I really like green patches of grass... large fields of grass. It puts me in a better mood.

Quote:Original post by Servant of the Lord
Sometimes, when walking or driving around in an otherwise "normal" area, I get amazed by the simplisitic beauty of... the hills. Great mounds of dirt, with little green stuff (grass) growing on it? Somehow, just watching the smooth transitions from low to high, stirs something inside me.

We (or just me?) often try to make things beautiful by tossing more entities into the mix; we try to add more elements and make it more complex. But really, I think there is great beauty in simplicity, and we can learn alot from God's creation when it comes to designing our own worlds in games.

I think it's not necessarily simplicity. I think it's the simple reality of a complex entity. Using your code example, you have a problem that may seem very complex, but might be solved by 10 lines of code very simply.

Using nature, and your bit on tossing more entities into the mix. I think it's not so much that nature is simple, but how simply complex it is. I find playing with acceptance of a simple idea/resolution of a complex reality is a great meditation tool.

Kinda reminds me of the "You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because you'll be together," line from inception. Complex reality; where is the train going to take you? What time will you get there? Simple resolution; it doesn't matter because you'll be together.

Quote:Original post by way2lazy2care
I think it's not necessarily simplicity. I think it's the simple reality of a complex entity. Using your code example, you have a problem that may seem very complex, but might be solved by 10 lines of code very simply.

Yea, I agree - simplicity of the building blocks that make an intricate whole (kinda like fractals - except I don't feel the same feeling when looking at fractals); being simple in itself does not always provoke 'awe' or whatever the correct term is, in me. Usually simple things that are only simple are thought-provoking*, but not awe-inspiring. (like a painting of a cube on a flat plain or something)

*Or, at least that seems to be what artists are trying to go for.

Quote:Original post by LessBread
If you ever visit California and have the time and inclination for a scenic journey, I recommend driving up the coastal highway. If you need a destination for such a trip, Hearst Castle is a pretty good one. It's about half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, so you can plan such a trip starting from either city.

When I lived in California, I enjoyed the coastal trip up to Stinson Beach. The beach itself is nice - supposedly one of the best beachs in California and only a short distance from San Fransisco, but I enjoyed watching the waves crash against the cliffs, while driving above it by 200 or more feet. I also enjoyed the windy road that continues for about 20 minutes, winding along forest covered cliffs. The drive there is usually as pleasant as the beach itself.
(Warning: Since the beach is so famous, it's frequently crowded unless you come at the right time)

Do a search for the evolution of beauty a Ted Talks he talks about this, its a near universal theme in human artwork, the pictorial landscape.. Ie green lush fields, animals, water and roads..

here's the link

">TedTalk on Art

It's hardwired into us, from our nomadic past..

-ddn

Thats the one thing I enjoy about taking back roads when driving through Delaware.