Rating Curve

this is why every undergrad degree makes you take gen eds

even before people began designing intentionally to appeal to spectators on Youtube, spectacle has always been a core part of basically every level to ever exist. creating something then releasing it has always been a two-way street, not merely an act of personal satisfaction for the Self, but also a gesture that reaches to the Other for something of value we can't produce for ourselves. and what better way to reach towards the Other than by molding your muse in a way that made it easiest for the outside world to understand you? if creating something that was impressive to others could earn you more social standing - adoration, respect, sometimes creator points if that mattered to you - in a way that didn't sacrifice any integrity, why not do exactly that?

not long after creators figured out the sky was the limit with the editor, we sought ways to make our levels « better » - asking for feedback, reading comments, watching guides, studying creators we felt were superior to ourselves - because we naturally understood that even if our ideas were great to ourselves, it's that responsive feedback loop that really gratifies the whole creative process. everyone wants to be perceived

...unless, maybe, not really? like the gestations of Levelution in 2016 and the later development of more "economic" modes of creation (Split72 mostly comes to mind here), not everybody builds to impress, and in fact, some people are actively repelled by the concept of building for social capital. those kinds of « grindsets » have - rightfully - attracted a lot more ire over the years. an increasing number of folks really just enjoy the solace and the mindfulness of the whole process, with releases being more a nice byproduct than the outright goal

past was the first really outstanding release that I felt was totally bereft of spectacle. nothing but major respect for coming off the tails of your biggest "chart-topper" acu and delivering a simple ode to the love of the game, sharply pivoting from your outwardly biggest work to your most inward. few have made it through the other side of any project teeming with this sense of renewal and lust-for-life, a real statement of intent for where neige was at that time. even now, when "modern" styles have become a tired stain on the awarded section, past's appeal transcends all that and still feels crystal clear.

and, importantly, it's not minimalism by-way-of "hey look how few objects I can add and still call it a level" (itself a kind of spectacle), but rather minimalism by stripping back all the excess & glamour and presenting something untampered by standards. I mean it's quite literally just flat blocks paired with simple gradients, all while cycling through rudimentary 2-color palettes - you don't get away with that without a good alibi!

past is a level for... really nobody, but rather than being another unremarkable solipsistic slog it's a distillation of why we even bothered to stick around with this stupid game for this long