Blog Post 3: Robocraft on Steam

I have started playing a free game on Steam called Robocraft. You basically build robots that you use to fight either against the computer or other players. Today, I want to go over some of the cool game design features that I really like.

1. You build the robots brick by brick. Very much like Minecraft you have cubes of different types that you can use to build the machines. As you progress in the fights you level up and get access to different types of bricks. For instance: You get access to different types of wheels that work differently on different types of terrain. Your weapons are also upgraded and get larger as well as do more damage. So the model you were using before becomes obsolete, because the new weapons are larger and need a large base to sit on. 

2. The world you fight in has physics. Once you get access to wings you can start to experiment with flying aircraft. When I first started, I couldn't understand why I kept crashing. I put the wings on about the right place and even had the smaller tail wings. Only after I realized that I forgot a rudder did my aircraft finally fly properly. This type of modeling allowed me to learn from my mistakes and continue to improve on my aircraft's performance. 

3. You fight other players who design their own robots. This aspect has really allowed me to see all sorts of robot designs that I would of never of thought of on my own. The act of playing against other players forces everyone to build better robots in a continuous feedback loop. Eventually you start seeing the number one robots follow similar designs. 

If you have access to steam and have some free time to kill, I highly recommend playing Robocraft. The combination of combat and creativity makes it a very fun game. 

Blog Post 2: Gamer Goals

Today I wanted to talk a little bit about what I call Gamer Goals. These are goals that the gamers set for themselves to accomplish before they will allow themselves to quit the game for the night/day. I realized that goal setting is the easy part, accomplishing the goal is the hard part. In analyzing what it takes to do one more raid or PvP (Player verse Player) game is all about follow through. 

If gamers all around the world are building at least one skill, it would be the skill of follow through. It takes a lot of discipline to keep going regardless of how many wipes it takes.

I believe that the skill can be applied to any game and life in general as long as the following principles are followed:

1. The end state must be ultra specific. It is not enough to say that we will play one more  time. It must state a specific end result, such as; we will play one more time until we kill that one boss.

2. We enjoy what we are doing. We either enjoy the game itself, the work it takes to progress, or even the feeling we get in accomplishing a thing. The main point is that we find some pleasure in the activity. 

So there you have it; have a ultra specific end state and find pleasure in the activity. Combines those two principles and we have what I call Gamer Goals. 

Blog Post 1: Purpose of this Blog

I believe the purpose of gaming is to learn. What we learn is determined by the games we play and why we play them. Through thoughtful design, we can create games that revolutionize how we learn, work, and play. 

I have been gaming for as long as I can remember. While most of the games I've played were for entertainment value at the time, there were skills and knowledge embedded directly into my brain. For instance: I learned that it may take hours and hours of doing something to complete it, that strong bonds are built with those I've played games with, and that a good game can inspire myself to be better. 

This blog is dedicated to my thoughts on how gaming can make us better people. I will explore everything from board games to live action role playing. It is my sincere wish that you will join me in this conversation as we explore the power games. 

Thank you.

- Ken