
The “Paradox” of Strategy computer games in 2016 and beyond - simonebrunozzi
https://medium.com/simone-brunozzi/the-paradox-of-strategy-computer-games-in-2016-and-beyond-e4f96b45d74d#.pvfg7hvm3
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psgbg
I was reading the article and I consider it interesting.As a fan of Paradox
myself I might love some of it but some parts seem very unlikely.

First let me address the part of education platform. We all know what are/were
educational games and for most part they are bad. The most difficult problem
is Game Literacy, basically to achieve the best effect the game should be fun
and the mechanics adequate to the problem and yet make the players understand
it. Sadly most of the people have a limited level of knowledge of game
"languages" (probably the most easy are side scrollers, puzzle games, maybe
sports). So you have or a "foul proof mechanics" aka (boring point and click
interactive movie) or do you teach them how to play (and that takes time!).

Think that know how to play a game is essentially a skill, and gamers will fly
way ahead of non-gamers. To know common mechanics (for example sport rules)
can give huge advantages to some people, and will crush the expectations of
people that is not interested or slow to learn games. There are gamers that
have the equivalent literacy of a pro, and people with the level of kinder
garden kids (across all the school years!!) and you have to leverage that.
Later the platform, you can't assume a platform unless you provide it!!!.

I recommend This video about game literacy:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8np2I_gQgcY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8np2I_gQgcY)

In second place, the AI is mod-able enough to make me think unthinkable it
will be open sourced. It would be great if the configuration is open sourced.
Imagine have a version controlled configuration, it could be flavoured and a
fine tuned by the best of the players/modders in a centralized way (openTTD
has something like that!!!!) and I'm not talking about Steamworkshop, I mean
something better, internally reviewed. As example one thing that the Paradox
AI in EU4 does bad is the economy, there are plenty of buildings that are
built in a nonsensical way, like markets in provinces with bad trade values,
or optimizing the slots available wrong, but that can be MODDED.

Now imagine to have an IN GAME AI configuration "market", all reviewed (and
properly signed/checksumed for Ironman-achievements enabled games), and other
just to play, with scores and all. Even they could release an AI development
kit or something, if the configuration thing it's not enough.

For the last part, I don't buy it. Doesn't appeal to me.

