What is The Commune?
We're a group of gamers, and we're always looking for new gamers to join us. Every month or so, we pick a game to play. We chat about the game together, and we record podcasts, record videos, and write essays. You can reach The Commune in the following ways: As for me, I'm Greg Livingston, but I go by Golem. I organize things around here.
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Naturalism (Ecco the Dolphin)

Recorded on Oct 8, 2016
Uploaded on Oct 27, 2016
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Many say that the meaning of a video game is in its challenges. That is to say, when you play a video game and engage some obstacle, that engagement is meaningful.

In Ecco the Dolphin, the meaning isn't always apparent. Mazes and enemies have a certain "arbitrary" feel to them.

Here, in an effort to put our finger on what makes Ecco feel arbitrary, we discuss naturalism. We look for ways in which Ecco mimics reality, and we ask if its gameplay finds inspiration in the real world.
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