Tag Archives: Sandbox

What I’m Playing Now: Elite Dangerous

I’ve made no secret in the past that I love space sims and that I’m on the lookout for the next Starflight. I’ve tried many games, but none really filled in that particular gap in my heart. Until recently. I’ve … Continue reading

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In Search of Transformative Encounters

Over the course of the last couple of years, I’ve slowly drifted away from video games in favour of table-top RPGs. That trend probably started a few years ago when Gaines and I played TTRPGs weekly with a group of … Continue reading

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DayZ of Indifference: Fighting Against the Injustice Engine

I hadn’t meant to be talking about DayZ this week, but after reading Jason’s post, I just couldn’t resist. As with many of us, I’ve been familiar with the ArmA II mod for a while now. I found it interesting … Continue reading

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Minecraft and the Castle of Uncomfortable Contraptions

Efficiency is a word that’s often hailed as that special thing everyone should try to achieve. When I teach technology-related classes, efficiency is a word tossed around by most undergrads when we ask them about the characteristics of technological systems. … Continue reading

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A Simulated Retrospective, Part 1: Pirates

Welcome to a Higher Level Gamer Critical Retrospective! Retrospectives can take many forms: some focus on a single franchise while others take a more expansive approach. For these retrospectives, I’ll be taking the latter approach. These retrospectives aren’t meant to … Continue reading

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BoRT: Why Starflight Changed the Way I Game

One of the things that I was alluding to last week was that I “grew up” playing role-playing games (RPGs). I was still a young kid in the 1980s, so I missed out on the Ultima and Wizardry franchises. Back … Continue reading

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The Knowable and Unknowable Futures of Open World and Sandbox Games

Nowadays, an open world is almost a must, or what Michel Callon (1986) has called an obligatory point of passage, when it comes to designing an RPG. For example, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Assassin’s Creed, and Fallout all possess a … Continue reading

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