It does make some degree of sense cognitively, though. If it's there, it's there and that's all there is to it. Something that hints at more engages the brain and makes it actively hold your focus more.
This phenomenon first came to my attention when flipping through a psych textbook when I was in my early teens. It had two photos of a woman sprawled on a bed, one in a bikini and one covered from neck to mid-thigh by a satin sheet. The latter seemed more attractive because while you saw less, it carried the suggestion that the woman could be naked under that sheet. And if you're fond of contemplating naked women on occasion (as I was then and am now) that kind of thing makes you pay more attention.
I've seen echoes of the same thing many times in writing and in games. If you write less and hint at more, it's not a good idea because it means that the reader/player's imagination does the work for you, but because it means their imagination does work. Active involvement is an important part of making an experience engaging. The trick is in finding a balance such that the activity feels effortless.
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Date: 14 Dec 2008 01:09 (UTC)This phenomenon first came to my attention when flipping through a psych textbook when I was in my early teens. It had two photos of a woman sprawled on a bed, one in a bikini and one covered from neck to mid-thigh by a satin sheet. The latter seemed more attractive because while you saw less, it carried the suggestion that the woman could be naked under that sheet. And if you're fond of contemplating naked women on occasion (as I was then and am now) that kind of thing makes you pay more attention.
I've seen echoes of the same thing many times in writing and in games. If you write less and hint at more, it's not a good idea because it means that the reader/player's imagination does the work for you, but because it means their imagination does work. Active involvement is an important part of making an experience engaging. The trick is in finding a balance such that the activity feels effortless.