Today it was another full day, and in my attempt to be punctual for a meeting I walked a short cut through a bridge. Then, I discovered that the bridge’s Christmas decoration included sound. :O Later in the evening/night I filmed it, which by the way it turned out to be a very bad footage, but if I wait to go again, then I will not publish this so, let it be. Honestly, I am not sure if the sound is actually spooky. We could be interesting scary-playful games in here, without a doubt.
The video will give you a glimpse of my experience:
Here is the actual location of this bridge:
I need to research which one is the name of the bridge. At the moment, google indicates the name as “Teatterisilta” which literally traduces as “Theater’s bridge”.
Since long my internal voice tells me: write in your blog about the games you play.
Ok, the idea is cool! Specially because the games one plays as the books one reads and the people one interacts with are part of one’s experience. All sums up!
However in order to write about games the follow up question is: how or what shall I write about games? There are plenty of games reviews out there, from commercial and academic perspective. In addition, from my personal viewpoint:
Each individual has a personal game experience.
Each time I play a game, my game experience changes due to multiple factors. For example: my level of tiredness or energy, the time at what I am playing, the ideas and things that are in my head, the people I play with, how is the day, the meanings surrounding me while playing, and the list continues….
As this is MY BLOG, and I decided it is my virtual reference point, what I want is actually a digital memory of bits and pieces of my game experience 🙂
Hence, the first game I want to write about is rüsselbande. I played this game this year in late October with my niece and sister. I had a good time and right now I want to play it again.
What I find fantastic of rüsselbande’s game mechanics is: it is fun for a four years old as it is for a 45 years old. Good design Alex Randolph!
Here some photos to make you craving to play it as well!
game rüsselbande
ready to start
the pig race is tight
a free ride for three of us
blue is getting behind
advancing
the end is very tight!
actually the blue, which was me, did it ok at the end! 🙂 Looking forward to play this game again 🙂
Yesterday I played Run un den Kalendar. We were 2 adults and one 4 years old. In theory this game helps the children to learn the days of the week, the months and the four seasons. I have my doubts if the game helps the children to learn about the days of the week and the months. However in reference of the four seasons the game is well done, in my opinion.
The game mechanics involve some elements of chance and strategy. For example, depending which number one gets after spinning a wheel, one can move either right or left to the corresponding spot on the board. Then, the player takes the card and describes the picture connect to a season that is in that specific spot. The cards are placed randomly, so one has to pay attention. The game’s aim is to get a card of each season. So, the player has to think carefully which direction to take, to actually collect at cards of the four seasons. 😉
The game also pays special attention to fine motor skills, at least in one “mini-game”. Let me explain. The spinning wheel can indicate the number the player has to move in the board, or if the player has to play a mini-game which allows to get a seasonal card without moving the tile from the board. Ideally this card is from the season the player is missing. The mini-game is about dropping a bar, which has all the seasons, between a player’s fingers. The player has to close her or his hand fast when the bar is passing by. Ideally the player stops the bar in the season s/he needs. It is a fast mini-game within the game, where the children have to learn to practice their coordination skills when dropping the bar and also to close their hands fast.
Run um den Kalendar
Designing games for small children is challenging. It increases the difficulty level when we aim to design games for a family with small children. The constant question is: how can we design a game interesting for the small ones as well as for the adults? mmmm… interesting challenge to solve! And you have to notice that I even didn’t even mention in my question the game’s learning aspect, because that increases the challenge. 🙂
If I have to rate this game, I think I will put it 2 of 3 stars. I confess, I have an enjoyable game experience of describing the seasons with the little one 🙂
Last Friday, April 28th, I was completely desperate. It was my third week sick and I was feeling trapped, tired, in need of exercise, frustrated, aghrrr…. In few words, everything was in dissonance and out of control.
From the blue, I got the impulse to go bowling. That is it. I told to Mikko, if he would join me and he accepted 😉
Luckily, the bowling place had a table for us available. The fact to get the 8 or 12 kg ball in my hands, focus on the ten-pin and throw the ball made me good.
We played for one hour. Actually that was a surprise for me because I thought we paid one line and at the end we played 3. We were lucky! The bowling place was full, despite the photo showing the opposite. I guess we were all playing and finalizing at the same time. I guess there was an event or a training hour because you could see several good players. Maybe it is normal to find good players in Joensuu, one reason to go back to check this out 😉
The reason for me to post this is what I share with Mikko after the game, which I found a rich and relevant experience. Let me explain. At the end of the session I asked to him about the game session. I was particular curious on his answer, not only because I care, but I knew he had played bowling on digital games and he likes it, and this one was the first time he was playing bowling in the physical world.
Now, this should not be surprising. From my perspective, the probabilty to find individuals who experience an activity first in the virtuality and second in the physical world is and will be increasing. Hence, I wonder, if the reference point of our world somehow differs from those individuals who experience first the physical world and second the virtuality. Anyway, I might write later about this more seriously, but this time was my first time experiencing this too.
The answer was really precise, and full of truth: It feels real and the background noise is changing 😉
At the end, a crazy day finalized being a very nice one!
Much has happened since the last time I posted. Five highlights will give an idea of life events:
I read and graded over 250 essays = WOW!
A big work and huge learning experience too, I confess.
I got my first pre-examinator’s feedback
Even Erkki called me from Mozambique to help me to digest the good news. Honestly, still I cannot believe how good the feedback is. WOW!
I was at the role-playing seminar and a huge nordic role-playing event.
That was a learning experience, and as always when I am with people from game studies I finish EXHAUSTED!
I got sick
Started in Wednesday April 11th :/ Last week was the worst week in a long time: constant fever, coughing, headaches, running nose, lost my voice, sore throat. Yes, I am in quarantine. *sight*
We got the winners from the world-wide short film competition
I need to research which one is the name of the bridge. At the moment, google indicates the name as “Teatterisilta” which literally traduces as “Theater’s bridge”.
