Introducing: FISH GAME - Smarter Every Day 291

Get Fish Game! 👉 www.fish.game/ 👈
Direct Link on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/13...
It's SO fun to play! Build an aquarium and send me and your friends a picture or video capture of it!
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Ambiance, audio and musicy things by: Gordon McGladdery
www.ashellinthepit.com/
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Warm Regards,
Destin

[@smartereveryday]

After so many years... Today is the day! Build an aquarium and send me and your friends a picture or video capture of it! Get Fish Game! 👉 www.fish.game/ 👈 Direct Link on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/1372150/Fish_Game/

[@alexanderjohnson2309]

I've been keeping fish for about 3 years and this is absolutely perfect for visualizing an aquascape before spending the money on it. Invaluable. Thank you so much!

[@markrice3019]

😍 Love This! Just change the name too "Gaza" 🤯

[@dm3on]

Where is promised encryption app ? 🙃

[@mikeuk666]

Good luck 🕹 🐟 🐠

[@pamdrayer5648]

So, I have not played the game. (And almost certainly never will due to it not being free). But me not playing it does not mean it's not a great game. I would like to comment on what makes a game truly great, though. I think a great game needs to do four things: 1. A great game needs to engage you in a personal way. 2. A great game needs to challenge you, and, importantly, adequately reward you for completing that challenge. 3. A great game needs to tell you a story that you will want to hear. 4. A great game needs to create an environment you will want to experience; this includes visuals, music, and interaction with the environment.

[@StuffMadeHere]

DESTIN YOUR GAME

[@SomeFatMan5999]

Now you will have to get an aquarium and make a robot to keep the fish alive.

[@Ayane13b]

This killed me 😂 Your humor never fails to make me chuckle softly to myself. ;)

[@AliceYobby]

After seeing this video, I don’t think I’d trust you to fish-sit for me….

[@NickCombs]

Did you have a good time with it? :)

[@vaisakhkm783]

You better never buy fish...

[@theslowmoguys]

Can confirm, fish still alive.

[@DungeonMetal]

Gonna have to teach Shane some tricks Lmao

[@ago5022]

way to go, Gav! 🐠

[@love2scoobysnack]

when do you release your video of your fish at 1 million fps?

[@mungbean345]

My husband voted that you would be successful, while I voted for Shane. I assumed that excelling at blowing things up would be detrimental to your success, and working with delicate robotics would be helpful to his. I don't mind being wrong because it was fun to see you both in a different environment. And as an artist, kudos on your little zen tank. It looked very peaceful. :)

[@luka9609]

What a lovely lil tank

[@suivzmoi]

Shane's wife pranked him by getting Destin to send him a dev version where the fish always die no matter what you do

[@fritzfahrmann4730]

that would be so hilarious

[@LadyLexyStarwatcher]

Mean... it would only be fair.

[@besmart]

OMG STOP PUTTING MORE THAN ONE BETTA TOGETHER THIS IS KILLING ME (and also them) 😂

[@jucom756]

Oh Destin should've asked you to review this game as a biologist that would be amazing!

[@AndreyGarciaG]

I agree I agree I agree@@jucom756

[@Lizlodude]

Haha even knowing nothing about fish I immediately knew the two bettas weren't going to survive together

[@Geeksmithing]

Clearly shoulda had more BETTA Testers.

[@RyguyAB]

Since I have 5 aquariums and am fairly constantly getting aquarium videos recommended in my KZbin feed, it's kind of funny that just last night before seeing this video, I had a recommendation from a channel I watch about the whole betta thing being not necessarily the case. The channel is called Fishtory!(secret history living in your aquarium)

[@mojodaddy]

Shane would code a robot to clean the tank and feed the fish. His wife would look disappointingly at him as the fish would still die. I knew I wanted to live in Gav's tank.

[@EvanMoon]

Shane learns through small changes and tons of failure. Gav’s does all the research before he starts his first move

[@BleuSquid]

I had the same thought, except I also expected Gav to fire a gun at the tank to see what shatter patterns would emerge.

[@NickCombs]

It reveals one of the biggest challenges in game design. How to craft an open experience that can still be fun through unpredictable styles of play.

[@krissp8712]

I don't think there's any living in Shane's tank! They're all dead!

[@elivaughan1192]

I was thinking this same thing. lol. "You know what we need? A robot in this game."

[@skimmilk5148]

I would watch 3 hours of Shane just venting at Fish Game

[@bahramchoobin16]

i think he needs a proper tutorial and maybe that what's this game is missing

[@yarati4584]

@@bahramchoobin16 No, he absolutely does not need a tutorial. He played the game the way he wanted to play it, and had lots of fun with it. That's the beauty of games that don't force you into playing it a predefined way.

[@TimCortesi]

Pretty sure he was playing in "Wife Mode"

[@TheMookie1590]

I could listen to you for 3 hours over being enthralled with shane venting about fish game ; )

[@ItIsYouAreNotYour]

The game is kind of dookie. It would be cool if you could make it your desktop though. Shane will make a bot to do this game for him.

[@Waffleman1245]

It's a unique feeling to watch a Smarter Every Day video in a field you know so much about already... It's like re-watching a really good movie with a friend who's seeing it for the first time 😄

[@ImpsDelight]

This is such a neat way to put it. I come from a similar place and feel the same way.

[@spritelessGirl]

Yes, Dresden let himself be surprised, it is refreshing.

[@drain_001]

I've worked at PAX for 15 years, this video is a really good introduction to the show and video games in general. Thanks Destin and well done :)

[@zeikjt]

That's awesome, thanks for all the hard work! I love going to PAX when I can; talking to game devs about their games, playing new video and board games, and getting to see cool panels... it's always a great time. One of the most chill and fun cons I go to.

[@tysenp8193]

It is absolutely HILARIOUS how Shane reacted to this game. As someone who went down the fishkeeping rabbit hole this year, hearing someone say "They keep dying! I need a hardy fish" and then immediately picking discus made me nearly fall out of my chair. I'll definitely be checking it out!

[@melodycervantes4167]

I take it that discus are, uh, not well known for their hardiness?

[@annekeener4119]

@@melodycervantes4167yes. They look pretty but are well known for getting sick and dying easily. They are also easily ganged up on by other fish.

[@snowpaw360]

lol I feel you i started this year too, I have an army of Platy fish now.

[@Studio23Media]

@@melodycervantes4167Discus are definitely one of the most difficult fish to keep! They need very clear and healthy water, much more than other fish

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

​@@Studio23Mediaand they like it toasty and warm! Beautiful fish, I have yet to be brave enough to try to keep any. I have kept axolotls though. That's fun, they like to be clean and cold lol

[@jackinthebox301]

The end with Gavin and Shane is great lol - that went about how I thought it would. Gavin is basically a pro gamer and Shane is, well, a brilliant engineer.

[@Lamb666]

Definitely would prefer being in Shane’s tank.

[@stenchemitter2407]

The difference in FPS on their PCs lmao

[@Grandwigg]

I had the same thoughts , hahahaha.

[@oliversfather]

Gavin may play games on Let's Play and F**k Face but he is far from "Pro"

[@kirkshangout]

Gavin a pro gamer? From old Let's Play videos, he tended to be on the losing side quite often, lol. Pro in slow-mo, absolutely, but I was expecting Shane to be really good and Gavin to goofily kill all the fish. Can't believe it was opposite.

[@Mutisi0n]

"I'm not a unique snowflake" I have never felt such genuine warmth and empathy from words like that. And the confidence! He's absolutely right, you're never alone in your interests. Video games can be a great way to bring people together, even developers and players. I love this video way too much.

[@monad_tcp]

I need to always remember that when I dabble on obscure thing of software development (that's not web development). I'm sold on the fish-game. Mostly because I always hated how badly all of them were, but now, this is different. A game of fish that's not only fishing fish. The Sims of fish.

[@SutherlandBoswell]

Gordon’s advice to make something that you’ll enjoy yourself is such a great approach! I’ve been asked by people several times what they should build when they’re learning to code, but I always recommend something you’d actually personally use. Not only are you more familiar with the problem you’ll be trying to solve, you’ll be more motivated to keep learning how to make your vision a reality.

[@85Portar]

"Scratch your own itch" has created the best products out there

[@dralthoff1]

The cutting off of Shane before his review was worth every second of watching every one of your videos! Video editing at its best!

[@MikkoRantalainen]

The whole gaming experience was insanely well cut and Shane was definitely the star for the story. Only thing missing was difficulty setting with "Wife mode".

[@yannickceulemans9296]

Little Idea, Make a mode where you can stream a view of your tank to a screen. Where you don't need them to be maintained as quickly or at all. Making it a virtual aquarium in your house which you actually build yourself in the game.

[@ashellinthepit]

Totally already possible via steam link, and we already have a "no death" mode.

[@mungbean345]

​@@Joe-sg9llA disappointing reality is that in some apartments, apparently including mine, you literally cannot own fish. 🫤

[@SioxerNikita]

​@@Joe-sg9llYeah, Aquariums are notoriously well known to be super cheap to acquire, super easy to maintain, and also not at all messy if something goes wrong....

[@yannickceulemans9296]

@@Joe-sg9ll To much work :D

[@SioxerNikita]

@@Joe-sg9ll And you are a person who is frankly silly. Why are you watching KZbin? Just get a theater troupe... Right? Easy as pie, right?

[@magnus_cockstrong]

the creator of the oregon trail game seems like a really cool guy. This is good news for my childhood.

[@dunkie976]

OMG Rogue!!!!! My late dad was a software development pioneer and I used to play Rogue whilst I was waiting for him to come back to his office. But no one has ever heard of it..... AND THERE IT IS!! There was also Choplifter.... That no one remembers 😊 Great video..... And not just for triggering a happy memory of my dad. 😢❤

[@AlexYeryomin]

It would be great to have this game as a screen saver for computer. Every time when the screen saver starts, a new random environment is created, with various fish. I don't play videogames, but I would be happy to pay for such virtual aquarium.

[@BiggMo]

I was just thinking the same thing. It’d be awesome on the big screen, I’d be like have an aquarium in the room, especially if it included the white noise of an accrual tank

[@Utoko]

It is a bit too ugly for that.

[@FlameMage2]

Haha my first thought too! Everyone knows the aquarium has been the long time reigning screen saver champion!

[@jcpt928]

Tell me you never used Windows 3.11...or AfterDark. :P

[@daviddroescher]

It would be the extremely difficult /core, setting in this manner of play. Knowing the idiosyncrasies of ALL the things within the glass( water parameters, bedding, trace elements both provided by the contents of the tank and supplements, the behaviors and interactions of the contents ; fish bedding hard scape plants invertebrates ect ect) and the environmental conditions the tank is exposed to. Eg tropical salt tank. 82° water in a room that is 60°at night but has full sun for 6hr/day so needs heat at night and forced cooling for 9hrs during the afternoon evening the tank i ran .

[@noxabellus]

This is such a different subject than your usual but at the same time its got exactly all of the curiosity, excitement, and humanity in it that has kept me coming back to this channel for years. As a game developer myself this feels like a gift for me. Thank you for always accounting for and celebrating the human element in everything you do

[@smartereveryday]

Thank you for the kind words

[@chriskaprys]

Precisely. ❤

[@anonymouscommentor411]

​@@smartereverydayHey, I know Ryan coded his own fish creator software, but what was the program they were using to make the assets for the game in general?

[@noxabellus]

@@anonymouscommentor411 definitely recognized Unreal Engine in there

[@Eitan.moskovitz]

I'm not a games guy at all, I'm a stories guy. It was beautiful to have this peek into the games world, and see the similarities between a good video game and a good story. Like you've said about games, a good story stretch you, walk you into a different world, and teach you new things, sometimes about yourself, and make you feel. That's was a beautiful episode. Thank you.

[@KunoichiN3rd]

I'm a writer and a gamer, and the reason I love gaming is because of the unique ways it can incorporate interactivity into storytelling! The more I learn about narratology and branching narrative, the more I REALLY want to write a game!!

[@EKTurduckin]

I am, and i cannot stress this enough, very excited to see if LetsGameItOut covers fish game and Destin gets to experience that horror

[@kevbu4]

That would be amazing.

[@Kitteh.B]

Omg yes please! @SmarterEveryDay please send keys out to Let'sGameItOut and CallMeKevin! And maybe GrayStillPlays!

[@tylerhansen1892]

i see an endless loop of near dying and revival for these fish

[@smartfellow3970]

We need this

[@jamesevanko7037]

Exactly what I was thinking. Bring it.

[@Atlasbr001]

I bet in around 6 montes Shane Will makes some AI mecanical monstrosity of a fish tank that self-cleans and auto-feed the fish

[@Beckenpower]

And the fish will still die 😂

[@DCDrCoyne]

haha!

[@LlywellynOBrien]

The section contrasting Shane and Gavin was genuinely hilarious. I rarely get a belly laugh on KZbin but that editing and storytelling was wonderful.

[@travishancock9120]

What I got from this video; What makes a good videogame is not about what is under the hood so much as it is about the experience. Hence videogame creators resembles that awesome balance between engineering and art.

[@symbiosisapp2127]

Destin! I´m always amazed with your videos! You always put (or get) together so many amazing people to understand/teach things. I can't thank you enough for your efforts in this.

[@dipshiznit420]

we figured out you could get like 150 oxen to pull your wagon, then you can finish the game in like 10 minutes cuz for some reason that makes your wagon go bullet train speed...

[@Atlas.Brooklyn]

Well if 5 people can play a song in 5 minutes, surely 10 people can play it in half that?

[@Elgsdyr]

Speedrunning, the early days... 😀

[@NickCombs]

That's a beautiful application of F = m * a right there

[@christopherknowles]

Oregon Trail isn’t the best game but being able to play it in school made it good in comparison.

[@Vid_Master]

​@@christopherknowlesTrue. I do think for how simple it was, it was above average!

[@davebennett5069]

In this episode, Destin discovers what gamers have been doing for the past 30 years.

[@SpydersByte]

lol right? Finally a SED topic that I know more about than Destin does 😅

[@harpintn]

30 years? The first computer games came out in the 1970's Ever hear of Pong or breakout? How bout Pac Man, Galaga, Omega Race, Joust, xaxon from the late 70, and into the early 80's?

[@AngryKittens]

14:46 "Rogue Like?" At first I was like, maybe this video will show me some amazing thing that I didn't know about before. But nope. Haha. He's just basically describing games in very general terms from a non-gamer's perspective, and realizing how deep games can be. 😅

[@SpydersByte]

@@AngryKittens why are you putting it in quotes like that? Rogue-like is a legitimate gaming term used for an entire genre of games.

[@AngryKittens]

@@SpydersByte Duh. It's the way he said it. Because he really had no idea what it was.

[@cbrooksusmc]

I feel like I can tell that Gordon is really passionate about his creation, but thinks he sounds ridiculous. Do you know how many dreams you are living right now Gordon? I almost feel like you dont. Stand tall. Chest out. Make things. You are doing an amazing job! You are an inspiration to so many kids! Watching this story has made me feel a sense of pride.

[@LabGecko]

Seconding this

[@KurtisRader]

As a software engineer who plays games, but has never programmed one, I found this video fascinating. Much thanks.

[@RyanTuscher]

After watching Gavin and Shane for many years on KZbin it was incredible to see the comparison between their fish tanks! Also I'm sorry Shane, I won't be visiting your tank ahahhaah

[@RabblePack]

Now you're talking!! As the owner of (subject to change on a whim) 9 fish tanks, an indoor pond and an outdoor pond, this is my kind game 😅

[@bertjesklotepino]

yeah, i can imagine if you own 9 fish tanks, an indoor pond and an outdoor pond, fish would be on your mind every minute of the day. So it makes total sense why a game including fish would draw the attention of someone owning 9 fish tanks, and ponds. btw, if Betta Splendens gets out of control, put her back in the barn. That cow should already have been steak, but yeah, the wife.....

[@riuphane]

As a developer (professional) and game designer (hobbyist, consultant, beta tester), this is a lot of fun and I'm glad you got to take this journey, but more importantly, thank you for sharing!

[@monad_tcp]

I am a developer and sometimes I get way too much fun from developing mods instead of actually playing games. Maybe I should just jump to creating games as indie.

[@riuphane]

@@monad_tcp I think you'll probably be better off sticking to mods in the long run, unless you have an idea that is pretty unique or fills a specific niche. Just my personal experience and recommendations from others in the field

[@monad_tcp]

@@riuphane maybe. when you start reverse engineering the game to learn more about the internals so you can mod more things. I'm talking about Space Engineers. I have some ideas , but they're staying on paper for now. This is just a hobby (one of the various ones I have)

[@riuphane]

@@monad_tcp I feel you

[@aquablaster86]

As a fishkeeper and being in the hobby for almost 5yrs now I am very excited to check this out!! I have a 40 breeder planted community tank, a 20gal multi (African shell dwellers) tank along with a 180gal fahaka puffer tank in my dining room and (3) 300gal Rubbermaid stock tanks in my backyard.

[@thisscreensucks]

I've watched this channel for YEARS. And it's come to feel like I'm watching family. These videos are very special to me and I csnt wait to share them with my son as he grows up. Such a genuine curiosity about anything snd everything. Even though you're a literal rocket scientist you approach everything without intellectual ego. I love you Destin.

[@JaredMaxfield11]

I feel the same way. In at least one of the episodes Destin said "you know me" and then said something else. In that moment I thought "Yes, I do know you" like I would think of a trusted friend. It is strange to think that I don't actually know Destin, but I think I do, because he appears (and I believe him to be) so genuine in what he shares with us. I can't tell you how many times I have spoken to friends, coworkers, classmates, and the kids in my life (nieces, nephews, etc.) about this channel. I relate to his love of science, his family, God, general curiosity, and his humility. He has helped me look at the world and say "why does that happen?" Then find the joy in learning the answer to those seemingly simple questions. As far as a messenger for Jesus Christ, I think Destin has got me into the Bible far more times than any other channel I watch, including channels that would be considered Christian.

[@jikkermanccini]

In the off chance you see this comment, this game looks amazing. I've been a saltwater hobbyist for over 9 years, and would love to help with the project in any way possible. Particularly with saltwater reef chemistry, dosing, coral growth forms & behaviors, and invertebrate ecology. I have wanted to make this same game for years, so now that it's a reality, I want to help out as much as I can!! EDIT: I should also mention that I'm a fairly experienced 3D modeler and animator working on some of my own projects, though I'm not sure how useful that would be to the team.

[@chrisistubeyou]

This would be a great addition

[@ScrollinForATrollin]

im just adding this comment in hopes that the team reaches out to you,

[@johnpcheramie]

I think what I really like about this video is the fact that you have a friend who's passionate about something and you're going all in with your community which is very difficult to do because a lot of times it can feel like an unbiased opinion and pushing product on to people who like you. But the difference is that you embraced it yourself, created a video that was true to who you are about it, and really brought us on a journey to connect to your friend. That being said, I will 100% be buying this game when I get home because of this.

[@evan393]

I feel like we're friends even though we've never met. You're always sincere and honest. Every video is interesting and feels catered to my interests. Thanks for posting.

[@johnedge2216]

An awesome collaboration would be to have Clint from Clint's Reptiles play this. His audience would love it and he would go crazy for the science. Educating about pet care (including fish) is his whole thing so none of the accuracy or nuance in this game would be lost on him

[@forrestblais9284]

Hey, I do animation for games and I really appreciate the passion you and everyone in this video have for games! There’s so much work no one knows about that goes into making games and everyone involved is so passionate about each stage! It’s amazing! I’m so blessed and thankful for the work I get to do! Just wanted to say thanks for the video, it’s great!

[@johnullrich7252]

I'm glad you finally realized the insane effort that these projects entail.

[@RICDirector]

Fish? Heck yeah, thry are worse than sheep when it comes to dropping dead. 🤪🤣

[@microbuilder]

I think I was in 4th grade when we first played this (on an Apple IIe, I believe)...went to school in Minnesota, that MECC logo is forever etched in my mind...good times, thanks for the flashbacks!! lol

[@srsherman7]

As an indie dev i can tell you, you nailed it. It's about the experience, as well as the dev communicating their idea and telling a story through the game play, mechanics, story, and characters are key.. as much as graphics and technology, etc, is important.. it comes second.. replayability is where is at, that's why 8 bit retro is so popular.. it's not only neat looking but it's about the fun factor.

[@Swiftwinter]

Nostalgia overload. DOS nostalgia overload. 5'1/4 Floppy disk overload!! This is Ridiculous Every Day! One of the my favorite episodes. Thank you Destin and team!

[@5MadMovieMakers]

So glad Buttercup finally got a cave so she could feel safe

[@BOTthelesser]

Oh it’s a good day when he uploads this one’s fishy though.

[@Scanlaid]

Reely, you went there? Trawly one of the puns of all time, I'm unchumfortable.

[@robertbritt3129]

What's fishy about it...

[@Rich.Aardvark]

​@@robertbritt3129the fish part 🐟🐠🐟

[@Pooki2024]

Losers full of cringe

[@ThePrufessa]

Go to sleep

[@alexlandherr]

As a programmer by profession (and play) I think we should get more programming-themed videos.

[@noxabellus]

That would be so awesome

[@Slaat1]

can't think of anything more exciting than working after finishing work

[@muddro420]

Why not have a shot at it? I agree with you, but honestly I find those videos much more interesting when they're being done by someone who knows what's going on. Destin is obv really excited about this, but other than listening to some opinions about what makes a game good to various people, the video itself wasn't really that enlightening. Sebastian Lague has a ton of really good content like this, and I'm sure there's a lot more out there than I know about, but if you've got a vision why not take a shot? :)

[@lsdmolelekki]

Hearing people talk about their passions and how they approach doing things always makes me smile man.

[@Jerbo99tv]

I have so many hobbies, but I love videogames and being a fishkeeper! I'm so happy right now knowing how much work you guys put into this game! I'm studying veterinary and I absolutely love exotic animals. I think fishes are underappreciated!

[@scottkempton6085]

Holy moly. Yes, the game really does look cool, but what I was thinking about was the amount of planning and the range of skills necessary to put this video together. And as always, Destin's joy and enthusiasm are infectious - and in a world that is so full of doom and gloom, that is refreshing. Thank you Destin.

[@skie6282]

You got the in depth explanation of exactly how video games are art. In just about every aspect or way, they are art. The imagination of people running wild.

[@ANTIK1OAS]

This is such an awesome story. After setting up my first tank as an adult about 8 years ago I thought it would be really cool to have this game to help practice scraping and see if your desired plants and livestock could cohabitate well. Awesome job guys.

[@feidry]

I never thought Destin would make a video about making video games but I am here for it! This is my passion. I've taught myself how to make video games over the last [*mumbles*] years and the moment Destin said "its way more about the psychology" I was instantly nodding, you got it! You understood what took me years to get!

[@Kevin_Aus]

It's fantastic that you've done such a great job of explaining how important gameplay is. I think an analogy would be watching a movie in imax vs watching it on your phone. It might look better but still has the same, script, dialogue, acting, story, etc.. So good quality audio and video can't save a bad movie.

[@filipsperl]

You're right that technical quality =/= conceptual quality, but I don't agree that watching a movie on your phone should leave the same impression as watching in a movie theater. Not a good analogy. Most movies are made with a cinema screening in mind, specifically for the cinema's visual and sound systems, so it can be loud/quiet or bright/dark when it needs to be, there's no distraction and so on. So if you're watching on your phone, with bad quality headphones, and you don't like it, that might not entirely be the artist's fault. Same if you played a good game, but your computer could only run it with 4FPS - might not be the developer's fault that you didn't like the game.

[@polarberri]

This is incredible. Oregon Trail was my first game and I've played so many versions of it. I've always longed for a version of Fish Game - I've been mentally planning tanks for years!

[@fivoka]

This video was such a nice surprise and felt so much more personal than usual. If your channel takes a turn to make videos about you learning all sorts of stuff about art, I'm all here for it because I think art is SO fascinating.

[@jnwahlgren]

A few years ago I got involved as a volunteer judge with the Oregon Game Project Challenge, in which teams of middle and high school students work together to create a video game with a common theme. I wasb amazed by the technical accomplishment, but even impressed with the thoughtfulness of the students and their creative processes. This seems like the kind of event that Destin would really enjoy, and I'd love to see competitions like this more widespread.

[@hawkfu]

Making a game is a huge task. I’ve been dabbling in game development for about 5 years and released a couple games but I can tell you that it is an insane feat. I love that we can explore game design on channels like this!!

[@ashellinthepit]

Good luck with your own development journey. Personally making Fish Game has been one of, if not, the biggest single undertaking of my life.

[@anonymouscommentor411]

What game engine do you prefer to use? Also, what program do you prefer to use for making assets?

[@hawkfu]

@@anonymouscommentor411 hi there! I used Gamemaker for a few years and more recently switch to the Godot engine for its 3D functionality. I used Aseprite for making pixel art and Blender for 3D art. Mixcraft for sound, Tilesetter for tilesets, GFX for particle effect customization, Inkscape for high resolution art, logos and covers. Hope that helps!

[@ashellinthepit]

@@anonymouscommentor411 Fish Game is built in Unreal, and our assets are made with Blender.

[@Dan-Simms]

From being a long time fan of Gavin's, I was a bit surprised that his fish tank was the less chaotic one.

[@jonkerr2050]

Can’t wait to get home and play this. I kept aquariums for decades. I had to give it up for physical reasons. Cleaning a 100 gallon tank regularly with a bad neck injury is difficult. This may be able to fill that gap. Thanks Destin.

[@Astereux]

I love how you tied the game back to the things you explored in the video. Much more than an ad for fish game! Great work

[@davidmerriott7356]

Im an oregonian. I remember the oregon trail game from grade school 30 years ago. Brought back memories.

[@michellestewart8679]

Now i can experiment with fish because ive always thought about having an aquarium (but always been too worried i would forget to feed them since they cant make noise for me). But this is also a great trial ground for my son to experience the responsibilities of owning a pet too!

[@padders1068]

Destin, great video, I learnt so much about the phycology of video games and how their designers think! Thanks to you for sharing and thanks to all the amazing people involved!

[@kristiandior4167]

14:50 rogue like game examples: - Rust - Escape from Tarkov - Minecraft

[@based_gigachad6094]

At first I was like "I'm not gonna buy a fish game" and now I'm buying because I've always wanted an aquarium in my office but didn't want to deal with the mess! LOL thank you!

[@ashellinthepit]

Thank you!

[@kevinkirkland8762]

I remember playing the original text version of Oregon Trail on my neighbor's TRS-80. I had to to learn how to load it from a cassette tape! I don't think I could estimate the number of hours I spent over there or the number of times I made it to Oregon! Congratulations on the fish game. Heading over to buy it now!

[@micahphilson]

Made me want to play the Oregon Trail again! ... Accidentally forded a river I wanted to ferry, lost all supplies and all 4 party members, and ragequitted. Just like old times!

[@Isaac-47517]

Games based on nature are great because you can build with data that is available, testable, proven, and still has virtually unending data to offer. And as such is verifiable learning experience. Designing an environment that not only invites, due to awe of its beauty and functioning of its facets, but necessitates learning cause and effect in order to sustain life, are " Good games". And I agree that the best games should be designed to give understanding of things of importance.

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

It would be a cool feature if you could program the aquarium the player makes to be a live wallpaper or screensaver.

[@seedmole]

This brought back the memory of playing Oregon Trail with everyone named after Mortal Kombat characters. Goro broke an arm, Scorpion died from a snakebite. This actually happened and was so uncanny. Added so much to the experience.

[@DetectiveTrupo203]

Sub zero died from dysentery 🥶

[@ArtForSwans]

I've been playing and keeping pace with the gaming industry for my entire life so it's so fun to see someone essentially discover how varied and advanced video games have gotten since 1985. It relieves me to see you go into learning about them without the misconceptions that they're just a toy for kids because video games are so much more than that, it's a legitimate entertainment medium. They're as similar to movies as books are to music, a completely different type of experience, one that engages you as much as it entertains.

[@KiiDxLegacy]

Oh. My. DESTIN. Thank you, from what I can reasonably say is most video game players. It’s so rare, for someone who doesn’t enjoy them in their life today; to actually try and understand the connection we have to these digital constructs. So again, thank you so much. Your pursuit of knowledge is unbound, and inspirational. ❤️

[@lucbloom]

🐠 You should get JOSH to play it!! From Let’s Game It Out! 🤩 OMG perfect match! 🐟 And the devs would learn a lot about testing and breaking the game… One of the fish is going to be called “Grace” for sure.

[@MattStum]

If Destin thought it was interesting learning about video game creation, he'll definitely get a kick learning how a madman destroys video games. :) Long live Grace!

[@mostlyokay]

That's an amazing idea!

[@upinarms79]

Gordon is an incredibly talented individual. I really love his music and sound design, but he's clearly got a ton of talents.

[@jonathandavidson2468]

I'm a games programming student currently learning how to setup a rendering framework based off of DXGI11 (the graphics library from DirectX11). And something which absolutely blows my mind is PBR rendering. You actually calculate how light splits from refraction and simulate a very clever "global illumination" trick which allows you to light up rooms based off of how objects interact with light. Its easy to talk about it but the actual math involved is so complex. I always wanted to delve into graphics programming that deep, but, it's so intimidating on how many algoeithms you have to apply. Right now I'm just happy calculating the inverse square law for the lighting in my game engine :')

[@MrSealyp]

It was so cool seeing Farming Simulator on here. I'm a Farming Simulator KZbinr and some of my fellow content creators were at PAX.

[@mbrittenham]

Well played on the Luke 5:1-7 reference. That's the kind of attention to detail that really sets your work apart.

[@ADHDIIncarnate]

Amazing video dude. I play a lot of videogames, and have always seen people not appreciating them for what they can be and can do. I think this video perfectly shows this deeper level of videogames, and I'm super glad to see an educational youtuber talking about videogames. I will definitely be at least checking out Fish Game. On a side note, there is one game that ticks every box you mentioned to be a good game: It puts you in a new world, and lets you explore based off your own curiosity. It drives you to learn more about the world and progress without ever having upgrades, levels, or a single quest marker. In terms of the games I've seen and played (which is not a small number) it is the peak of game design in its genre, if not getting close to being the peak overall. The game is called Outer Wilds (Not outer worlds, they seem similar but are totally different) and I really hope you check it out and play it. The game was a life changing experience for me.

[@kevinchills]

A song i made was used in an interactive learning game called Digital Farm.. in the early 90's. I think it involved planting foods and managing a farm and it was part of a mobile unit that would visit schools.. i had almost forgotten ❤

[@joshreynoldson7187]

Destin, this was the first computer game I fell inlove with and to this day have so many good memories of playing in the library with my friends. from the floppy disks and Ctrl-Alt-Del to boot it up, to the big clunky keyboards and the monochrome monitors... thank you for showing the makers of Oregon trail!

[@Orangie2008]

My measure of a good computer game has long been "is this a quality waste of time". This looks promising. I think it would be a good gift to the grandkids!

[@jamessutherland6826]

I've recently been feeling like I need to "grow out" of video games but you've helped me rekindle what it is that I actually enjoy out of a game beyond just wasting time. My favorite memories with games is always that pay off moment when you finally do the "thing" after struggling and learning and improving yourself. Thank you for this video, Destin! And thank you Gordon and team for Fish Game!

[@soba21]

As a 40 year father and all time gamer, you never grow old for videogames. Is a hobby as movies, sport or music are. Do not feel guilty or "misaged" for enjoying a game.

[@deantjewie]

Games are like books or films. Some of them exist to waste time, and even that isn't always a bad thing, but you can find those that give you a unique experience sometimes even a perspective on life. It's art.

[@mikeuk666]

People are just jealous that you're able to get enjoyment from games

[@WhyAliasIdontNeedOne]

I grew out of games too kind of. Like to play clash of clans a bit

[@angelhelp777]

I actually purchased your fish game even though it will not run on my old computer. I just wanted to support you. I hope to upgrade some day and try it. May God bless you my brother, and your family and keep you safe. 2 Chronicles 7:14

[@marpintado]

This put a smile in my face. Thank you.

[@ItsDylanBruh]

2:08 - Now that is transparency, I respect that! Also Shell in the Pit is great, I found him from the soundtrack for Parkitect, I'm definitely going to pick up Fish Game

[@ashellinthepit]

🙏

[@ItsDylanBruh]

@@ashellinthepit No way! Since I have a chance here, I have to ask: What is the string instrument on Forever Fields of the Parkitect soundtrack? I've never had such an emotional reaction to an instrument, but whatever that is moves me

[@ashellinthepit]

@@ItsDylanBruh That is my morin khuur! It's a mongolian instrument. I'm not very good at it but they sound beautiful.

[@ItsDylanBruh]

@@ashellinthepit Thank you! I'm definitely going down a morin khuur rabbit hole. I disagree though, Forever Fields triggers such a palpable emotional response in me. Some of that is the instrument I'm sure, but the composition is beautiful too!

[@ashellinthepit]

@@ItsDylanBruh Thank you!

[@joseacuna3239]

Love the stuff made here interaction with the video game, very familiar 🤣

[@putemintheboat6784]

As a professional Oregon Trail player, thank you for giving the timeless classic some love here.

[@xzendon]

A game mode that is optimized for full screen display, even multi screen display (tanks connected by virtual tubes!) would be awesome for display of your efforts. Like imagine having this chilling on the livingroom TV in glorious 8k (especially if graphics get even better!). I think adding the ability to have this display on your TV would pull in a huge additional group of people who have or would like to have a real aquarium.

[@Michaelcampbell0916]

I randomly got into game development this past month and my partner and I busted up laughing when we saw what the video was about 😂😂

[@CChissel]

I watched AVNJ play your game! Haha, I thought it was odd how SmarterEveryDay was affiliated with it, but now I guess I have the answer. Pretty cool

[@Lizlodude]

Just to hijack what you said about the psychology aspect of creating a game, something I find fascinating is that there are areas where we as people have an intuitive sense of a concept, but not a practical one. The examples I usually go for are music and UI/UX design. Most people have a pretty good idea of whether music sounds 'good' or 'exciting' or 'festive', but can't actually explain why. You can recognize that this is a Christmas song, but can you actually pick out what exactly makes it sound like that? Then you talk to a musician or someone who studied music theory, and you realize there is a crazy complex science (and art) to how music works. The same goes for UI design. We've all used something (software, hardware or otherwise) that worked well, and something that we hated interacting with. But to actually quantify that, to understand not just _what_ works well but _why_ it works well, and more importantly how to make new things that work well, is its own entire field of study and expertise.

[@CameronSalazar2113]

That is why Roguelike Genre of game are some of my most special or Survival both have a special place in my heart! Risk of Rain 2 is one of the Roguelike games that has a impossible amount of configuration for a character that you can play for hours on hours and to fail right before you win is a push that makes you want to try harder and try another fresh way! I really loved this video!! For Survival is MC and anyone that likes or hates the game you still have a place for it in your memory and why!

[@The_Jzoli]

I was wondering why the Smarter Every Day logo was in the game, haha! RTGame played it yesterday.

[@adamplace1414]

Everyone has those ideas where we come up with something and think "why hasn't this been done before?" Gordon and Destin turned that idea into reality - through years of effort. Very inspiring guys, and a lesson I really needed. Thank you.

[@-_James_-]

But in this case this has been done before. Many many times.

[@johnburr9463]

I've been a game connoisseur my whole life including video games and I love that you are sharing these concepts. I can't play a game anymore without analysing and assessing how it works and doesn't work. What each of the elements contribute and so forth. (There are some exceptions) But there is so much enjoyment to be found in identifying how a game functions.

[@e.g.1651]

All the people in the vid seem so intelligent, well spoken and most importantly, they know how to articulate what they think, feel and how they did it in a manner that's comprehensive to everyone. Cheers ;)

[@nathanielhough96]

I find it interesting how you change the thumbnail of the video every few hours during the first day of the video. I'd be interested to know how many times you change it, and what effect it has on viewer counts.

[@daveloomis]

Saw it several times and it didn't make sense, then they changed it so it was clearly about a game they made and the title made sense... then I watched it. :D

[@phxsundevil]

he actually has a whole video about that exact topic

[@m0nkeyman911]

Bruh I would've been more hyped to meet you at PAX west than any of the videogame personalities

[@AvanaVana]

Oregon trail is like the boxed wine of early 90s childhood adventure/strategy/educational games. The real vintage bordeaux was 1991’s Pilgrim Quest, with its bloody encounters with the Narragansett, fishing simulations, lumberjack log-riding, and many other sub/mini-games.

[@moos5221]

4:11 "Every kid wanted to be a marine biologist and I was another one of those..." This is so good, I love when people nest jokes like that with a straight face into their sentences, leaving your mind thinking "wait what" but it's also already busy following the ongoing conversation. =)