Reading Response #2
to Artful Design • Chapter 2: “Designing Expressive Toys”

Raghav G.
10/7/2023
Music 256A / CS476a, Stanford University

I very much resonated with the content of Chapter 2 in Artful Design, specifically with Principle 2.6 and Principle 2.4. 

Principle 2.4 states that design should take full advantage of physicality, and artfully blend the physical with the virtual space. I find myself seeing this design philosophy applied in numerous examples with items I interact in my day to day life. Given how a lot of technologies and apps have been ported over from physical devices to virtual software applications in recent years, I have still noticed that for very specific reasons, certain devices have not made that jump yet. For example, guitar tuners, compasses, and calculators have all made the jump from being physical tools once integral for navigation and day to day life, to casual applications anyone can access from their phone. The tactile physicality of these devices was not something entirely required for its usage, but something that had been largely associated with them nonetheless. These are examples of devices where the physical component could be removed without a significant impact on the experience. 

On the other hand, video game controllers have remained a physical device, despite numerous attempts to remove their physical attributes. For example, the Steam controller attempted to redesign what a game controller was, and replaced the twin joysticks with two circular touchpads. However, this aspect of the controller received a very controversial response, as many felt that the loss of physical joysticks removed the necessary tactile feeling that video game controllers were supposed to provide. From a design lens, it could be said that the dual trackpads on the Steam Controller exemplified a failure in the blend of the physical and virtual aspects of design. Even when I look at my PS5 controller, many of its new creative features demonstrate a beautiful blend of the physical and virtual aspects of design. For example, the adaptive triggers allow for developers to program different haptic trigger responses for different in-game actions, something I have noticed time and time again to improve my gameplay experience. 

Principle 2.6 states that technology should create calm. Prof. Wang’s video essay demonstrates this principle tremendously as wandering the endless wheat fields provided me with a surreal feeling of calm, even if it was just through a pre-recorded video. I have also experienced similar serene moments in video games, whether it is traversing beautiful landscapes on horseback in Ghost of Tsushima or sitting on a skyscraper and watching New York City's hustle and bustle in Spiderman PS5. Given the technical improvements coming to sound design, graphics, and animation in recent years, I wonder what more tranquil experiences games in the future will have in store for us.