Great Artists Steal

[@inactivesnail]

I think the soul in deltarune represents plagiarism

[@Cruxin]

The third entity is just copying off the player

[@HouseHaved]

I LOVE plagarism

[@funnylittlecreature]

@@HouseHavedbased

[@padriazozzriaorizifian8672]

@@Cruxin I don't like the third entity.

[@al_eggs]

when you collect all of the shadow crystals you get the true ending (a 4 hour bossfight with hbomberguy)

[@Ech_The_Sentiant]

"Great Artists Steal" - Andrew Cunningham after harvesting my kindeys Edit: This entire video is unbelievably based

[@Hanandro-C]

I appreciate editing the comment but still not editing the mistypo

[@Ech_The_Sentiant]

@@Hanandro-C Professionals have standards

[@catmaster2231]

@@Hanandro-C typo? his kindneys were stolen.

[@padriazozzriaorizifian8672]

how very kind of him, ey?

[@CalamitasCalliope]

Honestly, i think since the H. Bomb video people have gotten way too excited about "defending" copyright law. There has been the philosophy of the soon to be billionaire. The type of people who make 100,000 a year, but freak the fuck out whenever taxes are levied against billionaires. That mentality has been challenged a lot in recent years, but one part of it that isn't challenged enough is how this applies to copyright law. Copyright law does not protect artists. At all. It protects corporations and gives them ammo to attack artists. Microsoft could steal RAM on a level that is obvious to anyone who is familiar with it and it would be very unlikely for Andrew to see any compensation for it. And on the opposite end, Nintendo could decide on a whim that RAM is too close to any of their countless game design patents and sue him into oblivion. Creating art of any kind is an inherently iterative process. While it is very possible for some people to go to far in the process, the H. Bomb's video is a good example, but as long as laws exist for this kind of thing they will only be used to empower corporations and hurt artists. And since these laws are not going anywhere then people need to resist the urge to be white knights for copyright law.

[@superduper5831]

I feel like the point of h bomber guy’s vid was to encourage people to do their own research in order to stop supporting ppl who straight up spread misinformation. i think ppl took it the wrong way tho based on what ur saying o(-(

[@funnylittlecreature]

THIS IS REAL AS FUCK!!!!!!!

[@godlyvex5543]

@@superduper5831 I think that there is something to be said about not just ripping stuff 1:1 with no effort put in aside from your voiceover. Illuminaughti (is that how you spell it) was the one that upset me the most, since her content was basically just reading words on a page out loud and presenting it as her own thoughts. James somerton was bad for a few reasons, his plagiarism wasn't really justifiable but he had put in some effort at least. I dislike internet historian for other reasons, but I feel like the man in the hole video actually added a lot to the story by using visuals (though it was cringe AF that he didn't credit the article and just let everyone assume he wrote the story). In general I think if you credit things (in an obvious way and make it clear you are not taking credit) then it's fine to, well, steal. If you create a voiceover and animation for an article, I do think you should be able to release that to be enjoyed by people, even if the original creator didn't want you to do that. What tips it into being actually morally wrong (in my opinion) is passing the work off as your own.

[@Filloax]

No, copyright law still protects creators (not only art) in a way that is important to have. Without it, corporations would steal stuff that looks good from artists with no remorse at all, and small creators would have no means to protect themselves.

[@KhairiHamed]

@@Filloaxa double edged sword, would you say?

[@jjju3]

"take what you like and rip out what you don't, and then fill the gaps with yourself" i might throw up that line hit me so hard.

[@FireheadLazzo]

I stopped washing the dishes to look over and just STARE. What a beautiful cap to the video.

[@igrazm2437]

a line gone wild, gone sexual

[@silverstar4505]

Yeah.

[@KaijuRhino]

"we love andrew cunningham" we all say in unison.

[@stygiansilver9320]

We love andrew cunningham!

[@_m6_]

we love andrew cunningham

[@viceisverycool]

we love andrew cunningham

[@komadino]

we love andrew cunningham

[@Ava-uq5dh]

we love andrew cunningham

[@Kowka_official]

I read the title as "Great artist seal" and was dissapointed to not see a seal paint for 19 minutes straight there is something wrong with me

[@ramirosilvaalmeida6768]

Wonder posting

[@sirexilon49]

No, this is a perfectly normal reaction

[@keffen281]

Wonder speech bubble

[@galdoug8918]

I was expecting a video essay on why Kiss from a Rose is such a great song

[@raph2550]

No, there is something wrong with the video as you pointed out. There is no seal paint

[@kuraijen7392]

I don't know the exact quote or where I remember it from, but there's an explanation I heard about the concept of "great artists steal" where being able to properly implement so many ideas from different sources and understanding why they work/are enjoyed shows that you are immersed in your craft and are well learned from other successful creatives. RAM shows that it can stand on its own ideas with confidence while also paying respectful homage to its shining predecessor before it, and as someone who has been struggling in finding their legs in understanding the balance of "stealing" and "original idea," I find this video breakdown incredibly inspiring. Hoping for a stellar launch for RAM, y'all deserve the incoming success ahead!

[@catpurrito5586]

great artists learn (steal)

[@reacespieces1551]

"Oh yeah, I just remembered that channel that does Deltarune sometimes! Here let me go back and watch a few! Wow that Gaster video is still pretty cool, I wonder when Andrew last uploade- Oh... Literally right now."

[@Llamallove-j6h]

Literally just happened to me too

[@tsudough]

whats interesting is this applies to literally everything else. The biggest thing ive learned as a jazz musician is to listen to other people, it's how you build your ideas.

[@32th]

All I gotta say to that is: The Lick

[@loziclec.1295]

This process is really fun when it comes to drawing imo. I see a cool picture, try to draw something in that style, realize that the process of drawing like that isn’t enjoyable, and make adjustments until it is.

[@sillowillo]

​@@32th:(

[@darksentinel082]

I feel like “stealing” ideas in a creative manner like this is not only inevitable, but NECESSARY. Like. In order to take the time and effort to create a game, you need to Love games. I mean LOVE them. And if you love something it will influence you, and your creative direction. That’s the beauty of video games as a community. People play games and love games and make games because of and through that love, which makes more people love games and make their own.

[@Colddirector]

I kinda think of how JJBA Part 1 is basically Fist of the North Star except written by a crazy person. Realistically, it's impossible not to "steal" ideas because your creative drive is inherently coloured by the media you consume. I think the mark of a good artist is understanding that, and either evolving the concept or putting your own spin onto it, or both ideally. Edit: I just realized that description of JJBA is, word for word, from a years old Super Eyepatch Wolf video, decided to keep it in because it kinda strengthens my point lol

[@coldcalzone7071]

RAMMING OUT IN APPROXIMATELY 42 DAYS

[@zymosan99]

finally, I can download RAM without getting a virus.

[@KingBreadSlice]

Well this is exactly what i needed to get myself back into game development. I was worried that what i was planning took too much dna from RAM, but now im motivated to continue and make the worst RAM clone there ever was!

[@andrew_cunningham]

do it

[@shnitzeedumple]

Hell yeah dawg, do it!

[@CalvinNoire]

​@@andrew_cunningham Andrew, please do a game jam where people are tasked in making a RAM clone lol.

[@jobber24601]

There's a good Jack Kirby quote about stealing, "If you think a man draws the type of hands that you want to draw, steal 'em. Take those hands."

[@vizard5130]

"And its a lesson i learned...after all, i stole all his audience. And his trophy" WHAT A LINE. WHAT A LIIIINE AHAHAHAHA

[@geno_stars]

I've desperately wanted to star developing a game for quite some time, but struggled with the feeling of unoriginality. I've done all sorts of little projects but nothing I have ever worked on went anywhere because I would tell myself "this is just a shiddy version of _____"... I have so many fond memories and an obsession over gamefeel, so in my mind, I want to take those feelings and amalgamate them together. Certain little aspects I wanted to basically steal from other games and give my own little twist to. Your process of "stealing" bits from other games, all leading up to a singular original mechanic is incredibly honest and... well, it makes a lot of sense. It's inspirational and realistic. One day, you might just play a new indie game without realizing that you're directly responsible for the developer finding the conviction to unapologetically make it. I think I really needed to hear all of this. Thank you.

[@andrew_cunningham]

So there's an anecdote I couldn't fit into the video... when Toby and I won that award at IGF, we were ushered into this dark backstage area and interviewed by some press, but then on the walk back we passed this shadowy figure just standing backstage. It turned out he was Rami Ismail, co-creator of Nuclear throne. We shook his hand and deliriously explained how big of an inspiration his game was to ours, and he replied with some jedi-ass shit like "one day, someone else will be on that stage thanking you for inspiring them". Cool guy.

[@turquoise7817]

@@andrew_cunningham holy shit lol, good to know he's that cool in person too

[@MomoSweetPeach]

Damn this videos overall message is exactly how i was feeling with seeing how proudly Toby Fox wears his inspirations on his sleeve that realization that learning and copying from other things isn't shameful, but when done earnestly, is transformative and evolutionary. Great vid, my guy

[@void-creature]

That might unironically be the most effective call to action I've ever seen in a KZbin video, and like most I've seen about 42 billion of those.

[@chaosbeam4654]

Why does sans look like he’s about to mug me

[@sergio_circoloide]

he is

[@SZvenM]

Because he is a great artist

[@lek289]

I will say, I don't know if I'll ever get the opportunity but I'd like to steal the "style system as currency" idea for a game of a completely different genre at some point. Great video on the creative process Mr Cunningham.

[@andrew_cunningham]

do it

[@bonisson_]

This is actually scary precise timing. I'm making my own game inspired by Undertale and some other anime and games I like, and I was worried that I wasn't actually creating anything original. The fact that Toby himself basically did the same thing really made me feel better. I really hope I can help by wishlisting your game !

[@philltheotherguy1868]

Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one that remembers epic battle fantasy. Thank you.

[@andrew_cunningham]

EBF fills the role in my childhood that FF is supposed to.

[@pokenemo1595]

WOOOO EPIC BATTLE FANTASY

[@zalandercalander]

FUCK YEAH!!!!

[@ExaltedUriel]

​@@andrew_cunninghamI'm exactly the same way, I played the hell out of those flash games as a kinda-poor kid

[@playermat8574]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!

[@greenhydra10]

There's something really funny about Gaster saying "SEEMS LEGIT" for some reason.

[@dodge7246]

"Take what you like, rip out what you don't, then fill the gaps with yourself" Ah yes, therapy As someone hoping to make games some day: This was unbelievably inspiring Can't wait to steal from RAM

[@BlueNSL]

you can now form a parasocial relationship with a video game's success simply by clicking the wishlist button on the store page. years from now, when Northernlion is playing RAM and yapping about how becoming a VTuber improved his female viewership, you can say "i did that. i made this game blow up in popularity."

[@pootsiii8178]

Very few things inspire me to make games or even just play music or whatever I'm interested in as much as your videos. I don't know what it is, but the way you lay out the creative process is so interesting, it's definitely helped by how consistently great your editing has been over the years. The speech on how media can just happen to you really resonated with me as well, another person who has been brainrotted by Undertale from the age of 13 to 22. I really wish Xylem Studiios the very best, and I'll be there when RAM launches.

[@ramirosilvaalmeida6768]

oh you thought that because it wasn't a stream i wouldn't give you money? you are a fool jokes aside, thank you so much for making a video like this, its easy when you make art to form a paranoia over it, that its less than the sum of its parts, that you are not enough to make it be worth something, fear of being a broken record instead of an artist anxiety over stuff like this doesn't go away by thinking harder about it on your own, it disappears when others can share their experiences and make themselves vulnerable enough to show their fears and confront them as well as arming others with the power of knowledge and stories your work is not just good, its important, you help people, and i wanted you to know that

[@fish5671]

Is that the argentine peso ?

[@ramirosilvaalmeida6768]

@@fish5671 yes

[@randomperson-pf6iy]

@@ramirosilvaalmeida6768how much would that be in dollars

[@TokenOracle]

@@randomperson-pf6iy with a basic google, about $1, though I don't know how much 1000 ARS could buy you in Argentinia.

[@borb5353]

100% agree this man is incredible

[@Spamkromite]

I think Mark Brunet explained it very well about how stealing art really works. But yours is like an essay on how indies should learn from other masters that walked before them, because there is no way around the learning curve but to imitate who has succeeded in the past. That's the beauty of being self-taught and broken as a window shop in downtown.

[@ChanceTheCheetah]

The speech towards the end is really powerful, I found myself rewatching that last quarter of the video (basically the whole section with Heart of the Mountain) multiple times, it's really effective stuff

[@peg9125]

I don't think a single video game essay has ever made me feel anything like this video has. The feeling is indescribable, it's a mix of motivating, haunting, and a tinge of realization-- a realization that I have been viewing the world incorrectly. I am not afraid to admit that I used to be an individual who believed the creative process was a process in which the individual must come up with unique perspectives, concepts, and ideas that transcend what has already been put on the table. However, I never realized that art is not unique, (not until this video, that is). Inherently, we are biased or influenced by the environment surrounding us, our actions, our beliefs, our entire personality is based on what we percieve (which is a bit morbid of you think about it, because then an argument can be made that free will doesn't exist, but that's a tangential idea and I'm already yapping). No idea can be called "unique" because it has been "stolen" off of something that caused the existence of such an idea, so it's best to not be paranoid over such an idea. Instead, embrace it, love it, care for it, care for it as if you yourself are the parent of such an idea and foster it to become something that can be called "unique", even though it's roots and origins may be from a different blood.

[@bigkebizino8970]

The Usage of Epic Battle Fantasy footage in this made me smile. As someone who thinks these games are masively underrated, its nice to see them appear in other places. Really liked the video as well, as someone starting lots of ideas that are directly inpired by other art, I wholeheartdly agree with its message.

[@idiotmgee7368]

The final monologue - that about breaking a game's skeleton and fashioning a throne out of the pieces - makes me think of one word only: Sublation! You will overcome these games and create something entirely new, whose ultimate purpose is to be sublated again. This is the development of history, encapsulated in gamedev. Wishlisting RAM immediately!

[@VForceWave]

I said this on your first video and I will say it again, you have an insane talent for selecting the best possible clips for whatever point you are trying to make. Getting jumpscared with totono and yandev's coding at those exact moments was wild. RAM is wishlisted, I'll play the demo this weekend.

[@maipeikko3151]

Bro just came up with the anthropophagic manifesto all over again but game style. Let's. Go.

[@angelnati8297]

anthropophagic manifesto mentioned

[@lillycutie3806]

i love this video i love the subtitle “how i learned to stop worrying and love the creative process,” that is never brought up directly but pierces me through the heart we truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and i think the cursed mirror is just more proof of why games are so good, and i couldnt possibly explain the breadth of why. well paced, well spoken, and captivates me in a way that i want to keep watching of my own volition. im bad at being concise but i loved it :]

[@DE23]

I think "Nightmare Video" is the best way that Spear of Justice video can be described like everything about that video is just utterly baffling yet presented with the utmost confidence

[@BowMannnnn]

amazing video! I love that you stressed that it doesn't matter if stealing ideas isn't "creative", since as long as the greater whole is creative and awesome enough, that's what people will remember it for. Genuienly a wonderful message that I feel like more artists need to here!

[@ExaltedUriel]

10:54 Yooo Running Shine mention, I love that guy Great video btw, I have always been an ardent believer in the "bad artists copy, great artists steal" addage, and this is a great breakdown of how being influenced by the media we consume is unavoidable and it's better to not pretend like you can literally reinvent the wheel. I actually avoided watching your RAM devlogs but I got tricked into watching this video because I thought it was "just" a video essay but I probably will be picking up RAM when it releases, the game looks great 👍

[@MadamLava094]

Andrew "Toby Fox" Cunningham continues to have excellent and well-formatted takes Definitely heavily resonate with the "cursed mirror" aspect of engaging with games as artistic works, I really do like to comprehend what makes them tick and how those pieces could be put together

[@LeatherIceCream]

Great video! It's good that you mention Isaac because not only does it ALSO takes from a bunch of other games, it has influences from all sorts of stuff; Music, Film, Comics, Real Life experiences especially. If anything, some devs could really use hobbies outside of video games for influence and inspiration. Nuclear Throne being brought up is a welcome sight to see in a video like this, it's an underrated game; I was still obsessed with it around the same time I was obsessed with undertale. I even attempted some crossovers between the two back in the day. Also, shoutouts to Spelunky Classic, one of the first, if not THE first rougelike. Isaac was heavily influenced by it, and one of the few rouglikes released between Rouge and Isaac.

[@andrew_cunningham]

Ah you see, I cleverly justified never mentioning Spelunky by specifying "top down" rogelike. Also I just don't really play Spelunky so it's a moot point. Nuclear Throne, though, is actually more influential to RAM than the video implies, I just could figure out where to give it a section.

[@LeatherIceCream]

@@andrew_cunningham I should've read the fine print! But really, good luck with the game, though. And good luck with the games after that too.

[@LordAlexander-x5s]

8:00 aw yes, my two favorite topics. Game Dev, and Chinese Cooking Demystified.

[@Pufftarot]

I don't think I've ever liked the 'vibe' of a video more. I have no clue what that means, but it feels so right though

[@rannynihilius8481]

As someone who works on his own big collection of ideas art thing for almost 10 years, this video really helped me better grasp my use of inspiration in my own work. Thank you.

[@xerveeon]

The music choices, editing, and message are phenomenal. I have worried - as many others have - that my ideas are too derivitive. Your shining a light on the degree that such a thing matters is vitally important and I thank you sincerely for it.

[@pablojimenezarjona4755]

Andrew putísimo amo. You went beyond your incredible analisis and writing skills and went on to blindly create your own greatest challenge. I truly hope this game fills you with the pride and determination you deserve. VAMOOOOOOOS

[@Oh_the_humanity]

This video perfectly sums up my thoughts when it comes to the fantasy comic I've spent the last half decade dreaming up. Look at it closely enough, and you will find the tattered, sewn-together hides of everything ive ever loved wrapped arpund a warm, glowing ball of what makes me. And I'm proud that its coming out the way it is. The artist's obsession with originality is a dream killer.

[@technobeagle9598]

This is a fucking masterclass in indie game marketing. Really really good video too but like goddamn if the purpose of writing this script was to have a video to publish now so people would wishlist I cannot imagine a better topic or execution especially in how sincere this is. I’m sure this video doesn’t exist solely to generate wishlists but holy shit this is a well crafted conveyer belt to get people who love indie games to respect your game and hit the funny button. Everything down to the goddamn thumbnail.

[@jgn]

every one of my favorite indie shmups have sneaked in battle garegga's vulcan sweep and it's GOATed

[@randomlittleidot]

“great artists steal” payday 2:

[@colonel_yuri]

I LOVE STEALING, STEAL FROM THE RICH GIVE TO MYSELF

[@goober3889]

UFO 50 is a great example to show onscreen here with your point, because rarely does it reinvent the wheel and often borrows a lot of mechanics, but nearly every one of those 50 games has some unique idea that it springboards off of. These guys really proved your point 50 times over.

[@bertilhedegaard3888]

exceptional video quality, both in terms of visual appeal and content!!!

[@phoenixmesmer3396]

Your "we came up with the swapping mechanic on our own even though there are other games with a similar premise" reminds me of a story I was writing on-and-off in middle school that I was SO proud of for its ~uniqueness~, and then 5 years later I watched Blade Runner for the first time and realized that was exactly what I was writing. Like, down to calling Replicants...Replicants. Coincidences happen sometimes and it's fucking hilarious.

[@zephytime8196]

I thought I was losing my mind when TobyFox admitted to going for Secret of Evermore in Deltarune Chapter 1, because I thought i was the only damn person on earth to remember that game and go I KNOW WHAT THAT IS when I heard the music track That's the other thing with stealing shit, the shit you steal is memberries for the people who enjoyed the shit you stole but also enjoy your shit too, they can't get enough of that shit You know what's also a little surreal is Slitterhead is coming out soon, which *also* revolves around a body swap mechanic, which the devs are *also* touting as an original idea they had I was gonna guess Space Station Silicon Valley, for the record

[@skyrimlover777]

I say this to my writing partner a lot when we write fan fiction "anything good steals from JoJos Bizarre Adventure" Now this may sound super specific, but this is a small scale version of this idea. And once me and her took things we liked more blatantly, we started writing better, more interesting things by mixing and matching what we think works from other media. And I think more people should do that on a wider scale.

[@DyxoXinoro]

This video helped me realize how to phrase something I've felt was the case for years. All creative projects -- be it game dev, film, art, or drawing -- is ultimately the same as playing with legos. Your inspirations are the bricks, and the core concept is the base plate. Everything you've ever seen or done is a potential piece to add to the sack. True uniqueness is a myth designed to stop people fron creating. But making something new and original out of disperate parts can create the illusuon of being unique. And, more importantly, it lets you lead with your passions. This video was not breaking down the creative process. This video was just showing us all the lego pieces and how they attached to the base plate. And god damn do I love Lego.

[@VinkGD]

this is true for so many other mediums. i dont think i would have any good ideas for my short films if it werent for the hundreds of movies i watched. use your inspirations as your weapons of attack.

[@wisdomax2891]

this is actually incredible advice and i feel like you just dispelled hundreds of hours of future suffering that i would have endured due to a fear of unoriginality. the least i can do is wishlist your game. thank you.

[@RobinSpellbinder04]

There's a KZbinr named Ludwig who fully admits that all his ideas come from a "yoink and twist" method where he takes a thing or two, and then change them enough to make something interesting, and it's unironically a really solid way to think about getting ideas

[@darksoulbg24]

Goddamn this video is so great! I wasn't sure what you meant by cursed mirror that latches on to the soul until you explain it and that explanation is amazing! Ever since i watched The Magnus Archives ive started seeing its fragments everywhere, not as references to it, but pieces of the world it used in it's body to construct an expansive whole

[@zorojr8785]

seeing all the stream games featured in today's video felt like seeing all the minor characters return in the finale of an anime. That was neat and nostalgic.

[@thatmanjames1647]

A great essay that’s extremely clever marketing. Good luck with your game!

[@KeithLOONAtic]

i think the importance of stealing is that you also have to steal WHY you wanted to steal it, what makes an idea stand out; and not just stealing because you're out of ideas and want to take something to fill in the hole once you also steal the reason you wanna steal the idea for you stole its essense and since you understand it you can also develop that idea, not just copying an a thing as it is

[@jackacreates6172]

absolutely fantastic video as always. It's clear how much you love games, given how many different other fantastic indie games are referenced in the editing

[@MavrosStJohn]

I’ve been championing your game to one of the gaming groups I’m in for a year now, and I hope more people check it out next week at Next Fest

[@biggreen1456]

In college I remember my professor mentioning that the most fundamental aspect of engineering is stealing people’s work.

[@onionstrange]

God I really hope the video doesn’t flop, seeing the views drop on the last 2 devlogs was disheartening. Your videos are THE best I’ve ever watched. Period. They’re just that good. (Also a frequent, to an unhealthy degree, vod watcher. Very comfy streams) Thanks for all the effort you’ve put into your stuff and hoping for the successful release of the game. 30 hours on a demo alone seem promising enough to me!

[@unitmikey7]

john egbert jumpscare at 9:40

[@bugdracula1662]

and 2:02!

[@uhohspaghettios821]

we take these chat

[@animegirl4209]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@lauralewisdev]

I was expecting The Swapper to get mentioned during the swap mechanic section, such a good puzzle game

[@BossartNova]

As someone someone thats on year two of this whole making games shit and have been drawing for much longer, this really spoke to me, thanks for that

[@rosemariie]

Hey - I'm SUPER enthusiastic about RAM coming out and I want to do everything I can to help. Unfortunately, I've already got the game Wishlisted on Steam, but it sounds like Wishlisting it during this upcoming event would be very impactful. Should I un-Wishlist and then re-add it during the event, or would that have no tangible impact, to your knowledge? (Will obviously just leave it on my Wishlist if there's no reason to remove and re-add, so feel free to just ignore this if that's the case lol)

[@andrew_cunningham]

I have no idea if this works lol. I'd say don't worry about it.

[@MorbidElegy]

I have paused at 12:36 to submit my late guess of Enemy Mind, because I love that game. Oh cool you didn't take that one from something lmao

[@daktotathecolossus7404]

God this has been such a good set of game dev vids, ones actaully diving into the thought processes and ideas behind everything

[@thewoodpeckers655]

That ending ways easily the single best marketing plea I’ve ever heard. Will wishlist the second I get to my computer at home. ✅✅✅

[@PlayerCarter.]

11:30 lol no ones gonna get that outside of the livestreams Also good damn job on the video, inspiration²

[@andrew_cunningham]

Azzypants OTP

[@uhohspaghettios821]

God it's weird seeing EBF references, loved that shit when i was little.

[@andrew_cunningham]

Matt Roszak taught my infant ass what RPGs were. Thank god for Scottish weeaboos.

[@Eliagiulio]

The Running Shine reference, holy shit it makes so much sense that one sarcastic youtube dev would watch another sarcastic youtube dev's videos

[@sloweia]

Thank you for bringing up this topic. It's been a worm infesting my brain for awhile.

[@pyax7038]

Amazing writing on this one. Plus, seeing such amazing, varied games as inspiration definitely sold RAM to me.

[@snosibsnob3930]

This video goes incredibly hard. Especially with all of us other undertalites reaching the point in our lives where we wanna make something, I don’t think I’m the only one who this came out damn near at the perfect time for.

[@twosoup3252]

Input is such an important (but sometimes overlooked) part of output. So many incredible artists and the pieces of work they create owe everything to the artists before them, and those artists owe everything to the ones before them as well. Inspiration can be found anywhere; all it takes is an open mind and the willingness to search for it.

[@CaerwynHeart]

"and The Graphics, that's you know, that's really what this is all about"

[@derpymule7977]

This video also addresses why AI art is bad. It’s not because it’s stealing, because AI “steals” in the exact same way literally all art does. It’s because AI doesn’t have that original and personal core to build around, and that’s why it always feels so empty and purposeless. Stop accusing AI of theft. If you are, you’re also accusing basically all artists ever of theft too. AI art is bad for so many much more meaningful reasons than its facsimile of inspiration.

[@Chipsfish1]

I'm so excited for RAM!! I just got Dome Keeper today because I know that one of RAM's sprite artists did work on that game, and I'll absolutely be throwing this video around and getting a small group of people to wishlist the game on steam

[@stellanovaluna]

If I already wishlisted it, would it help if I unwishlisted it and then rewishlisted it in the week leading up to NextFest Also “stop making Nintendo fangames, they hate your guts” is so real. Why tf is Nintendo so hostile towards their fans 😭😭😭😭

[@danielj6417]

Yo holy shit I didn't realize you made RAM!! That's sick dude I saw you and your coworker guy at GDC and loved the game!!! Genuinely best of luck with everything dude I look can't wait to see more in future videos!!

[@cheezy5174]

Added to my wishlist! Good luck with your endeavors, I love your content and would love to see you succeed!

[@HotDogGodorno]

of course they do, otherwise stagnation occurs love the vid!

[@mrhatsy]

Holy, this is the most engrossed I've been in a youtube video in a long time. And I've seen some good videos lately. Subscribing and will check out the demo.

[@ThiagoBits-lz7yo]

andrew returns! how joyous of an occasion!

[@borb5353]

LITERALLY ME wow amazing video this is all so fucking relatable down to the little details that stick with you thing

[@jacobg8373]

2:01 THE BABY IS YOU MENTION!!

[@hiphyro]

Did not expect this video to go so hard, also as someone who's been very interested in doing game dev eventually and is also easily very affected by media I really like this helped on a pretty personal level, all I can say is thank you

[@benedictegerman5000]

4:14 DR STRANGELOVE REFERENCE LET'S GOOOOOOOOO

[@cameronjohnson918]

I wish I hadn't already wishlisted RAM so I could help, but I can tell you two things: 1) I will be buying it when it launches in early access. I was going to wait for the full game, and I still will to play it, but soon as its out, you've got my money. 2) There is nothing I've played like RAM

[@ShockedTaiLung]

You hear that my fourth grade English teacher! It's not plagiarism I'm just a great artist!

[@ctrlaltrepeat245]

"It's about pulling ideas from your influences with the confidence that your ideas are strong enough to subsume them. That you can participate in a work's legacy without being the work, or belonging to it" This, this in its entirety, is what makes this video something amazing. The kinds of people who rag on someone for making "[blank] at home" or "discount [blank]" tend to not understand that it is in fact very hard to create an entirely new piece of media without taking elements from other media, be it intentionally or subconsciously. You HAVE to consume media in order to create media, since doing so, and analyzing what you consume is basically the only way to learn what made it so good. Many things in writing, game design, etc, are all derivatives of the ones before it. A "Good game" is not one torch passed from person to person, imagination is a fire at the center of a stone pit that you have to use to light your own torch, and the design of your torch will deem if the fire consumes it whole, or sits atop it patiently. Don't be afraid to be inspired by other torches.

[@Well_Meaning]

Good art *always* ends up becoming a dialog between past and future. The best works always seem like they were talking with a guy who wouldn't be born for 20 years, and then the next masterpiece completes the dialog by talking back-- and they complete each other. You can't do this without shamelessly grafting chunks of other works together. As Northrup Frye famously criticized (regarding copyright law and such, written in the 50s but way more relevant today): "All art is equally conventionalized, but we do not ordinarily notice this fact unless we are unaccustomed to the convention. In our day the conventional element in literature is elaborately disguised by a law of copyright pretending that every work of art is an invention distinctive enough to be patented. Hence the conventionalizing forces of modern literature-the way, for instance, that an editor's policy and the expectation of his readers combine to conventionalize what appears in a magazine-often go unrecognized. Demonstrating the debt of A to B is merely scholarship if A is dead, but a proof of moral delinquency if A is alive." Which is all to say: Good video. You're right, and you should say it. It genuinely worries me that people seem willing to go to bat so neurotically for "intellectual property," and I hope it falls out of fashion sooner rather than later.

[@senpai_ryusaki]

Thankyou so much for making this video. As someone who don't actually know a darn thing about the game development process I think I learned a lot. What you said about inspiration just happening to you really resonated with me and how these games affect my art (cough*omori* cough). A lot of artists worry about having an "original" artstyle when what artstyle they have is already theirs, unique, not despite but because of its influences.

[@ModestZach]

I’m sure what Andrew Cunningham meant by that title is that James Somerton was actually a visionary.

[@Frddy_-sh8so]

I stole the soul from everyone

[@pauseiscool6232]

WAKE UP, NEW ANDREW CUNNINGHAM VIDEO