Reading Time: 2 min 55 sec
Thereās nothing like plopping down on the couch + scrolling through TikToks for a good 30 minutes or so. Itās restful, effortless - yet Iām introduced to new perspectives, goodies, + practices that open my mind to consider different ideas. Watching the drama, the creativity, the craft of these micro videos scratches that special spot in my brain that makes me feel hopeful about my own creative work.
Whatever your drug of choice - television, podcasts, reading, or social media - they all present a different point of view that can feel nurturing, cozy, + inspiring. I do have my preferences, as Iām sure you do, too - but have you ever thought about how these forms of stimulation affect your creative flow?
When I reflected on this myself, I realized my sweet impulse to binge tele whenever I needed a break was actually washing away my connection to the flow state. I would always take these breaks with the intention to get back to work after an episode or such, but rarely did that actually happen. I became too mindless, too lost in watching that world for me to leave.
Since youāre reading this, you probably know that I stream Nancy Drew on Twitch + have published varied Letās Plays on YouTube. Meaning that I have been diving more into what you may consider to be the tackiest entertainment passtime. I know thatās how I used to see it.
\\ rethinking video games
Iāve always had a love for the Nancy Drew computer games, + fondly remembered the scholastic games I used to play during the summers as a child ā but I never thought of them as video games. The video game label was reserved for Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Halo, + whatever else I thought was incredibly lame. I attached a single narrative to what was produced within the gaming industry + wrote it off as something that wasnāt worth my time.
Being introduced to the cozy side of gaming during the pandemic made me start to change my mind about video games as a whole. Understanding that there were different genres made me realize there were different stories I could experience.
After giving video games a chance, Iāve found myself to be enchanted by the worlds I visit + the characters I meet along the way. I recognize that Iām witnessing an artistās vision thatās been brought to life + the magical complexities of it inspire me. Also, funny enough, never has a game interrupted or perturbed my ability to get back into my creative flow. I often feel revitalized, rested, + inspired to dive in to my work once more. Something to think about, no?
\\ find your style
If youāre feeling bogged down by your current mindless pleasures, maybe try out a video game + experiement with how it affects your creative flow?
I created the list below so you can skim through + note the game styles that pique your interest. You can search all of these terms as tags, which I would do within Twitch.tv or Steam.
Role-Playing Game (RPG) | player controls the actions of the character(s) |
Point & Click | game is played by using a mouse rather than a gaming controller |
Puzzle | typically this means that to move ahead in the game you have to solve any variety of puzzle-based problems |
Sandbox | one of the most creative types of gaming for the player, typically in open world format + have no specific objective or linear storyline |
Retro | games that were made 15+ years ago, Mario + Sonic def count here |
Episodic | games released within shorter chapters throughout an overall larger series |
Choose Your Own Adventure | make diverting choices within the game that change the outcome of the plot, causing the game to have several endings |
Cinematic | the game can feel more like an interactive film, with various cutscenes + the like |
Adventure | you play roles within an interactive storyline that usually has a lot of freedom to explore, with some version of problem-solving or action-based challenges |
Open World | being able to move freely within a vast environment of the game |
Simulator | mimic activities that you would see in the real world, which can be exaggerated for a strong element of story or made to seem realistic for the sake of the experience |
Indie | games created under smaller teams that are likely to be more creative in how they use their resources to their game creation |
If you need an example, Animal Crossing is a simulation, open world game, + Nancy Drew is a RPG, point & click, + puzzle adventure game series.