The Spurring of Ideas
Hello. I just threw a birthday party for my two-year-old daughter. I think she and her tiny friends had fun. I am thoroughly wiped and will unwind amongst the stars in Super Mario Galaxy. I unlocked the second dome this morning. Before I go galaxy hopping, I wanted to write this letter.
Lots of new ideas are swirling, spurred by the idea to put my essays on a second curated channel. I had a good talk with a friend yesterday that really helped me find some clarity in my creativity here. I thought I'd share some of the essay ideas that are taking shape and I think can fill in the time before the monstrous project this "Spirit of Galaxy Game" is becoming.
The One About Trailers
I probably rewatch the Red Dead Redemption II and Breath of the Wild trailers too often. I had this idea to talk about what I think makes a good trailer. I also like the silly idea of "trailer-ception" since most modern trailers today start with a rapid fire montage and declare "TRAILER X STARTS NOW." I feel like there is some meta-level fun to be had there. I could also see this being a lighter load, since capture requirements are almost non-existent for this one.
The One About Accepting Fate
I had this line in my notes for Outer Wilds that's stuck with me...
Is there anything I can do to stop the sun from blowing up? It feels impossible and inevitable. How is accepting fate a game winning condition?
That makes me think back to a couple other favorite games—The Last of Us Part II and God of War: Ragnarök. Given the structure of TLOU's narrative, the audience knows certain fates. Ragnarök is ALL about fate and trying to subvert it. The threads between these three and this question is clear to me. I feel like I need to find the "Max" reason/lesson there. What is my personal tie and response? Figuring that out can unlock this essay for me, I think.
Those are two recent ideas that are taking real shape. The Fate one is another bigger, time commit. I do have my entire Grounded run of TLOUPII recorded and Outer Wilds, so I'd just have to replay Ragnarök, but that is a looooong game. We shall see where it goes. That's for Future Max to figure out.
Until then, I hope you all enjoy your weekend and unwind with a good game. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to explore the galaxies.
This letter is one block from the newsletter Memory Card by Max Roberts. Thoughts? Send me an email at max@maxfrequency.net.
Max is the writer and producer behind Max Frequency. cultivate and curate curiosity—both for himself and for others—by delighting in the details and growing greatness from small beginnings.
He's written a rich history and dive on the making of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, celebrated the 15th anniversary of Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the voice behind its hype, and examined how Zelda "stole" Fortnite's best mechanic.
Memory Card is a real-ish time, raw, drip feed newsletter of his creative process for telling these stories. It’s how The Thing™ gets made.
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