Week 12

For this weeks post I decided to play a video game and analyse the learning experiences within the game. I was also inspired by Ben Harkins post on the capabilities of modern games.

The game I chose to play was Faster Than Light created by independent developers Subset Games. The reason I chose this was because I already had a lot of experience playing this. The game is essentially about being in charge of a government spaceship that is trying to flee the "evil" rebels.

A screenshot from Faster Than Light

As an aside I think that this is an excellent role reversal from standard sci-fi narrative. It makes you think about the concept of good and evil and how that is in the eye of the beholder; by putting you on the side of the governing body in the universe it makes you think about how you just took for granted that the imperials in Star Wars for example are evil and the rebels were good.

The game culminates in you facing off against the rebel's most powerful spaceship. To get to this point is very tough however and requires management and decision making skills. The most interesting aspect though is that while the game incorporates a save feature if your ships is destroyed the game is over and your save is deleted. This eliminates the ability to continuously reload a save until you get past a certain point. The layout of the game is randomised every time as well; which forces you to practice your overall skills at managing combat and the running of the spaceship rather than focusing on a specific event that can just be done over and over again until you get it right.

This clearly means the game is much more difficult than a conventional game, persistence provides much greater satisfaction when you do succeed. I think it also fosters an attitude that is more conducive to a real life workplace. When doing your job, in particular a management job, you always have to make decisions on very different situations. Life does not allow you a second go if you mess up.

It is for this reason I feel that this sort of game would be perfect for creating a useful attitude in a child, preparing them for later in life. Faster Than Light is not an overly violent game so would also be suitable for younger kids, and there are many other games that incorporate this style of gameplay such as Rogue Legacy, Dungeons of Dredmor, and Don't Starve. However I found Faster Than Light to be the most enjoyable, and the management aspect of it made it that much more useful outside of it being merely a game.

Image References

Steam. (2013). Faster Than Light. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://cdn2.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/212680/ss_b085bdaebad7d39dc87c97a5d788fad2a3d29076.1920x1080.jpg?t=1371145773