Social interaction is the process of reciprocal influence exercised by individuals over one another during social encounters. - Introduction to Sociology, 2nd edition, William Little
When we are interacting with someone, we have a limited set of tools, values, and techniques. When the other person matches yours, everything is smooth. You are able to communicate, to reach an understanding. When not, communication does not work. It's awkward, lonely, you feel like you don't fit. And if you are tired, communication is harder. You have less patience, your brain works at a slower pace.
Every person you interact with influences you, leaves a trace, changes the way you interact with other people. You learn something from them, and that person takes something from you, too. When you do this long enough, with people out of your comfort zone, you can find yourself being a different person. A person that is not able to connect anymore with the people you use to connect with.
As you gain more experience, you start to have more complex tools, to understand different kinds of people, to adapt yourself to the person you are communicating with. You grow up, you learn from experience.
Why am I talking about this? Because this game is able to represent the complexity of social interaction, with all these nuances, in a simple domino-like deck builder game. Yes, the story and characters could be better.
But the core mechanic is just fantastic.
When we are interacting with someone, we have a limited set of tools, values, and techniques. When the other person matches yours, everything is smooth. You are able to communicate, to reach an understanding. When not, communication does not work. It's awkward, lonely, you feel like you don't fit. And if you are tired, communication is harder. You have less patience, your brain works at a slower pace.
Every person you interact with influences you, leaves a trace, changes the way you interact with other people. You learn something from them, and that person takes something from you, too. When you do this long enough, with people out of your comfort zone, you can find yourself being a different person. A person that is not able to connect anymore with the people you use to connect with.
As you gain more experience, you start to have more complex tools, to understand different kinds of people, to adapt yourself to the person you are communicating with. You grow up, you learn from experience.
Why am I talking about this? Because this game is able to represent the complexity of social interaction, with all these nuances, in a simple domino-like deck builder game. Yes, the story and characters could be better.
But the core mechanic is just fantastic.