1. Goal: The goal of the Settlers is building a city/empire and keeping the chain
of food production/consumption and tool production/ consumption while exploring the new lands to expand our city and keeping a strong
economy and satisfied settlers in order to defeat our enemies
2. Rules: As for rules of the Settlers, they are that we
cannot build as much as we want because we need tools and lands in order to
establish buildings. Rate of production
and consumption is the crucial. For example, we need to product wood cutter
building as much as forester building. Likewise, we need to product some foods as
much as buffer the buildings.
3. Feedback: To pass to next level all the time some quests
appear. When we click on them there are some details about these quests and
some direction about how to accomplish them. In this quest system, we can see
our development step by step. In each step, we receive some feedback by getting
mail, gems, tools, stones, stars, and some foods. If we complete all quests in
the level we have, we pass next level. In a couple level later, we get some extra
motivation feedbacks, too. For instance, if we pass a couple levels, we get a mail.
Some of says “You are learning very fast. I know, I expect a lot from you.
Settling is not easy. If you need help go to “forum” which is under your avatar
to get help from help window archive”. Except instant feedback, these kinds of
mails motivate me, too.
4. Voluntary participation: One
of the motivations in the game is sound. When I send a geologist to find some resources
like stone, he speaks to me if he finds or not. If he cannot find them, I say “You
are awkward, men. Get out of the here” These kinds of voices makes me engaged. During
whole game, hearing tweeting motivates me, too. I feel like I am in nature or
there. This game is a pleasurable and safe way to manage time and economy. Another
satisfying thing is spending just a couple minutes to build lots of buildings. It
sounds impossible, but it is true. In real world, it takes at least a month
just for one building. In the book named Reality is Broken, McGonigal mentions
about the same satisfying thing by talking about the game named World of
Warcraft. She (2011) states “Playing World of Warcraft is such a satisfying job;
gamers have collectively spent 5.93 million years doing it.” (McGonigal, 2011,
pg. 52, para. 1). In reality being satisfied in terms of all kinds of happiness
seems impossible. The writer of the book (2011) verifies me by saying that “The
truth is this: in today’s society, computer and video games are fulfilling
genuine human needs that the real world is currently unable to satisfy.” (McGonigal,
2011, pg. 4, para. 5).
5. Flow: Sometimes we can get some tools we need form Mayor
house if we have. However, if we do not have them, we might remove some
buildings to get back some tools. If we cannot ruin our buildings because of
needing them, we can buy some tools from store, if we have gems enough. There
are more obstacles to keep our flow in the game. For instance, sometimes we
need to keep production time less. Otherwise, we cannot pass the next level. To
do that, we can keep the buildings close each other in order to avoid wasting
more time. For example, if we keep store (warehouse) and some production or
mining building close each other; we can gain some time to product more.
6. Intrinsic rewards: I
can say that passing next level and getting mail makes me motivated. After
that, I feel I am achieving in managing economy and time. I will see how much I
will be successful in discovering new lands and claiming these lands in next
levels. Another intrinsic reward of this game is that the game makes me feel hopeful
in being successful, even though sometimes I face some obstacles and failures. In
the book named Reality is Broken, author says "Compared with games,
reality is depressing" (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 38, para. 6). I believe that
is why I cannot stand too much failure in real life. In the same book, McGonigal
(2011) says “When we’re playing a well-designed game, failure doesn’t disappoint
us. It makes us happy in a very way: exited, interested, and most of all
optimistic.” These quotations make sense about why I do not disappoint, while I
am failing in the game. (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 64, para. 4). Another its intrinsic
reward might be stronger social connectivity. The Settlers allow adding our
friends and getting help from them in terms of everything like getting buffer. Dr.
Lambert buffered one of my buildings. Thank you Dr. Lambert again! There are
also an instant messaging platform and forum in the game to get help or help to
other gamers. Therefore, we are among other people, while playing. I believe if
we play the Settlers with the members of our family, we might have more things
to share with them. McGonical says “…, for many, the primary reason they play Lexulous
is to have an excuse to talk to their mom every day.” (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 78,
para. 1). The last thing as intrinsic reward the game might be feeling like a
part of something. Actually, this game’s goal has been a real life experience throughout
the history: settling. Many empires ruined because of others. Then the new ones
settled. There was a chain on that. This chain has still been kept by people in
some different ways. However, the goal is same. Keeping
a strong economy and satisfied citizens in order to defeat their enemies
are still all countries’ goal. Even exploring the
new lands to expand our countries is still same goal like before. Keeping the chain of food production/consumption and
tool production/
consumption is also goal of all countries like the game. If countries cannot
keep the rate production/ consumption, they can be down in economy. They sometimes
need to find underground sources to keep this rate. That is why they importing, exporting, and
mining. In real life, I cannot have an opportunity to settle a city/ empire. However,
this game makes me feel a part of meaningful something by being in a same big
goal with other people. In her book, McGonigal states “To experience
real meaning, we don’t have to contribute something of real value. We just have
to be given the opportunity contributing at all. We need a way to connect with
others who care about the same massively scaled goal we do, no matter how
arbitrary the goal.” (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 97, para. 7).
7. Consequences: I have no idea about that. Maybe addiction to this
game later?
References
McGonigal,
J. (2011). Reality is broken. New York, NY: The Penguin Press.
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