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[Mexen]

MiyazakiHatesKojima

 

[Guardian's Light]

Video games have always taken real life events and tried to make them entertaining. Like shooters that are obviously inspired by WW2 or other historical events, or games that even try and offer up business simulation.

But what if a developer went into a completely radical direction and made a game whose central theme is maths, and gave it an actual AAA budget on par with Hollywood movies? Could such a game still succeed, or would most normies be put off by it because they literally can't put two and two together?

It does exist yet, it's Gta Online
Stupid kids try to figure out what to buy with papa's money, papa does the math after his kids robbed him to buy shark cards, and R* counts the millions

 

[DoctorEkkoUK]

Frog fractions?

 

[Dennisonr]

The problem is so few people can do even basic math in the USA that such a game would not sell well. I mean there are functioning adults in our society with nice cars and a big house with a good paying job that cannot even do basic math. Like here is just some examples:

I ask people that if I increased their pay by 10%, three times in a row, then what was the overall percentage increase?

The answer they give me is 30%. I kid you not NOT, this is the answer I get from them! The correct answer is 33.1%.

Or I ask them

If your original pay of $200 at the end of the week was reduced by 20%, then how much percentage increase is needed to get back to your original pay of $200? The answer they give me is 20%!!!

The correct answer is 25% to get back to your original pay of $200.

 

[JordanN]

The problem is so few people can do even basic math in the USA that such a game would not sell well. I mean there are functioning adults in our society with nice cars and a big house with a good paying job that cannot even do basic math. Like here is just some examples:

I ask people that if I increased their pay by 10%, three times in a row, then what was the overall percentage increase?

The answer they give me is 30%. I kid you not NOT, this is the answer I get from them! The correct answer is 33.1%.

Or I ask them

If your original pay of $200 at the end of the week was reduced by 20%, then how much percentage increase is needed to get back to your original pay of $200? The answer they give me is 20%!!!

The correct answer is 25% to get back to your original pay of $200.

You know, this is exactly why I would love to see such a game made.

Maybe there doesn't even have to be an explicit win or lose condition. In fact, you should be able to progress if you get a question wrong.

But what makes this game unique, is that it rewards those who can think more abstractly leading to alternative endings or game paths.

You even gave the perfect example like talking about pay checks. Imagine an NPC says you have the choice to take $200 right away or take 15% of $500 every 2 days. In either scenario, you still get money but those who can plan ahead will get rewarded for it the more they keep playing the game.

I think if a AAA Math game could be done, it doesn't have to be challenging where it's impossible to win without a bachelor degree. But it does invoke your brain to critically make decisions that could screw you over that you never thought about before.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Disgaea counts I guess.

 

[ElCasual]

Bombastic from Capcom for PS2