I’ve played many indie games lately that really push your skills in various areas. The more I play, the better I seem to get at not only the game, but in the skills I gain from playing them.
These games are so useful that I think they should be part of the school curriculum. You need to get a certain high score in order to pass the class.
Here’s a list of the games and why they’re useful.
Papers, Please
The premise of this game is that you’ve been assigned a job at border patrol. You have to check the papers of everyone entering your country and make sure that:
- They’re not smuggling contraband (drugs, bombs, weapons, etc.)
- They are who they say they are
- They don’t have any counterfeit papers
You have to look at each paper, and make absolutely sure that there are no discrepancies between them. Make sure that the city and country they’re from are actually real, make sure that their name is the same on all documents, their picture has to match, their recorded weight has to match…
The point of this game is to get you to spot discrepancies. You need to have a keen eye. More importantly, you need to be able to do it fast. The more people you’re able to service, the more money you make. If you don’t make enough money, after all, your family goes cold and hungry… Could die from sickness. And, if you cannot pay your rent, you lose the game. So yes, in addition for affording the rent, you must also afford food and heat for your home. You’ll also need more money to afford some luxuries.
I feel that this game should be mandatory in every school. It’s a fun game to play, and it teaches you the skill of being able to spot anything out of place. Many times I’ve solved issues in my code simply by being able to spot the discrepancy (most likely a typo). There are more uses for this skill than just programming, obviously, but it’s one such example that keeps recurring for me.
Factorio
Some of you who know me have heard me talk about this game before, but in case you haven’t, here it is again. The premise of this game is that you’ve crash-landed on an alien planet. You’ll need to collect resources and materials to survive. The rescue ship knows you’re there, but cannot land safely without a rocket defense landing pad. You’ll need to research various technologies to be able to build one.
This game mainly focuses on automation. Why dig up iron and smelt it manually when you can rig up an electric mining drill that’ll deposit the ore onto conveyor belts that bring them to a furnace that’ll smelt the iron and place it in a chest for you.
The point of it all is to teach you how to think programmatically. And many times poor planning can bite you. Maybe you shouldn’t have put so many conveyor belts down. Maybe your automated train system should have more traffic lights to make sure that they don’t crash into one another.
You’ll also have to put up outer defenses to make sure the nasty aliens on the planet don’t attack and destroy your machines.
This game also teaches you proper upgrading, and planning for upgrades. You’ll always be researching better ways to do something. For instance, gun turrets, which use a lot of manually-crafted bullets, can later be replaced by laser turrets that’ll utilize your electricity system to shoot lasers instead. No more bullet-crafting.
Another good upgrade is a fully-functional logistics system, where little robot drones fly about and carry all the necessary pieces to their designated locations. Why stick with conveyor belts that’ll clutter up the factory when you can have free-flying robots handle it all?
It’s games like this that really get your mind thinking. Every situation is one that you create, and continually tweak until it’s perfect. Always stay on top of the game here.
Portal/Portal 2
Portal is a great logic/thinking game as well. It’s a first-person shooter kind of game where the object is to solve the puzzle and exit the room. Various hazards will impede you, and you need to be sharp to make it to the end.
I also specifically recommend Portal 2 for its cooperative gameplay. There is a 2-player mode where you have to work together with another player to get to the end. This teaches both teamwork and cooperative puzzle-solving. Sometimes the other player will have the solution, and other times you both might be stumped.
I also highly recommend this game for game dates. If you and a potential mate want to really get to know one another, see how far the 2 of you can make it through this game. You’ll get to learn really quickly whether you can work together with this person or not.
I also recommend the “Thinking with Time Machine” addon for the game, as well as the various player-created maps.
Minecraft
Let’s face it, most kids are already playing this game. So why not make it a mandatory class? This game teaches many things, such as planning ahead for exploration, and proper construction planning. The object of the game is… basically, to find the “End” dimension and kill the dragon. The fun part is all the stuff leading up to that point. You’ll need to gather lots of resources to get that far, and possibly even take some risks to get them. The game teaches you how to work for what you have, and appreciation for all that you’ve acquired since the effort was so great.
There are also adventure and puzzle maps for the students to get through, for even further learning.
The Room
Here’s a game where trial and error will win you everything. The premise is that you’re looking at a box that you have to open, and solve various puzzles to get at it.
It’s a great puzzle game to get through, and I highly recommend it for anyone.
Rocksmith
I never got the opportunity to take a guitar class. And thanks to Rocksmith, I’ll never even bother. Rocksmith is a game that accepts a real guitar as its controller, and is designed to teach you how to play it. Keep practicing, and you’ll get better and better.
It goes through all sorts of techniques and styles to get you perfect in ‘em. By the end of the class, your guitar playing should be mostly top notch.
Telltale Games’ Law and Order Series
Ah another good one. These games are centered around critical thinking. You have to interrogate suspects, and be able to spot when their stories change or don’t match up. There are also courtroom scenes where you need to be ready to pounce with an appropriate objection.
This game teaches you not only the legal system, but also how to spot a liar when you see one. Learn to critically analyze everything people tell you.
Mystery Case Files
Basically, the whole game is based on the “Hidden Pictures” page of every Highlights magazine. Much like “Papers, Please”, the game hones your skills at being able to spot things that are out of place. If any of you know a person that don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground, then perhaps a game like this would help. How often do you remember as a child hearing your father or mother lose their keys?
A game like this gets your eyes trained in a way to spotting things in pictures that you’re specifically looking for. Skills like this help you notice the little things in life that most people overlook.
In Closing
I think these games should all be mandatory classes you have to take to hone your skills for real life uses. Critical thinking, puzzle solving, teamwork, discrepancy-spotting, proper planning, musical ability… These are all things you could actually use well in life.
Perhaps there’s more to video games than Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto… I wish people focused more on games like this than the top-selling bloody entertainment crap that hits the market every year.