There can be many answers to the question of what is just enough, but perhaps in our view it is a simple one involving the synchronization of a thought or idea and its visual representation or communication. The answer might be condensed even further into two simple words: 16 milliseconds.
In video games, complex worlds are constructed and rules are evaluated first, then served to the observer in the form of an image. This process can vary in duration, but ideally it should take 16 milliseconds so that the image can be delivered 60 times per second, ensuring smooth immersion into the digital world.
If this short time window is overextended, the image on the screen may tear like fabric. In essence, we might say that the observer loses connection and that their actions no longer work within the system.
So when asked, “What is too much?” we would say it is the loss of the ability to interpret and communicate with the world—whether that world is a video game or reality itself.
Tomaž Šimnovec
CON.q.TENT, Slovenia
This contribution is part of our ongoing survey “TOO MUCH? What is just enough?” where we collect personal reflections on excess and balance in life, architecture and design. We are gathering diverse, thought-provoking answers that will help shape future discussions and content.
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