Bennett Foddy’s Baby Steps: From QWOP’s Torture to a Deliberately Enjoyable Descent

The gaming landscape is littered with titles designed to elicit joy, excitement, or a satisfying sense of accomplishment. However, Bennett Foddy, the mastermind behind internet sensations like QWOP and the infuriatingly addictive Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy, has carved a unique niche for himself. He explores the frustrating, the challenging, and even the seemingly impossible aspects of movement. His latest creation, Baby Steps, promises a departure from his previous works, though it retains his core fascination: the intricate dance between player input and on-screen action. We had the distinct pleasure of taking a long, contemplative walk with Foddy in Central Park, delving deep into the origins of Baby Steps, his design philosophy, and why he’s so captivated by the seemingly mundane act of walking.

The Genesis of Baby Steps: More Than Just “QWOP But Good”

While it’s easy to dismiss Baby Steps as a “QWOP but good” iteration, that simplifies the game’s nuanced design goals considerably. The seed of the idea did, in fact, stem from the fundamental challenge of QWOP: replicating the complex human gait with just four buttons. However, Foddy sought to move beyond the pure frustration and create something inherently more enjoyable. The core concept of QWOP was about the humor and absurdity of exaggerated struggle. Baby Steps attempts to capture the same feeling of awkwardness and precarious balance, but with a gentler learning curve and a more rewarding overall experience.

The Unintentional Evolution of Walking Mechanics

During our walk, Foddy explained that the game’s unique walking mechanics evolved organically. He wasn’t aiming for hyper-realism, but rather a representation of the effort involved in maintaining balance and momentum. Each step is a deliberate act, requiring the player to carefully shift their weight and adjust their posture. This creates a tactile connection between the player and the on-screen character, Nate, fostering a sense of presence that is often lacking in more conventional walking simulators. This isn’t a simulation of walking, it is a game about walking and falling and getting back up again and laughing at yourself.

Addressing the Challenges of Procedural Animation

One of the biggest technical hurdles in developing Baby Steps was the procedural animation system. Creating a convincing and responsive walking animation from scratch, without relying on pre-recorded motion capture, required countless iterations and fine-tuning. Foddy emphasized the importance of striking a balance between realism and playability. The animation needed to be believable enough to ground the player in the game world, but also forgiving enough to allow for experimentation and playful exploration. Every aspect of Nates movement is intentional, the game engine only does what the player tells it to do. This is why the game feels so responsive and alive.

Central Park as Inspiration: Nature’s Unforgiving Terrain

Our stroll through Central Park wasn’t just a casual backdrop for the interview; it provided tangible insights into the game’s design. Foddy pointed out the uneven terrain, the subtle variations in elevation, and the unpredictable obstacles that naturally arise when navigating an outdoor environment. These elements directly influenced the level design in Baby Steps, creating a world that is both beautiful and challenging to traverse. Central Park’s deliberate blend of wild spaces and constructed paths exemplifies the challenges and reward of Baby Steps own landscape.

The Joy of Overcoming Obstacles: Finding Flow in Frustration

Foddy’s game design often hinges on finding joy in moments of frustration. He believes that the act of overcoming challenges, even seemingly trivial ones, can be deeply satisfying. In Baby Steps, this translates to carefully navigating treacherous slopes, clambering over fallen logs, and simply maintaining your balance on uneven ground. He argues that finding the “flow state” in Baby Steps relies on embracing the difficulty. It isn’t about effortlessly gliding through the environment, but learning to adapt and overcome the inherent challenges. The player needs to lean into the struggle.

Designing for Discoverability: Hidden Paths and Unexpected Encounters

Beyond the core walking mechanics, Baby Steps encourages exploration and discovery. The game world is filled with hidden paths, secret shortcuts, and unexpected encounters, rewarding players who venture off the beaten track. Foddy emphasized the importance of creating a sense of agency for the player, allowing them to chart their own course and uncover the game’s secrets at their own pace. These “secrets” are not hidden behind complex puzzles, but are merely found by exploring the environment that one traverses.

The Bennett Foddy Philosophy: Embracing the Absurd and the Difficult

Our conversation naturally gravitated toward Foddy’s broader design philosophy. He’s drawn to games that challenge players in unexpected ways, forcing them to confront their limitations and think outside the box. He sees value in games that are difficult, even frustrating, as long as the challenge is fair and the rewards are meaningful. The idea isn’t to create an impassible barrier, but to demand patience, perseverance, and a touch of creativity.

The Allure of Movement: From QWOP to Baby Steps

Foddy’s fascination with movement is a recurring theme in his work. He believes that the simple act of moving through a virtual space can be surprisingly engaging, especially when the mechanics are unconventional or deliberately awkward. He likes to explore the gap between what a character should be able to do and what the player is actually capable of doing, highlighting the disconnect between intention and execution. This contrast can be the source of great amusement and satisfying problem-solving.

Redefining Success: More Than Just Reaching the Goal

Foddy challenges the conventional notion of success in video games. He argues that the journey, not just the destination, should be the primary focus. In Baby Steps, simply reaching the end isn’t the ultimate goal. It’s about the experiences you have along the way, the challenges you overcome, and the lessons you learn about yourself. The “success” of the game lies in each player’s unique approach to each challenge, and how they evolve their style as they continue.

Why Baby Steps Stands Out: A Deliberate Departure

Baby Steps distinguishes itself from its predecessors through its focus on accessibility and approachability. While QWOP was designed to be intentionally difficult and Getting Over It embraced its punishing nature, Baby Steps strives for a more balanced experience. It’s still challenging, but it’s also forgiving, rewarding players for their persistence and experimentation. This is the difference between QWOP and Baby Steps. The former is meant to show you how terrible you can possibly be while the latter is meant to show you how much better you can become.

A Deeper Narrative: The Story of Nate

Unlike Foddy’s previous games, Baby Steps features a more prominent narrative element. Players inhabit the role of Nate, a character who seems to lack any drive or ambition. As Nate slowly navigates the strange landscape, he encounters unusual individuals and uncovers the mysteries of his surroundings. The narrative is subtle and open to interpretation, but it adds an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the gameplay experience.

The Future of Frustration: Where Does Foddy Go From Here?

While Baby Steps represents a shift toward a more accessible style, Foddy remains committed to exploring the challenging and often frustrating aspects of movement. He hinted at future projects that might push the boundaries of player expectation even further, experimenting with new mechanics and unconventional control schemes. Foddy’s vision of the future includes both the fun and the frustration that many gamers are increasingly looking for.

Conclusion: Baby Steps is a Bold, Thought-Provoking Experience

Baby Steps is more than just a game about walking; it’s an exploration of movement, patience, and the joy of overcoming challenges. It represents a significant evolution in Bennett Foddy’s design philosophy, offering a more accessible and rewarding experience while retaining his signature blend of humor, difficulty, and unconventional mechanics. It challenges the player to change their mind about the struggle, that overcoming difficult challenges is worth the effort. If you’re looking for a game that will test your patience, reward your persistence, and make you laugh at yourself along the way, Baby Steps is definitely worth taking. Baby Steps represents a carefully considered evolution of Bennett Foddy’s design sensibilities, focusing on a more grounded, character-driven experience, and ultimately proving that the journey can be just as rewarding as the destination.