Comments on: What game(s) do you recommend? http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/ Shedding Light on the Hidden World of Embedded Systems Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:18:37 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: N.M. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-7016 N.M. @ LI Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:34:41 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-7016 i play a small portable computer chess player(Kasparov plus), whenever i have free time. it seems to help me with software strategies too! i play a small portable computer chess player(Kasparov plus), whenever i have free time. it seems to help me with software strategies too!

]]> By: K.P. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-7004 K.P. @ LI Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:46:53 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-7004 Hmmm...I didn't think I had any answer, but I turned it around and thought about what games I play that I would consider to be exercising that part of my brain/ability. I very much like the spate of Physics based electronics games at the moment. The well known ones are of course Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Blow Up, etc. Personally I find that they combine the puzzle aspect with the forward thinking of action/reaction...but they also make you quickly think about the relationship between things and consequences. Not traditional games like Go or Chess, but there is long term strategy, speed, relation and consequence. Hmmm…I didn’t think I had any answer, but I turned it around and thought about what games I play that I would consider to be exercising that part of my brain/ability.
I very much like the spate of Physics based electronics games at the moment. The well known ones are of course Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Blow Up, etc. Personally I find that they combine the puzzle aspect with the forward thinking of action/reaction…but they also make you quickly think about the relationship between things and consequences.
Not traditional games like Go or Chess, but there is long term strategy, speed, relation and consequence.

]]> By: L.M. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-7002 L.M. @ LI Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:12:47 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-7002 I find pretty much any real world game helps in the development process. Taking a mental break without zoning out is a valuable distraction. I find Scrabble and Boggle to be great for spatial relationships, even though they're not traditional math games. Of course you can manipulate the triple word scores and calculate the point system and all, but they're primarily right brain. And every team I've ever worked with has had a chess board on standby: two or four of us would always have a side game going on. I find pretty much any real world game helps in the development process. Taking a mental break without zoning out is a valuable distraction. I find Scrabble and Boggle to be great for spatial relationships, even though they’re not traditional math games. Of course you can manipulate the triple word scores and calculate the point system and all, but they’re primarily right brain. And every team I’ve ever worked with has had a chess board on standby: two or four of us would always have a side game going on.

]]> By: J.K. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-6992 J.K. @ LI Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:48:10 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-6992 I've known some really good chess players who worked as programmers, and lots of programmers who play chess. I don't see much correlation between skill levels on both sides. Likewise for the few serious go playing programmers I know, or even checkers players. Being smart helps with both, but the best in each don't turn out to be the best at both. Once, at a job fair very long ago in Cambridge MA, one company (CCA?) had chess boards set up and was willing to make an immediate job offer to anyone who could beat one of their programmers. I’ve known some really good chess players who worked as programmers, and lots of programmers who play chess. I don’t see much correlation between skill levels on both sides. Likewise for the few serious go playing programmers I know, or even checkers players. Being smart helps with both, but the best in each don’t turn out to be the best at both.

Once, at a job fair very long ago in Cambridge MA, one company (CCA?) had chess boards set up and was willing to make an immediate job offer to anyone who could beat one of their programmers.

]]> By: M.C. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-6970 M.C. @ LI Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:31:40 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-6970 I never though about playing go or chess to improve my developers capabilities, that is a really good idea you have and that will maybe help me to see solutions to some problems that I have never though about. I will look for luminosity, thank you for the link. I think there are a lot of applications like that available, I already saw one on Android for sure. I am not a fan of those games but do you think some strategic games like the famous computer game Starcraft would help to improve one's capabilities? In this game you have to raise an army to fight against another player. You have to make a choice of what unit to build, how to place them during the fight, when to attack...everything has to be done in real time. I think it would help the developer in finding a good solution fast. I never though about playing go or chess to improve my developers capabilities, that is a really good idea you have and that will maybe help me to see solutions to some problems that I have never though about.
I will look for luminosity, thank you for the link. I think there are a lot of applications like that available, I already saw one on Android for sure.

I am not a fan of those games but do you think some strategic games like the famous computer game Starcraft would help to improve one’s capabilities? In this game you have to raise an army to fight against another player. You have to make a choice of what unit to build, how to place them during the fight, when to attack…everything has to be done in real time. I think it would help the developer in finding a good solution fast.

]]> By: Eduardo http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-6947 Eduardo Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:01:33 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-6947 I play go a lot and LOVE it. I first knew about it in college when I saw the movie Pi (also very recommended - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/). I now have an iPhone app called SmartGo Pro that's designed to improve your game by giving you incrementally more complex games and exercises, a real mind stimulator! I play go a lot and LOVE it. I first knew about it in college when I saw the movie Pi (also very recommended – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/). I now have an iPhone app called SmartGo Pro that’s designed to improve your game by giving you incrementally more complex games and exercises, a real mind stimulator!

]]> By: D.S. @ LI http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-6946 D.S. @ LI Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:53:43 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-6946 For brain games and brain training you can check out Luminosity: http://www.lumosity.com/ . These are simpler shorter games but designed to strengthen the brain. For brain games and brain training you can check out Luminosity: http://www.lumosity.com/ . These are simpler shorter games but designed to strengthen the brain.

]]> By: Jon Titus http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2011/06/30/what-games-do-you-recommend/#comment-6943 Jon Titus Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:46:00 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=573#comment-6943 There's a "guess-the-colors" game I used to play as a kit that taught logical thinking. You can find something similar on the Web at http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/game/guesscolors/. My kids had a "binary" puzzle that had a slider with seven or eight moving pieces that required a strategy to move into the proper position so the slider would leave a frame. Wish I could remember it's name. "Scotland Yard" is worthy of attention as a game that teaches strategy and encourages reasoning. This is the Milton Bradley edition. --Jon There’s a “guess-the-colors” game I used to play as a kit that taught logical thinking. You can find something similar on the Web at http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/game/guesscolors/. My kids had a “binary” puzzle that had a slider with seven or eight moving pieces that required a strategy to move into the proper position so the slider would leave a frame. Wish I could remember it’s name. “Scotland Yard” is worthy of attention as a game that teaches strategy and encourages reasoning. This is the Milton Bradley edition. –Jon

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