Has there even been something you learned from a video game that you applied in real life?
Over the summer, I discovered a really neat game called SpaceChem [http://spacechemthegame.com/]. It's a puzzle game about programming automated machines, to get from an input and turn it into the desired output. It's a very difficult game, one that requires lots of lateral thinking, creativity, and patience to solve the puzzles. SpaceChem is one of the most unique and, dare I say it, educational games I've ever played.
http://i.imgur.com/1ryFV.jpg
SpaceChem intro video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8JwvtVs38
I've sunk a decent amount of time into SpaceChem, about 17 hours; most of which was probably spent just sitting in my chair and pulling my hair out, trying to figure out how the hell I was supposed to solve the puzzle. "Is this puzzle even possible? How the hell am I supposed to solve it? Am I supposed to do something completely new and crazy? Will I have to redesign my typical reactor into something new and crazy?" All these questions, these frustrating, headache-inducing, face-to-desking questions, are something I became very familiar with. It's the mindset and the "flow" of the game, just like how the flow of NES Mario involves jumping on enemies and chasing down 1UP mushrooms, and how the flow of GTA involves stealing cars and running from the police.
Anyways, summer has ended and classes are starting again, and this quarter I'm taking an electronic music class. One thing we're learning about is a program called Max [http://cycling74.com/]; a visual way of programming, primarily for electronic music, where you get a bunch of boxes and connect them with wires. While we were being introduced to the program, one of the first things I thought was, "This is kinda like SpaceChem."
Our first assignment in Max was to create either an adding machine, a metronome, or a kitchen converter. I decided to create a kitchen converter. And so, after several hours of watching video tutorials, sifting through instruction manuals on how to use the program, and lots of trial-and-error, I finally finished my kitchen converter.
http://i.imgur.com/v6N4H.jpg
(Max intro video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrOo4fOlKfA )
It's very simple and it's not the most elegant solution, but it does what it's supposed to. But the point is, I almost felt like I was playing SpaceChem while creating this thing. The same sorts of questions popped up: "How am I supposed to do this? Is what I'm trying to do even possible? Is there a better way? How can I make it more effecient?" It was the same sort of flow, same sort of mindset. I'm given a problem, and I'm asked to solve it by creating a machine of sorts.
Basically, everything I learned from SpaceChem about problem-solving and lateral thinking translated almost directly into Max. And that's pretty damn awesome.
So given this awesome experience I had of taking something I learned from a video game and applying it to real life, has this ever happened to any of you?
Over the summer, I discovered a really neat game called SpaceChem [http://spacechemthegame.com/]. It's a puzzle game about programming automated machines, to get from an input and turn it into the desired output. It's a very difficult game, one that requires lots of lateral thinking, creativity, and patience to solve the puzzles. SpaceChem is one of the most unique and, dare I say it, educational games I've ever played.
http://i.imgur.com/1ryFV.jpg
SpaceChem intro video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8JwvtVs38
I've sunk a decent amount of time into SpaceChem, about 17 hours; most of which was probably spent just sitting in my chair and pulling my hair out, trying to figure out how the hell I was supposed to solve the puzzle. "Is this puzzle even possible? How the hell am I supposed to solve it? Am I supposed to do something completely new and crazy? Will I have to redesign my typical reactor into something new and crazy?" All these questions, these frustrating, headache-inducing, face-to-desking questions, are something I became very familiar with. It's the mindset and the "flow" of the game, just like how the flow of NES Mario involves jumping on enemies and chasing down 1UP mushrooms, and how the flow of GTA involves stealing cars and running from the police.
Anyways, summer has ended and classes are starting again, and this quarter I'm taking an electronic music class. One thing we're learning about is a program called Max [http://cycling74.com/]; a visual way of programming, primarily for electronic music, where you get a bunch of boxes and connect them with wires. While we were being introduced to the program, one of the first things I thought was, "This is kinda like SpaceChem."
Our first assignment in Max was to create either an adding machine, a metronome, or a kitchen converter. I decided to create a kitchen converter. And so, after several hours of watching video tutorials, sifting through instruction manuals on how to use the program, and lots of trial-and-error, I finally finished my kitchen converter.
http://i.imgur.com/v6N4H.jpg
(Max intro video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrOo4fOlKfA )
It's very simple and it's not the most elegant solution, but it does what it's supposed to. But the point is, I almost felt like I was playing SpaceChem while creating this thing. The same sorts of questions popped up: "How am I supposed to do this? Is what I'm trying to do even possible? Is there a better way? How can I make it more effecient?" It was the same sort of flow, same sort of mindset. I'm given a problem, and I'm asked to solve it by creating a machine of sorts.
Basically, everything I learned from SpaceChem about problem-solving and lateral thinking translated almost directly into Max. And that's pretty damn awesome.
So given this awesome experience I had of taking something I learned from a video game and applying it to real life, has this ever happened to any of you?
