Life's greatest lesson - Experience through Game Mechanics

EXPAND YOUR VISION !

Are you wearing Blinkers ? Have you limited your vision by CHOICE and have accepted it as destiny ?

One of the biggest things that we need to learn in life is the importance of expanding our vision in life.

This is an example from a leading game, Realm Of Empires, an online real time strategy game. You can almost play, the entire game, from the map. The MAP comes in various sizes varying from 7X7 to 45X45 ingame and a RoE mapper power tool which i prefer calling as the STRATEGIST TOOL.

 Let's analyze the 7X7 MAP. I call it the beginners guide. Its like having a glass of wine, just taking in the aroma, twirling it round and round- but not getting to taste it. So the 7X7 map, just gives you an idea of  the basic features. You can keep moving around to see the entire realm, each time by clicking on the side bars, twirling it round and round. The game can still be played but it is limiting. LIMITING ? Did i just say limiting? How can it be limiting when it allows you to play the game ? It is because you have limited your vision to a small part of a vast reality that is available to you. Your are ONLY believing in what is in front of your eyes and nothing beyond it. 

Understanding concepts

In this 7X7 map you can see only a few neighboring 15-16 villages of the 30000 villages. Analysis shows,players using only this map interact with the few around them. Usually, it is noted that success factor is not as fast as compared to players using 19X19 map, the LARGE MAP

 

Setting Goals for yourself

Let's see the benefit of 19X19 map. It gives you a larger view of the players around you. Gives you a clearer picture of who your clanmates are in green shields, your opponents in red shields.Performance of players using this map improves tremendously.

Setting Goals for the team

 

Looking further at the GIANT MAP which gives you 45X45 map. I have always believed that there is one characteristic that sets leaders apart and it's the ability to see possibilities that can be uncovered, having a logical foresight to broaden the scope of finding more opportunities. This is exactly what is aimed at, by giving this map.This map gives an expanded view, allowing you to make strategies, finding more opportunities for yourself as well as your team or clanmates. 

When you believe ONLY what your eyes see, then your vision is limited to a small part of a vast reality that is actually available to you. This limits your experience to a small part of a much larger potential that you are capable of. To expand your vision always look out for multiple paths available to you. Depending on what you allow yourself to know, you will learn and  grow, transforming your life.

Defining Your VISION to achieve the Mission !

Widen your prospective

Now, all these maps are available in the game and i call them the OPERATIONAL TOOLS. There is another tool to discuss strategies with your team, The RoE MAPPER - The STRATEGIST TOOL 

What is the need of strategic tool in a game or in any organization ? While operational perspective aims at achieving short term goals, strategic thinking helps in achieving the MISSION. Moving from a operational position to a strategic position sounds lucrative but is NOT easy. Often excellent performers, goal achievers fail when it comes to team management and taking strategic decisions. WHY ? because they have never exercised their strategic muscles ! 

This game aims to develop your strategic muscles, to prepare you for your real life ! 

Not only does it develop your social skills, broadening your perspective by dealing with people belonging to different cultures, traditions, standards but also prepares you to run an organization

• Identify what’s meaningful in the data. The data here is huge. The map shows you data of thousands of players. Filtering the unimportant is important
• Keep focused on what’s important and not be distracted by the huge visual content.
•  Build your thinking by practicing scenario planning. Practice the ‘What if’ scenario exercise. Go to Show campaign view under tools in the RoE Mapper. Basically it means, exploit the tools available. In the everchanging technological era, try out the latest technologies.
•  Have discussion with potential members of the team. Identify the benchmarks from current state to desired / future vision state. Communicate, communicate and communicate !
•  MOTIVATE the team to strive for those benchmarks.
• Revisit regularly and update the Mapper to see progress. Important for organizations for forward planning, removing the kinks , finding solutions to pitfalls on the way. ALWAYS remember, a good strategic leader is one who is unmovable towards the intent, but flexible in the path. Follow up is a MUST !

Success can come only when you take a risk to venture beyond the obvious boundaries !