I used to make fun of Eve Online players, sinking countless hours in what has often been called “Spreadsheets in Space.” But as I sank timeless nights into Patrician 3, I realized there really is something about games that brings out the brilliant organizers and managers in us. Why not do the same in real life?
Patrician 3 is a wonderful and unique game of establishing sea trade routes to fulfill the needs of various towns, while spreading one’s influence and reputation in an ultimate goal of becoming a wealthy, global master-trader. For those interested, you can snatch it from GoG.com.
I finally quit when, after many timeless evenings, I looked at my desk in horror and realized I actually made spreadsheet with movable postit notes to keep track of the various town needs, what each ship’s trade routes/goods were, and my long-term building strategies for each town. Like many others, my wonderful organizational and managerial skills were “wasted” on an enjoyable but ultimately pointless video game.
Sure, games may be far simpler than life, but as I wrote before, they are also complex enough to let our underlying traits and skills emerge. While I wouldn’t vote for highly successful Starcraft player to be our next Chief of Arms, I wouldn’t deny they definitely have more potential than others.
And yet, while we spent so many hours gathering resources and devising masterful strategies to conquer the enemy, writing up the grocery list can be an insurmountable challenge. The oft-heard explanation of “instant gratification” and “great rewards” comes to mind, something games provide in droves, as opposed to the boring and mundane “life.” Simply, there isn’t nearly as much motivation to be as successful in real life as in video games.
But think just how much you could achieve, just how high you could rise, if you approached your next job-hunt strategically like an RTS, a networking event like visiting a new town in an RPG, or a project you’re managing like your soccer team in a SportManager. Yes, it would take much longer to see the fruits of the labor, but if you applied the same mindset you do for your virtual character’s career. Just think…