Why I'm Loving #screenshotsaturday

Is there really a better way to convey the tone, genre, style, and overall sense of a game than through the good old screenshot? I don't think so, and this is why I am a lover of all things frozen in time and put on the internet. This is perhaps why i'm loving the #screenshotsaturday trend that's been going around in the blur between my Saturday and Sunday. I've spent hours browsing the exciting images of thousands of different games, each one presenting its own individual presentation of its own unique entertainment.

There's a distinct sense of pride that the screenshot conveys. For all the effort put into the game, especially when its independently developed (see my earlier post), it's relieving to understand that indie developers make this effort because of their love of entertainment and pride in their end product. Such pride is beautifully demonstrated in this shared display space of the internet. Developers posting screenshots of their works are not only trying to advertise their product, they're sharing with the world their own pride in the work they have undertaken.

Of all the ways the internet has changed the world, this space to share and the camaraderie that comes from it is perhaps the most important to me. With the recent gamergate epidemic, it's refreshing to see the internet's anonymity and freedom being utilised to breed positivity. I think it's too easy to fall into dwelling too much on the presence online trolls. Evidence of social networking, Twitter in particular, being used to exhibit a confident pride in a project and then being received by others sharing that pride, providing feedback and posting their own projects illustrates one of the greatest powers of the internet - bringing individuals around the world together based on common interests.

And I think screenshots themselves deserve some attention. They capture the essence of a game that could be hours long to provide the viewer with a wealth of information from just a glance. I think you can really get the feel of a game from an atmospheric shot of action, and they are composed (whether intended to or not) as art pieces.

I don't believe that pride is a bad thing. The fact that these developers are sharing their work with the world in such a public way shows their care, personal investment, dedication, and enthusiasm for their endeavours. Trolls are just the people who don't have anything worth showing off.