Limits of game theory?

I just had an interesting conversation with my dad. Like usual we are the last ones awake in the house and the fact that its Thanksgiving did no nothing to change that tonight, and like usual, I find that we have some of our best conversations in the between time of activity and bed. We discussed application of game theory and whether or not there is an alternative direction of study in the field. I noted that all the research I had seen on game theory revolved around the use of numbers to reach an economic pinnacle, that is, game theory analyzes competitive markets for the ideal strategy to win. I think that this research fails to account for the application of game theory in situations where there is no economic benefit. For example, how can game theory benefit an organization's workplace environment (how can it be manipulated to benefit interactions between people and the machine)? Dad suggested that even people's choices within a system can be reduced to an economic cost/benefit analysis, in which case game theory does pertain as a means of explaining and prescribing. We did not debate hotly, though I am not sure that we came to a conclusion. I believe it is a topic that warrants more discussion, although--as with anything--I will need to do more research.

Philosophy of Dance Music

At a small dance party tonight it occurred to me that dance music promotes a specific philosophy. Many of the songs on the play list tonight encompassed lines such as, "Just dance baby! It will be alright! I'll keep you company through the lonely night!" Dancing solves all your problems, and dance music not only provides the beat but also the ideology for dancing. It encourages you to get outside yourself because on the outside your problems don't seem so bad. It's easy to get absorbed in the music and the rhythm. Dance music demands both the soul and the body. The one finds agreement with the carefree philosophy, and the other participates--physically--in a few moments of brief total indoctrination.

Creating games

I made a game three years ago called the Legend of Shadow Creek. For various reasons it did not get completed to my satisfaction, but this past week I pulled it out of the closet to look at it again.
I designed a few modifications and put them to the test. As I played, McNeill came into my room. The door was open. I like testing games by myself, but I like testing them with other people even better, so I invited him to join me. Quickly I scrapped the game I was playing, re-set up, and explained the game. I was encouraged by his positive feedback and comments such as "cool mechanism" or queries regarding rules. McNeill was very engaged in considering the game seriously and he participated not only in the game play but in giving constructive feedback and criticisms. By the time we finished I had an entire page of written notes scrawled on a paper on the table, but I had more than that. He had given me a reason to continue. He had given me feedback and he expected to see changes. Not only did this demonstrate his interest in my game, but also his dedication to seeing it completed. His excitement helped fuel me to conduct a second play test yesterday evening with a complete set of six players, and while not all six were as enthusiastic as McNeill, I was not discouraged. Although I don't like to admit it, I think I rely very heavily on others opinions of what I have made, which could be bad if I let it keep me from continuing what I want to do, but can also be a good thing when it serves as inspiration for future success.

MSN article

Linked article: 10 Great Family Table Games


Jill Jasper notes--albeit briefly--that Settlers of Catan (Mayfair Games, 1995) could benefit childhood development. She says, "this is a game that really teaches kids the value of conserving and trading," which, I would argue, is a lesson that not just children need to learn. Jasper's article suggests that ambitious games with strategic planning and interaction could train individuals how prepare for challenging situations that may require similar skills. She mentions that Catan is like Risk (Parker Brothers, 1957), "except with less risk." Catan is a sort of simulation by which participants can witness firsthand the impact of their decisions. From my own experience I might note that playing the thief on one of my sisters might beget retribution, whereas playing the thief on my other sister, would incur no abuse. For Jasper it seems that it is Catan's ability to train that makes it a great family game. It is useful for application because it mirrors aspects of real life in a way that other artistic mediums cannot. Catan--and games in general--give interactive experience to players, which are lessons that are not quickly forgotten.

Agricola and college

Can students learn life lessons from a board game?



We played the new game Agricola (2008, Lookout Games) the other night. It took us about two and a half hours to set-up, learn the rules, and play. In the game, players take turns selecting actions that will benefit their farm. Each player has a farm board with spaces for fields and rooms. The goal is to have the most points at the end of the game by having the greatest diversity of goods and by utilizing your farm space most effectively.
The game was fun, and I would like to play again, but I could not help thinking about this game relates to the college experience. In the game there are numerous ways to gain points. For example, if, at the game end, you have 4 cattle, you would receive 3 points, but if you have 0 cattle, then you would lose 1 point. Since there are numerous categories in which players can earn and lose points (cattle, sheep, grain, vegetables, enclosed pastures) the difficulty of the game lies in balancing as many categories as possible.
In the same way, the college experience is a balance of a number of important factors. Students are asked to learn social skills, develop positive eating habits, study for class, and do their own laundry, without forgetting to have a little fun now and then. Students need to balance these behaviors among other things, and are not likely to have a successful or enjoyable college experience if any one behavior is not utilized or learned. Like in Agricola, a student could become an expert in one area and still lose the game if other areas are not explored.
While it is unlikely that the other students who were playing Agricola with me considered the parallels of the game to college life, I believe it is possible that the game can teach diversification, management skills, and balance. If nothing else, students, as they play the game, are given an avenue through which to explore options and make decisions that affect an outcome. At the same time they are able to participate with one another to develop more effective strategies, which in addition to enabling students to share their diverse thought processes, also provides them with a social activity that can help to develop a shared identity and sense of community.
By the way, when we played the other night I lost by one point. I have yet to suppose that success in the board game directly correlates to success in making "A's," although if it does, then I should be studying the Agricola rulebook instead of my Literature notes.

Writing

I have found that the best way for me to write is in short doses at the beginning or the end of the day. The only explanation I have for this right now is that I feel more relaxed at terminal stages in life. When I am in the middle of things I am too distracted, stressed, or excited to sit down--why is it that I always need to sit--and write. Similarly, when I have a plan to write in the evening on a day, and the activities of the day go too long, I experience more stress because I know I will not be able to relax during the fine del dia as I so like to do. Instead I sit--there we go again--hunched over the computer or notebook, scrawling as fast as possible so that I can say I got something down even though it is not well thought out or interesting. Case in point.