Topic

Maths education as a goal?

Is one of the goals of Glitch to improve the math skills of it's audience?  There are lots of game elements where the most useful tool to have is a calculator, and a spreadsheet isn't bad either.  Is that intentional?  Because I don't know how much actual fun it is.  I would love to see the game interface do more math for me.  To be clear, this is not a "math is hard" gripe - I do serious maths when I need to, and keep a calculator and spreadsheet on hand for Glitch, so...

A couple of for instances:

Crafting upper level items (for instance: Earthshakers) requires first determining how many you can make based on the materials you have (easiest methods being half-making or use an API, since stacking conceals item numbers), then making the intermediary products (Hot & Fizzy, etc) in the appropriate numbers (ideally: not more than you need, since they'll clog inventory) then finally producing the goods you were going to make in the first place.  

It'd be great if the recipe screen would let you say "I want to make 7 of this" and reported: "you'll need 70 honey, and you only have 35."  Furthermore, if having said "make 7", the "make more buttons" took you to crafting screens that said "making salt for 7 buns" and plugged in the right numbers for you.

Second example:

Auctioning.  The position of my item depends on the price-per-unit.  But that's calculated based on the price-per-lot that I set.  Per-unit being the more important figure, I tend to decide that and calculate the per-lot.  Would it really be so hard to have the per-unit be editable?

Finally, no change would be really necessary if the API were extended to make these doable.  Recipes especially would be difficult to do well without an API, an auctions are maybe doable, but I'm unclear on the ToS as relates to selling things with a script.

Posted 14 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • This isn't anything specific to Glitch; every MMO is like this. And I don't personally think it's a bad thing, everyone *should* learn some basic math. It is so very helpful everywhere in society.
    Posted 14 months ago by Toksyuryel Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I was thinking it would be nice if the auction number input fields would accept mathematical expressions like 5*32*.95 for pricing 5 units times the lowest current auction price of 32 times a 95% discount. When you hit the "=" sign it could replace the expression with the value. You could even have variables like "a" for lowest current auction price, etc. But that's just to save time, not to teach math. ;) 

    There are a lot of ways Glitch could be educational. Like helping people learn language skills by writing interesting notes on paper, reading what other people wrote, discussing it in forums, etc. Educators like Seymour Papert and Alan Kay call that Constructionist Education!
    Posted 14 months ago by Bernard Snodskuel Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This happens in all MMOs. It's something that a lot of people enjoy very much when playing MMOs, I'm one of them. The number grind of the economy in this way is very, very addicting if you get into it.
    Posted 14 months ago by Bluigi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yeah, I've done the number grind.  I find it very very tedious when you get into it. :P
    Posted 14 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I play this game for fun.  To me, math is not fun.  That is why the calculator exists, but only for work, not fun.  I play without caring to know the exact advantage in terms of inputs and outputs of each food, drink, powder, etc.  If that is a great intellectual puzzle that keeps you interested in the game, more power to you, feel free to calculate to your heart's content.

    I do love the math tools that they do have that alert you how many leftovers I will have of each ingredient when I am cooking or crafting.  More sensible information of this kind would be a great help in both making items and in the vending and auctioning areas.
    Posted 14 months ago by KhaKhonsu Subscriber! | Permalink