[phil] Desktop Tower Defense as a Metaphor for Everything

Aug 19, 2007 20:55

I previously linked to the flash game Desktop Tower DefenseIt suddenly dawned on me that this was a powerful metaphor for a bunch of things ( Read more... )

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merle_ August 20 2007, 02:46:24 UTC
*shudder*

I'm more partial to Onslaught 2, which is basically the same game: you build up defenses and combos, Things come in, and you are inevitably overwhelmed. Always. Quite depressing, if you look at it as a life metaphor.

But I do see what you're saying, and you are quite correct: one has to balance short, medium, and long term objectives. Letting something like finding a competent doctor slide for eight months is not good strategy, nor is (necessarily) spending tons of money for an unnecessary upgrade. Still, in the game one is destined to lose, while in life one hopes to win (whatever that might mean to the particular person).

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siderea August 20 2007, 03:08:45 UTC
Oh, Desktop Tower Defense has a winning condition. It's finite.

Of course, that probably makes it less good a metaphor for life....

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ironphoenix August 21 2007, 02:10:17 UTC
Ummm, you have examples of life1 not being a finite game?
1: Yes, I mean physical life, not anything metaphysical.

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siderea August 21 2007, 04:03:10 UTC
It's not the finitude that's the problem. It's the winning condition.

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ironphoenix August 21 2007, 16:29:07 UTC
Ah, I see.

I guess the phrase, "you win at life," in response to a witty comment is just a figure of speech.

One thing which the creeps model doesn't capture well is the difference in importance of different things not getting done. A load of laundry is not on a par with one's own wedding.

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