To start off let me admit that I'm a little slow. It's taking me 30+ years to figure out that life is a game. That's right, it's one BIG GAME!
This couldn't be made more clearer by common phrases we speak such as "the game of life", "dating games" etc etc. Not all may have a points system but they do contain game elements.
In fact there's a name for it. wait for it... gamification. That's right they have an actual name for the process plus there are minigames (games within in games), and various rewards based systems to motivate us in a given direction.
Now I'm relating this to you as I've discovered it due to my own curiosity into games and game mechanics. There are a few drawbacks to this game of life we play. You only have one life as far as I know and there is no reset button for when things take a turn for the worse. So play wisely and with caution I guess. Moving on...
Like many console games we've grown up playing, there are cheat codes (shortcuts) and greater levels of complexity as you progress in your journey.
We're all playing this game, but on different levels with different devils as the saying goes.
Get on the wrong track, make too many of the wrong moves and guess what? You lose your life or precious time you could've spent playing and discovering new areas of the game.
I won't hide from you that I am a gamer, a retro gamer to be exact. Not the best but one none the less.
What's the object of the game?
In order to be a good player here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself before starting:
- To score points?
- To win the game?
- To be the fastest?
- To beat the opponent?
- To play cooperatively with others?
- To save the day?
- To play it over and over again until you get it right?
This I cannot answer for you but once we dig into it maybe you'll get a better sense of just what the game is, what game you're playing and what level you're on or how to start. What Video Games Like Mega Man Taught Me About The World And Online Dating is a good read to get you started!
I will relate to you how I see the game through an 8-bit perspective. I'm going to dig into the game of dating, relationships, transgressions, and successful completion of the game which will vary from person to person depending on the ending you want!
This is going to be fun because I'm going to give you something, a lens through which to view the world. A couple of games (which you might've heard of) helped me discover and want to explore more of this real life game world we find ourselves in and so will you after learning more.
So stay tuned and check back!