Certain parts of computing fascinate more much more than the average programers interest in them. One instance of this is the intersection of computing and the human brain meet in a sharp way.

This could be a programming language or a game engine along with a game. These are non obvious creations that take time and care to craft but stand on the ability for a human brain to reason about the rules.

There is a surface or interface that we present to the user/player is not well prescribed. Subtleties here can alter the persons mental model the system. The designer can make things easy by hiding complexity.

Will they take the twisty passage or the open road? Subtleties in the presentation, sound and lighting influence their decision.

In programming the surface decides what type of problems they will choose to solve in it along with the approaches they take and errors they make a long the way. There are so many trade offs.

These design questions are something I find deeply fascinating.

I think of them as sharp as the layer between the human and heavy computations are taking place are usually shallow. The design space is still vast and It gives me some appreciation for the problems UI/UX designers on large applications face. Although I view them as slightly distinct to what I am pondering here.