I did not get to it before I finished the video
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the single most immersive games I've ever played. Not for the gameplay. Not even for the soundtrack. It's the vast open spaces, the trusty steed, and the distinct feeling that I get to share this empty space with nothing but my thoughts. I've spent more time exploring the world of SotC than I have killing bosses, and I swear to god I've enjoyed it more too.
Shadow of Colossus is the first game that ever truly externally put how alone I truly felt at the time. A time when I was trapped in a bad family, and terrible job. I had to stop playing it for a time because it expressed something in me that was only below the surface at the time, that I had no idea was there. And it brought it out to the surface. I had no idea it was in there, and this game brought it out.
I distinctly remember that train car in Hollow Knight. I can't really think of a more elegant and impactful moment in a video game that just perfectly made me feel exactly the way it wanted me to feel. That game really is a masterpiece.
Idk why but whenever I watch one of this mans video I drop everything to listen. it is a weird feeling that I haven't felt in a while. Thanks for the video, it made me feel better today.
Hollow KNIIIGHT!! Hallownest was terrifying to explore at first, but soon became a sanctuary. Living with my parents due to crippling depression, I would retreat downstairs and learned to relish exploring every unknown, from the Howling Cliffs to the Kingdom's Edge. The game does such a great job giving you times and places to just, Sit. And be. Today, whenever I go to my parent's basement, the smell is that of Hallownest.
The only time I felt lost in the game was when I was playing Hollow Knight, while in the Fungal Wastes. I had no map, trying to find my way, with those goddamn bomb mushrooms, constantly dying until I found the map. And I tell you, it felt great.
The study about attentionally draining tasks and the windowed or non windowed room is really interesting to me. I noticed a pattern when I was in school that if there were windows with a view of trees, I'd stare at them while thinking during tests and such. I always assumed that I was just having to take my view away from the test to process the information better and my eyes were just drawn to the only thing really moving: trees seating and in the breeze. The segment on biophilia in this video has offered me a new perspective on my behavior.
Good to see you again haha. It’s been a minute, but you just reminded me that you’re the reason I grabbed a switch after not playing video games for 15 years and I’ve now gone through Celeste, Hollow Knight, Gris, the Messenger, and many more. This channel brings me the kind of comfort you were talking about today 👍
Damn this is the video I need to tell some on how liminal spaces are NOT at all scary. They’re calming and sweet and you love them. Even though you don’t know what they are, you get a sense of nostalgia and peace and I which people acknowledged that a bit more.
It's funny that you mentioned biophilia, because until you'd said something, I'd never thought about it. I am one of those people that is straight up city: give me buildings, people (Don't let them talk to me, though! XD), electricity humming around me. I'm happy there. But even so, when you threw up the examples, I was like "Yeah, he's right: my eyes definitely tracked towards the nature." It was...interesting, to see and acknowledge that disconnect in my brain. XD Also, welcome back!
in rpgs, i often found the best items while being completely lost. this was before the internet. after the internet you never really get lost. in fps games like tes, i enjoy exploring the artificial nature. in skyrim i particularly enjoy the weird swamps of the northwest, and the rocky fields with what seems to be thermal waters of the south east.
One example of a game that brought me peace is an indie game called Refunct... It is a very short game but it was the one and only game that somehow made me feel absolutely peaceful
this made me tear up, the feeling I get from music and open world games like minecraft was finally explored in a way that helped me understand why I felt the way I do for so long. Thank you
Being someone who one day wishes to become a man of psychology and philosophy (Currently taking classes for my final year right now), Watching these videos honestly truly amaze me. For as long as I've been around, a majority of psychological questions I asked growing up stemmed from the curiosity towards certain video games and fictional franchises. These videos are something that require more recognition nowadays. You did good, Daryl. You did very good indeed.
Your mentioning feeling alone in Hollow Knight due to the music and scenery reminds me of how NieR: Automata did almost exactly the opposite and still hit that same feeling for me. There's a section where the player loses their companion for a while, and right after that, the number and variety of enemies in the world increases and the overworld theme, which had been increasing in intensity throughout, finally explodes into its most intense version. The world had never been more full of life and yet that was probably the most alone I had ever had a game make me feel. Automata is in a class of its own when it comes to making players uncomfortable (the use of liminal spaces as environments and set pieces alone isn't talked about nearly enough), but how it establishes and then takes away or destroys comfort is ridiculously impressive.
*“...Why did stumbling upon this abandoned tram car in Hollow Knight make me feel so alone...”* It’s probably the dead bodies. Also putting Cornifer at the end there was beautiful.
hey - I've never seen a video of yours before, but I just wanted to let you know that this is literally one of - if not the - best video essays I've ever had the pleasure of watching. You have such a way with words, and I found myself ugly crying by the end of it. Thank you.
Bro your videos are always thought-out and well written, and I enjoy them so much! I can't wait for the next one! (I've already binged the entire Psych of Play series.. twice)
This video was paced and edited very well. Great job bro. Short testimonial, being alone can be very therapeutic. My wife and I are both military, and she deployed for 7 months for the 3rd time. When she was gone, it was a stressful time for me. I'd often get pretty drunk and go on long runs. Maybe not the healthiest or best idea, but I never felt more at ease than being alone at 1 AM and running inebriated through a sleeping town. It was both scary and calming at the same time. Just knowing anything can happen at anytime can be exciting, but also seeing a town without the hustle and bustle of human activity can be oh so calming. Not advising anyone to be a dumbass grunt like myself, but there is definitely alot of merit to Daryl's 3rd point.
Damn... This video is one of the best I think I've ever seen on the platform. I definitely relate to a lot of the topics discussed and have fallen in love with the act of just going out in the the mountains/woods (Northern GA, USA for me) and just getting myself lost for a few days. I've done so on 4 separate occasions in the past year just disappearing from society and appearing alone in an unfamiliar valley or on the bank of a creek deep in the wilderness.
I remember when I found Faron in BOTW through getting lost trying to find out what was south. It took me so long to get there and my satisfaction when I got there was insane.
maybe visual representations of natural/pastoral settings can offer the same effects as actually being there, but it’s still a simulation and thus will always be weaker than experiencing it for real, whereas returning to that simulation after having experienced the real thing reinforces that biophilia and in fact probably stirs the imagination more. so you can’t beat the real thing, once you have the real thing, it follows you more easily everywhere you go
i've been playing hollow knight a lot recently and was wondering if you've done a video that talks about it. Needless to say I just about freaked out when I saw it on the thumbnail of your recent upload. great video as always
I actually get that feeling you mentioned in part 3 a lot for example after a night out with my friends, then just getting in the car and driving with some nice slow electronic music playing in the backround and looking at the deserted streets with little to no people in my sight. And let me tell you... That feels amazing
“You’ll never have to search through a library for information again.” Nah, I was still doing that in March 2020 as I was finishing my thesis dissertation (before we all went into quarantine).
Howdy folks, I recently made a twitter. Go follow me! Or don't. Either way, I'm just glad you're here
Just wanna let you know, the F*, Kill or Marry is the cherry on top.
Video is perfect in a many ways!
Just the right amount of memes to make it feel not too tiring but funny, great pacing, and really just well laid out facts, man.
Thank you so much for making this xD Glad to be a subscriber
So glad someone actually liked that 😂
@@DarylTalksGames caught me off guard and had me laughing hard! XD
Quick question! What can we generally expect from your twitter tho? :D
I really hope you could also tweet out that a video is coming soon because UA-cam notifications is weird sometimes, even if I had set it to "all"
@@DarylTalksGames i had to pause the video to stop laughing at the FMK
Chad Rose a little bit of everything, hot takes on games, memes, and definitely updates on the channel when necessary 😁
How to make my weekend better:
1st comment
E
look at some treeeeeees
I wanted to like but I'd ruin your 666 likes. 🤘
Eat some pancakes.
“Loneliness is dangerous. It’s addicting. Once you see how peaceful it is, you don’t wanna deal with people.” I think Jim Carrey said that, or at least quoted it
*It’s Not addicting It’s Haunting There At Every Turn At Every Corner Watching From your back In Your mirror under the table in the shadow*
But it does makes sense
Being alone, not loneliness.
I thought he meant being alone.
Actually I'm 24 now and I can honestly relate
The amount of BS reduction and the energy you can spend on yourself to be in a place which you never could've imagined
Through college i was a imposter trynna impress people by being someone I wasnt and when I graduated i had to deal with the consequences.
I was lonely but my housemate helped me understand why I feel as such and i Started to use it for myself
I got good at where I worked,quit hazardous habits and invested a lot on health and i went places that I literally Never even dreamt off and now live in a place that I've always dreamt of getting to
It's totally us
Life is actually very simple to figure out but we just complicate ourselves with unnecessary things
Comments do not make you feel alone, even though you are alone, just not for real
7:30 This brought up an amazing memory I had of Minecraft a long time ago. I had a creative world with a taiga biome close to spawn so I built up a huge collection of dogs, necessitating a giant floating doghouse with a grass floor, mossy cobble walls, huge glass block windows (window panes weren't released yet), lapis roofs, and glowstone lighting in a modular design. Every day I'd tame some more dogs, add on another 5x5 room to the existing structure and wander about in the quickly growing mass of dogs.
One day when I was coming back from the latest taming trip, it started raining as I went up the wooden stairs with the dogs. I got them in the latest expansion and sat there for a while, looking out at the rain. Minecraft (Calm 1) started playing and I felt this amazing sense of absolute calm as the dogs barked and the rain pattered against the blue roof. I looked over the trees below the doghouse and took a screenshot that has since been lost to an old computer.
I wish that I could share that experience with others but there really isn't a way to share it. Everything has to be exactly the same; the same obsession with taming wolves, the same boring day at a school that didn't know how to handle high-functioning autism. the same gentle rain in a beta game, the same beginnings of severe anxiety disorder. That was an experience that only I could have at that exact moment in time.
That is beautiful and now I want to go play minecraft again. Thank you for this heartwarming story.
I knew the comments were going to be deep I'm not disappointed.
Yeah, i know how that feels, it really is something special.
Maybe so, but still, I understand it. I can't feel exactly what you felt, of course.
But I know it's remarkably similar to things I have felt before. And I can sense it.
I'm glad you shared it ^.^
(even if it was 3 years ago)
Hearing “have a damn good one” almost made me tear up.
I was as big a fan of Etika as anyone, saying that at the end of my vids is just my little way of keeping his memory alive.
In the description there is a list of all the games, movies and shows shown in this video, and they are all categorized by format and given dates...
Except Tom and Jerry, which is listed as such: "Tom and Jerry (idk, its old af)"
This had me laughing way more than it should have!
Hey Daryl, long time no see. The biophilia you mentioned is fascinating to me. I wonder if we can reproduce this feeling in games, could open world games help speed up patient recovery time just like putting plants outside a window could? This could potentially be a great alternative if neccessary for patients or a supplement on top of the current treatment.
DUDE, first of all it has man! Hope all is going well in your world. And that’s such an interesting idea dude, I’d be curious to see if it’s any better than just a window to be able to experience an entire environment 🤔
I mean, that's why so many scifi settings stick you in VR nature whenever you get hospitalized.
Personally, I think Pokemon Snap is the way to go for getting people on a stimulating task while also appreciating the nature "around" them. It's why I'm surprised it took so long for anyone to do it again.
nice
Already a fair amount of work done on this, since the 90s even. I remember researching this for school back in the mid-00s. This paper goes over some previous uses and future applications, along with possible drawbacks: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6231506/
Ton of papers linked from it in case you wanted to deep dive as well.
darthtace Oh my goodness thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for.
Eating good food and consuming your quality content is such a satisfying combination
I see you everywhere
The melancholy of loneliness in games in particular is painfully addictive, an outlet that lets you feel safe and comforted while letting you hurt, and indirectly letting you know the feelings are okay. Playing games has always been that outlet for me, but I've never been able to describe it until watching this. The end of this video nearly made me cry at the realization. Keep making content like this, it's genuinely amazing.
Hey Daryl, have you played a game called "The Long Dark"?
I think you might like it. It's a completely new experience of isolation and loneliness.
i've tried that game three times in my life. I don't like the hunger or freezing mechanics.
@@ReubMann I think they are still trying to make it good but at the end games that really doesn't matter at all.
@@ReubMann this game for me, it's for a great feeling and experience.
I've tried the hardest mode, tbh it's for hardcore survival player, so I won't blame the mechanics.
Not good for everyone but it's just fine.
A friend played that awhile back! I didn’t see much but I was super invested. I’d love to play it at some point in the future
Daryl Talks Games I liked it. It's very atmospheric and scary last time I played.
watching your videos tends to help calm me down when I'm stressed so you couldn't have released this at a better time
One day at a time my friend, glad this could help :)
@Rohit Chavda indeed he is
My dude turns video game essays into deep philosophical lessons that allow us to grow.
Why I love the channel. Plus his voice and lil background music. 😔👌
Please check out Jacob Geller. Very similar content and high quality! My boy needs more views
Jacob Geller does the same yes!
@@jaysonagli6210 I know him. His best video is artificial loneliness and that video is a masterpiece
"Yes, they shared a drink they call loneliness. But it's better than drinking alone."
Amazing video again dude! This explains a lot of the reason of why I loved BOTW so much and how I'm always able to come back to it.
Thanks as always Aaron 😁
Yeah. I haven't been obsessed with a game like I was BOTW since I was a teenager (42 now) and let's not forget this is only Nintendo's first experiment into making an open world in 3d (not to mention it was originally made for the very limited wiiu). It's only going to get better from here.
And to be honest this is kind of why I struggle to get into it, I hate getting lost in games, I'm the kind of guy who likes to focus hard on goals and locations so getting lost is frustrating and confusing
Bottom of the Well or something else
8:56
R34 aritist:
WRITE THAT DOWN WRITE THAT DOWN
It's weird. I have sedatephobia (I think that what it is) meaning that I find uncanny silence terrifying. No sounds that indicate living beings. But at the same time I love silence in nature. The sound of birds singing, water flowing and the wind blowing. Distant sounds of people. I like silence when it feels safe. Well this was just a little ramble that I wanted to share. Great video as always. ❤️
I think that makes sense, to me it feels instinctual to be afraid of just...that dead silence. With no hint of anything, like a calm before the storm in a way. But in nature, there's near always the sound of something moving and alive. Doesn't feel like something is trying to sneak up on you as much.
Daryl makes f/m/k joke about trees in zelda, fully unaware that 10 minutes after hearing the joke my girlfriend and I would still not be in agreement over whether fucking or marrying a tree is worse
this is our first Daryl video what have you done to us
Hey, i just want to say that i'm gratefull that this type of channel exists. The idea of using something complex, far aways for the normal humans as understanding the psychology by using videogames while still using them as a serious example of study is something that requieres lots of dedication and work. And I'm gratefiul for this. Thank you so much for your time and dedication of your videos.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciated reading that ❤️
I always liked the inbetween. Travelling from somewhere to somewhere, but not really caring about the destination.
That one moment in Hollow Knight really felt special, the music, the emptiness and the peace.
The second best thing happend after unlocking the tram, it made me realize just how big this game really is.
As someone who cares too much about my surroundings' thoughts and does too little overall to fix my own issues...
Sometimes, loneliness in games lifts that weight off for a moment, I guess.
Of course, getting lost FOR REAL invokes danger, you are physically displaced where you lack information and may be at risk of harm, so we feel bad, nervous. Loneliness brought forth by problems isn't GOOD.
But this "voluntary self-abandonment", particularly in videogame form, could work as 'unburdening yourself'.
Game mechanics and objectives aside, you're now going on your own. And, since it's a game, while you may be "alone and lost", you won't necessarily crack, because in the end it's fictional.
Of course, my comment is just what it is. An opinion.
Sorry, I'd just like to say I read part of your comment wrong and was confused but intrigued about the risk of ham.
you don't crack, but you may become hollow...
don't give up skeleton!
I've actually started to seek this feeling of being lost in real life too, in the past several months. Sometimes, when I go for a run and don't feel like doing a lot of physical effort, I go off the man-made trails and into the unknown forest. Of course, I always keep in mind the general location of trails and paths around me, and so I have the idea of the direction I will need to go to be back in familiar territory, but still, for a few minutes, there are no humans around me whatsoever. It's very relaxing.
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but one game that I thought captured the feeling of being lost very well is "A Short Hike".
It's a small game with the simple task of hiking to the top of a mountain. No guides or maps telling you which way you must go. You're free to explore in any direction and discover areas and secrets at your own pace. It's one of the most comforting experiences I've had in a game.
I was able to write an essay in college for a nature literature class about Nature in videogames. This video essay is so much better than mine, I wish it was made before I wrote that to cross reference and get some information from those studies. Cheers
Have you ever played The Outer Wilds? It seems like a game you'd really like, It was a game changer for me
"It's the questions we can't answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he'll look for his own answers."
- Pat Rothfuss.
I swear this channel feels like Vsauce for games and I’m completely okay with that
"Surely you have to be lost to find the places that can't be found"
- Captain Barbosa
Watching this video made me so emotional for some reason. It might've been about all those view shots of different games, the vast night sky while talking about biophilia. And since I'm a very emotional and visual person, it struck me. I could imagine climbing a tall mountain or a tree in a video game or irl, and just stop and look around. The feeling of peace and calm being so high up, alone, without any distracting sounds or noises.
It's always nice to see and hear videos about these sorts of things because it reminds me that other people experience games the same way I do. And even though I personally haven't played Hollow Knight, the bench you were talking about, I could feel the sense of being lost, alone, and far away from others. But also, strangely at peace as well.
Beautiful video and good job, keep it up
Seriously, your content is really amazing. It always makes me feel relaxed and happy after a long day. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Man, kind of bummed you didn't bring up Shadow of The Colossus here. SoTC is one of the best games to show this desolate lonely lost feeling. It's an open-world game with nothing in the open world, which is just so strange. It's basically just a game of this whole peaceful loneliness.
Great video, really enjoying the content!
feeling alone validates the relationships you have with those around you. when overcome with other people, its good to reset, to come to the understanding that you truly are not alone
Oh no, the part of Hollow Knight you need to do next...
@Sam Oh lord, I wasn't even talking about that. You still have lots to look forward to.
@Sam No.
@Sam You'll see.
Sam hell yeah. i just beat him too. bit sad that cloth died
I actually fought the traitor lord without Cloth. Basically used brute force to do it, as in I build a charm loadout focused on damage more than sustainability.
What a beautiful and thoughtful video! I'm in that strange group which finds an elegant peace in the back alleys of GTA, an empty post-apocalyptic parking lot, or the kiss of rain in almost any circumstance.
Attuned to the novelties of Lost Spaces, we adore such areas and moments, finding them one of gaming's most fascinating, subtle rewards.
There is certainly a similar harmony to be experienced in the virtues of virtual nature, but something about the abandoned spaces of Humans speaks deeply to what is found in each of us.
Here's to all the pathfinders...
Every time I hear Cornifer (Hollow Knight) humming, I breathe a sigh of relief and get to him ASAP.
Me: *stressed*
Daryl: *talky talky*
me: my crops are watered, my acne is cleared, i am hydrated, stress? never heard of her
Or him.
possible hermitcraft reference?
The example of the Ash Lake in Dark Souls reminds me of an architectural concept used by Frank Lloyd Wright in basically the same way. He used narrow, constricting, portals for doorways and hallways to emphasize openness and release in rooms.
Just found this video and I recently started playing Sky: children of the light. It for sure has a lot of the open world stuff and the part about finding places to be alone. It's a social game but also very calming if you just want to fly around and/or find hidden areas, out of the way.
Love the little shout out to Matt “The Mat Twatson” Watson from SuperMega’s new EP
I love seeing a supermega fan out in the wild, bc like, you know they get it.
I think that been able to choose when I feel lonely/lost is the biggest thing that attract me to those kind of moment in gaming
One of the best experiences exemplifying this is metro. Crawling out of the tunnels into the barren surface was one of the most memorable experiences
Me seeing Dandara gameplay at 3:44 :
Ah, I see you're a man of culture as well,
He made a whole video on Dandara :))
Thanks! Saw that game in this video and wondered what that was. You timestamping it saved me a lot of time.
I’ve been alone most of my life.
I don’t have reactions to the absence of others anymore.
I never learned how to communicate well with people. People are terrifying to me.
Phone calls are horrible. I must mute my phone so I can breathe deeply. When on a call, I feel the need to be perfect in my speech, and that causes a ridiculous degree of stress.
I’m a slow thinker, so the longer I have to formulate my thoughts, the better. This is how I can write well in comments but almost never speak irl.
Don’t mind me, I’m just commenting for this amazing video/channel to be recommended and favored by UA-cam for more people
🙂
(Daryl has hit the ball out of the park so many times he should really sign up to be a baseball star lol)
I find it amazing how well the human brain can just take this changes and is not totally confused by it. Like seeing a face without body in a video call should freak us out, but it doesn't.
The closest thing to getting lost and recreating my own map irl has been building an Ebike and taking it places. I don't have to deal with traffic, I get to wander the unknown bike paths, and it's not super strenuous.
So uh, if you like getting lost I suggest doing this.
Watching game design videos works the same way for me as trees work for those patients. It's just pleasant to think about, takes my mind off of other things. And afterwards, I feel a bit more recharged.
I was feeling lost in life, and spontaneously I typed "lost in game " in UA-cam search bar and I stumbled upon this, I'm glad I watched this. Feeling a sense of lost and loneliness 1am alone is a bit unbearable, but this video answered some of my question, and the aesthetic and humorous delivery made me feel better. Thank you, like and subscribed. Can't believe I just found this channel, looking forward for more of your content.
Hey Daryl, thank you so much for your vids. This one was awesome as always and particularly touching to me since I'm a long time Hollow Knight player and I'm currently watching a friend play. I think we shared a lot of what you described, a sort of "shared loneliness", of feeling alone together. Just wanted to point out, that to me, your videos do the same effects that those sad songs you talk about. Your calm voice analysing feelings that we felt at some point gaming, helps remember and reinforce those shared feelings. Cheers from France and good luck getting through that wall ;)
Gheez you nailed this video so perfectly. Even if we feel lonely and so many people feel it. I hope we all find someone who appreciates that together. Thank you for an amazing video.
That bit of Biophilia reminded of a moment when I was playing Witcher 3. I literally stopped in game to look at the scenery of Skellige, specifically the area between Fayrlund and Fyresdal, which features an abandoned siege tower.
As someone who has been really loving metroidvania games lately and loves that feeling of being out to explore new places on my own, this video is such a treat! ^_^
This is beautiful in conveying how being alone is okay sometimes and can build character in yourself
I like Hollow Knight lots and lots, I’m so looking forward to finally watching this!
This explains why I treated the first player I saw like a best friend on my first play through of Journey
One time I took a 3 day scooter drive(yea scooter.. like 40mph lmao) , I got trapped in a icestorm, and before I could make it to the next town had to take a break and build a fire so I wouldn't freeze. The feeling I felt after that moment, in the woods by a fire changed my entire goal of the trip. After I warmed up I did head on to the closest town I could find and got lucky sleeping in a truck this kind woman working in a restaurant had parked outside of the restaurant. Staying awake all night in the frigid cold also forced me to reckon with myself, recognize my mortality, and I found more appreciation for certain things. (Like how the ice on the windshield resembled Ice People, or how even in that ice storm I still saw a red cardinal trying to make it work.) The adrenaline of knowing if you don't make the right decision on your own in a certain moment there could be deadly consequences can be really intoxicating, and freeing. Make you feel like if you can solve this crisis on your own, or experience a place that is unique just because of the function of time. Maybe keeping on living has some reason, even if its only to beat every challenge that comes your way. Though in stark contrast the feeling I felt as a kid being surround by kids but feeling alone, unwanted was a much more depressing, and different experience that just led me to want to escape into true loneliness, or disappear in some way, and even in highschool I lived for those 4 am walks with my headphones in. Skipping down the empty roads, just enjoying the feeling of being alone, with no expectations. Great video by the way. Got me thinking about those memories, and a lot of other fond memories, as well as how they compare to my feelings when I played Metroid Prime, Little Nightmares, Luigis Mansion etc for the first time.
Haven't finished the video yet. But i have to say i really do love how the content creators from videogames. Have a tendency to make such cool intros
God your opening sequence was so fucking beautiful man. Actually brought a tear to my eye. Perfect music, perfect shots, great time of your voice. Just beautiful man.
Those lo-fi hip hop mixes gives some (manufactured) nostalgia feels, even for things I've never watched as a kid
That clearing in hallowknight that he talked about is literally what I’m trying to get to right now while watching this video. I did not get to it before I finished the video
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the single most immersive games I've ever played. Not for the gameplay. Not even for the soundtrack. It's the vast open spaces, the trusty steed, and the distinct feeling that I get to share this empty space with nothing but my thoughts. I've spent more time exploring the world of SotC than I have killing bosses, and I swear to god I've enjoyed it more too.
Never seen your content before but that opening was 10/10 mate. The whole section up to the 3min mark was so well written and frankly beautiful.
I don´t know why but these videos are very therapeutic, thanks Daryl!
Ikr, his voice is somewhat soothing
Would love to see a video about "reverse psychology"
I did the same thing at the first bench, it was an sareal filling when i finally started playing.
Shadow of Colossus is the first game that ever truly externally put how alone I truly felt at the time. A time when I was trapped in a bad family, and terrible job. I had to stop playing it for a time because it expressed something in me that was only below the surface at the time, that I had no idea was there. And it brought it out to the surface. I had no idea it was in there, and this game brought it out.
I distinctly remember that train car in Hollow Knight. I can't really think of a more elegant and impactful moment in a video game that just perfectly made me feel exactly the way it wanted me to feel. That game really is a masterpiece.
Idk why but whenever I watch one of this mans video I drop everything to listen. it is a weird feeling that I haven't felt in a while. Thanks for the video, it made me feel better today.
Hollow KNIIIGHT!! Hallownest was terrifying to explore at first, but soon became a sanctuary. Living with my parents due to crippling depression, I would retreat downstairs and learned to relish exploring every unknown, from the Howling Cliffs to the Kingdom's Edge. The game does such a great job giving you times and places to just, Sit. And be. Today, whenever I go to my parent's basement, the smell is that of Hallownest.
The only time I felt lost in the game was when I was playing Hollow Knight, while in the Fungal Wastes. I had no map, trying to find my way, with those goddamn bomb mushrooms, constantly dying until I found the map. And I tell you, it felt great.
The study about attentionally draining tasks and the windowed or non windowed room is really interesting to me. I noticed a pattern when I was in school that if there were windows with a view of trees, I'd stare at them while thinking during tests and such. I always assumed that I was just having to take my view away from the test to process the information better and my eyes were just drawn to the only thing really moving: trees seating and in the breeze. The segment on biophilia in this video has offered me a new perspective on my behavior.
Good to see you again haha. It’s been a minute, but you just reminded me that you’re the reason I grabbed a switch after not playing video games for 15 years and I’ve now gone through Celeste, Hollow Knight, Gris, the Messenger, and many more. This channel brings me the kind of comfort you were talking about today 👍
Damn this is the video I need to tell some on how liminal spaces are NOT at all scary. They’re calming and sweet and you love them. Even though you don’t know what they are, you get a sense of nostalgia and peace and I which people acknowledged that a bit more.
It's funny that you mentioned biophilia, because until you'd said something, I'd never thought about it. I am one of those people that is straight up city: give me buildings, people (Don't let them talk to me, though! XD), electricity humming around me. I'm happy there. But even so, when you threw up the examples, I was like "Yeah, he's right: my eyes definitely tracked towards the nature." It was...interesting, to see and acknowledge that disconnect in my brain. XD Also, welcome back!
in rpgs, i often found the best items while being completely lost.
this was before the internet. after the internet you never really get lost.
in fps games like tes, i enjoy exploring the artificial nature.
in skyrim i particularly enjoy the weird swamps of the northwest, and the rocky fields with what seems to be thermal waters of the south east.
One example of a game that brought me peace is an indie game called Refunct... It is a very short game but it was the one and only game that somehow made me feel absolutely peaceful
wanting the women at the waffels house to be your grandma felt to real lol
this made me tear up, the feeling I get from music and open world games like minecraft was finally explored in a way that helped me understand why I felt the way I do for so long. Thank you
Classic Tomb Raider games capture this feeling so well and it's exactly why I love those, you should try them if you haven't.
Your comedic timing is A+. Your videos have always been awesome, and its been a real treat watching you grow with every upload.
Feeling that no one needs me or has to rely on me would be great to feel once in a while. Me needing myself is tough enough.
Being someone who one day wishes to become a man of psychology and philosophy (Currently taking classes for my final year right now), Watching these videos honestly truly amaze me. For as long as I've been around, a majority of psychological questions I asked growing up stemmed from the curiosity towards certain video games and fictional franchises. These videos are something that require more recognition nowadays. You did good, Daryl. You did very good indeed.
"In solitude, where we are least alone."
Your mentioning feeling alone in Hollow Knight due to the music and scenery reminds me of how NieR: Automata did almost exactly the opposite and still hit that same feeling for me. There's a section where the player loses their companion for a while, and right after that, the number and variety of enemies in the world increases and the overworld theme, which had been increasing in intensity throughout, finally explodes into its most intense version. The world had never been more full of life and yet that was probably the most alone I had ever had a game make me feel. Automata is in a class of its own when it comes to making players uncomfortable (the use of liminal spaces as environments and set pieces alone isn't talked about nearly enough), but how it establishes and then takes away or destroys comfort is ridiculously impressive.
*“...Why did stumbling upon this abandoned tram car in Hollow Knight make me feel so alone...”*
It’s probably the dead bodies.
Also putting Cornifer at the end there was beautiful.
You mean cornifer?
@@pelieskola5708you’re right
hey - I've never seen a video of yours before, but I just wanted to let you know that this is literally one of - if not the - best video essays I've ever had the pleasure of watching. You have such a way with words, and I found myself ugly crying by the end of it. Thank you.
Seeing a Primal clip at 1:20 made me very happy. Seeing this specific clip saddened me
Bro your videos are always thought-out and well written, and I enjoy them so much! I can't wait for the next one! (I've already binged the entire Psych of Play series.. twice)
This kind of feeling you're describing is probably my favourite feeling
This video was paced and edited very well. Great job bro.
Short testimonial, being alone can be very therapeutic. My wife and I are both military, and she deployed for 7 months for the 3rd time. When she was gone, it was a stressful time for me. I'd often get pretty drunk and go on long runs. Maybe not the healthiest or best idea, but I never felt more at ease than being alone at 1 AM and running inebriated through a sleeping town. It was both scary and calming at the same time. Just knowing anything can happen at anytime can be exciting, but also seeing a town without the hustle and bustle of human activity can be oh so calming. Not advising anyone to be a dumbass grunt like myself, but there is definitely alot of merit to Daryl's 3rd point.
Happy to discover your channel (thanks to one of your comment on GMTK's psychology of reward video) !
I find it concerning that I am just now finding your channel and binging through every single video
Damn... This video is one of the best I think I've ever seen on the platform. I definitely relate to a lot of the topics discussed and have fallen in love with the act of just going out in the the mountains/woods (Northern GA, USA for me) and just getting myself lost for a few days. I've done so on 4 separate occasions in the past year just disappearing from society and appearing alone in an unfamiliar valley or on the bank of a creek deep in the wilderness.
I remember when I found Faron in BOTW through getting lost trying to find out what was south. It took me so long to get there and my satisfaction when I got there was insane.
Don’t know if it was intentional, but the “have yourself a damn good one” hit me hard
maybe visual representations of natural/pastoral settings can offer the same effects as actually being there, but it’s still a simulation and thus will always be weaker than experiencing it for real, whereas returning to that simulation after having experienced the real thing reinforces that biophilia and in fact probably stirs the imagination more. so you can’t beat the real thing, once you have the real thing, it follows you more easily everywhere you go
i've been playing hollow knight a lot recently and was wondering if you've done a video that talks about it. Needless to say I just about freaked out when I saw it on the thumbnail of your recent upload. great video as always
This is potentially the most relatable video I have ever seen on UA-cam. Great job!
As a game developer, I’ve heard a lot of this before, but from a creators perspective. Hearing it like this was a really refreshing take on it.
I actually get that feeling you mentioned in part 3 a lot for example after a night out with my friends, then just getting in the car and driving with some nice slow electronic music playing in the backround and looking at the deserted streets with little to no people in my sight.
And let me tell you... That feels amazing
“You’ll never have to search through a library for information again.”
Nah, I was still doing that in March 2020 as I was finishing my thesis dissertation (before we all went into quarantine).