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In Jason Rohrer’s 2009 Game Developer’s Conference talk titled Beyond Single Player: Hunting for an Artistic Niche, Rohrer describes how games can go beyond the metaphorical legitimacy line dividing games from other widely accepted artistic mediums while still keeping what is intrinsic to games. At the time, it was unclear how the elements he brought up (infinite replayability, involving multiple players to make game systems “blossom,” using the responses of one player to the other instead of skill or wit) would be applied to advance video games as an artistic medium. Listening to that talk now, it seems he clearly knew how these things could be applied and the result is his game, Sleep is Death.
Sleep is Death is a two player game in which one person, the controller, uses a toolset to create and tell a story with another person, the player, who plays it. The player can move around in a space, interact with objects and speak. Without any predetermined dialogue choices or verbs, the possibilities for what can occur are limitless. The game is played out in thirty-second long turns, with a player turn and a controller turn—the same call and response style of multiplayer Rohrer described in 2009. During the player’s turn, they can select the verb box, type in “Pick,” and position that box to point at an apple. Then it is the controller’s task to move the apple off of the tree and give it to the player. A similar situation occurs in dialogue with a non-player controlled character: the player types what they want to say and the controller responds in the following turn.
This huge amount of freedom provided in the forms of interactions feels incredibly liberating compared the extreme amounts of definition in current video games. If there is something the player wants to do, and the controller can respond to it appropriately, then it can happen. This kind of freedom can lead to players attempting to subvert the intent of the controller, but when this occurs, it usually results in something humorous that is equally enjoyable. Even when mistakes are made, like if the controller doesn’t act out the actions in time, it can be played off fairly easily and sometimes even adds to the story. In one story, the controller didn’t finish typing, the player questioned it, the mistake was excused as a sneeze and they continued on. Two players are what allow such open gameplay systems to function and unexpectedly great outcomes to emerge.
No longer being tied down to certain interactivity shackles also allows for a plethora of different stories. There was a contest in which people could submit their stories and the top three would win a monetary prize. The three winners couldn’t be any more different. One was a late night conversation under moonlight in a future where people have become inhumane. Another was a surreal fairytale-like story about a girl trying to get a plum for her mother. The last was about a grandmother reminiscing about her life through a photo with her granddaughter. Each had a different visual style, subject matter and storytelling method, yet they are all played in Sleep is Death. One could say that makes the game infinitely replayable but that is a concept that is hard to classify.
Either way, Sleep is Death is what we need in video games. We need variation. We need interactions with fewer limits. Does it advance the video game medium in the way we want? That is something that takes more time to fully realize. Does it seem to take a large step forward? That is an understatement. Sleep is Death is leaps and bounds beyond anything else we have right now.
Ben
[Sleep is Death is available on its official site for 14 dollars for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Slides from Jason Rohrer’s talk can be viewed here and a video of the talk, although given at Georgia Tech, can be seen here. The three winning stories can be viewed here.]
Comments
14 years ago
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...
These styalized and artistic expressions that use video games as a medium seem to be on the rise. Braid was the big breakout game that brought my attention to this sort if genre. This "Sleep is Death" looks like a big step in the right direction, not just for indie games, but in all games as a whole. All games should have some artistic mark, I think. Balancing the artistic elements and enjoyable aspects is a difficult thing to do.
14 years ago
I was wondering when you going to post about this Mr. Burch.
14 years ago
Interesting....
14 years ago
Well, it's certainly an interesting concept, and it sounds one step closer to my ultimate dream of a Dungeons and Dragons game will total freedom, but it seems like it's a novelty that won't hold up as a game. It's a proof of concept, if anything, and I commend it for doing something as amazing as this, but as a game, I don't see Sleep is Death doing anything that I'd want from a game, or that I could get from playing a Tabletop RPG.
14 years ago
14 dollars is a little pricey for what amounts to a faster, one on one version of a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure thread and access to a ton of art assets.
14 years ago
Im wondering how the balance amidst planning and improvisation turns out. From what I've read , it seemed more based on improvisation after the narrator has layed out a setting. Definitely seems to be pressure on the narrator, but with graphical resources implemented. However I'm not entirely sure it's that different to the pressure a gamemaster(GM) has in a tabletop RPG.
Be that as it may, I do not see this as just D&D, but with sprites. I see on the spot improvisation playing a big role, as well as the player bringing the story where they may choose to go with it.
14 years ago
I think freedom is great. And this game is extremely interesting in respects to freedom in gaming. But I feel it necessary to say that while it seems that lots of folks are whining about the lack of freedom in games, sometimes it's necessary if the creators are trying to tell a very specific story in a very specific way. Do I think that's an excuse that all developers can use? No, definitely not. But I think that some games benefit from being more linear. And I don't think that being linear is automatically taking away a great game/experience.
I do think, however, that some games could greatly benefit from more freedom. I don't know if I want as much freedom as Sleep is Death gives, but hopefully this will be a wake-up call, or a muse that will open up the gateway for more freedom in games that could greatly benefit from it.
14 years ago
I've actually had this game for about two weeks now via pre-order on the site, which brought the price down to $9 and gave me two copies. I gave one to a friend and I've been having a blast since, but don't expect it to "click" on your first few tries. After you get used to the system, you usually can have a great time, as I've had so far.
14 years ago
@Bayonetta: The thing is, most of the time, it is hard to tell what is improvised and what is planned. Somethings are obvious but most of the time, it just feels natural.
@Vanquish12V: Don't get me wrong, there are some interesting examples out there exploring what you don't or can't control--sometimes juxtaposed to what you can control. Judith is something that comes to mind off the top of my head and that game where you play as an elderly man in a nursing home--the name escapes me at the moment. Sometimes limits can make games better and the limits that make a game better are usually very intentional. But in a far broader sense, I do believe that this kind of freedom is something special, something needed more in video games overall and even something very distinct that video games can deliver.
14 years ago
Bought it nearly day 1. I really enjoy how easy it is to create just about anything you could want. The new music editor is also a VERY welcome change.
I doubt I'll ever get to actually play online with another person, but i still get enjoyment out of creating potential scenarios.
14 years ago
I would rather play D&D
13 years, 11 months ago
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