In this video, I try to figure out how Elden Ring differs from most open worlds, how they work in general, how open virtual worlds shape the player experience, and what place FromSoftware's latest game takes in their history. Support the channel on Boosty: https://boosty.to/j_calavera Telegram about games: https://t.me/hyperduh Telegram about everything else: https://t.me/pan_meditat​ Twitter: / panmeditat Moonscars: https://store.steampowered.com/app/13... 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:16 - Open worlds as pop music 00:04:42 - How open worlds work 00:13:20 - Elden Ring - another open world 00:22:02 - Collective cartography 00:30:51 - Function space vs. Experience Space 00:45:12 - Obstacles and Progression 00:52:04 - Forming (Bad) Habits 01:06:23 - The Benefits of Narrative Design 01:13:05 - The False Tear 01:18:30 - Balance and Autopilot 01:34:00 - Dual Bosses 01:44:45 - Malenia 01:52:54 - Experience Management 02:10:54 - Acknowledgments Video Context Washington Post article on why everyone is doing open worlds: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-... Systems Complexity - Artificial Life: An Overview by Christopher Langton: https://direct.mit.edu/books/book/394... Less Is More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal... Hobo Code AKA Hobo Code: https://owlcation.com/humanities/All-... and https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles... Self-Determination Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-de... Need for Closure, Arie Kruglyansky: https://link.springer.com/article/10... Regulatory Focus, Edward Tory Higgins: https://publications.hse.ru/pubs/shar... Wayne Attoe - Architecture & Critical Imagination: https://www.abebooks.com/978047199574... On the accessibility of Elden Ring game design: https://www.fanbyte.com/reviews/elden... Our podcast: • HORROR, FEAR AND ANXIETY OF VIDEO GAMES. About the book... Materials used Lvl1 Wretch VS Malenia Blade of Miquella [Solo, No Damage, Parry Kill] — • Elden Ring - Lvl1 Wretch VS Malenia B... Lvl1 Wretch VS Radagon & Elden Beast [Solo, No Damage] — • Elden Ring - Lvl1 Wretch VS Radagon &... Elden Ring - Miquella Is Mine Now — • Elden Ring - Miquella Is Mine Now Assassin's Creed: Valhalla - • Assassin's Creed: Valhalla - Before Y... 6 ways to dodge Malenia's flurry slashes combo [No shield/hit] - • Elden Ring - 6 ways to dodge Malenia'... Sister Friede and Father Ariandel Boss Fight (4K 60fps) - • Dark Souls 3 Ashes of Ariandel: Siste... Demon in Pain and Demon from Below Boss Fight (4K 60fps) — • Dark Souls 3 Ringed City: Demon in Pa... Ornstein & Smough Boss Fight (4K 60FPS) — • Dark Souls Remastered PS5 - Ornstein ... Ornstein and Smough Boss Fight — • Dark Souls: Ornstein and Smough Boss ... Looking Glass Knight Boss Fight (4K 60fps) — • Dark Souls 2: Looking Glass Knight Bo... Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos Boss Fight (1080p) — • Bloodborne: Ebrietas, Daughter of the... Ebrietas Great Isz Chalice BL4 - Fairly safe/easy strategy (Charge attack dodge) — • Bloodborne™ Ebrietas Great Isz Chalic... Flamelurker Boss Fight — • Demon's Souls 4K: Flamelurker Boss Fi... Demon's Souls PS3 / PS5 Nexus intro comparison — • Demon's Souls PS3 / PS5 Nexus intro c... Mad Men Hobo Code — • Mad Men Hobo Code Thief vs. AAA Gaming — • Thief vs. AAA Gaming SpeedTree 9 Release Teaser — • SpeedTree 9 Release Teaser NES Longplay [040] The Legend of Zelda — • NES Longplay [040] The Legend of Zeld... Evolution Of Dragon Quest Games (1986 – 2018) — • Video The Many Myths and Legends of GTA San Andreas — • The Many Myths and Legends of GTA San... What Made GTA San Andreas A BIG Deal? — • What Made GTA San Andreas A BIG Deal? Ant Attack Walkthrough, ZX Spectrum - • Ant Attack Walkthrough, ZX Spectrum