[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.37,0:00:01.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.37,0:00:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s the hot new indie darling.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.48,0:00:09.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It shifted a million copies in a month, it’s\Nbeen streamed by pretty much everyone on Twitch,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.54,0:00:13.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it’s one of the top rated games of 2024\Nso far.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.49,0:00:16.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’ve also played it… quite a bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.28,0:00:22.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, this game has - and this is according\Nto its own designer - a “fundamental design flaw”.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.97,0:00:28.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A “cursed problem” that the designer has\Nbeen unable to solve.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.52,0:00:30.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let me explain.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.68,0:00:35.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First - if you somehow haven’t played Balatro,\Nit’s a card game about trying to find poker
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.77,0:00:38.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hands in order to score points.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.19,0:00:40.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Better hands score bigger points.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.27,0:00:45.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But on top of that, you can do all sorts of\Nwily tricks to boost your score.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.62,0:00:47.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Special cards rack up more points.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.94,0:00:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Crazy joker cards change the rules of the\Ngame.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.52,0:00:57.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you can stack your deck - or toss away\Ncards - to make certain hands more happenable.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.26,0:01:04.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s a really fun game - a sublime, synergistic\Nslot-machine that feels fun to play, and is
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.49,0:01:06.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even more fun to break.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.16,0:01:12.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s also really elegantly designed - with\Nits clean UI, straightforward concept, and,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.28,0:01:17.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well, just how much depth has been squeezed\Nout of a few key systems.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.50,0:01:20.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there’s one… interesting design choice\Nin there.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.68,0:01:26.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it’s this: the game doesn’t tell you\Nhow many points you’re going to score, before
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.03,0:01:27.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you play your hand.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.48,0:01:32.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You simply pick your cards, cross your fingers,\Nand hit go.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.25,0:01:35.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this would be really quite helpful information.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.95,0:01:39.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It could tell you to play one hand over another.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.49,0:01:45.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It could tell you if you’re about to scrape\Npast the ante, or miss it by a few points.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.26,0:01:50.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It could tell you if you’re about to win\Nthe entire game - or lose the whole thing
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.07,0:01:52.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and have to start from scratch.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.05,0:01:53.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yet…
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.05,0:01:58.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro doesn’t give you a, let’s call\Nit - a score preview.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.38,0:02:02.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course, this was an entirely intentional\Ndesign choice.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.74,0:02:08.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,LocalThunk - the game’s anonymous Canadian\Ndesigner - has explained that, for him, the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.17,0:02:13.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,joy of Balatro lives in that precise moment\NI just described.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.62,0:02:16.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you cross your fingers and hit play.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.12,0:02:21.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you’ve set up your point-scoring engine\Nand hope that it will bring home the bacon.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.55,0:02:26.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,LocalThunk says “my personal belief is that\Nthe game is more fun when you set up your
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.42,0:02:33.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rube Goldberg machine and watch it go before\Nknowing whether or not the hand will win the round.”
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.42,0:02:35.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Balatro totally plays into this!
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.95,0:02:40.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s so much hype and pageantry after\Nplaying your hand.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.14,0:02:43.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The numbers tick up, with escalating sound\Neffects.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.45,0:02:48.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each card and joker steps forward in turn\Nto add their points to the total.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.19,0:02:54.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you’re lucky, the score multiplier will\Nset on fire and start to burn hotter and hotter
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.36,0:02:56.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with each multiplication.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.64,0:03:00.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so if you already knew how many points\Nyou were going to get.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.09,0:03:05.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If a bit of UI had pre-calculated the score\Nand told you that you were going to win the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.12,0:03:06.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ante with this hand…
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.78,0:03:07.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well none of that would matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.99,0:03:10.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, it would just get in the way.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.95,0:03:14.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is not the only reason to forgo a score\Npreview, mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.17,0:03:18.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It would also add cruft to the UI - especially\Nwhen you need to account for cards that have
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.65,0:03:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,random properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.59,0:03:25.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How do you elegantly show a range of possible\Nscores?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.44,0:03:30.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It would slow the game down, incentivising\Nplayers to check every possible hand to find
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.77,0:03:32.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the highest-scoring combination.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.22,0:03:38.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it would change the entire feel - from\Na chill game about vibing with cards, to a
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.33,0:03:41.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stern spreadsheet-style strategy game.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.35,0:03:46.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so this is a totally legit game design\Ndecision, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.48,0:03:50.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every game designer has to choose how much\Ninformation to give to the player.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.56,0:03:55.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, should you show a boss’s health bar,\Nor keep it hidden?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.89,0:04:00.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Should enemies come up with their strategies\Nin secret, or should their intent be explained
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.40,0:04:01.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the player?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.67,0:04:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I’ve explored in various other videos,\Nhow much information a player has will change
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.06,0:04:10.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their behaviour, and change the way the game\Nfeels.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.87,0:04:16.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so Balatro hides its score preview to\Nmake players act more quickly - and to create
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.23,0:04:20.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a feeling of suspense and drama whenever you\Nplay a hand.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.29,0:04:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,LocalThunk had an experience in mind - and\Npicked mechanics that would nudge players
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.10,0:04:26.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,towards that feeling.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.67,0:04:28.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A smart design choice.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.89,0:04:30.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.13,0:04:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro is not like those other games I just\Nshowed.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.97,0:04:39.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because while the score preview is hidden\Nfrom the player… the information is still
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.48,0:04:41.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,technically available!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.53,0:04:44.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because you can just… you can just calculate it yourself.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.53,0:04:49.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, like…. a straight is worth 30 chips\Nand 4 mult.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.51,0:04:56.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These cards are going to add an extra 10,\N20, 30, 39, 47 chips, and then the two face
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.42,0:04:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cards will add another 30 each thanks to this\Njoker.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.99,0:05:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that’s 137 chips times 4… 548.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.28,0:05:07.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not quite enough to beat the ante.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.07,0:05:08.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But close.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.33,0:05:13.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so if information in a game can be hidden,\Nor visible…
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.10,0:05:19.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro’s score preview falls into a weird\Nhalf category - hidden, but attainable if
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.58,0:05:21.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you really want it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.48,0:05:25.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that’s the fundamental design flaw at\Nthe heart of Balatro.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.58,0:05:31.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The designer wants the excitement of a slot\Nmachine - but also the numerical predicability
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.50,0:05:33.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of an Excel spreadsheet.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.14,0:05:38.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so the only way to square that circle\Nis to hope that players won’t bother to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.94,0:05:41.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,calculate the final score.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.31,0:05:46.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But if we go back to that timeless Soren Johnson\Nquote - “given the opportunity, players
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.72,0:05:51.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will optimize the fun out of a game” - it\Nshouldn’t be surprising that a number of
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.32,0:05:56.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro players are playing the game with\Nthe calculator app open on their phone, or
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.31,0:06:01.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a spreadsheet set up on a second monitor,\Nor with Steam’s in-game overlay showing
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.69,0:06:05.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a bespoke website that calculates Balatro\Nhands.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.87,0:06:10.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And - actually - this is exactly why Balatro\Nhas a deck view.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.84,0:06:16.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During playtesting, the game did not show\Nyou which cards were left in your deck.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.07,0:06:21.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But - again - playtesters could technically\Nget that information by tracking which cards
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.57,0:06:23.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had already been played.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.09,0:06:28.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And after polling users, LocalThunk found\Nthat many were doing just that - even though
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.79,0:06:30.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it really wasn’t much fun.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.27,0:06:32.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So he added a powerful deck peek feature.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.79,0:06:35.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But a score preview felt different.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.87,0:06:40.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It felt like it encroached upon the DNA of\Nthe game.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.08,0:06:42.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It stepped on the stuff that made Balatro…
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.55,0:06:43.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balatro.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.68,0:06:48.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so while the designer is empathetic to\Npeople who wish to play more strategically.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.57,0:06:54.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And is bummed out that the optimum way to\Nplay involves busywork, and doing calculations
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.84,0:07:00.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,outside of the game, he worries that adding\Na score preview would spoil the fun for those
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.30,0:07:01.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who wish to play more casually.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.92,0:07:04.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that’s totally true!
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.30,0:07:08.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Making a game better for one group can make\Nit worse for another.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.83,0:07:13.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As a designer you need to be certain who the\Ngame is for - and then protect that player
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.68,0:07:16.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,base from certain design decisions.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.83,0:07:20.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if that design decision is provided merely\Nas an option.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.83,0:07:26.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Speaking on the Eggplant podcast, LocalThunk\Nsays “if I add an option to have this score
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.54,0:07:30.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,preview, people are just going to click on\Nit, and they're not going to experience the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.04,0:07:32.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,game that I wanted to create.”
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.55,0:07:38.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And besides - should a designer even have\Nto endorse an option that directly goes against
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.30,0:07:40.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their intentions for the game?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.05,0:07:44.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,LocalThunk has been clear that he made the\Ngame for himself - and isn’t interested
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.37,0:07:47.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in changing the game for other people.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.15,0:07:49.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if there are a million of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.68,0:07:51.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But. Here’s the rub.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.92,0:07:57.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s one thing to make a bold design choice\Nand then stand by it, for the betterment of
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.66,0:07:58.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the game.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.66,0:08:01.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To shun the haters and stick by your design.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.48,0:08:07.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that doesn’t really work if there’s\Na way for players to find a way around your
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.13,0:08:11.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choice - no matter how tedious that loophole\Nmight be.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.18,0:08:12.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we know this!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.41,0:08:16.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because this is not the first time this has\Nhappened to a game.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.10,0:08:21.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, it’s not even the first time it’s\Nhappened to an extremely popular roguelike.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.27,0:08:23.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Enter: The Binding of Isaac.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.89,0:08:28.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this basement-dwelling dungeon crawler\Nis packed with powerful items and upgrades…
Dialogue: 0,0:08:28.66,0:08:31.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the game doesn’t tell you what they\Ndo.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.98,0:08:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They just have a name, or a cryptic tagline,\Nor maybe just three question marks.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.00,0:08:44.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The game’s designer, Edmund McMillen, did\Nthis on purpose to create a feeling of mystery,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:44.28,0:08:47.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,similar to the sensation he got when playing\Ngames as a kid - like
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.66,0:08:49.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the original Legend of Zelda.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.71,0:08:54.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He described that game by saying “You weren't\Nsure what things did until you experimented
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.14,0:08:58.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with them, and you had to brainstorm with\Nyour friends and put all your findings together
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.64,0:09:00.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in order to progress”.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.25,0:09:05.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so to mimic that mysterious sensation\Nin Isaac - the items are deliberately left
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.27,0:09:06.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unexplained.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.27,0:09:11.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You’ll need to pick things up, try them,\Nand puzzle out their properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.28,0:09:17.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Finding a new item should lead to curiosity,\Nexperimentation, and surprise.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.33,0:09:20.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that worked… for about five seconds.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:20.69,0:09:25.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then people figured out what all the items\Ndid and put that information up on wikis and
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.27,0:09:26.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,other websites.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.78,0:09:29.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Want to know what this weird little thing\Nwill do?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.66,0:09:34.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just find it on Platinum God and mouse over\Nit for a full description.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.07,0:09:39.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, like Balatro - McMillen chose to hide\Ninformation to create a certain feeling.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.53,0:09:43.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But because that information is technically\Nattainable - this time with a Google search
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.98,0:09:48.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rather than a spreadsheet - a number of players\Nended up playing the game in a completely
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.16,0:09:50.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,different way than the designer intended.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.83,0:09:52.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Arguably, a worse way.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.88,0:09:58.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so after multiple DLC packs which added\Nhundreds of new pick-ups, this has become,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.49,0:10:02.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,basically, the defacto way to play The Binding\Nof Isaac.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.67,0:10:06.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,McMillen says “People would always say,\N"You can't play Isaac without a browser open
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.60,0:10:07.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on your phone."
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.60,0:10:11.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I hated that that's how everyone played for\Nso long... and still play”.”.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.75,0:10:17.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, he’s described the lack of item\Ndescriptions as the biggest flaw with Binding
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.27,0:10:18.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of Isaac.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.27,0:10:22.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This design choice has basically haunted him\Nin the years since Isaac’s release.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.22,0:10:28.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in a post in 2023, McMillen has said that\Nhe’s considering finally adding item descriptions
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.32,0:10:30.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into the game as an optional feature.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.70,0:10:34.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps deciding that it’s better to support\Nthem officially, than players having a worse
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.59,0:10:38.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,time with your game because of the way you\Ndesigned it.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.16,0:10:42.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I wonder if something similar might happen\Nwith Balatro.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.50,0:10:45.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I don’t think the two examples are\Nexactly the same.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.48,0:10:51.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I agree that Balatro is more fun to play without\Nscore previews and I’ve never once thought
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.16,0:10:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to pre-calculate a score in the 30-odd hours\NI’ve played the game.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.19,0:11:02.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This issue only really affects a small portion\Nof the game’s most hardcore, strategy-minded audience.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.52,0:11:08.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But over time, as the game’s long tail stretches\Nout, I think this decision might come to haunt
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.68,0:11:11.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the developer, just like Isaac’s item descriptions.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.55,0:11:16.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, if you’re watching LocalThunk, I think\Nthere are ways to provide this as an option
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.43,0:11:20.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to these players… without spoiling the game\Nfor everyone else.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:20.38,0:11:26.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one, a score preview is only needed by\Nplayers who are incredibly invested in the
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.06,0:11:30.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,game, so the option could be granted as a\Nlate-game unlock - and not as something you
Dialogue: 0,0:11:30.83,0:11:33.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can switch on from the word go.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.04,0:11:38.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Kinda like how, I dunno, how Chrono Cross has\Na fast-forward button, but it only unlocks
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.66,0:11:40.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after you’ve beaten the game.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.72,0:11:45.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The option could also be clearly communicated\Nto the player - like how Celeste prefaces
Dialogue: 0,0:11:45.75,0:11:50.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,its powerful assist mode with a message that\Nexplains who this option is for.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.68,0:11:55.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or how Heat Signature politely asks you to\Nnot turn off permadeath, please, it’s there
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.81,0:11:56.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for a reason.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.95,0:12:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or Balatro could open itself up to mods - so\Nusers can hack their own score preview into
Dialogue: 0,0:12:02.88,0:12:06.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the game, without the developer needing to\Nofficially support it.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.71,0:12:11.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is actually what happened to Isaac - the\N‘External Item Descriptions’ mod is the
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.78,0:12:17.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most popular Isaac add-on in the game’s\NSteam workshop, with almost 2 million subscribers.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.32,0:12:19.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s not great for console players, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:19.67,0:12:24.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it could instead be provided it as a cheat\Ncode - so players have to actively seek this
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.52,0:12:29.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thing out, rather than stumble onto it as\Nan innocuous option in the menu.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.13,0:12:34.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I’ve discussed in my videos about accessibility\N- there are plenty of ways to open a game
Dialogue: 0,0:12:34.57,0:12:41.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up to a wider audience, without necessarily\Nspoiling it for the target group of players.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.20,0:12:47.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whatever LocalThunk decides to do, this has\Nproven to be a fascinating game design case study.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.51,0:12:51.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,About how you can change how a game feels,\Nby changing how much information you give
Dialogue: 0,0:12:51.34,0:12:52.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the player.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.56,0:12:56.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,About how players won’t always act in the\Nway you want them to, especially if you leave
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.98,0:12:58.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,open a loophole.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:58.42,0:13:03.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And about how the best intentions in game\Ndesign sometimes have to change, when you
Dialogue: 0,0:13:03.31,0:13:06.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,see how players actually interact with your\Ngame.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.78,0:13:10.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’ll be curious to see what happens with\NBalatro.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:10.47,0:13:15.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For now - check out this video on heads up\Ndisplays, where I talk more about how information
Dialogue: 0,0:13:15.21,0:13:18.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can change the way a player acts, and feels.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:18.54,0:13:20.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching.