This week’s topic is about games and games design. I am not a frequent game player, but do enjoy playing games. How about games through stories?
May I start with 3 stories that I learnt from my relative, who most generously shared them with me? Many thanks to him.
I have modified the content as these stories were written in Chinese. I am not sure about the source of the stories, but I speculate they were from the wisdom of Chinese Philosophers – the Story Tellers.
As I have changed the content, even after the translation, so some of the ideas there might have been changed. If you would like to modify and adapt it to suit your context, that is fine.
I would like to include them in a game, but by now I am happy just to leave them as narrative.
Here they are, and enjoy.
1. The Monk and the Butcher
Once there was a monk, and a butcher, and they were good friends.
The monk needed to chant early every morning, and the butcher needed to butch early every day. In order not to delay their morning’s work, they agreed to call each other and get up early each morning.
Years later, the monk and the butcher died.
Butcher goes to heaven, but the monk goes to hell.
Why? Because the butcher did good every day, called up the monk to chant; on the contrary, the monk called up the butcher every day, to kill animals.
Small philosophy: you do the things you think that are right, but not necessarily right.
See this other version.
2. A lifelong benefits of the test questions
You are driving a car. In a stormy night, you go through a station, there are three people who are anxiously waiting for the bus.
One is a dying old man, he needs to go to the hospital.
One is a doctor, who saved your life. You have dreamed to repay him.
There is also a woman / man, she / he is one you have dreamed of marrying or have married with. Perhaps, you don’t want to miss this opportunity.
But your car could only accommodate one more person, how would you choose?
I do not know if this is a test of your character, because each answer has its own reasons.
For the old man who is dying, you would like to be the first to save him.
You want the doctor to be with you in your car, who could save more lives if you do it, and because he saved you, this is a good opportunity to repay him.
Another one is your dream lover. If you missed this opportunity, you may never encounter such a person you had long been looking for.
In the 200 candidates who were interviewed, only one person was hired, he did not explain his reasons, he just said the following words: “I will offer the doctor the car keys, let him take the old man to the hospital, and I will stay! I love to stay with the dreamed person whom I would like to marry, and together we could wait for the bus!”
“Everyone I know think the answer above is the best, but no one (including me) has ever thought about a creative solution at the start”.
Small philosophy: if it is because we never thought of giving up the advantages we already have in our hands (car keys), what would be our decision? Sometimes, if we can give up some of our stubborn, narrow-minded way of thoughts, we may be able to reach a decision with creative solutions.
3. The history of shoes
A long time ago, humans were still walking with bare feet.
There was once a king who was travelling on a remote country trip. He was walking on a bumpy road and he felt pains when he stepped on the stones on the ground.
Back to the palace, he made an order to have the country roads covered with a layer of leather.
He believed that in doing do, that would benefit not only himself, but also his people, so that they would no longer have to walk with stinging pain because of the rocks laying on the road.
But even when the people have killed all domestic cattle, they still couldn’t raise enough leather. This had also led to a huge amount of money spent, and the use of manpower.
Although people knew that it was an impossible mission, and might even be a stupid idea and act, but because it was the king’s command, they could only shake their heads.
A bold and wise servant made suggestions to the king: “My Dearest King! Why do you want to involve so many people, the expense of so many head of cattle, to spend so much money? Why don’t you use two small pieces of leather to surround your foot?”
The King listened, and was very surprised, but immediately realized what could have been done instead. He then immediately withdrew his plan and switched to the wise proposal.
This is where the “shoes” are coming from. Just a belief!
Small philosophy: It is difficult to change the world; rather, it is easier to change ourselves. If we want to change our or their world, we might as well have to change our way of thinking. By “wrapping our own feet”, we could start thinking on our own feet.
If you want to see the world changed, first we must change ourselves. “If you are willing to change “with your hearts and minds”, your attitudes will change too. A change in attitude will lead to a change in habits, which would lead to a change of life.
Would you like to share these stories with your friends?
Would that benefit you and your friends? It would be better to spread the truth.
I wish you are happy with these stories!
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