tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85275112980904637982024-02-19T09:17:31.962-08:00Shekerev UnderstandingNikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-9703825145481927032010-10-03T09:57:00.001-07:002010-10-06T05:50:20.406-07:00Short on Behavioral Psychology<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reinforcer</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">: An outcome or result, generally used to refer to a reward. Examples: experience points, leveling up, a weapon drop, a coin in Mario / Sonic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Contingency</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">: A rule or set of rules governing when reinforcers are given. Also referred to as a schedule of reinforcement. Examples: a level every 1,000 experience points, a bonus level that is only available if you kill a certain opponent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Types of contingency:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ratio schedules</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - provide rewards after a certain number of actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fixed - killing a constant number of 20 opponents. Usual behavior - First there is a long pause, then a steady burst of activity as fast as possible until a reward is given. The long pause - having a period of time where there is little incentive to play the game can lead to the player walking away.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Variable <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- target number is unknown, only the previous experiences are known - steady flow of activity at a bit lower rate<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Interval schedules</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - at first action after some time have passed<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fixed - time required is constant - pausing for a while after a reward and then gradually responding faster and faster. Increase is gradual , because we suck at time estimation<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Variable - a steady, continuous level of activity, although at a slower pace compared to variable ratios. The motivation is evenly spread out over time.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The 4 contingencies above can be combined at will<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Response</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">: An action on the part of the player that can fulfill the contingency. This could be killing a monster, visiting an area of the game, or using a special ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Extinction</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">: stop providing a reward - behavior after the end of a contingency is preserved by what the contingency was for a long period of time before gradually trailing off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Extinctions and reducing the level of reinforcement provide aggression and frustration<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Positive reinforcement</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - using contingency schedules to make subject increases activity to get more rewarding stimuli<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Negative reinforcement</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - using contingency schedules to make subject increases activity to kill the negative stimuli<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Punishing reinforcement</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - using contingency schedules to make subject decreases activity<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Purchase of lottery tickets is combination of variable ration schedule with fixed interval schedule. Pleasure comes from long period of reward anticipation, regardless of actual reward value and probability<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Humans need places to stop, like end of paragraph or chapter in a book, or level in a game. Abuse that necessity to make them perform activity indefinitely<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">stops are very separated – MMO raids<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">steps are very frequent and chapters are extremely short – potato chips<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Definition of Addiction:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Through reinforcement (chemical for drugs) rewards are made much more emotionally beneficial than their original value. That benefit is perceived only, not actual, it is a product of the reinforcement and causes the irrational behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reason for addiction is subject’s necessity to satisfy some need or desire (example – low self esteem). The reason is different than the object of addiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How close is “fun” to “reinforcement” in your game design? Is addictiveness a good quality for a game then? And is that “fun” a good thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Personal opinion – MORALITY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I assume that everybody is well informed of what behavioral psychology knows and how that can be used in everyday life. Provided a person can make an INFORMED decision on bad games, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, advertising, etc, I see no moral problem – it is his weakness to go the escapism path and potentially damage himself in exchange for pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Personal opinion – RATIONALITY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is how you train an obedient animal, a dog or a horse for example. Humans’ evolution path is that of rationality, but we still haven’t grown beyond those animalistic pleasure drives. Exploiting them degrades us back to animal level and that doesn’t help our evolutionary progress as rational species. So go fuck behavioral design.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3085/behavioral_game_design.php?page=1">http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3085/behavioral_game_design.php?page=1</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html">http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://wings.buffalo.edu/aru/ARUreport01.htm">http://wings.buffalo.edu/aru/ARUreport01.htm</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Note – the second article is humoristic and biased, but still provides valuable points and links<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-89070963630625487112010-10-03T09:56:00.003-07:002010-10-06T05:51:08.294-07:00Short on Motivational Psychology<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">WHY STUDY MOTIVATION:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Quality of result is a function of motivation. We can use it to achieve:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">better game experience through player motivation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">better job satisfaction and team work<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">better AI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">1 – MECHANICAL MOTIVATORS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(“extrinsic” is a popular term but I do not use it, as it seems inaccurate)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rewards</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> in terms of behavioral psychology<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 54.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">food, sex, other physiological<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 54.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">materialism / stockpiling resources (money or other)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 54.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">scores or Achievements in games<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 54.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">levels, experience points, items, skill points in RPGs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 54.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Punishments</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - deprivation of the above, pain, etc<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Problems:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rewards become less effective with time (burnout)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Suppression – in combination of different rewards, lesser rewards are ignored<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rewards are relative, player compares them to last experiences<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Works great for mechanical tasks, but severely harms productivity in cognitive, intellectual, creative, conceptual tasks (focus of attention is narrowed)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">More on behavioral psychology:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-on-behavioral-psychology.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-on-behavioral-psychology.html</a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2 – DYNAMICAL MOTIVATORS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(“intrinsic” is a popular term but I do not use it, as it seems inaccurate)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Exploring the Unknown:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Discovery<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Creativity<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Curiosity<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Experimentation<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Research <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Learning<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Achieving Goals:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Complex problems (no brain-numbing repetition)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Challenge<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Progress<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mastery<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Competition<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Taking initiative:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Must be allowed and encouraged<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Feedback:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Should be as frequent and detailed as possible<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Autonomy:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Forcing somebody to do something always lowers performance<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Level 1 – You decide what to do next (choose task)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Level 2 – You decide the approach to get it done (choose gameplay for it)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Level 3 – You execute those decisions the way you like it (choose style and tools)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Example 1: results-only work environment (no daily schedules) management approach<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Example 2: desire for power (dictatorship / monopoly) means more personal autonomy at expense of other’s autonomy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Team:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Socialization<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Teammates help me<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I can help teammates<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Approval of others<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Morality:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fairness (of reward for example)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Truthfulness<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Respect<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Purpose:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Useful for me, some personal involvement<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Contribution for the rest<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Producing long-lasting results<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Security:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sufficient salary<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Loose deadlines<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Level of other personal risk involved<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Convenience:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Less time required<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Less effort required<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Other form of comfort<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ownership of the things I create<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Example – in Spore players are emotionally connected to the creatures they make even though quality is worse than professional made content<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Importance of self<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anything that makes you feel important (attention, fame)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Additional Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Different motivators have different weight for different people<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Some motivators conflict, can’t have them all maximized, balance<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Generally short-term stress is beneficial for productivity and long-term stress is harmful<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Punished by rewards” by Alfie Kohn<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Outliers: The Story of Success” by </span>Malcolm Gladwell<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-62912666534089002622010-10-03T09:56:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:52:59.864-07:00Short list of conflicts in modern games<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Invisible Walls<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation says these is not a wall here, you can pass<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Interactions say you cannot pass here <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Hidden gameplay mechanics<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics say there is some rule here –you lose gun accuracy when you land from a jump, or this punching animation can be cancelled if you block in this precise frame window, or running makes you invulnerable for a split second<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation gives no feedback for that rule, even tries to hide it<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Balance Issues<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Overpowered feature<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics – you can use all these different guns<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics – but actually none of them matter, you shouldn’t use them, use only this<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Underpowered feature<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics – you can use all these different guns<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics – except this one, it is useless<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Useless or isolated features, gimmicks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fable example:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">You can marry every woman in the world<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">But there is no reason to do so, the girl just moves to your house and that is the only change<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Assassins Creed:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">You can play sim city by building different structures in your mansion to generate income and other benefits<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">But there is no reason to do so, the generated money are used primarily for the mansion itself, and the game world is not influenced by it, it is almost ISOLATED mini-game<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Any game object that has presentation model but no mechanical / dynamical model<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example: creature appearance in Spore doesn’t affect gameplay<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Any game that rewards players with skins<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: new appearance for character or weapon or feature<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics/Dynamics: NO actual change in system behavior, the reward has no meaning<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Rule – whenever you use skins, apply at least minimal value to them. For example slight change in AI interactions, not necessarily beneficial all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Lack of interactivity or wrong interactivity<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: This looks like a chair, so it must be a chair<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: You cannot sit on it, so it is not a chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: You can pick it up and throw it at enemies, so it must be actually a weapon that only looks like a chair <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Breaking the fourth wall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: we are doing our best to create believable immersive world<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: but we deliberately remind you that this is still a game<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Perceived Danger Only<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: This ship is sinking, or this factory is about to explode any minute. All is shaking, flames everywhere, distant explosions are heard. Danger!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: All is safe actually, go drink some water, watch a movie, return in an hour and all will be the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Enemy Placement<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: You are fighting a human enemy, just like you. He is placed at the window of a nearby building.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: No, you cannot go there, it is not accessible for humans, employers only<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Level Design</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> for a forest environment. Where are the trees placed:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">where they are most likely to grow in the real world, maximally exposed to sunlight but minimally exposed to strong winds ?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">or where the tree placement will contribute maximally to gameplay<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In games it is only the second.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: I look like a tree<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: But I do not act like a tree, so I am definitely not a tree<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">End Level motivation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The level design clearly indicates the direction of the goal, but the player avoids. He knows that once the goal is reached, the rest of the level will be inaccessible along with all the benefits in it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: The goal is this way<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: Pursuing your goal denies you rewards and knowledge. The goal is something to be avoided for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Possible solution – tweak affordable risk and available time<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Games nowadays are all about pretty graphics” syndrome<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Advancement of graphics is actually a good thing. There is a problem elsewhere:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: I progressed fast to photorealism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics (simulations): I progress too, but slower - variety of possible things to interact with in different ways, body animations, destructible solid surfaces and dynamic environments, physics of liquids and gases and soft materials, economics, advanced AI– all that is far from realistic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There is a growing gap between different aspects of a game. Graphics progress is relatively easy – we have good math explaining how light works and how we see things. Same with audio tech. All other kinds of simulation are not so easy, especially believable AI. The reason is lack of knowledge and work and research, not lack of hardware. So presentation just need to keep at the level of the rest – more abstract, simple, stylized, specific and distinct for the game, not photorealistic. And the simulations need to catch up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">But still this gap continues to widen and I tend to blame the audience for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Bully is a game with great reactive AI, still it is far from financially successful. Penumbra is the only game where you can arrange a messy room. Presentation of Limbo is consistent with its core. What about the interactions and animations in ICO or Shadow of the Colossus? But no, let’s pirate those and give our money for Call of Duty SEVEN, so we can play multi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Quick Time Events</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> are conflicts in 2 ways at the same time<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">12a<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: the QTE situations fundamentally require different skill set – jumping on cars, dodging a rocket, interrupting a dialogue, disarming a bomb etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: the QTE has exactly the same interactivity, no matter the situation – press the flashing button within time frame. In terms of interactions the differently presented types of problems are the same problem. But slashing a boss and hacking a computer are NOT the same types of problem and the player knows that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">12b<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: a binary tree, at each node the player either fails the challenge or continues to play. 2 possible outcomes, linear experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwYveLhZ2AcqqwztUMKGk-uB2cq6XKnzhYr_6n7flrkwJaKfKD5eCIEAil9apTJ73hABGNbZtciMKX5JnvQdWW95UwqwUsXayMrJZLVUDFCfJdOJtyia_3z1BwcCgozzt-FRQblaPie1G/s1600/QTE.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwYveLhZ2AcqqwztUMKGk-uB2cq6XKnzhYr_6n7flrkwJaKfKD5eCIEAil9apTJ73hABGNbZtciMKX5JnvQdWW95UwqwUsXayMrJZLVUDFCfJdOJtyia_3z1BwcCgozzt-FRQblaPie1G/s320/QTE.PNG" width="160" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: usually a complex situation with much more than 1 possible resolution or action at any given time, and definitely not only 2 outcomes. Even if you complicate the tree, it rarely achieves the complexity of the problem presented. At the very least tasks are usually continuous (driving a car for example) and the tree is discrete.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pre-rendered CG scenes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Different parts of the game have different visual quality. Presentation is not consistent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Justification: This scene is more important.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Answer: Why it is not interactive like the rest of the game then, so the player can explore that importance?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Justification: It is a very rewarding reward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Answer: True, but this reward still creates a conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Gap between main character and his enemies<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: Main character is presented as human. The NUMEROUS enemies are presented as humans as well. The goal is to perceive them as physical equals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: Player is faster, carries more weapons and survives more damage than his enemies. They are physically (numerically) NOT equal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That perceived equality is conflicted. How to fix it?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> use fewer and stronger enemies. Nope – production wants arcade action with numerous baddies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 2:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> do not present enemies as humans, use weak aliens or animals instead. Nope – the goal of the game is to explicitly perceive enemies as equal. “Call of Duty” for example.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 3:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> make very short-signed AI with slow reaction times. Worked occasionally in Delta Force series, but generally defeating an idiot doesn’t feel like a great achievement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 4:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> give a special skill only to the player, like Wolverine health regeneration. Nope – he becomes explicitly NOT human and different now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 5:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> give to the player gadgets that are not available for the AI – a special nano-suit for example. Nope - for the same reason as above, plus the added harm in teaching players they depend more on gadgets than actual skill, to solve problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 6:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Describe the character as extremely skillful “You play as the best gunslinger in the wild west” and leave him overpowered. Nope - for the same reasons as the previous 2 solutions … and less convincing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Solution 7:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Make enemies and humans equal, but create interactions to allow defeating numerous enemies with skill - give the player the ability to use the advantages of terrain (cover, ambushes, surprises), teach him to utilize superior intellect and precision (firing in short bursts, changing position), give him tools with exponential increase in usefulness depending on circumstances (traps, that take out whole buildings, if set up correctly). Make AI dependent on resources that can be depleted (ammo, fuel, food, light, bleeding wounds). Nope – production wants an arcade (and easy to make) action.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Player and Main character<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In Story-driven games, there is a gap between PLAYER (mechanics and interactions) and the MAIN CHARACTER (narrative is part of presentation) the player controls<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 1:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Fully developed main character” approach – he has a face, voice, emotions, reacts in his own manner, has everything that a story character has.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: Uncharted 2, Legacy of Kain series<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Conflict – every time the character demonstrates his personality (cutscenes, dialogues), player is a passive observer, no interactivity. During cutscenes, player does not control the character and the most important decisions are made by the character and not the player. It is the character that did those things, not the player. The latter is just a sidekick that is given temporary control for mechanical tasks when he cannot break something in the story. Player and character are 2 separate entities, but player is told they are the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fun fact:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Ever wondered why “amnesia” is the most popular condition for main characters? This is the only way developers know to solve the conflict in this case and it is so overused it doesn’t work any more </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 2:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Avatar” approach – character has no face or voice ingame, doesn’t do anything in cutscenes, doesn’t have any personality whatsoever. There is no actual character, as his personality is made explicitly not important for the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: Half-Life series, F.E.A.R. series, partially HALO series<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Conflict – player is in full control of his avatar, so no conflict there. A conflict surfaces when the game tries to tell the player he is important in some way for the story. No, he is not, he is a faceless featureless mute with nothing unique, without personality, nothing makes THIS player important for the story, which now suffers from extremely bad characterization, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 3:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Generic character” approach – The story has a character that is important in some way. It is easy for the player to identify with him, because the character is made as generic or ideal as possible. There is a character, but he is not unique or special in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: GTA (generic criminal), Lara Croft games (woman ideal), Indiana Jones games (generic adventurer)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Conflict –this compromise approach has the problems of both previous cases, though in less extent. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 4:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Model a character” approach – the story has a character that is unique in some way. That special thing is modeled in the game rules. For example the character in Call of Cthulhu is afraid of heights and the screen blurs when player looks in the depth below. In Indigo Prophecy the player loses “mental health” if player does something the character fears – lose a girlfriend, step in a pile of blood, etc. In “Bloodlines” player loses “humanity” points if he does something deeply immoral, and those points are very rare and difficult to recover. Player is encouraged by the rules to role-play.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: Call of Cthulhu, Indigo Prophecy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Problem – this approach is very difficult most of the time (read “expensive”), very promising, but not really explored. If not done right, have a problem similar to case 1 – player is not the character but a puppeteer that takes care of the character.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 5:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Create a Character” – the story has a character, but he is not specified. Instead the player interacts with the game world the way he prefers. Those player choices develop a character and the attitude of others toward him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: Deus Ex, what most RPGs try to do<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Problem: truly interactive stories are difficult not to suck AND prone to numerous other conflicts. Conflict example – the number of places you can put “decision points” in a story tree is discrete but actual stories are continuous. To use a discrete tree means you fall to a degree in some of the conflicts listed here. To increase indefinitely the number of “decision points” means you are making a simulation, so you are totally losing control over the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 6:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The game is NOT story-driven. The story (if any) is used for background or mood only. No conflict<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples: Braid, Limbo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Problem: There is a degree of perceived importance in stories, so production and consumers want a story driven game. Exploration of this case show promising results, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Power fantasies” in sandbox games<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Interactions: You have the full freedom to do whatever you like with the world around you<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: But nothing you do matters – any result is short term and will be forgotten asap. System regularly resets to a pre-designed state, regardless of your actions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example – if you kill a citizen, the system will spawn another one somewhere, instead of permanently decreasing global population.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Big problems in sandbox games like GTA, RDR, Mercenaries, Red Faction Guerilla, etc, is that there is no lasting consequences for any action, so no actual meaning in those actions and no responsibility either. You cannot change ANYTHING. What kind of “power fantasy” is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Morality” bars</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> like those in Fable, Knights of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Old</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Republic</st1:placetype></st1:place> and Mass Effect series<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: You have to make an important moral decision that will affect the lives of others and change the world in some epic way <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: The result is a change of a player statistic, no deeper of further consequences, the game world and population basically stay the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Nobody dies in games<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: somebody dies, blood and gore, etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Players do not die – if they fail a challenge, they respawn or reload a save. Players don’t experience consequences of errors. They instantly recover from them instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Enemies do not die – death is unrecoverable loss, but they lose nothing. Their only actions are opposing the player so they are perceived as inanimate obstacles only.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Why is this conflict such an important problem?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Death makes life fragile and difficult and dangerous. To protect themselves, organisms develop all sorts of reactions. For example help for the needy, sympathy for the torments of others, honor, bravery - all are such psychological reactions. There is no empathy in heaven/utopia (current games), because nobody really dies or suffers there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Decorations:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">They are set pieces that have little value for the core meaning of a work, but are there nonetheless to create mood and atmosphere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples – bottle on a table, a piece of rubble near a broken statue, stain on a wall, etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In literature, cinema and other linear media, we are just observers, so decorations are good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In games we are active participants, so we can interact with the decoration, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation: believably looking object, may be important<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Interactions: nope, not interactive so not important, simply diversion, ignore it - scene ruined<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fixes for the examples above:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Bottle – I can drink it or break it or move it<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Rubble near a broken statue – I can move the rubble or destroy similar statues to make similar rubble<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Stain on a wall – I can make the same stain if I do something specific (shoot somebody, throw garbage at the wall, etc). Both types of stains need to have the same life span<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Decorations need to be interactive. If they are not, justification is needed. Example - clouds in the sky of a FPS.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Doors<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The “interactivity for decorations” rule above is much more difficult that it initially seems. Let’s investigate a popular phenomenon - decorative door in adventure game<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Environment is urban, for authenticity we need:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">some real interactive doors that lead to actual houses with gameplay<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">some doors that are temporary locked (interaction: feedback player on locked status), but can be unlocked with progress<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">many more decorative doors that will never be opened<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">all doors look similar (to teach player what is a door and what is not)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What interaction should the decorative doors have so no conflicts occur?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 1:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Remove all decorative doors altogether<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Nope – urban environment mood is killed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 2:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Do not use urban environment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Nope – another game element requires that environment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 3:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Use some content generation algorithm to create generic rooms behind those doors<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Nope – generic content creates routines, they are evil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 4:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Make the fake doors not interactive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Nope – conflict, player easily identifies them as meaningless decorations and ignores them<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 5:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All fake doors behave like “Locked” doors. Nothing explicitly distinguishes them from real gameplay “Locked”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Problematic – player learns that most locked doors cannot be explored, so it is very difficult to focus his attention on them. We have a similar to above conflict if “actual locked” / “fake locked” ratio is very low.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 6:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Give justification why the door is not interactive any more but was ok in the past. Examples:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">broken beyond repair by some force the player cannot use himself on other doors<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">blocked by heavy debris the player cannot generally lift, but can see through the door window<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">door is on fire and harms player when he tries to interact <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Problematic – not scalable solution<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Case 7:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Combine with above and put a cost on attempting to interact with locked doors. Example: if you try to open a locked door, there is a chance you activate an alarm and police come to arrest you for trespassing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Knowledge<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Information in any creative media can be divided in 2 categories:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Explicit knowledge” – what the media communicates to the peer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Importance – carries the actual meaning of the media<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Assumed knowledge” – what the media assumes is already known to the peer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Examples – cars move, fire is hot, weapons are dangerous, how babies are made, how to use a mouse or a keyboard, what is an interface button, conventions<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Importance – using it (cars, weapons, fire, anything the peer is aware of) allows the author to create associations with the real world, so the “explicit knowledge” can be more familiar and useful<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Balance between those two is difficult:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- explicitly telling something already known to the peer is considered boring and wasteful<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- assume the peer knows something he does not and “explicit knowledge” will not be understood<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Sometimes “explicit knowledge” has an idea that denies or is denied by another idea in “assumed knowledge” – they are conflicting. That can happen in all media, not only games. Many conflicts in this list originate from this very conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I need to unlock a weak wooden door. I have a massive chainsaw. I know from real life what those can do. Game wants me to backtrack the level and find a rusty key.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dialogue wheel in Mass Effect<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This is an advanced example for the conflict above<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Assumed Knowledge:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Events take place in a realistic world, game has scientific mood and main character is human. All of the above lead us to believe that if some universal principle is valid in our world, it is valid in the game world as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Actual results of my actions can differ from initial intention. You may want to be good but actually hurt the people you love, stuff like that. In life it is never only about “what I want to happen” but also “how to make it happen”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Explicit Knowledge:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Every time I can make a choice, the dialogue wheel in the game clearly communicates to me “blue line is for good moral result and red line is for evil egoistic result” regardless of actual words used. Intention and action result are explicitly made one and the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Character Systems in Role Playing Games<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanics: you finish a tasks, gain enough experience points and level up. As a result you increase a numerical statistic (example: hit points) so you can last longer in battle. Meaning - you have learned something<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamics: actions you performs to finish next tasks are the same, you haven’t changed how you interact with the game world. Meaning – you didn’t learn anything, only the character changed. Learning is transformed into mechanical routine that requires no mental participation from the player.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Bad camera<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Player uses interactions and controls in his disposal (including moving his character) to look at something, but the camera is locked on something else (usually specified by the designers)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Bugs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Any software bug that causes inconsistent system behavior is a conflict<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">AI<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Looks just like a human, but behaves like a muuuuuuch simpler animal<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Inaccurate random distributions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You game uses random variables to model real life events. In real life the event is close to variable distribution X while the game uses Y and X is different than Y (functions themselves are different, not only the distribution parameters)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example – Sid Mayer talked at GDC10 about how they do this all the time for Civilization, for example a series of coin flips modeled with geometric instead of binomial distribution, so that player wins more often even if he makes the worst decisions, so the game is more fun, while teaching wrong behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-47716049763637963382010-10-03T09:55:00.001-07:002010-10-06T05:54:06.736-07:00Types of Fun<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Since “fun” is the popular term in the industry, I will use it, but the exact meaning of the word for this article is:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">FUN</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> - specific experience that causes chemical reactions in the brain that are interpreted as valuable / positive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The goal of this actable is to present a table that lists all types of “funs”, but also accepts that “Fun” is synonymous to “Genre” or “Interaction Type”. It can be used to differentiate types of:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Funs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Genres<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Gamers, target audiences<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The table shows the 16 combinations of these 4 dichotomies:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using already gained knowledge to achieve goals / victories VS Learning and exploring<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Interest in others VS Interest in the inanimate world<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Emotional, physical (more animalistic) decision making VS intellectual, rational, deep long term decision making<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Symbiotic attitude (we both win, if we do this) VS Parasitic attitude (my gain is you loss)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All of them have evolutionary benefits, so it is expected for an organism to find them rewarding (a.k.a. fun, entertaining, interesting, beneficial)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">THE TABLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvogffELMyiXA-OMDxPSiIMkUKcexuhyphenhyphenOvyaSHUbIh3EO-epPtEoY4pILoNOm2uX7iLeEHgqkbcjUfMmJPIEik8Se-I_GVKmfZMpuqsNKMeJ5WZIKOZqk6idJlwNrRBYd950hj8nV8J0xi/s1600/funs.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvogffELMyiXA-OMDxPSiIMkUKcexuhyphenhyphenOvyaSHUbIh3EO-epPtEoY4pILoNOm2uX7iLeEHgqkbcjUfMmJPIEik8Se-I_GVKmfZMpuqsNKMeJ5WZIKOZqk6idJlwNrRBYd950hj8nV8J0xi/s320/funs.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Zoom picture for details<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">NOTES:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The borders are used just to define categories, but those categories are not discrete but fuzzy – they can be merged and combined at will<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If an interaction occupies more than one cell, it has instances in all of the respective cells.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The list of interactions is not full, of course. This table just showcases the 16 categories themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">EXAMPLES:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Football = cooperation fun + competition fun + motion fun + time / distance / ball management fun<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Chess = intellectual thinking in perspective fun + competitive fun + resource management fun<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Car Racing games = motion fun + time / risk management fun<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Lego blocks constructors = intellectual exploration fun, combinatorial fun<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Barbie dolls = social exploration fun<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">FOUR OTHER FUNS NOT MODELLED EXPLICITLY:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">1- “Longevity” Fun<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I once read an article that divided all rewarding experiences in 2 categories:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fun – intense but brief physical pleasure (relation to dopamine)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Happiness – less intense, but long-term satisfaction and confidence (possible relation to serotonin)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In our case – intellectual funs, learning funs, socials fun, moral funs, all have the tendencies to be longer lasting but weaker, but not always.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To affect the balance in satisfaction distribution in time, make interactions with consequences affecting the game world for a longer period of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2 - Autonomy Fun</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> = freedom, non-linearity, control<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To increase this fun, provide more available interaction types for the player to choose from at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">3 - “Importance of the self” Fun</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> = “learning about the self”, “why I am important”, “what are my unique talents or problems”. I haven’t modeled this as it is impossible to examine the self in complete isolation, but it is an important fun, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">4 – “Usefulness” Fun</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> = how useful/applicable the knowledge and skills from the game will be for my real life. This is why we generally prefer human stories compared to subjects we perceive to have nothing to do with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-71483498949459566982010-10-03T09:54:00.001-07:002010-10-17T02:35:44.967-07:00Types of Learning<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Observation – (looking people play is fun, because we want to join, but probably cannot for some reason, for example - fear)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pattern-matching, associations, relations, comparisons<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Exploration (dialogue, other communication included), trial and error, experimentation, interactions and activities (dancing)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Repetition – when each performance increases our skill<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Freedom to take risks<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Competition, Challenge, Problem-solving<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rewards for success (animals do what is pleasurable or beneficial for them, too primitive, this is how you train an animal)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Explanation, Message Model (you are considered inferior so you have a teacher/parent to tell you what is right and what is wrong, so you are supposed to take it as granted and do not question it, be passive/obedient) – used in education, religion, some “artsy” games, doesn’t work good, initiative is not from the learner<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">NOTES:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Necessity - feedback, should be as frequent as possible <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Necessity - learner should have initiative, no passive learning<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Immersion increases the quality of learning but is not a learning algorithm in itself<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Memorization is not leaning<o:p></o:p></span></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-86722522771514582742010-10-03T09:53:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:56:36.181-07:00Beyond shalloware - thoughts on game design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">CHAPTER I<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">VALUE OF ANY CREATIVE MEDIA<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Cute Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Watch these short videos first:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/05/your-morning-adorable-deer-and-dog-at-play.html">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/05/your-morning-adorable-deer-and-dog-at-play.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/07/your-morning-adorable-dog-deer-bff.html">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/07/your-morning-adorable-dog-deer-bff.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCf7SNUb-Q&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCf7SNUb-Q&feature=player_embedded</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKvNqe8cKU4&feature=youtu.be&a">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKvNqe8cKU4&feature=youtu.be&a</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/05/your-morning-adorable-enthusiastic-bulldog-receives-a-new-wading-pool.html">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/05/your-morning-adorable-enthusiastic-bulldog-receives-a-new-wading-pool.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So animals play games and have fun too. Why? Animals only do stuff that is somehow beneficial for them. That is how they evolved. So games are valuable in some way?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Hypothesis:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Games are about self-improvement (by gaining knowledge and skills and experience) in safer environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There is value in games. This article is about how we generally kill that value and how we can increase it, instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What are Value and Fun<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of Value / Meaning / Importance:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What we objectively gain from a game – knowledge, skill, etc. Varies from player to player (differences in interpretation / previous knowledge / abilities)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Important - for the purposes of this article I use the word value, as if it is synonymous with meaning and importance<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of Fun:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What we subjectively feel to have gained from the game. The emotion “I like this” has evolutionary meaning “I should do this more”. Fun is not the value itself, just a response to what may be valuable<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As evolutionary result, fun usually tends toward some actual value:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-fun.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-fun.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fun Fact:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">"Tarkovsky once expressed frustration that 80% of audiences had this stupid notion that cinema is meant to entertain them"<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">We trade value for fun<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It is obvious from the definitions above that Fun and Value are 2 different things. We are not perfect so we are not perfectly adapted to what is good and what is bad for us in this ever-changing environment. Consequently fun is not always valuable and value is not always fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And we actively exploit those flaws in our own brains. We developed a wide range of means to trade value for fun, to the point where a certain activity is a pure waste of time or even harmful, but is damn good fun. For a list of examples for the gap between fun and value look in this link just below the word “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">escapism</b>”:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/08/core-values.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/08/core-values.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Art saves<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here are most of the definitions of “art” I managed to find:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“Art is moments of dreams”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“More than 1 answer, open to interpretation, users derive different knowledge based on their experiences and personality”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“Art brings a specific vision, a goal of sorts, to life”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“Art makes a statement about human condition”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“Art shows particles of truth of how the world works”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">John Blow said “What if I build something that reaches beyond the edge of my understanding, and we all explore it?”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All of those are very poetic and beautiful, but don’t really say anything besides “there is some value there” and that is applicable to any book on molecular biology, but nobody calls those art. So lets do something more useful and give<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Practical definition of Art:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fun is proportional and correspondent to actual Value</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Going hardcore<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of creative media:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Dance<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Paintings and Sculpture<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Literature<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Music<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Cinema<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Comic books<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">“Sequential art”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Generally everything people mistakenly rush to call “arts”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All creative media have some value:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">None = noise, boring, waste of time, not interesting<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Very Much = profound insights, life-changing<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That means all of them can be art but not all necessarily are<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of Immersion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I use the word “immersion” as this is the accepted term in the industry, but it is wrong. The original name of the phenomenon is “</span><span lang="EN">Suspension of disbelief” and you can read about it in detail here:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What it is in short – the user feels “Ok, I will forget for the moment that this is just a game (or whatever) so that I can absorb its value better”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Present in all kinds of creative media, not only games<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">How organisms absorb value in real life:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I will call the process “Learning”, but bear in mind that it now differs from what you normally call learning. As defined now it is not only about gaining knowledge, but also skills, experience, relations, generally anything that makes the organism improved / adapted to his environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Visit this link for a detailed list of types of learning:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-learning.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-learning.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Consequences of the above seemingly unrelated facts:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l16 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">All creative media have value to be learned so all of them are about learning. That’s what makes a dramatic and sad movie “fun” to watch<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l16 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can provide all of the above types of learning. Interaction is thus important – it makes all of those real-life types of learning possible in games<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l16 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Most creative media can use just a few of the types of learning<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All creative media are subset of games (where interaction is limited to mere observation), not vice versa. So what is said for games in this article is valid for all creative media in general … go on, restart from the beginning of the article, replace “games” with the name of your favorite painting or movie or song and see if it still makes sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Originality/Innovation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There is some talk nowadays about games not being original enough. This part addresses the issue. What is said here about “originality” is also valid for “innovation”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you remember the “types of funs” link above, you already know that originality is just a “exploratory/unknown fun”. Fun is just a signal that probably there is some value there. Like any fun, originality can be deceiving, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Consequently:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Be original for value that current tools do not allow you to present<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Being original without providing corresponding value is a waste<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">We feel lack of originality, because we have extremely limited set of values we explore. Finding original ways to present the same value will not fix the problem. We need fresh value. Lack of originality is just a symptom.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Cannot be a good game developer if all you know comes from other games<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fun Quote<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“The modernist thirst for originality makes the mediocre artist believe that the secret of importance consists simply in being different”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07hKkeyHOqZ-ZciPQPzvWAEsXwpayFW77OUIsYcf29360xGTIXBntdz38no2wJDBfKoMNHaGSOMTTNO6-k-Pi1vcVi_ukd47fKsUGv3ia6PTjaGtLpzV8W12ILSj5RcTse1I5Hip6GtX/s1600/forks.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07hKkeyHOqZ-ZciPQPzvWAEsXwpayFW77OUIsYcf29360xGTIXBntdz38no2wJDBfKoMNHaGSOMTTNO6-k-Pi1vcVi_ukd47fKsUGv3ia6PTjaGtLpzV8W12ILSj5RcTse1I5Hip6GtX/s320/forks.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">CHAPTER II<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">HOW WE KILL VALUE IN GAMES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Game Structure<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Any game is a hierarchy of features, divided in 3 views<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Mechanical View:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo14; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Game Rules<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Best presented with static UML diagrams. Another useful tool is ER diagrams:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-relationship_model">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-relationship_model</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dynamical View:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo13; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Interactions / Communications / Controls of the Player<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo13; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Feedback from the system (including, but not limited to, rewards and punishments)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Best presented with dynamic UML diagrams.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Presentation View:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Narrative<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Music<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Sound<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Graphics<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Interface<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Game Space / Topology / Levels (deference between mechanics and topology are similar to class definition and class instance in OOP … so yes, there is a difference)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Assumed Knowledge references<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Important:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Value is primarily part of mechanical and dynamical view and partially in topology<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Theme / mood / atmosphere are part of presentation view. They enhance value, make it accessible, demonstrate it, but are not the value itself.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Disclaimer:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This game structure model is not my invention, but I cannot remember the source.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">More on game structure, innovation cost and benefit, why not innovate in presentation and else, you can read in the blog of this awesome person:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.lostgarden.com/2005/04/practical-definition-of-innovation-in.html">http://www.lostgarden.com/2005/04/practical-definition-of-innovation-in.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Conflicts Everywhere<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the previous part you saw short list of elements composing a game. Every element communicates something to the player and he interprets it (“What does this rule mean”, “What I learnt from this is …”, “The meaning of this event is …”). When a part of the game communicates information X, another part communicates information Y, and Y means the opposite of X, we have a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conflict</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Movie Examples:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">A car accident kills the pregnant girlfriend of the protagonist. He is crushed with sadness, crying. In the same time music is delightfully cheerful, as if he just scored a jackpot.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Supper-villain uses his power to cover the environment in ice. Razor-sharp giant ice shards everywhere. Super-hero and Supper-villain both use such improvised ice-swords to fight. The special effects guy miscalculated something so those swords bend and shake at every swing and it is obvious they are made of rubber. So instead of epic battle between good and evil, you see duel with giant dildos.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Why conflicts are harmful:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Conflicts are fake tricks / lies and create confusion. People dislike all of those<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Conflicts also teach wrong / misunderstood meaning<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Players instinctively feel conflicting messages, regardless of how hard we try to hide them<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">A conflict feels like “something is not quite correct here”. As a psychological defense mechanism the player kills his suspension of disbelief to avoid believing some meaningless bullshit. So less immersion means worse learning and that means less value. Fun takes the least damage, immersion and value suffer most. If you laughed at the movie examples, you get the idea.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Consequently:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Less immersion (killed by conflicts) generally makes the peer care much less for the creative media. That leads to the Destructive Peer problem. Peer deliberately tries to ruin the experience. For example:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He can stop the media or even try to destroy it (break a statue, cut a painting to pieces, delete all game files)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He doesn’t take it seriously, but as a joke so replaces original value with derived interpretation. Conflicts are good tools for creating comedy (or other phenomena), but are harmful when that is not intended, which is most of the time.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He</span> can look a picture upside down<span lang="EN-US">.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He</span> can fast-forward <span lang="EN-US">a song</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He can </span>stop <span lang="EN-US">a movie </span>at the climactic moment and finish it later, when the carefully built <span lang="EN-US">suspense</span> is gone</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He</span> can read the ending of a book before the book itself.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He can hump a statue<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">He can step on the foot of the partner he dances with<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">In a game he can be grieving, trolling, trying to break the game in some way. </span>In a story game <span lang="EN-US">he can</span> arrange the interactive elements of the scenery so that the next cutscene is funny instead of <span lang="EN-US">empathic</span>. <span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We can use conflicts deliberately to communicate certain value (as some other creative media do) but ONLY after we know how to avoid them all the time. Now we cannot. To avoid conflicts, every creative media has notation, terminology and theory. We do not, we got optimistic hypotheses at best. The proof that they are all wrong is that they systematically produce conflicts on every possible level. Just to demonstrate how full of flaws the game industry currently is, I made a small list of the most famous conflicts in modern games:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-list-of-conflicts-in-modern-games.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-list-of-conflicts-in-modern-games.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Interactivity Sabotages Delivery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Cinema history fun fact – camera invented between 1860 and 1878, depends on definition. About 40 years of experimentation passed and in the beginning of 20th century somebody said “Dudes, why don’t we move the camera around while we shoot”. Until then they copied other media – theatres, picture slideshows, etc. This happens again. Games copy cinema now, the way cinema copied screenplays in its beginning. Video games are relatively new creative media, so we are still in our “searching” stage of development. Every organism first tries to apply already available knowledge to a new problem. It is normal, but there is a reason it doesn’t work well in this case.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In all creative media until now conflicts can occur primarily between elements in the presentation view. Games are interactive so they have exponentially more places where conflicts can occur.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here we will discuss the worst such conflict, the damage it does and how to solve it. For the sake of simplicity “delivery of value” will be called “delivery” in this article.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Conflict – Interactivity Sabotages Delivery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Popular delivery techniques:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Tone/Vocal Emphasis / Body Language – more difficult in games<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Foreshadowing – interactivity allows players to miss it<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Chekhov’s Gun / Justification - every element must have some purpose, direct one or indirect (setting theme and mood). An interacting player can involuntarily damage that purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Pacing – set by the designer but also by the player through his interactions. “What level to choose, the puzzle or the racing?” or “Should I explore some more before engaging that challenge?” or “What weapon do I use now – precision sniper rifle or heavy machine gun?”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Consequently:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All of those delivery techniques can achieve better results in a linear media. Pre-made content always have better delivery of its value<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Possible Solutions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Provide more delivery resources</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> – more death animations, more physics animations, more dialogue, more story branches, more voiced lines, more of everything you can anticipate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The “per problem” basis of this solution results in exponential rise in costs, so it is not practical. Some games (Heavy Rain, interesting one) still continue to use it, so lets assume for a moment that in some ideal future the costs in time, effort and money will not be an issue (yes, it will never happen) and games can be infinitely large. The real problem then is – you cannot model a continuous possibility space with a discrete set of resources. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Limit interactivity</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> by using pre-made content and non-interactive elements – scripted events, scripted AI behavior, cutscenes, pre-made dialogue trees, etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This is the preferred method for solving this conflict, and there is a reason for it. Players choose optimal solutions for problems, they don’t follow some intended gameplay. That is problematic for designers, they want to maintain control. To do that they usually design problems with solutions already in mind (either very simple problems or limited interactivity for solving them). The result is limited possibility space that is easily explored and thus soon becomes boring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Example - <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the beginning of Fable, you can sneak behind the house of a merchant. There he is flirting with a girl. You can eavesdrop to learn she is not his wife. If you get close he sees you and suggests bribing you so that you do not tell his wife. You can take the bribe or tell his wife. Some questions arise from this otherwise interesting dilemma. Why you cannot take the bribe AND then tell his wife? Why the game is ok with me sneaking now, but warns me it may be dangerous later. Why you cannot use the eavesdrop interactivity to solve other problems in the game. Why after I refuse the bribe he and his girl do not go somewhere else so they are more difficult to be caught? That merchant is lying to his wife so people in the game universe can lie. So why his wife believes me right away without any proof? Why he does not take revenge or react to me in any way? The game communicates to me that my interactivity is determined by the designer individually for each event. So why the knowledge I gained from this experience will be valuable in the rest of the game?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Because the designers said so” is not the greatest justification (justification is harder for games, remember?). You can ask a slight variation of them every time a game uses pre-made content or another form of limited interactivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Interactivity is useful</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> for all those additional types of learning we talked before. “No” to interactivity means “no” to them. Without them, as already demonstrated, results are worse compared to other linear creative media.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Invent a new delivery method</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> that allows continuous, unlimited and self-expanding possibility spaces and all types of learning. This is called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">simulation:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Set of rules and relationships<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Rules model a value behavior, not some arbitrary player response<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">ALL (no exceptions) interactions and events are consequences of those rules and relationships<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">The optimal solution of a problem is a consequence, as well<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">The player can find that solution through exploration, experimentation, pattern matching (logic), understanding of the basic rules<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">The rules are transparent so the player can learn them<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">If something is not interactive at some point, it needs a good justification why<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Inconsistencies are conflicts<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Balancing simulation extent is difficult:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l17 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">very few rules and interactions make it limited and not very different from the flawed approach discusses above<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l17 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">imagine a perfect real life simulation in every aspect. That may be great technologically but in terms of artistic expression does not provide a specific value.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Designers can structure the experience by providing a focus of the simulation in terms of what and how is simulated<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fun fact - the single story phenomenon:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This is an example of a linear creative media pitfall that good simulations can avoid more effectively<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This train of thought was started by Jonathan Blow:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://braid-game.com/news/?p=385">http://braid-game.com/news/?p=385</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Note than the talk is concerned primarily with stories, but the problem is more general. Still credit goes where credit is due<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">CHAPTER III<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">THE GOOD GAME<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Rules we already know that work:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Focus on providing value so that the fun comes as consequence of the value<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Fun Quote - How do we appeal to a wider audience? Jonathan Blow said “Be meaningful enough for more people”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Feel free to combine types of interactions while modeling value:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-fun.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-fun.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Eliminate ALL conflicts<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Make consistent simulation (as previously defined)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Make sure as many of the learning types are active (except the last 2, the bad ones) as much as possible, ALL the time:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-learning.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/types-of-learning.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Give frequent feedback for everything (consequences of player actions, his progress, reasons for failure, possible improvements, etc)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Gradually introduce the elements of the system as the player is learning<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Facilitate Flow<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of Flow – skill matches challenge, both gradually increase<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Teach players that every problem has some solution and outcome is a result of learning and effort, not of permanent personal disability. Kill pessimism.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Make action consequences (results & rewards included) contextual - solving puzzles should make you better at solving puzzles, defeating enemies should make you better in defeating them, trading should make you better trader, etc<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Keep it simple. Simplicity is good, because it makes the value more obvious<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Eliminate / Automate all routines<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Definition of Routine – no exploration and no challenge, so no learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Example - bloated game times:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 70.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">- forced to replay levels due to rare check points<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 70.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">- unskippable cutscenes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 70.8pt;"><span lang="EN-US">- instant failure quicktime events<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Sometimes repetition can also become a routine<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Adjust player action costs by tweaking Time required, Effort required, Risk involved, etc. Use the correct motivators for different aspects of your simulation:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-on-motivational-psychology.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/short-on-motivational-psychology.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t always make the game fair (rewards proportionate to challenge)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Fairness is a motivation tool to achieve dramatic situations, as well<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t always make the game structure convenient<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Convenience is a motivational tool with multiple applications<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Invest heavily in believable (if a bit stupid) AI if your game has humans<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/theoretical-abstract-animal-ai-game.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/theoretical-abstract-animal-ai-game.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Draw design ideas from nature and life<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Break the above rules only if the benefit in value is greater than the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Possible value in good games<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can simulate looong term results in shorter time, like a century presented in a minute. So they can help us restructure our intuition for the consequences of our actions.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can make us more adaptive. Sports like Starcraft and Quake are valuable, because they are very difficult and can be mastered. Players practice at mastering stuff, regardless of actual problem. So they learn how to master anything faster.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can facilitate relationship and cooperation with real people<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can stimulate your emotions. Games don't need to be fun, they can be intensely weird, freaky or make you cry. Every possible emotion has discrete factors that cause it and that can be simulated, so any emotion can be modeled: <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://micco.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Robert-Plutchiks-PSYCHOEVOLUTIONARY-THEORY-OF-BASIC-EMOTIONS-.pdf">http://micco.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Robert-Plutchiks-PSYCHOEVOLUTIONARY-THEORY-OF-BASIC-EMOTIONS-.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Obvious example: surprise, expectation, love<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can stimulate your intellect too. Intellect and emotions are the way we make decisions and that makes them important for modeling and exploration:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/intellect-vs-emotions.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/intellect-vs-emotions.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Games can simulate empathy and morality<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/rational-definition-of-morality.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/rational-definition-of-morality.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">If that is not enough, you can start by making simulated worlds out of these:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/08/core-values.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/08/core-values.html</a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">More on value in games:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">PART 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Ending<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Games can be:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">recreational (entertainment)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">sports<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">artistic expressions<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">educational tools<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I wrote this article because of 2 phenomena in game industry:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">1 – most current games are ONLY from the entertainment type. Recreation is great, but it is the least a game can do, so why we don’t explore the other fields as well?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">2 – most current games focus on maximum fun at all costs, even at the expense of actual value. Isn’t that harmful?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you agree those 2 are problems, we have achieved something here </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-US">. Keep up the good work, friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Special Thanks to:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Everybody I linked to, those people are inspiring<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Vesselin Jilov for providing insight on human psychology<o:p></o:p></span></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-1898376227793759112010-10-03T09:37:00.000-07:002010-10-06T05:59:49.840-07:00Uncertain how to model notelist<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are few phenomena that I am not sure this theoretical AI can model emergently (as a natural result of circumstances, instead of hardcoding explicit rules)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">AI food/resource chain<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sex between AIs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fear of change is still not accurately modeled?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How to solve ultimatum game<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All basic emotions correctly modeled? Surprise and Expectation?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All basic motivator correctly modeled?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anxious<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> / tension - impatience <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">suspicious</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">envy (social comparison -> aggression, predator behavior)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">perfectionism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">attitude to rules and order (don’t harm others, don’t disobey, etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Diplomatic Hint<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Individuality (Difference than the rest, filling a niche)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">responsibility (no vandalism for example) -> everything has consequences<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">how to model death as a loss you CANNOT recover<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">for economics simulation – loaning money and resources? How to simulate trading of resources, debt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">ambushes and traps<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">befriending somebody just to gain opportunity to betray later<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">helping somebody ONLY if he is more useful, and leaving him otherwise<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">democracy where everyone has a say in the decision VS hierarchy of command<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">imagination and creativity and desire to show off what you made<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">pride / self esteem VS shame / blame / guilt / regret <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- (with or without others opinion)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">how to model sacrifice, taking the blame<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">taking revenge<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How to model social comparison (men watch other men fight, etc, and compare to them)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">reputation + interest in good reputation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">jealousy, bribe</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">compassion / guarding and helping each other / gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">trade / good exchange<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">theft / lie / betrayal / cheat / fear<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">capture, enslave, exploit, power and domination and obedience, forbidden acts<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">drugs / escapism / hedonism / materialism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a secret (information as tradable resource)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">hide and seek / chase / rescue / escape / excitement<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">AI-created:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">economy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">society<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">tools of work (technology)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Protecting and escorting friends <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Patrol paths<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">different species<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">different tribes in the same species<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">aggression within the group<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">non-lethal aggression, scaring, bluffing, territoriality<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">cannibalism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">growing and speed of growth<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">aging and max age<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How to model attention – the more the people , the less the importance of individual human<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(cause resources are limited)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How to model perfectionism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">AT FATAL OBSTACLE - denial - anger - bargaining – acceptance</span></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-75771552531110972612010-10-03T09:32:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:00:27.650-07:00Theoretical abstract animal AI game model<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- - > this symbol means behavioral change from low to high variable value<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Happiness” variable:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sadness (loss) - - > Joy (gain)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- change is based on result of actions, not initial intention. Based on that change - weakens/reinforces costs for behaviors<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models value of feedback, the “intent != result” principle<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models confidence, over & underestimation of the self<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Affected by:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pain<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Loneliness<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Boredom<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">etc<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Weight of latest events for changing costs” variable<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conservative (less affected by change) - - > liberal (too much biased towards new data)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models adaptation to environment changes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models sensing (gaining new data) VS intuition & knowledge (old data)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">///<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Intellect” variable:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Emotional heuristics - - > Rational calculation, thinking in perspective<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fast with errors decision making - - > slow but thorough decision making<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models short term pain, long term gain situations<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Autonomy” variable<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Obey with no responsibility - - > Free with much responsibility - - > Power, take freedom from others to self<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//Models responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//combined with bad attitude to others models power / dominance seeking<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">///<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Value of other people” variable for each known person:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Person has negative value (applies parasitism, aggression, enemy) - - > Person has zero value (egoism) - - > Person has positive value, but still less than 1 (all values are normalized, relative to mine) - - > Person has 1 and is equal to me (cooperation, morality) - - > Person is more valuable than self (martyrdom)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models cooperation and morality, variable may be constant zero for non-living entities <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Danger / Benefit” evaluation:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evaluation_for_action = My_Benefit – My_Cost +<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sum_of_the_below_for_everybody_affected:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 70.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Value_of_that_person * (His_Benefit – His_Cost)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>+ (Expected_Help_from_this_person - Expected_Danger_from_this_person )<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//The last line is basically a part of My_Cost, but I put it there to make it explicit<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The action with best evaluation is chosen, possible actions:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Run away (fear)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wait and do nothing (lazy, apathetic)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Help somebody<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Attack Somebody<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Self Defense<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Call for help, attract attention<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Trade<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Lie / Cheat<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Achieve some other goal, progress, resource<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//models drive to achieve goals, to progress, to take initiative (fear, laziness, etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//takes into account that actions can be mutually beneficial (symbiotic) or mutually exclusive (parasitic) regardless of number of participants <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Default Cost for unknown inanimate entity” variable<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Low (avoid unknowns) - - > high (exploration, curiosity)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//Models drive to understand the world<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Default Cost of unknown person” variable<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Low (avoid unknowns) - - > high (social, charismatic)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//Models drive to socialize<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//both of the 2 vars above are forms of learning, and that is form of self improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">//Variables are used instead of constants to model the risks in that learning (attitude towards the unknown)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">///<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Physical variables:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Health<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life Span<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Speed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Damage<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost (affects numbers)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Potential Problems:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/uncertain-how-to-model-notelist.html">http://shekerevunderstanding.blogspot.com/2010/10/uncertain-how-to-model-notelist.html</a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-89730331171840630402010-10-03T09:23:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:01:44.212-07:00Rational Definition of Morality<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">THE BEHAVIORAL EQUATION:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Specific_Action_Output (specific_person) = Benefit_Bias(specific_person) * Objective_Benefit (specific_person) - Cost_Bias(specific_person) * Objective_Cost (specific_person)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">// Objective_Benefit and Objective_Cost take into account factors like – probability, necessity, affordability, dangers, time, energy and resources, etc. Our brain is relatively bad at computing this, but I will skip this topic here – it is covered in the “intellect VS emotions” article.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">// Benefit_Bias and Cost_Bias take only personal preference into account. Note that we also have biases for ALL factors considered in Objective_Benefit and Objective_Cost. I simplified this, as it is not useful for the purposes of this article<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">General_Action_Output = SUM of Specific_Action_Output-s for EVERYBODY involved (self included)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Example:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">General_Output_for_Loan_You_Money =<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[Benefit_Bias(me) * Objective_Benefit (me) - Cost_Bias(me) * Objective_Cost (me) ] + [Benefit_Bias(you) * Objective_Benefit (you) - Cost_Bias(you) * Objective_Cost (you)]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We take the action with greatest General_Action_Output and avoid actions with negative General_Action_Output. Decision making is optimization process for ALL parties affected by the decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Lazy Example:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self) = 1<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self) = 5<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I do something only if it costs me very little<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Greed Example:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self) = 5<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self) = 1<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I do anything that I gain from, regardless the costs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Egoism Example:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self) > Benefit_Bias(ally)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self) > Cost_Bias(ally) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I do actions that benefit me more that you, and disregard the fact that they might be more harmfull for you than for me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Martyrdom Example:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self) << Benefit_Bias(ally)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self) << Cost_Bias(ally) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I ignore the value of the self<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All four examples of the above are considered generally harmful.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DEFINITIONS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Definition of Rational Morality:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(other human)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(other human) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The above parameters have assigned values such that ensure maximum increase in gene pool entropy - the optimal balance between quantity (gene carriers count) and quality (diversity of abilities)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rational morality values are those that (considering circumstances) give the whole species (not just the individual) greatest chance of survival and improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is generally extremely difficult to calculate those. You can write some simplified simulation that bruteforces combinations (for example a genetic algorithm), but those results are not definitive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We know however that:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">the four examples above (lazy, greed, egoism, martyrdom) are NOT optimal, game theory suggests many situations that demonstrate their inefficiency … meaning math actually proved that egoism is harmful (ain’t that cool, economists)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">nature can give us a decent approximation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Morality as defined by our emotions (“equality” condition):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(self) = Benefit_Bias(other human)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(self) = Cost_Bias(other human) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I treat others as equals. Lies, murder, theft, etc. are bad, justice, help and communication are good. There is an evolutionary benefit for us when we feel this way. Such behavior promotes mutual help and cooperation, which results in exponential entropic growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Problem 1:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Values change with time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The “equality” condition is not always optimal – initially mutually unknown organisms are in some sort of “prisoners’ dilemma” / “ultimatum game”, but that is easily solvable with any kind of assurance game. It happens in nature and in human relations all the time. So the problem of “how to reach the condition” is easily solvable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Problem 2:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Values change from person to person<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The “equality” condition is usable, but still an approximation to the rational morality values. People are not really equal. Some are quick thinkers, some are deep thinkers, some are workaholics and achievers, some are researchers. Diversity is important as in different conditions most valuable skills vary. So objective value of people is a function of circumstances, too. That needs to be taken into account. If an aggressor invades your country, who will be more needed – sharpshooters or pianists?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">OTHER SMALL PROBLEMS AND EXAMPLES:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why we need rational morality:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Imagine you are a European private company. You have plans for a revolutionary new tech, but you are still in development stage and that is expensive. So you outsource to China - human labor is extremely cheap there, people work overtime non-stop, no syndicates or human rights bullshit, if somebody starts complaining or works less, you go to the communist party leader there and the next day the problematic workers are replaced. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> doesn’t give that for free, though. For every factory you build there, you must build another for the government, as a gift. You give them your know-how and your research for their own personal use within their own market. The rule is you do not sell within <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>, they do not compete with you outside it. The actual financial benefit is tenfold the risks, so you take the deal. The Chinese government then builds another ten factories like yours, their market is flooded with your cloned and underpriced product, but you are still ahead from your actual competitors, so all is well. You prepare your marketing and are about to go public in Europe and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> the next year. Then some tourists visiting <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> buy your renamed tech, return to their home places and start a rumor “Hey, look this awesome thing I bought. And it was really cheap. Why Chinese got such good stuff and we don’t. Maybe Communism rules!”. Is there a moral problem here? What is it? How to solve it? You got so many parties involved – different markets of consumers, workers who lost their jobs when you outsourced, Chinese labor, Communist party, competitors, yourself. We are used to binary “righteous VS evil” kind of emotional thinking but that doesn’t work in such complex situations. You need morality described mathematically.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Self-sacrifice is possible with “equality” condition:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Imagine you must choose between:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">risking your life to save 3 friends<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">running away and saving yourself, but the friends burn<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">3 deaths are much more costly than 1 death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Morality is beneficial even post-mortem:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Imagine that the example above is not about a friend, but about your own children. Dying for them allows 3 times more of you own genes to live. Biologically ALL humans are very distant relatives, so helping them partially helps yourself. For more research on this, search for “animal altruism” phenomenon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Morality is not exclusively about humans:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The “relatives” idea above can be extended to animals as well. Most organisms on Earth have stunning similarities in genetic code. We empathize with animals proportionate to how close relatives we are - we like cats and dogs and chimps, less fish and lizards, even less insects and we even do not consider plants alive. Morality based only on genetic similarities is not optimal, it is just a single factor worth noting. More important - rational morality should take actual mutual benefit into consideration (not only humans).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dictatorship in not optimal:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Autonomy has value, so taking someone’s freedom costs him. That cost is a part of Objective_Cost (slave), even if the ruler is just and strives for the benefit of all (monarchy, communism, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Chain of cooperation:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With rational morality parties are usually more than two, so it is almost never “I help you, you help me back” situation, it is more like “A helps B helps C helps D helps A”. So morality benefits are not immediately obvious. I take care of my children, so they can take care of theirs so … I pay taxes, so government finances education, so people study medicine, so they become doctors so I live longer. Of course you have to make sure the person you help does not stop the chain (already discussed in Problem 1)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rational Morality also allows the following definition of enemy:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Benefit_Bias(Enemy) is negative<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cost_Bias(Enemy) is negative<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Enemy – concluded through the assurance game to be somebody who is not rationally moral and as such is harmful for my group<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As defined in this article rational morality is synonymous with cooperation and symbiosis. It is evolutionary stable strategy, an optimal Nash equilibrium. That makes it somewhat important for our progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-27034892047437971912010-10-03T09:21:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:02:44.518-07:00Intellect VS Emotions<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Intellect/Rationality:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">goal is objectivity and accuracy and precision in judgment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">constant learning (gain new knowledge)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">use experience (knowledge and past events) to optimize result<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">long term perspective thinking, not only the immediate future<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">complex learning and pattern searching brain engine<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">complexity increases accuracy and decreases speed - reasoning is relatively slow process<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">sometimes those complexity and speed are costly - wasting valuable time over-analyzing and missing an opportunity<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">relatively new product of evolution, far from optimized yet – mistakes that find false patterns (conspiracy theories, prejudices, illusions, speculations, superstitions) or no patterns at all (noise)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">useful for complicated decisions<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Emotions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">mathematical heuristics (APPROXIMATIONS) that solve real life problems<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://micco.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Robert-Plutchiks-PSYCHOEVOLUTIONARY-THEORY-OF-BASIC-EMOTIONS-.pdf">http://micco.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Robert-Plutchiks-PSYCHOEVOLUTIONARY-THEORY-OF-BASIC-EMOTIONS-.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">encoded on genetic level, still influenced by learning new knowledge, but less that rationality<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">simpler chemical algorithms (look link again)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">approximated solutions so relatively low accuracy of judgment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">extremely fast, so emotions are perfect for simple circumstances<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">speed and simplicity make emotions useful – morality is a value that is incredibly more difficult to model with rationality (wrote a separate article on this) than with simple emotions, also reactions to immediate dangers need to be fast<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">relatively old product of evolution – optimized for problems that are already out of date - even lower accuracy of judgment. Example – we LOVE sweet, because benefit of sugar is tenfold the harm in environment with little of it, but now obesity is the leading killer in any modern country with abundant sugar. That low accuracy I am talking about causes bad decisions that actually kill people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">useful for simple decisions<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Both are valuable and have uses so decision making is always a combination of the two. That combination is often in favor of a wrong approach, and that is harmful too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Examples:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People suck at probability estimation<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People suck at value estimation (we compare to things that don’t matter)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We compare ourselves to others to determine how happy we are<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Source Amnesia phenomenon<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“But wait! There’s more!” advertizing tricks where a sum of small benefits is felt greater than the whole cost $5 + $5 +5 +$5 > $20<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anchoring phenomenon<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People are risk averse - loss is twice more powerful than gain<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People rationalize "If I spent 3 years playing WoW, this must be a good game"<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People believe in what is more beneficial for them, in what they like most (god, reincarnation, immortality), rather that in what has the greatest chances of being true. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What we think generally differs from objective reality:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How we optimize gain:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- now is better that later<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- more is better than less<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Problem: these two rules often conflict in a way we are unable to solve effectively the “pain now, gain later” problem<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Other references:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/bul/michael_shermer_the_pattern_behind_self_deception.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/bul/michael_shermer_the_pattern_behind_self_deception.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-30799355490713526682010-10-03T09:20:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:07:06.147-07:00Definitions<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Result of the rules of the inanimate world (dead, indifferent) <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Von Neumann self-optimizing and result-optimizing calculating machines – necessary as the world constantly changes and poses new challenges (problems) that emerge from its rules. By solving them, life survives, adapts and improves, so it can continue to live. No reason to do that if there are no problems </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life has grown to great complexity - we do not know how we think, but we also do not know the vast complexity of organisms (1/3 known) and their importance and place in ecosystems<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; text-indent: 17.4pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/david_bolinsky_animates_a_cell.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/david_bolinsky_animates_a_cell.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The meaning of life is to continue<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Free will:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Human mind is entirely physical but so complex and granular, (considers many parameters, slightly different from human to human) that we DO NOT understand how it works and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so we attribute that decision making chemical process to an abstract idea called “free will”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Culture:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The combined product of learning algorithms and environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mathematics:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finds relations (patterns) between entities, but not necessarily:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">explaining why those relations exist<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">searching in the real world<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Science:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The combined knowledge of humans<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Communication</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – mutual exchange of ideas in search of synergy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Morality</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – mutual exchange of support in search of synergy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Trade</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – mutual exchange of resources in search of synergy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sex</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – mutual exchange of genes in search of synergy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cooperation</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – mutual exchange of something in search of synergy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Endless sequence of challenges, failure is death, success is sex + slight genetic change (usually NOT beneficial)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dangerous and harmful events can be beneficial - killing weak genes, allowing multiplication of those successful enough to survive<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution is not deliberate, it doesn’t see the future. It is a simple aimless bruteforce. Maybe this is one of the reasons genetic algorithms kinda suck for computing concrete problems?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution is relatively slow, compared to organisms’ life span<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution is a continuous process that can be represented mathematically. It is a product of physical laws and chemical reactions. It is not an entity, not guided by some mysterious power and not sentient.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pyramid of evolutionary dependencies - the simplest organisms are the supports, the complex achievements are at the top. Kill the supports and the structure will collapse, kill the top and the structure will just continue to grow.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution is a great sum of events, there is never a single reason for a result, so no explanation of a result is entirely complete<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evolution does not improve single organisms but the whole gene pool. You, the individual, are not important, just a gene carrier. If your death is beneficial for the group, you will die – animal altruism phenomenon<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Toy:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A game without specified goal, useful as an exploratory tool instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evil:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- egoistic / amoral<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- does not / cannot think - stupid<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- not initiative, passive, lazy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Society:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Peacefully dealing with people you cannot stand :D<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-36795422859602830372010-10-03T09:11:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:09:02.398-07:00Transcendence<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What is the definition of “Transcendent”?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was told:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Something no person understands rationally, so there is no point in trying” … like:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">human soul<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Eternity<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Love<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s travel back in time to the ancient <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place> and look at the worshipers of the God of Sun RA. Let’s ask those people about:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">their god, the burning gas giant in the sky<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DNA structure<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Complex numbers<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They lack the tools to observe and background to understand those things (as knowledge is difficult to consume at one bite so careful explanation will not do) … so they are transcendent to them … and even more so to out oldest mammal ancestors … but not to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s assume that X is ANY idea without rational explanation. Experience shows that X can gain rational explanation with time (brain evolution, curiosity, new ideas, new discoveries, new observation tools – that happens all the time in science – old theorems collapse, new theorems emerge, complex theories are immensely simplified by new knowledge) … so now our definition of Transcendence is not applicable to X. And we do NOT want to put Human Soul and complex numbers in one group, it is too cruel, right? So we need a better definition:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Transcendence = “Something no person understands rationally and will ever be able to understand rationally, no matter the tools, knowledge or evolution provided … so there is no point in trying”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now we include the future too, and the definition is rock solid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And it is possible for such entities to exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now that you know what transcendent means, how do you find the transcendent ideas? How do you know that something will never ever be understood by evolutionary or scientific progress of our species in a billion years?<o:p></o:p></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today you cannot see into the future and say that.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Judging by us is also not an option as the perceptual limitations of the next generations are different than ours.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You cannot use probability. 0 entities turned out to be truly transcendent by definition in out recorded history, more than 0 turned out not to be transcendent. So it is more probable something to NOT be transcendent.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Every time you claim something is transcendent, you just put a “there is no point in trying to study here” sign with no way for you to know that. This is called a lie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using the word “Transcendent” is a lie. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-10418077075643060422010-10-03T09:10:00.001-07:002010-10-06T06:10:32.325-07:00What indies can do in order to survive<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Maintain ownership</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Connect with individual customers</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Remain emotionally involved</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">M</span>ultiplayer for longer life</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">O</span>nline distribution</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">F</span>requent free expansions & improvements</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">P</span>rocedural content</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">User-generated content </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">S</span>mall budget to keep the risk low, so the game can explore themes freely<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and be competitive through innovation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">More games for lower price<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-8672321285373904682010-08-13T13:19:00.000-07:002010-08-14T06:32:20.932-07:00Escaped ExperimentsI made a funny experiment.<br />
<br />
STEP 1 - find the cross-section of all strategy games, the core features that are present in every strategy up to date<br />
<br />
Each strategy has:<br />
- economic model (base building included)<br />
- military model<br />
- world topology model<br />
<br />
Each player has resources that he has to manage:<br />
- time<br />
- space / distance<br />
- people<br />
- money<br />
- elements in chains from raw materials to products<br />
- information<br />
- tools among the 3 models above, that allow him to trade one resource for another at a cost.<br />
<br />
STEP 2 - simplify all of those features untill any further detail removed will make some of the interactions between features impossible<br />
<br />
STEP 3 - iterate untill you get fast minimalistic strategy - the game events equivalent of 1 week session of any 4X title compressed in 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
STEP 4 - allow the experiment to escape in the wild jungle of the internet:<br />
<a href="http://www.box.net/shared/s91axjpozc">http://www.box.net/shared/s91axjpozc</a>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-33981594870075744062010-08-13T11:26:00.000-07:002010-10-06T06:11:08.240-07:00Core Values<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Themes I am interested in and want to see modeled in the core rules of mine and others’ games<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">VALUE OF MORALITY:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Strive to be cooperative<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dishonesty, Manipulation, Betrayal<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Theft<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Threats, Unprovoked Violence and Murder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Public Medias are often subjective, biased and so - lying<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Politicians are more likely to be loyal to the financiers of their multi-billion campaigns, rather that their voters, fuck expensive campaigns<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Badmouthing people, anti-advertising<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Power and Control, restricting others, taking their freedom for yourself WITHOUT their will<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blind Obedience<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Egoism, “I am better than others”, down-talking somebody<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fear of the different is not always justified<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Examples of how the above combines – anti-feminism and racism, communism, feudalism, religious power, fascism, slavery<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Monopoly – competition is made impossible<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Any form of monopoly is evil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Patents, as long as they promote monopoly, are evil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Justice is a human concept, it is absent in the inanimate world. It is still valuable, though often not objective enough (police is NOT on your side)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We live by double standards – one rule of me and another for the rest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Treat other the way you'd like to be treated<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bravery and Sacrifice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Martyrdom is usually not cost-effective<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Extreme materialism is usually not cost-effective<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fakeness everywhere - pleasing and impressing others, surrounding the self with weaklings because of the superiority feeling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Information is a valuable resource, it has its cost, but should be as available as possible - no censorship or secrecy or lies<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Evil Language:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">- words that conceal what things really are<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">- words that make things seem more important that they really are<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Example: “shellshock” turned into “post-traumatic stress disorder”, “yoke” instead of “slavery”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Conclusion: fuck political correctness, it is a form of lie<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Inanimate world doesn’t care about pain and humanity<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Arts matter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">VALUE OF RATIONALITY:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Strive to be objective<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People believe in what is more beneficial for them, in what they like most (god, reincarnation, immortality), rather that in what has the greatest chances of being true. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All men are equal – bullshit, they aren’t. Some people (intelligent, moral, initiative) are clearly more valuable that others. And some people deserve to die (rapists, torture psychopaths, child murderers, etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Weak must be protected – wrong, if they have nothing that makes them valuable to society, they mustn’t. Stephen Hawking is a cripple who proved to be more valuable that most of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In economics advertising is more important that the quality of the product. It makes bad products sell and good – don’t. We need better information model<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Stereotypes are often wrong / restrictive. Find and try to solve the reason for the stereotype<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Brainwashing<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Repetitive tasks make you stop thinking<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Escapism - anything that makes your human brain shut down and your animal brain boot up, self degrading, evil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Escapism and harmful funs (even if harm is in waste of precious time):<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Gambling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Drugs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Alcohol<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cigarettes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fast Junk Food, eating too much sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://bg.fanopic.com/zdrave/entertainment/videos/show/51914-djeimi-olivur-za-hranata-i-zatlustqvaneto-ted-2010?feature=gbg&amp">http://bg.fanopic.com/zdrave/entertainment/videos/show/51914-djeimi-olivur-za-hranata-i-zatlustqvaneto-ted-2010?feature=gbg&amp</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Porn<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bulgarian chalga and other brainless music (house techno?)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comedy movies without actual value or meaning, but only about the fun (sex and fart jokes)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">N</span>everending series of Emilio or Esmeralda or Naruto or another 500+ series<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> show<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fake rewards in games<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sadism and Masochism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comfort of the herd even if the herd is wrong (any fanaticism)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cooperation and Competition are 2 valuable phenomenons. Killing either creates tons of problems<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Surface Appearance (even the most beautiful girl) is of little value<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First impression is rarely accurate<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Think in perspective<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bureaucracy is rarely optimal<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Everything can be explained with stupidity:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Last breath visible in the cold is considered “the escaping soul”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A dream about the recently deceased is considered “a visit”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Society depends on diversity of talents, NOT on a single ability. We should learn and do different things, standardizing people kills us<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Good guys sometimes lose<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sometimes you will inevitably lose, no best or desired solution but still you have to do what minimizes damage<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You are not special. You CAN be, but chances are, you are not yet<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Natural human selection is often valuable<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Artificial human selection is often not (reason – biased, not objective)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Deluding, lying yourself, be aware of how your brain actually lies to you:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Generally your thoughts conflict with objective reality. And you determine how happy you are relative to other people around you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Middle man in economics – necessity, not optimal unless minimized<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A rule is NEVER binary - black and white. It is balance on a grayscale.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rules are always conflicting and have different weights<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Best action is a function of current and ever-changing circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This applies to everything in this list, too<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Consequence - any moral / value system that does not take circumstances into account, is insufficient.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Generally people cannot distinguish between truly important stuff and pure waste of time/energy/resource<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Actual results of my actions can differ from initial intention. In life it is never only about “what I want to happen” but also “how to make it happen”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sciences matter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">VALUE OF INITIATIVE:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Strive to learn, self-improvement, make progress and achieve goals<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Laziness, apathy, passiveness, nihilism is death<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Share thoughts/ideas and ask questions<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Your actions have consequences that are your responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Time is precious<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Moaning and complaining solves nothing<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blaming and regret is a waste of time, study the mistakes and eliminate the personal faults that caused them (if possible) or watch for them (if not possible)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Any type of success requires hard work, skills and serious risk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Perfectionism is usually not cost-efficient<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nothing is perfect (humans and laws included)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nothing lasts<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nothing is completely finished<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Aggression is a last resort tool, but still a tool better than apathy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Suicide means you give up – weakling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Maximize personal production/output VS consumption ratio<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life Cycle: learn and self improve, then use that to achieve goals, then rest / recharge, then repeat<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If any of those 3 processes takes dominance or disappears, you are doing something wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Payoff of time/energy invested is low at bad estimation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If I’m initiator if a social interaction, I should start on working the trust (assurance game)<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8527511298090463798.post-5423095922887553932010-08-13T09:30:00.000-07:002010-10-06T06:48:10.301-07:00First Blood<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Hello<br />
<br />
My name is Nikola Shekerev. I have dedicated my life to playing, thinking about and making meaningful games.<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <span lang="EN-US">I got a degree in CS, currently studying psychology and arts (amateur at home) and interested in high-level game AI.</span></span><br />
<br />
I have a tendency to analize, compress<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">,</span> classify information about games and the world in general (why these things are not so different - in another post)<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and record it all </span>for personal convenience and use.<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why write a blog? People tend to disagree on subjective interpretations of objective reality so I need:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- agreed system of terms for remote reference</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- tools to determine what is right and wrong in a game</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In case you read this blog, please note that article order is important, this being the first post and the rest arranged chronologically</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">C</span>onslusions are mine or derived from other people's studues. If I failed to provide an adequate <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">reference</span>, feel free to point me in the right direction. Credit goes where credit is due.<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
Here are some places you may find me as well:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=690911121"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=690911121</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/472260426/blog"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.myspace.com/472260426/blog</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
Later<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>Nikola Shekerevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913524830737066097noreply@blogger.com