Friday Night Funkin: Unterschied zwischen den Versionen
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[https://ninja-muffin24.itch.io/funkin Friday Night Funkin'] is an odd game for a variety of reasons; mostly, however, because it appears to exist out of its own time. A game with the aesthetic, mechanical and cultural sensibilities of 2007, catapulted to enormous popularity among a demographic which never experienced most of that decade first-hand. | [https://ninja-muffin24.itch.io/funkin Friday Night Funkin'] is an odd game for a variety of reasons; mostly, however, because it appears to exist out of its own time. A game with the aesthetic, mechanical and cultural sensibilities of 2007, catapulted to enormous popularity among a demographic which never experienced most of that decade first-hand. | ||
It is chock full of references to the website [https://newgrounds.com Newgrounds], which was the earliest popular adoption of the "portal" format. Users could upload their own content - artwork, music, animations, and most famously browser games. The site became very popular and developed an insular culture, primarily composed of western male teenagers, some of whom maintain internet creator careers to this day (Arin Hanson, Chris O'Neill and Ross O'Donovan among others). | It is chock full of references to the website [https://newgrounds.com Newgrounds], which was the earliest popular adoption of the "portal" format. Users could upload their own content - artwork, music, animations, and most famously browser games. The site became very popular and developed an insular culture, primarily composed of western male teenagers, some of whom maintain internet creator careers to this day ([[wikipedia:Arin_Hanson|Arin Hanson]], [[wikipedia:Chris_O'Neill_(YouTuber)|Chris O'Neill]] and [[wikipedia:Ross_O'Donovan|Ross O'Donovan]] among others). | ||
The ease of access presented by the Adobe Flash engine meant many independent creators could make animations and small browser games with vector graphics, leading to the proliferation of a specific art style that remains recognizable to this day. | The ease of access presented by the Adobe Flash engine meant many independent creators could make animations and small browser games with vector graphics<ref>Warren, Christina (19.11.2012): "[https://mashable.com/archive/history-of-flash The Life, Death and Rebirth of Adobe Flash]." Mashable, retrieved 6.3.2022</ref>, leading to the proliferation of a specific art style that remains recognizable to this day. | ||
Notable here is the recent renaissance of several games in this style with roots in Newgrounds, especially with younger audiences: Friday Night Funkin', Among Us and the Henry Stickmin series being the largest at time of writing. | Notable here is the recent renaissance of several games in this style with roots in Newgrounds, especially with younger audiences: Friday Night Funkin', [https://www.innersloth.com/games/among-us/ Among Us] and the [https://www.innersloth.com/games/the-henry-stickmin-collection/ Henry Stickmin] series being the largest at time of writing. | ||
Friday Night Funkin' was originally an entry | Friday Night Funkin' was originally an [https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/47/friday-night-funkin entry] for the [https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/47/ Ludum Dare '47 game jam] in 2020. It was expanded into a full project and a playable demo was made available in 2021, which received massive attention rapidly; according to Google Trends, it hit its peak popularity in June of that year, and has maintained high interest since then<ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=AT&q=%2Fg%2F11r1h0grrd Google Trends: Fetched 06.03.2022]</ref>. | ||
The game is, on its face, quite simple; there is no complex narrative, the full range of surface level interaction provided can be experienced in a few seconds, and the graphics are, if not ugly, very simple - plus, they hearken back to an era many of its players would have no memory of. What, then, makes it so appealing to an audience of teenagers? These are some of the questions that drove our interest in analysing the game. | The game is, on its face, quite simple; there is no complex narrative, the full range of surface level interaction provided can be experienced in a few seconds, and the graphics are, if not ugly, very simple - plus, they hearken back to an era many of its players would have no memory of. What, then, makes it so appealing to an audience of teenagers? These are some of the questions that drove our interest in analysing the game. | ||
=== Are similar games available? === | === Are similar games available? === | ||
Friday Night Funkin' is a pastiche of older rhythm games. The biggest and most obvious inspiration is Dance Dance Revolution, from which it borrows the directional arrow control scheme - played here on a keyboard or controller, not a custom pad meant to encourage dancing. In this sense, it also resembles Guitar Hero, where the inputs are finer and faster than those of DDR, often requiring quick fingerwork. | Friday Night Funkin' is a pastiche of older rhythm games. The biggest and most obvious inspiration is [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Demokratische_Republik Dance Dance Revolution], from which it borrows the directional arrow control scheme - played here on a keyboard or controller, not a custom pad meant to encourage dancing. In this sense, it also resembles [[wikipedia:Guitar_Hero|Guitar Hero,]] where the inputs are finer and faster than those of DDR, often requiring quick fingerwork. | ||
The structure of the game's many "battles" seems closely tied to | The structure of the game's many "battles" seems closely tied to [[wikipedia:PaRappa_the_Rapper|PaRappa the Rapper]], where different foes in colourful settings rap verses which the player counters in a call-and-response fashion. | ||
In sentiment, the game resembles the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series. Both the by now quite dated "urban cool" slang and set dressing and the paper-thin story with no regard for anything but looking cool, pulling off difficult manoeuvres, and getting a high score seem to bind the two together. | In sentiment, the game resembles the [[wikipedia:Tony_Hawk's_(series)|Tony Hawk's Pro Skater]] series. Both the by now quite dated "urban cool" slang and set dressing and the paper-thin story with no regard for anything but looking cool, pulling off difficult manoeuvres, and getting a high score seem to bind the two together. | ||
In its basic genre, being a rhythm game, there are many other titles it resembles: The osu! and Rhythm Heaven series come to mind. In terms of lightweight design and youth appeal (as well as some musical choices), the mobile game Geometry Dash is also similar. | In its basic genre, being a rhythm game, there are many other titles it resembles: The [[wikipedia:Osu!|osu!]] and [[wikipedia:Rhythm_Heaven|Rhythm Heaven]] series come to mind. In terms of lightweight design and youth appeal (as well as some musical choices), the mobile game [[wikipedia:Geometry_Dash|Geometry Dash]] is also similar. | ||
== Theme == | == Theme == | ||
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The main theme of the game is a classic hero-fights-for-girl situation, though it serves little more purpose than as an excuse to have music battles. The main character’s primary goal is defeating other (non-playable) characters, including the girlfriend’s parents, to prove himself worthy of his girlfriend. Being a good rapper and/or musician seems to be the ultimate status symbol in this world. | The main theme of the game is a classic hero-fights-for-girl situation, though it serves little more purpose than as an excuse to have music battles. The main character’s primary goal is defeating other (non-playable) characters, including the girlfriend’s parents, to prove himself worthy of his girlfriend. Being a good rapper and/or musician seems to be the ultimate status symbol in this world. | ||
The game is quite playfully macho. The character Pico waves around a comically large gun, the demonic father wears a suit jacket over his bare chest, and the entire concept of the rap battle encounters calls back to an era of high testosterone MTV music videos. | The game is quite playfully macho. The character Pico waves around a comically large gun, the demonic father wears a suit jacket over his bare chest, and the entire concept of the rap battle encounters calls back to an era of high testosterone MTV music videos.<ref>Arthur, Damien. "[https://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/12504/gender/v08/GCB-08 Hip Hop Consumption and Masculinity.]" 2006. University of Adelaide. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref> | ||
[[Datei:FNF Week5 BackgroundCameos.png|mini|Background Cameos in Week 5 (not all shown)]] | [[Datei:FNF Week5 BackgroundCameos.png|mini|Background Cameos in Week 5 (not all shown)]] | ||
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=== Are there any references to other media concerning the theme? === | === Are there any references to other media concerning the theme? === | ||
In its own way. The game's fundamental story is archetypical to an almost parodic level; as such, it feels like it's referencing titles such as Super Mario by its very existence. | In its own way. The game's fundamental story is archetypical to an almost parodic level; as such, it feels like it's referencing titles such as Super Mario by its very existence.<ref>Sherman, Sharon R. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1500277 "Perils of the Princess: Gender and Genre in Video Games."] 1997. Western Folklore. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref> | ||
== Player Experience == | == Player Experience == | ||
=== What does the player feel? === | === What does the player feel? === | ||
Players experience mostly libidinal emotions: It's easy to enter a flow state when doing well, where inputs no longer have to be consciously registered before execution. On the flip side, it's equally easy to be overwhelmed and quickly fail, which the game playfully mocks you for. | Players experience mostly libidinal emotions: It's easy to enter a flow state when doing well, where inputs no longer have to be consciously registered before execution.<ref>Seger, Jeff & Potts, Richard. "[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-012-9134-5 Personality Correlates of Psychological Flow States in Videogame Play]." 3.5.2012. Current Psychology. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref> On the flip side, it's equally easy to be overwhelmed and quickly fail, which the game playfully mocks you for. | ||
Playing well can feel exhilarating; poor play can become frustrating. To compensate for this, there are three different difficulty settings, which can be chosen freely. These alter nothing about the game other than the sequence and challenge of the inputs. | Playing well can feel exhilarating; poor play can become frustrating. To compensate for this, there are three different difficulty settings, which can be chosen freely. These alter nothing about the game other than the sequence and challenge of the inputs. | ||
=== What elements contribute to the experience? === | === What elements contribute to the experience? === | ||
Primarily a very loud and colourful artstyle, as well as the music; It’s fast and synthesised, and alludes to various styles common in the past two decades, from | Primarily a very loud and colourful artstyle, as well as the music; It’s fast and synthesised, and alludes to various styles common in the past two decades, from [[wikipedia:Nu_metal|Nu Metal]] to [[wikipedia:Electronic_dance_music|EDM]] to [[wikipedia:Hyperpop|Hyperpop]] and [[wikipedia:Jack_Stauber|Jack Stauber]]. Basically everything on screen will be moving at any given time, usually in rhythm. | ||
=== Does the experience change during the game? === | === Does the experience change during the game? === | ||
Some tracks are more difficult than others (this is a little rough at times). There are different “encounters” that change the | Some tracks are more difficult than others (this is a little rough at times). There are different “encounters” that change the mood – two notable antagonists are horror-themed, one is an aesthetic reference to anime dating simulators. <gallery> | ||
Datei:FNF Monster.gif|Monster | Datei:FNF Monster.gif|Monster | ||
Datei:FNF Spirit.gif|Spirit | Datei:FNF Spirit.gif|Spirit | ||
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Friday Night Funkin’s type of popularity is particularly interesting. The game’s most vocal fanbase is composed of teenagers, which is especially noteworthy since the game heavily references media created before those teenagers were even alive. | Friday Night Funkin’s type of popularity is particularly interesting. The game’s most vocal fanbase is composed of teenagers, which is especially noteworthy since the game heavily references media created before those teenagers were even alive. | ||
The community also celebrates neurodivergence. The creators have claimed that the central characters Boyfriend and Girlfriend have ADHD and a side character has Schizophrenia, and the community itself includes a lot of neurodivergent people. The game’s design elements and mechanics may have something to do with this phenomenon. | The community also celebrates neurodivergence. The creators have claimed that the central characters Boyfriend and Girlfriend have ADHD<ref>Stated by developers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RnAS1fEQrk during a livestream]. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref> and a side character has Schizophrenia<ref>Fulp, Tom. "[https://www.newgrounds.com/collection/pico Pico's World.]" Original unavailable and deprecated, see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLyv2MAGO_E gameplay video]. 2002, Newgrounds. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref>, and the community itself includes a lot of neurodivergent people. The game’s design elements and mechanics may have something to do with this phenomenon. | ||
The game’s loud and catchy music, the saturated colours, energetic animations and fast pacing can be an overstimulating experience for anyone not used to it, but it is exactly the type of media that has become a staple of this community (other examples would be music by 100gecs or various vocaloid artists). This could relate to the practice of managing understimulation by consuming media with strong stimuli, common with some neurodivergent people. | The game’s loud and catchy music, the saturated colours, energetic animations and fast pacing can be an overstimulating experience for anyone not used to it, but it is exactly the type of media that has become a staple of this community (other examples would be music by 100gecs or various vocaloid artists). This could relate to the practice of managing understimulation by consuming media with strong stimuli, common with some neurodivergent people.<ref>Bioulac. Stéphanie Et al. "[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-psychiatry/article/abs/attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-and-video-games-a-comparative-study-of-hyperactive-and-control-children/138B6BF4F28D18F216550308B8C6C340 Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and video games: A comparative study of hyperactive and control children.]" 16.04.2020. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 6.3.2022</ref> | ||
It's of note that Friday Night Funkin' community interaction happens fully online, and with the game’s fairly recent release mostly includes teens who have gotten used to fast-paced media via TikTok and other social media platforms. The modern internet operates with people’s attention spans as currency. Most platforms try to get their user bases addicted with systems not unlike gambling, and severely diminish their attention span in the process. No one truly knows this like today’s children, who have made this new internet their home. This short, fast-paced and stimulating game feels natural to them and the media environment they are growing up in. | It's of note that Friday Night Funkin' community interaction happens fully online, and with the game’s fairly recent release mostly includes teens who have gotten used to fast-paced media via TikTok and other social media platforms. The modern internet operates with people’s attention spans as currency. Most platforms try to get their user bases addicted with systems not unlike gambling, and severely diminish their attention span in the process. No one truly knows this like today’s children, who have made this new internet their home. This short, fast-paced and stimulating game feels natural to them and the media environment they are growing up in. | ||
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=== Future Full Game === | === Future Full Game === | ||
The current Friday Night Funkin’ game available is an improved version of an earlier build, now known as the “Prototype.” After FNF blew up in popularity, the creators launched a [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funkin/friday-night-funkin-the-full-ass-game Kickstarter campaign] to create a fully finished game currently titled “Friday Night Funkin’: The Full Ass Game,” with more weeks, animated cutscenes, multiplayer options, and much more. The game reached its goal within two hours of announcement, and successively exceeded them in its month of runtime. FNF:TFAG is now in development. | The current Friday Night Funkin’ game available is an improved version of an earlier build, now known as the “Prototype.” After FNF blew up in popularity, the creators launched a [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funkin/friday-night-funkin-the-full-ass-game Kickstarter campaign] to create a fully finished game currently titled “Friday Night Funkin’: The Full Ass Game,” with more weeks, animated cutscenes, multiplayer options, and much more. The game reached its goal within two hours of announcement, and successively exceeded them in its month of runtime. FNF:TFAG is now in development.<ref>Confirmed on Kickstarter by developers, Funkin' Crew. "[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funkin/friday-night-funkin-the-full-ass-game/posts/3194758 funkin funded]." 20.6.2021. Retrieved 6.3.2022.</ref> | ||