straw dogs

"heaven and earth aren't humane. to them the ten thousand things are straw dogs."
–lao tzu, tao te ching

straw dogs is a microgame-poem about cycles, change, and coexistence.

straw dogs are ancient chinese ceremonial objects, used as a substitute for live animal sacrifice. this piece operates similarly, depicting a simplified dynamic ecosystem that reacts and adapts to human intervention, inviting the player to sit within the unintended consequences and lasting impacts of their actions both within and beyond the game. the taoist angle hints at the motivations behind the piece, and a possible Way to approach gameplay.