Intro

Freedom in gaming

• Some video games have a more linear story and design. Think of a movie or play, with moments for the audience to participate.
• Other games are more open world “sandboxes” – you’re given a bunch of tools, with no clear end-goal.

When the possibilities are endless, the way you play is only bounded by your own creativity.

Playing off-meta

Gamers talk about games getting “stale” (boring, repetitive):

• Race a track 100 times and the racetrack gets old.
• Play the same racing game 100 hours and the game itself can get old.

Therefore, keep it fresh by playing “off-meta” (against the game design, or conventional strategy):

• Why not drive off-road to enjoy the scenery? Nothing’s forcing you to complete the race.
• In the apocalypse, most people are busy fighting zombies or other people. Why not pause to throw a dance party?
• When playing a fantasy, Lord of the Ring type game, don’t just stay a knight and slay the dragon. Customize / reprogram your game so that you can be a DoorDash deliveryman! (Just remember to stay clear of the trolls and vampires when dropping off someone’s pizza.)

Struggling uphill, especially when there is risk involved, makes the small moments more worth it.

Uphill Gaming

I’m very interested in brainstorming ways to play “uphill”, whether:

• Against the game design
• Against the typical strategy (AKA metagame, or “meta”)
• Against the genre

Maybe think of it like a weird Guinness World Record? The 100m sprint gets boring. What’s fun is sprinting backwards on a pogo-stick.

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Ideas!

[The remainder of this page is a work-in-progress and needs some tidying up!]

DayZ

Survival sandbox, set in the zombie apocalypse, where other players are either your best ally, or the biggest threat.

Playing the Meta

• Many players assume everyone else will be hostile, and “shoot on sight”.
  • This threat increases as you collect more gear (weapons, armor, fancy helmets with night vision, etc.).
    • The more militarized you look, the more incentive there is to preemptively shoot that person first. If they shoot first – and have a better rifle – you’re done for.
    • There is also a psychological element. The more gear you have, the more you want to protect it, making you more paranoid about other players.

Playing Uphill

• Don’t loot for the best gear, loot for a good time!
  • Throw a flashmob or rave near a starting area (“spawn”) on the coast.
  • Create a peaceful trading hub prohibiting combat, with armed security for deterrence.
  • Create a food truck in a warzone, offering free food, conversation, and souvenirs.
  • Roleplay as a Red Cross worker, collecting and giving away O- blood for those in need.
    • Another spin on this: If you get an “angry customer”… you can break your Hippocratic Oath and administer them the wrong blood type.
• If you collect good gear, instead of hoarding more, give it away! Sometimes the delight of surprising others is an award of its own.

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War Thunder

MMO flight sim, tank sim, naval sim. Includes vehicles from the 1910s up to the modern day.

• Team play is not heavily encouraged by the game mechanics
  • Formation flying is a fun way to try new tactics.
  • It’s also gratifying: a slow, defenseless bomber is usually shot down within 2 minutes, but with a fighter escort (just one fighter plane) it may survive for 15 minutes.
• Custom game modes are available with weapons disabled
  • Participate in a peaceful airshow: focus on mastering control of your plane, and pull off stunts which rarely have any practical combat use.

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