READY.
Hey, I’m JD★. I write software for a living, I’m an engineer, but most importantly? I’m interested in recreational systems of interaction — or, well, games!
Games have been a long-standing interest of mine as they combine two of my favorite areas: bringing enjoyment to folks through positive experiences, and complex and evolving rulesets that rely on the agency of the player. Whether it’s Tetris, Starcraft, Final Fantasy or Bejeweled, the underlying systems and the way players use (and abuse) them has enthralled me.
Since my primary expertise and window into the world of games is through the lens of a programmer, my writings here will focus on that aspect. I enjoy writing about technical ideas as much as I enjoy writing about fluffier material, but I hope that you will find my writing accessible even if you have to wade through some code on occasion.
My views are both highly opinionated and very incomplete: there are many ways to view games, and recognizing the virtues and vices of that lens is important — a professional speedrunner’s views will vary wildly from that of a busy parent squeezing in a few minutes of their favorite puzzle game on their phone. Different experiences and goals inevitably lead to different priorities and preferences in a game’s experience.