Comments on: FlowPlay, Maple money, and racing http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/ Raph Koster's personal website: MMOs, gaming, writing, art, music, books Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:31:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: WorldIV » Second Math http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-118182 WorldIV » Second Math Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:07:25 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-118182 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] way of Raph Koster, Nabeel Hyatt dug up data showing the success of Micro Transactions (focusing on Maple Story, Habbo [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%-->

[...] way of Raph Koster, Nabeel Hyatt dug up data showing the success of Micro Transactions (focusing on Maple Story, Habbo [...]

]]> By: Amaranthar http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116810 Amaranthar Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:18:29 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116810 Wayne, I tought drivers training for a while. Now, I'm not making any of this up, this story is true. I had a car load of 4 high school kids and one of them was nick-named "Mouse". He was a small, quiet, geeky kid. On the day we went out on the highway the first time, on a 2 lane (one each way), picture this. We're going one way and comming the other way are two semi trucks. We're about 100 feet in front of the first semi going 60 MPH, and the second semi quickly pulls out into our lane to pass the first. I instantly reached for the wheel to take control and try to move us into the birm to avoid an accident, but "Mouse" forcefully slaps my arm away and shouts "I GOT IT", (instinct told me to let the guy with the guts have control) and smoothly moves us over onto the birm and passed the semi, then pulls us back onto the road. We live! I had to have him pull over, because the adrenalin rush had my hands shaking, as well as everyone else's. I gave "Mouse" a new nick-name that day. "Mouse the Lionhearted". Oh, yes, he passed. :) Wayne, I tought drivers training for a while. Now, I’m not making any of this up, this story is true. I had a car load of 4 high school kids and one of them was nick-named “Mouse”. He was a small, quiet, geeky kid. On the day we went out on the highway the first time, on a 2 lane (one each way), picture this. We’re going one way and comming the other way are two semi trucks. We’re about 100 feet in front of the first semi going 60 MPH, and the second semi quickly pulls out into our lane to pass the first. I instantly reached for the wheel to take control and try to move us into the birm to avoid an accident, but “Mouse” forcefully slaps my arm away and shouts “I GOT IT”, (instinct told me to let the guy with the guts have control) and smoothly moves us over onto the birm and passed the semi, then pulls us back onto the road. We live!
I had to have him pull over, because the adrenalin rush had my hands shaking, as well as everyone else’s.
I gave “Mouse” a new nick-name that day. “Mouse the Lionhearted”. Oh, yes, he passed. :)

]]> By: Wayne Imlach http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116409 Wayne Imlach Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:14:36 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116409 I can certainly vouch for the educational aspect of driving games - I took my first driving lesson in the US just a few years ago (I am in my thirties), but neglected to make it plain to the instructor that I had <em>never</em> driven a real car before. Being both 'older' and 'British' she must have assumed I was taking the lesson to brush up on American driving rules, rather than <em>learn</em> to drive. To cut a long story short, I felt quite comfortable behind the wheel for the two hours of the lesson, whether it was driving leisurely through a residential neighbourhood or crossing several lanes on the busy freeway to make the next exit. Due in no small part I presume to many hours behind the tabletop wheel playing virtual driving games. At the conclusion of the lesson she was somewhat shaken when I commented in passing about my 'first time behind the wheel'. Oddly enough subsequent lessons where with a different instructor... I can certainly vouch for the educational aspect of driving games – I took my first driving lesson in the US just a few years ago (I am in my thirties), but neglected to make it plain to the instructor that I had never driven a real car before. Being both ‘older’ and ‘British’ she must have assumed I was taking the lesson to brush up on American driving rules, rather than learn to drive. To cut a long story short, I felt quite comfortable behind the wheel for the two hours of the lesson, whether it was driving leisurely through a residential neighbourhood or crossing several lanes on the busy freeway to make the next exit.

Due in no small part I presume to many hours behind the tabletop wheel playing virtual driving games.

At the conclusion of the lesson she was somewhat shaken when I commented in passing about my ‘first time behind the wheel’. Oddly enough subsequent lessons where with a different instructor…

]]> By: Steven Davis http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116392 Steven Davis Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:13:13 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116392 The most interesting part of the Nexon story (OK, besides the healthy money) was that their payment cards are in <strong>Target</strong>. Turning game playing into an exit line impulse buy is probably going to bring in a lot of customers. The most interesting part of the Nexon story (OK, besides the healthy money) was that their payment cards are in Target. Turning game playing into an exit line impulse buy is probably going to bring in a lot of customers.

]]> By: GigaGamez » Archive Casual Game MMO Startup Gets $500K Angel Funding « http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116383 GigaGamez » Archive Casual Game MMO Startup Gets $500K Angel Funding « Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:14:00 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116383 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] tip: Raph.) Share/E-mail Sphere Topic: Online Worlds, Casual Games Tags: mmorpg, flowplay, three rings, [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%-->

[...] tip: Raph.) Share/E-mail Sphere Topic: Online Worlds, Casual Games Tags: mmorpg, flowplay, three rings, [...]

]]> By: GigaGamez » Archive Casual Game MMO Startup Gets $500K Angel Funding « http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116364 GigaGamez » Archive Casual Game MMO Startup Gets $500K Angel Funding « Tue, 20 Mar 2007 18:17:03 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116364 [...] tip: Raph.) Share/E-mail Sphere Topic: Online Worlds, Casual Games Tags: mmorpg, flowplay, three rings, [...]

[...] tip: Raph.) Share/E-mail Sphere Topic: Online Worlds, Casual Games Tags: mmorpg, flowplay, three rings, [...]

]]> By: Amaranthar http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116356 Amaranthar Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:21:25 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116356 All these new games, and yet not one, new or old, is the old standby desire of an immersive, interactive world simulation. And no, a game with player created content is not immersive, at least not in the "world" view, because of the lack of cohesiveness. Unless of course that player created content is firmly controlled. All these new games, and yet not one, new or old, is the old standby desire of an immersive, interactive world simulation. And no, a game with player created content is not immersive, at least not in the “world” view, because of the lack of cohesiveness. Unless of course that player created content is firmly controlled.

]]> By: Amaranthar http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116354 Amaranthar Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:08:25 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116354 So, can we say that games save lives? Think about it. Someone else screws up and pulls out in front of you. Your quick reactions and familiarity with risky moves allows you to evade a collision. The same could be said for other possible incidents, a tire blowing, etc. One thing about this, just as in sports, a person can familiarize themselves with the physics involved in situations and thus be better prepared for the real thing. In studies it is proven that athletes can mentally picture the movements and effects of situations "on the field", and then perform better because of their mental immages. The same is surely true from games. If you know how a car will skid, how it reacts, and you've done manuevers like this in a game, you can surely do these manuevers better in RL. The fear that freezes reactions is lessened, and the understanding of how the vehicle will react to the situations involved, speed, direction, conditions like ice, can litterally save your life. I've had several incidents over the years where I avoided what could have been tragic only because I had a clear understanding of how to make the vehicle react and the reactions after. A guy comming the other way fell asleep at the wheel, crossing the center line right in front of me. I hit the breaks and turned my wheel sharply towards the dirt, going into a skid, let go the breaks (and this is why I hate anti-lock breaks) shooting me towards the dirt, then did the same thing in reverse to get back to the road path before actually going off the birm. Without understanding how my car would skid and recover, I would have been nailed head on. My reactions were instant and natural, and I felt no fear at all as I knew exactly what the outcome would be. I had never done this in a vehicle before. My mental "training" didn't come from video games though, it came from watching things like "The Dukes of Hazard", sledding, sports, and other normal things. There's been other incidents too, where previous mental immages helped me through tough situations that required quick reactions, yet had no formal physical training. I'm sure many of you can come up with similar examples. We are a product of our experiances. Yet, that doesn't mean we are fools who disreguard safety. So, can we say that games save lives? Think about it. Someone else screws up and pulls out in front of you. Your quick reactions and familiarity with risky moves allows you to evade a collision. The same could be said for other possible incidents, a tire blowing, etc.

One thing about this, just as in sports, a person can familiarize themselves with the physics involved in situations and thus be better prepared for the real thing. In studies it is proven that athletes can mentally picture the movements and effects of situations “on the field”, and then perform better because of their mental immages. The same is surely true from games. If you know how a car will skid, how it reacts, and you’ve done manuevers like this in a game, you can surely do these manuevers better in RL. The fear that freezes reactions is lessened, and the understanding of how the vehicle will react to the situations involved, speed, direction, conditions like ice, can litterally save your life.

I’ve had several incidents over the years where I avoided what could have been tragic only because I had a clear understanding of how to make the vehicle react and the reactions after.
A guy comming the other way fell asleep at the wheel, crossing the center line right in front of me. I hit the breaks and turned my wheel sharply towards the dirt, going into a skid, let go the breaks (and this is why I hate anti-lock breaks) shooting me towards the dirt, then did the same thing in reverse to get back to the road path before actually going off the birm. Without understanding how my car would skid and recover, I would have been nailed head on. My reactions were instant and natural, and I felt no fear at all as I knew exactly what the outcome would be.

I had never done this in a vehicle before. My mental “training” didn’t come from video games though, it came from watching things like “The Dukes of Hazard”, sledding, sports, and other normal things.

There’s been other incidents too, where previous mental immages helped me through tough situations that required quick reactions, yet had no formal physical training. I’m sure many of you can come up with similar examples. We are a product of our experiances. Yet, that doesn’t mean we are fools who disreguard safety.

]]> By: Kim Pallister http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116350 Kim Pallister Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:58:32 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116350 doh. never mind. Just saw the other link. doh. never mind. Just saw the other link.

]]> By: Kim Pallister http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/comment-page-1/#comment-116349 Kim Pallister Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:57:45 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/03/19/flowplay-maple-money-and-racing/#comment-116349 Hmm... Flowplay is in Seattle. Any idea who's behind it? Hmm… Flowplay is in Seattle. Any idea who’s behind it?

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