Games, Schools, and Worlds Designed for Violence
Jacob Geller3 HN recommenders · recommended in 3 months, 2021–2024
commentary · general · evergreen · 2021–2024 on HN
Jacob Geller's video essay examines how architecture in schools and in video games, such as cover shooters, is shaped by violence. It touches on brutalism, campus policing and protests.
HN recommends it as an informed look at architecture in games and at how school design relates to shooter maps and Columbine.
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3 comments from Hacker News
Jacob Geller did a really interesting video essay [1] about the parallels that can be drawn between modern school architecture and maps from shooter games - on top of whatever other context or functionality they provide, they are fundamentally spaces that are designed around the question "what happens if violence occurs here?" [1] ▶ this video
Jacob Geller has an excellent video essay about how incidents like Columbine might have contributed to this trend (if only post-90s, obviously). ▶ this video
For a more informed analysis of architecture in games, Jacob Geller has done several video essays on the topic: The Shape of Infinity link Games, Schools, and Worlds designed for Violence ▶ this video Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House link Gaming's Harshest Architecture link The Architecture of Fumito Ueda link