Blog Posts

Blockchain in the Game Industry

In class on Tuesday, the idea of using a blockchain to sell and transfer video games was raised. I'd like to point out the pros and cons of using a blockchain for this application, and how it is all still just a buzzword.

April 12, 2018 . . comments

Blank Canvas in Game Design

There's nothing I hate more than a blank page. I get anxious starting a new paper or project, as the amount of work is infinite and the direction I should go in is ill-defined. When I am closer to finishing, the goals become clear (although boring): revise this section, reword this, research that.

March 29, 2018 . . comments

Where are the space utopias?

Why do game designers (and players) love a futuristic dystopia so much? As we have been discussing stories lately, it has made me think more about the themes of games I play and the other media I consume. I'm a bit of a geek, and love sci-fi stories, but I sort of hate how few utopian science fiction stories there are out there. Why don't game designers create more?

February 22, 2018 . . comments

Is a Challenge a Game?

This week we read [I Have No Words & I Must Design: Toward a Critical Vocabulary for Games](http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/05164.51146.pdf) by Greg Costikyan, which lays out the words game designers would use to determine if something is considered as a game. I believe this vocabulary will help me answer a question I have been toying with for the past few weeks: Is a challenge a game?

February 8, 2018 . . comments

A Maximizer in Tax Season

Being the end of January, tax season is here, and I have always enjoyed doing my taxes. I find it's like a game to get the highest score (return). Several of my friends think I'm nuts, but I often find spreadsheets and statistics engaging, rather than a boring task. This has popped up several times in the games I have played throughout the years.

January 25, 2018 . . comments