#What is Gamification

[microlearningplatform]

Breaking Down Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification: A Game-Changing Approach to Learning

Schell's Four Pillars of Gamification: A Comprehensive Guide to Transforming Learning

Gamification has revolutionized the way we approach learning, transforming mundane training modules into engaging experiences that captivate learners and enhance retention. At the heart of this transformation is Jesse Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification, a framework that provides the blueprint for designing impactful gamified experiences. This article delves into these four pillars—story, mechanics, aesthetics, and technology—and explores how they can be effectively applied to learning and development.

The Foundation: What Are Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification?

Jesse Schell, a renowned game designer and educator, introduced the concept of the four pillars to guide the creation of gamified experiences. These pillars—story, mechanics, aesthetics, and technology—serve as the essential components for building engaging and meaningful games. When applied to learning, they transform traditional methods into dynamic experiences that motivate and inspire learners.

Pillar 1: Story

The Power of Narrative in Learning

Stories are the backbone of human connection and understanding. In the context of gamification, narratives create a sense of purpose, making learning more relatable and memorable. A compelling story can:

Provide context for learning objectives.

Engage learners emotionally.

Encourage progression by framing challenges within a meaningful narrative arc.

How to Use Story in Gamified Learning

To integrate storytelling effectively, consider:

Role-playing scenarios: Learners assume characters with missions tied to learning goals.

Progressive narratives: As learners advance, they unlock new chapters of the story, reinforcing achievements.

Real-world relevance: Stories that mirror workplace scenarios make learning practical and applicable.

For instance, in a compliance training module, learners could be agents solving a corporate mystery, with each task linked to a compliance requirement.

Pillar 2: Mechanics

Designing the Rules of Engagement

Mechanics are the rules, challenges, and interactions that drive the gamified experience. They provide structure, ensuring that the game is engaging while maintaining alignment with learning objectives. Key mechanics include:

Points and rewards: Motivate learners by recognizing achievements.

Levels and progression: Offer a clear path for advancement.

Challenges and feedback: Keep learners engaged with tasks of appropriate difficulty and timely responses.

Applying Mechanics to Learning Platforms

When designing a gamified learning experience, ensure mechanics are:

Aligned with learning outcomes: For example, a sales training program might reward learners for correctly answering customer scenario questions.

Balanced for all learners: Mechanics should cater to varying skill levels, avoiding frustration or disengagement.

Iterative and adaptive: Allow for real-time adjustments based on learner feedback and performance.

MaxLearn’s microlearning platform exemplifies this by incorporating leaderboards, badges, and adaptive learning pathways that maintain engagement while meeting individual needs.

Pillar 3: Aesthetics

The Visual and Emotional Experience

Aesthetics in gamification encompass the visual design, sound effects, and overall atmosphere of the learning environment. They play a crucial role in shaping first impressions and sustaining interest.

Why Aesthetics Matter in Learning

Attract attention: Eye-catching designs draw learners in.

Evoke emotions: Engaging visuals and sounds create an emotional connection.

Enhance immersion: A well-designed environment helps learners feel part of the experience.

Best Practices for Aesthetics in Learning

To optimize aesthetics:

Align visuals with the narrative: Consistency between story and design creates a cohesive experience.

Prioritize usability: Intuitive layouts and clear navigation reduce cognitive load.

Use multimedia: Incorporate videos, animations, and interactive elements to enrich the learning process.

For instance, a gamified onboarding program might use vibrant, brand-aligned visuals and a welcoming soundtrack to make new employees feel at home.

Pillar 4: Technology

The Backbone of Gamification

Technology underpins the gamification experience, enabling the seamless integration of story, mechanics, and aesthetics. It determines the scalability, accessibility, and interactivity of the learning platform.

Key Technological Considerations

Platform capabilities: Ensure the LMS supports gamification features like leaderboards, real-time analytics, and adaptive pathways.

Integration: Compatibility with existing tools and systems enhances the user experience.

Accessibility: Mobile-first designs ensure learners can engage anytime, anywhere.

Innovations in Gamified Learning Technology

Emerging technologies like AI, AR, and VR are pushing the boundaries of gamification. AI-powered adaptive learning systems personalize content delivery, while VR and AR create immersive scenarios that mimic real-world challenges.

For example, MaxLearn’s AI-powered authoring tools streamline course creation, making it easier to integrate gamification into training modules.

Bringing It All Together: The Synergy of the Four Pillars

The true power of Schell’s Four Pillars lies in their synergy. When combined effectively, they create a holistic experience that:

Engages learners emotionally through compelling stories.

Motivates and challenges them with well-designed mechanics.

Captivates their attention with appealing aesthetics.

Delivers seamless experiences powered by cutting-edge technology.

For instance, a customer service training program might integrate:

A narrative where learners play the role of problem-solving heroes.

Mechanics like points for resolving customer queries correctly.

A visually engaging dashboard with progress tracking.

AI-driven feedback to guide improvement.

Conclusion: Unlocking the Potential of Gamified Learning

Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification offer a robust framework for transforming traditional training into engaging, impactful experiences. By leveraging story, mechanics, aesthetics, and technology, organizations can create learning solutions that not only educate but also inspire and retain employees.

In today’s fast-paced world, where attention spans are short and engagement is key, the integration of these pillars is more critical than ever. Platforms like MaxLearn, with their focus on microlearning and gamification, exemplify how these principles can be applied effectively to meet modern learning demands.

Whether you’re designing a corporate training program or an educational course, embracing Schell’s pillars will ensure your gamified learning initiatives achieve their full potential.

[azureblooet]

Bitches out here like “oh the were dissenting we had to kill them” as if dissenters and faith aint the easiest thing to manage in this game.

People: *write about turbulent times and famine in the cult for plot*

Me: skill issue🙄

[phansterdam]

okay so a lot of people are saying that this is a monumentally stupid decision that is going to kill twitter. in reality, though many people will stop using twitter, this is probably going to make them a LOT of money.

600 tweets a day is not a lot. twitter knows this, and it also knows that a lot of its users will pay for twitter blue to see 10x the tweets because they're addicted to twitter. this is a strategy called Torture Breaks: force people to stop using an app when they want to keep using it, and they will constantly think about the app until they are allowed to use it again, and make them come back to the app as soon as they're allowed. humans are driven by scarcity and impatience, so by making tweets scarce and forcing people to wait before they can see more tweets will absolutely get people to pay for twitter blue, or else keep returning to twitter. this is a pretty common strategy, a lot of mobile games use it, but apps like duolingo use it too!

so yeah. elon musk is a piece of shit and twitter is getting worse by the day. but this wasn't a decision made out of incompetence. this strategy has worked before, and they know it will work this time too.

[nats-other-archive]

daily routine rn

-wake up

-pit of despair

-breakfast

-minecraft

-brunch

-minecraft

-dc personiftranslation <3 <3 <3

-pit of despair

-sleep

-have random epiphany over dc and write it down

-sleep

[intelisync]

Blockchain Loyalty: 5 Tips for 30% More Retention

What if you could boost customer retention by 30% using a technology that guarantees transparency, security, and personalization? Blockchain is transforming loyalty programs, turning customer retention into a strategic advantage. Learn how this innovative technology can reshape your business.

Blockchain technology is ushering in a new era for customer loyalty programs, offering businesses the tools to increase retention by up to 30%. Unlike traditional systems, blockchain’s decentralized structure ensures that all transactions are transparent, tamper-proof, and secure, fostering greater trust between businesses and their customers. This technology enables the creation of highly personalized loyalty programs through smart contracts and tokenization, where customers can redeem rewards across multiple platforms, thereby enhancing engagement and satisfaction.

The advanced security features of blockchain also safeguard customer data, preventing fraud and boosting confidence in the loyalty program. As the technology evolves, it opens up new possibilities for businesses to design customer-centric programs that adapt to changing preferences, leading to sustained loyalty and long-term growth.

Beyond transparency and security, blockchain offers scalability and cost-efficiency, making it an ideal solution for businesses looking to expand their loyalty initiatives without overwhelming their existing systems. Integrating blockchain with gamification and other innovative strategies allows companies to create more dynamic and engaging loyalty experiences that resonate with customers.

This approach not only drives retention but also provides a competitive edge in a crowded market. By leveraging blockchain’s capabilities, businesses can stay ahead of the curve, offering more responsive and flexible loyalty programs that meet the evolving needs of their customers.

For businesses ready to harness the full potential of blockchain in their loyalty programs, Intelisync is the partner you need. As leaders in blockchain development, Intelisync offers tailored solutions that help businesses implement this transformative technology with ease.

With a focus on security, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, Intelisync is committed to guiding your business toward remarkable retention and success. Take the next step in revolutionizing your loyalty programs—contact Intelisync today and discover how blockchain can redefine your Learn more...

[parlerenfleurs]

Chinese is hard, by the way o(-<

[vampire-connoisseur]

...

WELP, i honestly believe that for most people, the most valuable aspects of duo were teaching you what does and doesnt work for your brain and offering (poor) courses in languages with fewer available resources ANYWAY!

DUO IS FRICKING DEAD GUYS

rip duo-

fricking crap.. omg nooo

[jubri-writes]

Betrayal ⌚️

König x female!reader, unestablished relationship, reader is a civilian KorTac employee, fluff

Summary: König got himself one of those fancy sports smart watches after one of the other KorTac guys kept recommending it. Now he realises the thing has more functions than he initially thought.

Cw: anxiety mentioned

{author’s note: I write mostly x female/afab simply because that‘s my perspective and so it‘s easier for me. If you want x trans/male/gn or others, please tell me and I‘ll give it a shot, no promises on the quality though lol.}

Every. Single. Meeting. Heart rate optimised training here, VO2max stats there. Sleep quality. GPS capabilities. Integrated solar panel in the screen. Popov simply wouldn’t shut up about his new smart watch.

König didn’t even know what that V… O… whatever was; had to google it that afternoon after he got back to his office. Initially, this had all seemed unnecessary to him. Just another useless gadget, just another digital distraction. But then, Popov, who‘d been the company’s most notorious pencil pusher, ran a half marathon. And in a good time too. Yes, the man had been in the service long enough, had been a good operative in his younger years, but now? With him pushing 60 and that unmistakable gut that always threatened to break out of his uniform, no one had expected it. Although… the more König thought about it, Popov‘s gut seemed to be getting smaller and smaller too.

König ordered himself the exact same smart watch model the following weekend. The results were speaking for themselves, right? Besides, he barely ever treated himself to anything besides peanut butter protein bars and new gear. The watch arrived a couple of days later.

Now, two weeks in, he‘s slowly getting the hang of it. He was already fit to begin with, but still — König‘s runs get easier and longer, his VO2max is nine points ahead of Popov‘s, hell, he even takes his sleep more seriously. The gamification is working, he thinks begrudgingly as he‘s checking his stats one morning. He doesn’t even know all of the watch‘s functions yet, there’s simply too many menus and not enough time to watch YouTube tutorials for every one of them. So far, he‘s getting by just fine with the basics.

A knock on his door makes him look up. He calls for whoever it is to come in, the door opens and around the corner peeks… you. He‘s seen you before, on a small photo he quickly forgot about again, in some unimportant e-mail concerning new KorTac finance employees and a closed-due-to-maintenance printer room. But now... Scheiße.

He‘s holding his breath, he realises, and forces himself to exhale. You‘re pretty in real life, really pretty, and that‘s making him nervous. He swallows, feels his hands starting to sweat, bites his lip underneath the sniper hood. It‘s been a while since his social anxiety acted up, but now it seems to hit him like a ton of bricks. Talking to the other people at the PMC, soldiers or civilians — no problem, not for a long time. Extracting an asset from a war zone with bullets whirring past his head and grenades going off left, right and center— easy. Piece of cake. But you? Right now? With that warm smile and that slightly messy hairdo and the light coming from the window just right, making your skin glow like that? He‘s done for. He was never good at talking to women to begin with, but this — this is torture.

Finally, he manages a much too creaky "How can I help you?" and you step closer and introduce yourself. König tries to take deep breaths as you explain why you‘re here, but he has trouble focusing. Something about damaged gear? Write offs? Balance sheets? Some form he signed? God, you’re smart too, aren’t you? He certainly is no longer following. And then you hand him the clipboard, his fingers brush against yours for the briefest of moments…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

He stares at his wrist, where his watch is vibrating, beeping, blinking. On the display, there’s a message.

Abnormally high heart rate detected

Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit. Verdammt. König quickly drops the clipboard onto his desk; pushes one of the buttons, then another one, until the message is gone and the damn thing stops making a scene. A few seconds tick by. He clears his throat and grabs the clipboard again. Signs his name where you indicate. Hands it back to you. Keeps his gaze down until you thank him.

When he looks up, you‘re still smiling, eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. You point to his watch. Please don’t make fun of me, he thinks, already bracing for yet another conversation with a pretty woman going south thanks to his anxiety.

"Always happens to me too when I see those numbers", you say as you roll your eyes playfully. There’s no malice in your demeanour, no ill intentions. And before he knows it, he laughs at your joke. Just a little, just for a moment, but it is genuine.

Once you‘re gone, König pulls up the KorTac regs on his computer. Turns out, he can ask you out without risking his job. But when he does, he thinks, he‘ll make sure not to wear that traitorous watch.

[clever-ludicrous]

How to Actually Learn a Language (Without Wasting Time)

Polyglots will do anything to sell you something, so here’s the fastest and most basic technique based on my research.

—

Step 1 – Getting the Absolute Basics In

This is where most people already get lost. If you search social media for how to start, the advice isn’t necessarily bad, but it often makes you dependent on a single resource, usually an app that will eventually try to charge you. Duolingo, for example, has turned into a mega-corporation that perfected gamification to keep you on the app.

Remember: free apps make money by keeping you on their platform, not by helping you become fluent.

At this stage, the goal is not to gain conversational skills but to avoid overwhelming yourself and get a feel for what you’re actually getting into. All my recommended resources are free because I believe learning a language should be a basic right. I wouldn’t advise spending any money until you’re sure you’ll stick with it. Otherwise, it can turn into a toxic “but I paid for this, so I have to keep going” mindset that drains all the fun out of learning.

• Language Transfer – Highly recommended for Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, German, Greek, Italian, Swahili, and French.

• Textbooks – Simply search for [language] textbook PDF, or check LibGen and the Internet Archive. Don’t overthink which book to choose—it doesn’t matter much.

• Podcasts – Coffee Break is a solid choice for many languages.

• YouTube Channels – Join r/Learn[language] on Reddit and find recommendations.

—

Step 2 – The 20/80 Principle

The idea is that 20% of words make up 80% of everyday speech.

What you’re going to do:

Search “Most common words [language] PDF”.

This list is now your best friend

For flashcards, I highly recommend AnkiPro. It lets you import pre-made lists for Anki/Quizlet and has an archive where you’ll definitely find the most common words. But it lacks audio. The real Anki program has it, but only on PC (unless you’re willing to pay $30 for the mobile app). Use AnkiPro for now—we’ll come back to repeating phrases later. In the meantime, find a YouTube video with the most common words pronounced, or use Google Translate for audio.

(Knowt is a free alternative for Quizlet if you prefer that)

These lists will spare you from learning unnecessary vocabulary at this stage. Spaced repetition (which Anki uses) can take longer, but it’s worth it because you want these words to stick. Anki will only introduce a small number of new words per day. Once you start new words, write phrases using them. Doesn’t matter if they’re random just try to use them.

—

Step 3 – The First Breakup With the Language

This isn’t really a step, but I have to mention it. For me (and for other language learners I’ve talked to) this is where motivation crashes.

The dopamine rush is over. Your ego boost is gone. You’re stuck understanding just enough to notice how much you don’t understand, and topics are getting more complex. Everything feels overwhelming, and motivation drops.

This is normal. You have to push through it.

I’ll write a separate post on how I manage this phase, but for now:

• Take a step back and make sure you understand the basics.

• Find something that keeps you motivated.

• Consistency is key. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, do it. (Edit: You can search online for inspiration on scheduled plans. I found one that organizes language exercises into different categories based on how much time you have each day, which seems helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/s/sSGUtORurM

Personally, I used AI to create a weekly plan kind of as a last resort before giving up on the language, but try looking for pre-made ones first.)

I personally enjoyed story learning during this phase. And don’t forget the frequency lists are still your best friend. For story learning check out Olly Richards books!

—

Step 4 – Immersion

Your brain needs active and passive immersion. The earlier steps were mostly active, and now you’ll start the fun part.

How to Immerse Yourself:

1. Join some kind of community.

• I enjoy Reddit/ r/lean[Language]. Do this in your target language, but also in the language you already speak. Post that you’re looking for a chat partner in your target language. The most people are nice, and the mean ones will just ghost you anyway.

2. Watch shows.

• Subtitles only in your target language or drop English subtitles ASAP.

3. Listen to podcasts.

4. Read

I personally dislike media made for kids (except on low-energy days). For real immersion, pick something for adults.

5. Translate, write, and speak.

Before this, you wrote simple sentences using vocabulary. Now, put them to work:

• Translate texts.

• Keep a diary.

• Write short stories.

• Complain about the language in the language.

It doesn’t matter, just use it.

—

Step 5 – Speaking

Start speaking earlier than you think you’re ready. Trust me. This is probably where most people disagree with me. I do think you should start by focusing on input, but the importance of output isn’t talked about enough.

Now, the real Anki (or any program with phrases + audio) comes into play. At lower levels, it doesn’t make sense to just start talking, since you wouldn’t even be able to recognize your mistakes. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Repeat phrases out loud.

2. Record yourself speaking.

3. Compare your recording to the original audio and adjust your pronunciation.

If it’s a tonal language (or if you struggle with accents), start this even earlier.

Other Speaking Strategies:

• Shadowing – Repeat after native speakers.

• Reading aloud – Your own texts, books, anything.

• Talking to yourself.

• Talking to natives (if you’re brave).

I’m not here to fix social anxiety, but I am here to help with language learning, so just speak.

—

Final Thoughts

• These steps overlap, and that’s fine.

• This is supposed to be fun. Learning just because you’re “too deep in” or because of school won’t cut it.

• If you’re lost, take a step back.

• I’m not a professional. I just think a straight answer is way too hard to find.

—

If you have anything to add, feel free to share.

[microlearningplatform]

Why Gamified Training Platforms Are Transforming Corporate Learning | MaxLearn

Harnessing Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification for Effective Learning with MaxLearn

Gamification has become a powerful tool in education and corporate training, adding game-like elements to make learning more engaging, enjoyable, and effective. When applied thoughtfully, gamification can transform traditional learning experiences by tapping into intrinsic motivators and boosting knowledge retention. Among the many gamification models, Jesse Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification stand out as a framework for creating meaningful and impactful learning experiences.

Jesse Schell, a game designer and professor, introduced the Four Pillars of Gamification — Motivation, Meaning, Mastery, and Autonomy. These pillars serve as foundational elements to create immersive experiences that captivate and motivate learners, enhancing their commitment and enjoyment in the learning process. For platforms like MaxLearn, which focus on microlearning, these pillars offer invaluable guidance for delivering gamified content that supports deeper learning and retention.

In this article, we’ll explore each of Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification and how MaxLearn incorporates these elements to elevate learning experiences.

1. Motivation: Inspiring Engagement and Commitment

The first pillar, Motivation, is crucial in driving learners to engage with the content actively. Motivation is the underlying force that influences learners’ willingness to participate, complete modules, and achieve learning goals. In a learning environment, motivation can stem from various sources, including rewards, social recognition, and the intrinsic satisfaction of mastering new skills.

How MaxLearn Leverages Motivation

MaxLearn uses multiple motivational strategies to keep learners engaged:

Point Systems and Badges: Points and badges serve as immediate rewards, providing a sense of achievement. Each time learners complete a module or master a skill, they receive points or earn badges, which creates a positive reinforcement loop that motivates further engagement.

Leaderboards and Friendly Competition: Leaderboards add an element of competition that drives engagement and motivation. Employees can see their progress relative to their peers, sparking friendly competition that encourages them to put in their best effort.

Progress Tracking and Milestones: MaxLearn provides learners with clear progress tracking, showing how much they’ve accomplished and how close they are to completing their goals. Milestones are motivational markers that give learners a sense of accomplishment along their journey.

This blend of extrinsic (badges, points) and intrinsic (personal achievement) motivators helps sustain engagement, ensuring learners remain committed to their training journey.

2. Meaning: Creating Relevance and Purpose in Learning

Meaning is the second pillar and involves creating a sense of purpose and relevance in the learning content. When learners see how their training aligns with their personal or professional goals, they are more likely to feel invested. Meaningful content not only reinforces engagement but also increases the likelihood of retention, as learners understand the value and importance of the material.

How MaxLearn Embeds Meaning

MaxLearn creates meaningful learning experiences by:

Connecting Learning to Real-World Applications: MaxLearn curates modules that reflect actual workplace scenarios, bridging the gap between theory and practice. This approach helps learners understand how the knowledge and skills they acquire can directly impact their roles.

Aligning with Career Growth and Personal Goals: Training is often a key factor in career advancement. MaxLearn highlights how mastering specific modules or skills can contribute to individual career growth, helping employees view learning as an investment in their future.

Personalized Learning Paths: MaxLearn’s AI-powered platform tailors content to each learner's role, knowledge level, and goals, making the learning experience highly relevant. This personalization helps learners find meaning in the content, as they can see how it directly applies to their unique situation.

By ensuring that learning content resonates on a personal and professional level, MaxLearn strengthens learners’ motivation and commitment.

3. Mastery: Cultivating Skills and Confidence

Mastery is the third pillar and represents the process of developing competence, confidence, and proficiency in specific skills. Mastery is particularly important in learning because it builds a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy. When learners feel that they are growing and achieving mastery, they are more likely to be motivated to continue their learning journey.

How MaxLearn Fosters Mastery

MaxLearn encourages mastery by:

Breaking Down Content into Manageable Chunks: Microlearning divides complex information into smaller, more manageable modules. This allows learners to focus on mastering one skill or piece of knowledge at a time, making the learning process less overwhelming.

Providing Immediate Feedback: Immediate feedback is crucial for mastery, allowing learners to understand their strengths and areas for improvement. MaxLearn’s platform includes quizzes and assessments that provide instant feedback, helping learners to correct mistakes and reinforce knowledge.

Encouraging Practice and Repetition: Mastery requires consistent practice. MaxLearn integrates spaced repetition in its microlearning platform, allowing learners to revisit and practice content periodically. This repetition reinforces learning and solidifies knowledge over time, promoting mastery.

Offering Level-Ups and Skill-Based Challenges: As learners progress through the training material, MaxLearn rewards mastery by unlocking advanced levels and more challenging content. This encourages learners to keep growing their skills, recognizing their progress and achievements.

These elements make the learning journey rewarding and provide a clear sense of progress, boosting learners' confidence and skill level.

4. Autonomy: Empowering Learners with Choice

The final pillar, Autonomy, is about giving learners a sense of control over their learning experience. When learners feel they have agency and can make choices in their learning path, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged. Autonomy is a key factor in self-directed learning, which is especially valuable in professional development settings.

How MaxLearn Promotes Autonomy

MaxLearn empowers learners by:

Offering Flexible Learning Paths: Learners can choose from a variety of modules and decide the order in which to complete them. This flexibility allows them to prioritize content that aligns with their immediate needs and interests.

Allowing Self-Paced Learning: MaxLearn’s platform enables learners to learn at their own pace, which is especially beneficial for busy professionals who need to balance training with work responsibilities.

Providing Module Selection Options: Rather than a rigid curriculum, MaxLearn allows learners to select the modules that are most relevant to their roles or goals. This freedom gives learners a sense of ownership over their learning experience.

Encouraging Goal-Setting: MaxLearn’s platform encourages learners to set personal learning goals and track their progress. This autonomy in goal-setting creates a sense of personal responsibility and motivation, as learners work toward achievements they have defined for themselves.

This approach not only increases engagement but also supports self-directed learning, allowing individuals to take control of their growth and development.

Bringing It All Together: The Power of Schell’s Four Pillars in MaxLearn’s Gamified Platform

MaxLearn’s platform exemplifies Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification, integrating Motivation, Meaning, Mastery, and Autonomy into the learning experience. By harnessing these pillars, MaxLearn is able to provide learners with a highly engaging and effective training environment that promotes sustained engagement, meaningful learning, skill development, and self-directed growth.

The Impact of Schell’s Four Pillars on Learning Outcomes:

Enhanced Engagement: Learners are more likely to stay engaged and complete training when they feel motivated, see personal meaning in the content, and experience a sense of autonomy.

Improved Retention: Meaningful content, coupled with opportunities for mastery, leads to better long-term retention, as learners are able to deeply understand and apply their knowledge.

Self-Empowerment: Autonomy fosters a sense of ownership over the learning process, encouraging individuals to pursue continuous improvement and self-directed growth.

Why Gamification Matters in Today’s Learning Landscape: As the demand for effective, engaging learning experiences grows, gamification plays an increasingly important role in training. Schell’s Four Pillars offer a framework that aligns perfectly with the goals of modern learning platforms like MaxLearn. By tapping into these foundational principles, MaxLearn is not only enhancing knowledge retention but also fostering a more motivated, skilled, and self-driven workforce.

Conclusion: Schell’s Pillars as the Cornerstone of Effective Gamified Learning with MaxLearn

Jesse Schell’s Four Pillars of Gamification provide a proven framework that, when applied effectively, can revolutionize learning. MaxLearn has embraced these pillars to create a microlearning platform that empowers learners, keeps them motivated, and ensures meaningful, long-lasting knowledge retention. By integrating motivation, meaning, mastery, and autonomy, MaxLearn delivers a comprehensive, learner-centric approach to gamified training that meets the evolving needs of today’s workforce.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Rather than use the revenue from Duolingo’s nearly 10 million paid subscribers to hire more experts to create–I cannot stress this enough–learning content that requires subject matter expertise, [CEO] von Ahn seems to believe that quantity is the top goal, and that its users deserve a flood of what even he admits could be shit. This certainly squares with my own experience of Duolingo, which employs every cheap gamification trick in the book to simply keep me in the app and push me to pay.   On LinkedIn, Duolingo’s chief engineering officer Natalie Glance shared a Slack message she wrote to the engineering team explaining how AI will fit into their work. This message features new directives such as “AI will be everywhere in our product” and “productivity expectations will rise.” Here’s my personal favorite: Start with AI for every task. No matter how small, try using an AI tool first. It won’t always be faster or better at first–but that’s how you build skill. Don’t give up if the first result is wrong. Again, these people are literally admitting AI won’t work, but are still asking engineers now laboring under heightened productivity expectations to spend their even-more-precious time managing this sub-par tech. "That's how you build skill" puts the AI tools' failing back on the user, the "have fun staying poor" of the AI world, and asks engineers to troubleshoot AI when they could instead be using their real live human skill to do the jobs they were hired for.

29 April 2025

[fixyourwritinghabits]

I tend to feel like I'm taking way too long to write things and end up stopping or even starting from scratch because I feel like I'm overthinking it all. Do you have any tips for this?

I often feel frustrated when I feel like I'm not making process, but there are a lot of people who have been in that boat, and there are ways to overcome it.

Chunk your goals. It's fairly easy to make unrealistic goals when writing. If you keep blowing your writing goals, you're likely setting the bar much higher than you should be. Don't beat yourself up for it - many writing professionals settle for 300-600 words a day as a goal. If you're struggling with that, 250 words is a good easy pace to set to start with.

Track your goals. Look, here's what I do. I break my project down to scenes (or outline goals when planning it), I make a big chart of all those scenes, and I give myself a fun sticker for each scene I finish. It's hugely motivating and a great wall to still work on your story without writing. You can make a spreadsheet or use a gamification app, but finding a fun way to reward yourself for making progress can keep you going.

Have deadlines (within reason). Deadlines are great, but also DON'T SET UNREALISTIC DEADLINES. "I will finish a novel in a month" is an insane goal done for the sport of it and cannot be sustained all year long. "I will finish three scenes this week" is a much more realistic goal that you can adjust up and down the following week. Don't give yourself a goal you will beat yourself up for missing.

Give yourself a day off (or two). Something I've learned the hard way is that I have to force myself some downtime to keep my creativity from burning out. The advice of "write every day" is, most people agree, not that helpful in the long run. Give yourself a day to relax - or two days, if you spend one of them being too busy to relax. Resting is hugely helpful for the writing process.

Don't get it right, get it done. The biggest barrier you will face is the desire to get it right the first go around. You gotta listen to me on this - the first draft is shit. It's supposed to be shit. Your first and foremost goal is to get from start to end. It doesn't matter how many "fix this later" notes you have to leave yourself. It doesn't matter if you have to write "somehow they get to the village" even if you have no idea how. I promise you that you will figure that out later. Just get it done.

None of these steps are easy to do all at once, so take your time. If you find that you just can't make progress, do some other creative outlet to keep thinking about your story. Color code your outline by character and goal (and if you don't have an outline, that's a great thing to fall back onto making when stuck). Create a playlist for your story. Info-dump self-indulgent tangents about your characters. Ease yourself into a process that works for you!

[orteil42]

Between the recent custom buttons post with the pipe bomb and the gamification post with the post -deleting boss fight I'm starting to get absolutely feral over the idea of you making a social media platform.

The companies that run the current options are cowards.

i would honestly love to give it a crack and were i younger and sillier i think i probably would. unfortunately by now i've become a bit too aware that creating a social media website is one of those nightmare projects that is guaranteed to be 500 times more work and trouble than you initially expect, and if i get into that i'd never have time for anything else. i'd also have to deal with hiring an actual team and be an actual company instead of just some guy who codes in his bedroom. and then let's say maybe the website takes off and we get a few thousands of active users. after a while our uptime becomes terrible; people can't log in, posts won't load. tech sites are starting to make fun of us. we have to grow, get bigger servers, hire more people. eventually i'd have to confront the fact that despite my cute take on monetization our social media isn't recouping the growing server expenses and our seed money is drying up and people at the office are starting to bang at my door to get paid. do i pull the plug and throw away everything we've built so far? likely not, even my own ego aside there's too many people's livelihoods on the line. other folks on the team are motivated to make this work, and a feedback loop forms where we start to ever-so-slightly readjust our values if it means we get to survive another quarter. i get more cynical; our ad slots are more and more intrusive, our monetization strategy gets shiftier and more aggressive. we accept funding from less and less savory entities. we start collecting user data beyond simple telemetry. if we've gotten big enough by that point, we may choose to restructure and begin taking on shareholders. this is a deal with the devil, and we now have a fiduciary duty to play nasty and treat our userbase like livestock in order to secure short-term profit. we can't just stop accepting new users; continued growth demands that we throw away what's left of our ethics to accommodate the gargantuan swaths of money that hundreds of thousands of database calls per second require. those of us who disagree with the new direction are gradually nudged away from positions of power. me, i've either been kicked out of my own project a while back or i've adapted to become someone i would've despised a few years prior. this is all assuming the website didn't crash and burn a few months after launch from either my technical shortcomings or my inexperience with management, or maybe just because our site ended up being too niche to really snowball. it is fun to think about tho!

[nabi-unveiled]

Catching Up: Love for Love's Sake (Ep 4)

Other Reacts: Ep 1 Ep 2 Ep 3

Yes, it's 3:15 in the morning. Yes, I have to work tomorrow. No, I can't even sleep in because I have to interview a potential intern at 9 am. Plus, the kids will be home with me too since it's a school holiday. I don't care. I'm starting episode 4 anyways.

And yay! We've went back to the fight. I was hoping we would find out more about what happened.

Is this a new way for them to do the subtitle for "debuff/curse". I guess that's fine so that people who don't understand gaming get it. It feels a little late in the game for that though. Still, I loved this screenshot, because you can see the transition that's a bit gamified. And the purple aura energy is showing up on Yeowoon's arm.

We didn't have any debuffs last episode so I guess the debuff really does relate to affection of Myungha and not Yeowoon's personal affection. Fine. I'll exit my clown car theory about the debuffs....for now. Outside of my clown car, it makes sense that the debuff would show up now since Myungha's affection level just plummeted.

Myungha absorbs the debuff. Yeowoon is left in shock. He definitely is feeling rejected/slighted at this point.

Myungha is dragging Sangwon through the halls. Sangwon says "I'm not a kid." I'd be careful Sangwon. That line of thinking means he can hit you. I know Myungha knows how to fight, but I do wonder more and more every episode about "why" he fought. I'm already developing a lot of head canons on that score. Maybe we'll find out eventually though.

He's not going to hit him (not that I thought he ACTUALLY would anyways), because we now have a ringing sound. I'm guessing the debuff is having an effect. He absorbed all the bad purple energy, and it was STRONG this time base on his -99. Was the -99 in red last episode? If not, it should've been. Sorry, random thought.

Myungha falls down the stairs.

I've given up on the episode names being strictly related to missions. The gamer in me though is going to retranslate this as "progress". That feels better in gamification terms. Especially if it's talking about progress in the mission quest. I obviously have no clue whether that is right. Wait. Unless they're talking about aspects of the game being "in development" like new code/levels being written or the story being redeveloped/changed. Hmm. That actually feels likely. We'll stick with development.

KYUNGHOON! You're back. I missed you so much. I'm guessing they're having to skip class to go to the competition. Apparently, Myungha has hurt his leg. Kyunghoon struggles to get over the wall. Based on how Myungha hopped the wall, I'm guessing it's the right leg that's hurt. But Myungha's leg obviously wasn't THAT badly hurt. It didn't look like he tried to favor one leg more in the landing. Guess that could depend on the type of injury though. My perspective is probably skewed. I've dislocated kneecaps more times than I wish to recount. I definitely wouldn't have made it over the wall shortly after one of those times. My personality is such though that I'd have doubled down and probably hurt myself more while trying. Lol.

Sangwon is waiting on the other side of the wall. I loved his "hi". Kyunghoon asks if he was waiting. Myungha says it's a "disease". It works, but I wonder if there is a different translation of that word. They've used it several times. It was also used in a very similar way during Secret Relationships ("being nosy is a disease").

Sangwon says he was just late to school. It's coincidence that they met up. I love that he's somewhat "talking back" to Myungha. But I also have a very sarcastic/roast style sense of humor. These types of exchanges always make my day. I wish I had more of that energy in my life.

Kyunghoon asks about the shoes, and Sangwon realizes that he had made a mistake. I didn't mention it last episode as the post was already getting really long. But my guess is that Sangwon was upset about the shoes, because he thought that his mom gave them to Yeowoon. His mom had just been to the school after all, and it appears like they have a complicated relationship. I'm guessing there's a lack of affection there too based on Sangwon's reactions to Myungha's signs of care. This is all conjecture on my part. The show isn't really SAYING any of this at the moment.

But now he knows the shoes weren't from his mom. It's okay Sangwon. I made several bad calls in the last episode too. Sangwon decides to follow.

And just like that, we have a gaming party embarking on a quest.

Our trio notices that Yeowoon is standing instead of taking his place on the blocks. Is he wearing the blue shoes? It looks like it. Myungha is still outside of the love supremacy zone, but he yells Yeowoon's name. I'm taking note that his number is 251 just in case it pops back up at some point. I loved the sound effect as the camera circled around and Yeowoon realized his name was being called.

Yeowoon is recalculating his affection, and the number starts moving up fast. Lol. This feels very much like love indeed. Highs and lows and emotional turbulence. Some might say that's the fickle nature of teenage affection. I'd say that doesn't ever really change. But maybe that's just the nature of my personal relationship talking. Maybe it'd help if we had affection scores above our head so we'd both know when we screwed up. On second thought, I don't think I'd want to know my score. That feels like a recipe for disaster.

Yeowoon takes his place at the blocks with magic sparkles coming off of his blue shoes. The affection level keeps rising.

If this wasn't a "game", the new shoes would be disastrous in a competition. But as I've thought about it, I actually like that this feels like an equipment upgrade in a game. Higher tier equipment immediately leads to better outcomes in a game assuming you have the skills to use it.

The music reminds me of late 90s/early 2000s movies. I kind of love it since we're panning across Sangwon and Kyunghoon's faces, and it feels like a friend montage moment out of one of those types of "high school" movies. Ah nostalgia.

Affection level is back at 0. The subtitles say Yeowoon is second, but I'm guessing he's actually third. They announced two other names before him.

Yep, he's third place based on the next part of the dialogue. Myungha says he did well. Yeowoon is crying, but Myungha definitely doesn't understand the reason. Yeowoon is trying to figure out why Myungha is nice to him.

Poor boy is definitely dealing with romantic feelings now. I'm loving the romance driven emotional angst of it all. This is my cup of tea.

The coach interrupts. Yeowoon is still emotional, but Myungha says he'll wait. They can eat together afterwards. Yes, please do. I'm always going to be down for a shared meal.

Yay! Our whole crew is EATING together! And Yeowoon is smiling.

Yeowoon tells Myungha to eat too and gives him food. OMG - our affection level has crossed the zero threshold. We're now at 5. And it keeps climbing as he keeps giving Myungha food. Lol. Kyunghoon tells Myungha to eat slowly and Sangwon's face is priceless! He seems absolutely disgusted by Yeowoon's actions. We end on an affection level of 17 for now.

Sangwon and Yeowoon are bickering. I love it. so. much. Frenemy relationships are the best. I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops moving forward.

For those that like talks about linguistics, they said a bit about honorifics too. If I followed it correctly, Sangwon used more casual speech with Myungha and Yeowoon didn't like it. I could be mistaken though. Myungha really is the exasperated parent here. Lol. Cutie Kyunghoon helps Myungha out. He is worried that Yeowoon's feet might hurt since he ran with new shoes.

Yeowoon says he's fine, but he asks what happened to Myungha's leg.

🤣 This pout had me dying. For the game aspect, it really is like now that his "affection level" has went up, it's unlocked all kinds of new dialogue/expression options.

I wonder if Myungha realizes that his leg getting hurt was due to the purple energy. He's a smart cookie. I bet he's figured that out.

This whole scene just put me in a good mood.

Yeowoon offers to help "hold" Myungha. I'm betting there's a better translation of that. Kyunghoon used the term earlier too. I bet it has to do with letting Myungha lean on him or something like that rather than "hold" as I typically interpret. Myungha says he fine.

Yeowoon wants Myungha to rely on him too. This is a tricky situation. Yeowoon wants them to be EQUALS, but Myungha is definitely going to struggle with that. Myungha has taken on a caretaker role, and while those things aren't mutually exclusive, it can make things complex.

Yeowoon asks how Myungha knows his (shoe) size. Myungha says he let the fan (sis) pick it out, and that she wants to meet Yeowoon. Yeowoon doesn't seem happy about Myungha hanging out with her often, but he agrees to meet up with Si-a.

Yeowoon has essentially walked Myungha home. He tells him thank you which Myungha teases him about. But he says it again and leaves.

The entry light starts flickering and there are some jarring sounds. Ominous music plays, and Myungha's head is hurting.

OOOOOOH. It WAS development like "game in development". Exciting.

We're back at the bar from episode 1. Senior is asking Myungha questions.

I first noticed the three butterflies in the corner of the paper. It shouldn't be a surprise given my blog name that I'm likely to notice butterflies. They're a symbol of transformation and personal growth. Actually, they have different stages of development just like a game. A butterfly's development requires they insulate themselves from the world and focus on changing themselves before they can emerge in their final form. I don't know whether that has anything to do with this show or not though.

But these questions are interesting. Yes, I used my phone to translate. Though it kept giving slightly different translations depending on the angle I held it, I think I got the gist of it. One of the things says "like minded friends" which was what the quest said in episode 2. If I remember correctly, that was in Myungha's hand writing. So is senior having Myung-ha essentially write the game levels? I had said in an earlier episode that this was really a quest for Myungha's own happiness as well.

It WAS his writing. I love this shot. It feels like a magic dungeon with the candles and lighting. The shape of the glass is nice. I think it's a glencairn whiskey glass. Actually no. The base is wrong. It doesn't matter. The glass itself is probably not symbolic. I just find certain types of glassware pretty. As a fun side note, I used to drink everything (soda, milk, etc.) out of a red wine glass that I got while dumpster diving in college. I loved that beautiful glass. My roommate eventually broke it "on accident", but said it was "probably for the best" so that people didn't think I was drinking alcohol. Fun times 🙄.

It's late/early. I'm rambling. *Focus brain*

Senior is in white as the "heavenly" being with the power. Am I supposed to trust him? I don't. But it feels like he's God/angel coded.

"Will there be happiness to 29 year old Tae Myungha?"

"So the standard is very important." says Senior.

Myungha doesn't hear him clearly, and we can't hear his next line clearly either. He's muffled as if he's under water. It's the same sound as when he first entered the game world.

This feels important, and it feels mistranslated. Or at least like it was translated without the needed nuance. I need to pause anyways. I'm tired enough that I know I'll miss details if I keep going tonight.

(pause)

Ok. I've slept a few hours and hung out with the kids for a bit. I've mulled it over. I'm guessing that senior is really meaning that Myungha needs to be very careful about what goals/words he's using. Happy is a pretty vague term. I actually walked down the aisle to a song called "Different Kinds of Happy" from the movie Sweet Land. The idea/theme in that movie is that happiness can take different forms and mean different things to different people. In a game, if you don't have a clearly defined objective, then it's going to be difficult to meet it. So what does Myungha actually mean by "happy"?

But Myungha "can't hear" what senior is telling him. Myungha, and us by extension, are missing a critical piece of information. I'm guessing it has to do with the standard/clearer objective or that it's a warning of some kind.

We're back in the video game world. Myungha is looking at his notes.

AND OMG - YES! HOORAY! A time jump/alternate world that GETS how problematic it is for a 29 year old to be suddenly back in high school. The dialogue is clearly establishing that he IS 19 in this world. It's how I had resolved it mentally myself in episode 2. I love it when my head canons become actual canon.

Anyways, it's a good question. What CAN he do? Because "making someone happy" on a identity level scale really isn't easy. I would argue that it's not actually possible. That they have to strive for their own happiness as they accept themselves. It's not just circumstances that's driving Yeowoon's mental disdain for himself. New shoes are great, but they're not a long term solution. When you're dealing with suicidal ideation the other person has to "want" to live. A lot of times they don't even realize it until the moment. Yeah, it wasn't my grandfather's first attempt before he succeeded. My brother's neither. So far my brother has always decided he wanted to live and sought help in time.

I love that Myungha is being smart about this. He goes "What does he WANT me to do?" If you're playing a game, that's an important question. It's anticipating the game maker's design. I am noticing that the butterfly is on the journal paper here. But it's only one this time, and it's in the top right corner instead of the bottom corner.

Now THAT'S interesting. He doesn't remember "senior". There are a lot of fun implications in this development, but I'll have to stop for now. It looks like my husband has got off of work early today. It's a national holiday. I should've expected it. This will have to wait until after everyone is asleep tonight. I didn't get very far in this session, but it's fine. I really should've been working/writing anyways. I have five scripts due in the next two weeks.

(pause)

Well...the emoji tag game happened, and I got a wee bit carried away with it. I loved it so much. But then my brain was broke so it's taken a few days to get back here.

The fact that Myungha doesn't remember "senior" from his real life is a cool detail. I had said I thought it was in odd in episode 1 that he wasn't weirded out by the situation. It could mean that ONLY senior is obscured. Or it could mean that the facts of his "future" will slowly disappear as he creates a new story leaving him only with the 19 year old version of Myungha. There are a few other possibilities too, but I'll go with those two for now. I actually like the latter one in some ways. I don't remember if he recalled senior once he entered the video game during episode 1. That would provide evidence for which possible interpretations to keep moving forward. I might have to go back and check that out.

Regardless, we know this memory was jarring. The question is what triggered the memory.

We're down to 288 days left to complete our mission so a good bit of time has passed, and we're reminded that death is the penalty. We still don't know whose death we're talking about though.

We cut to Kyunghoon and Myungha walking down the hall together. Myungha is complaining that the teacher treats him like a thug. Kyunghoon proposes that they go to college together, drink together and have fun together in the future. I love the video game sound effects in the music/soundtrack.

OH! Random thought. I wonder if those sound effects show up at critical/specific moments. Is this like the rain drops in When It Rains or just a fun part of the soundtrack? Sound analysis is tricky for me, but it can add a lot to a show. And I LOVE it when sound is used symbolically. That would require an entire rewatch though as I'd have to focus just on the sound. I'll try to make note of it moving forward though to see if I can find a pattern. I can't promise I'll catch it every time though.

Hold up. We HAVE had a sound. The freaking water. I said before that it sounded like water when Myungha is shifting between worlds. That's definitely a specific sound at critical moments. Is that significant? Is it even water? Stop brain. You know your hearing can't be trusted. Move on.

Myungha is obviously uncomfortable here. Probably because he knows that he doesn't have that kind of time. He was just reminded of the countdown. It could also be because he didn't have that kind of life in the past. I don't know if he has those resources in the current videogame timeline either. Money isn't an obstacle for Kyunghoon. But it will be for Myungha and Yeowoon. But I figure it's that he feels like he's lying to Kyunghoon by agreeing to a future that may not exist. Yeowoon has already called him a liar after all.

Ah, the bullies are circling for blood. Frizzy blond guy asks Myungha if he's gay and is obviously intimidating Kyunghoon. Myungha says "I'm gay. So what." That's the confidence of someone who is very comfortable with themselves. I wonder if he was always that way, or if this is a manifestation of him already working through that part of his identity in the "real world".

Cutie Kyunghoon steps in between to protect Myungha 🙌🙌🙌. This is VERY important. Why? Because it's a dynamic shift. Myungha is collecting people in his life that care about him too and who will stand up for him even if it's risky. He's gathering "like minded friends" as well.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Myungha kisses the bully.

Should I be laughing? Probably not. This is a forced kiss. But AM I laughing? 100% yes. And all of the bully gang not knowing how to respond is epic.

Blond guy is rightfully angry, and Myungha just scolds him for swearing. What I love about this interaction is that it quickly and decidedly shifted who was the "victim" in this interaction.

Blond guy - Tak ...Joonho? It'll eventually stick with me. Anyways, he punches Myungha and we see Myungha deftly assert his dominance. He threatens to kiss him again.

This is the second interaction where Myungha has really shown this guy to be pretty pathetic. As he seems to be a leader in this "gang", he's probably not going to react to this well. He wouldn't be able to keep power over his bully gang if he ignored things like this. I'd expect backlash soon. He'll either take it out on his own members or start targeting people Myungha cares about (Yeowoon, Kyunghoon). Potentially both. If he comes after Myungha himself, it will be sneaky style. He can't (or shouldn't) risk another direct confrontation like this one. He's already lost twice.

Teacher intervenes. Apparently Myungha has got some type of cleaning duty punishment.

Yeowoon is on the other side of the window being cleaned. I'm trying to figure out if Yeowoon had heard about the fight or he just noticed Myungha's busted lip. Either way, his expressions here are KILLING me. They are so earnest and so different than what we had in previous episodes. The rise in affection level has definitely had an impact.

Myungha tries to brush it off, but Yeowoon won't let him. "Who hit you?" Myungha tells him he doesn't need to know.

Yeowoon gets very serious. Just like that earlier interaction with Kyunghoon, this is actually very important. Yeowoon is asking to be seen as an equal. As someone that Myungha can rely on. He's asking Myungha to trust him. Ooh interesting. Yeowoon dropped honorifics.

Yeowoon drags Myungha to the nurse's office. It's a reverse of care. Yeowoon taking care of Myungha. I mean, technically Yeowoon had intervened before. However, this is DIRECT care. Yeowoon asks if he's really not going to tell him. Myungha responds "What would you do if you knew?". Yeowoon - "I'll kill him". 🥹 Yes, I'm taking the threat as a squee worthy moment. There was no hesitation. Just a direct assertion of "you matter to me that much".

Myungha rubs his head.

I'm going to have to think about this one. Why is this man's physical affection so hard for me to interpret? This feels like a parent/child interaction to me. Which...is possible. Is he in guardian mode? Trying to calm Yeowoon down while acknowledging that he's grateful for Yeowoon caring about him? Or do other people see this as just a friendly interaction? Because things would not end well if my friend rubbed my head and used that tone with me. I'd see it as condescending for sure. But cultural differences could be in play here. I'm going with guardian mode.

Myungha says that rather than hit, it's more like we kissed. And Yeowoon's reaction is amazing.

Myungha is flustered by Yeowoon's reaction. Yeowoon has to be cycling through all kinds of feelings. One - this gives him hope. Two - Myungha was kissing someone besides him.

So many thoughts running through this boy's mind.

He says he should ask Tak Joonho. That means he DOES know who was involved, but he wanted Myungha to confide in him on his own. "Can men kiss too?" "I want to kiss him" while staring at Myungha's lips and putting on the ointment. Baby boy is down bad.

We cut to Sangwon coming towards the bully gang. There's the "hi" again. Love it. But it does feel like he's out of the loop. It feels more like he's invading their space. @dropthedemiurge I see what you meant now. He's not part of the hierarchy of this group. The uniforms vs. plain shirt is visually depicting that as well. That does make me have some questions about the earlier rooftop scene, but I'll hold them for now.

Did he come because he had heard about the fight? Or is this just part of his routine? He does seem to do whatever he wants. Case in point - he didn't come to class just because he didn't want to. Skipping seems to be a regular occurrence for him.

Tak Joonho says that he's going to teach Myungha/Kyunghoon a lesson. Sangwon is trying to put the pieces together. I do find it odd that Joonho is openly admitting that Myungha kissed him. I would've expected him to threaten the others and keep that quiet. Unless he's expecting Sangwon to commiserate with him and understand.

Not happening though. Sangwon is clearly on Myungha's side in this one. I figure he knows Tak Joonho enough to know he instigated whatever happened. The chuckling of the other students as Sangwon pushes back has got to raise Joonho's ire.

Tak Joonho thinks Sangwon is teasing him, but he's actually angry.

I'm rewording this line a little bit in my head to fit better with that sassy head tilt that just made me so happy. In some ways, it's a lot like Myungha earlier. "Yes. I am. What are you going to do about it?" It's a statement and a challenge.

Unlike Myungha, Sangwon does punch Joonho and IMMEDIATELY puts his hands back in his pockets. LMAO. That's a dominance signal right there. He knows Joonho isn't going to immediately punch back. He doesn't see him as a threat.

Joonho says he's holding back because he's rich. Sure you are. Keep telling yourself that. Kyunghoon seems to be pretty rich too, and you tease him just fine.

Note - I do realize that they've said that Sangwon can get away with everything due to his family. I'm sure it does play some role. But it's not everything. Sangwon is exuding dominance in this situation. He's even leaning in a mock little bow and saying "thank you" in a snarky tone. God, I love him and his self-confidence. He has grown on me so much, and I'm only halfway through this show.

Joonho asks if he can't see that he's outnumbered.

Sangwon (in other words): Bring it.

I'm sorry. I've tried to ignore that hideous wall color this entire show, but now we've added what has to be one of the ugliest arrangements known to mankind in front of it. I'm sure there are people who like that kind of thing, but it just makes me wonder why someone thought a feather duster was appealing. Normally I would be trying to figure out if the red meant something, but I just can't. It's an eyesore.

Is Si-a considered part of our gaming party now. I'm not sure. 🤔 They're collectively worrying about Sangwon though.

Si-a asks if Myungha wants to be a model for Swoony (the brand). The pay is better after all. Pay is always an enticing thing.

Myungha tells Si-a to buy him dinner. I'm confused. Why does he want Si-a to buy him dinner? 🤔 Myungha doesn't do things without a purpose. What's the catch?

LMAO. It's because Yeowoon is here. He's giving her the fangirl moment. Yes, she better buy the meal. A good one too.

Wait. Her name has an "h" sound? The subtitles now say "Shi-a". Did I miss that before? No. I'm pretty sure that's a change in subtitles.

Yeowoon looks ticked. My guess is that he thought he was going to get to eat with Myungha alone. He wouldn't be reacting like this if he had known it'd be a fangirl moment. Yeowoon is being very terse. Yes, he seems to be a more introverted, private person. But this is what you do when you're thrown for a loop. Myungha, you really need to give us introverts a heads up for these types of situations. Especially true if you gave us false expectations and now expect us to socialize with someone we are not comfortable around.

I'm still bitter over there being no food at the company meal that I drove two hours to yesterday. Don't promise me food and then give me a non-alcoholic beer instead. Shared meals are sacred. Oh...it's probably this kind of stuff that prompted the anon's "what's with you and food" question the other day. I get it now. Sorry anon. I didn't understand what you were asking.

I'm squirreling. None of that's really relevant. Yeowoon is just upset because he expected alone time with Myungha (pretty sure on that one), and he isn't getting it.

This conversation is awkward. Si-a signals Myungha to please help. Myungha asks Yeowoon if he has any questions. "Are you two close?" I've said all along that I love how direct Yeowoon is with Myungha. If he has questions, he is going to ask them. It's admirable, but lol. He's not looking at Si-a at all. Yeowoon is grilling Myungha.

Myungha responds playfully and tries to direct the conversation back to Si-a. I actually see that as a way of trying to include her in the conversation. He was trying to create a fan moment for her after all. Si-a says they're just colleagues which Yeowoon smiles about. But then Myungha protests that designation.

Yeowoon didn't like that at all. 🤣 "Are you closer to her than you are to me?" I love that Si-a can see this is important to Yeowoon. She's giving Myungha this look that's like "You idiot. Don't you dare make my blorbo upset!"

Myungha says "I only have Yeowoon in my heart" which makes Yeowoon beam. Si-a takes the opportunity to ask for an autograph. Si-a, I know I struggled with you in earlier episodes. I'm sorry. I can respect your non-toxic, supportive fangirl side.

"What do you think of when you run?" "I imagine there's a big crocodile chasing me." Well...that would be motivation I guess. I never imagined what was behind me when I ran. I was always focused on the finish line. Different things for different people I guess.

Ok Yeowoon. Let's not manifest that energy. There are too many trucks of doom in dramaland. And I've had two of my family members hit by vehicles. They survived, but they still have side effects. My brother got hit by a car while he was INSIDE a building.

Anyways, Yeowoon is saying that the vision has changed. He now imagines that someone is waiting for him at the finish line.

Sweet. I wish I knew what his personal affection was at this point though. We're seeing the impact of Myungha's affection level changing in his mannerisms and dialogue, but has it impacted how he sees himself?

Si-a says that's romantic, and Myungha breaks eye contact and visibly shifts. Lol. He felt that one.

We cut to them walking home. Yeowoon tries to ask Myungha about Joonho again, but Myungha says that Yeowoon isn't allowed to say kiss.

We got confirmation that Yeowoon thought it was going to be the two of them. Myungha chastises him a bit saying he needs friends. That's really not the point Myungha.

Yeowoon said that he's annoyed. Myungha says "he's been rude lately". Did he drop honorifics?

Yeowoon says "I want to go play with you". My kinky brain takes that line a completely different way that intended. But he's asking him out really. I LOVE this frame. There's a blinding light of love, but it's mostly over Yeowoon. Yeowoon knows he wants to kiss Myungha. He knows he wants to spend time with Myungha 1-1. Myungha still hasn't come to that realization yet.

It's an amusement park near the sea. Myungha seems hesitant, but he says yes. Wasn't Myungha's mom near the sea? I wonder if that's part of his hesitation. Yeah, there's definitely something there. This means something more to Myungha for some reason. But he's agreeing anyway.

Well hello. 👀 She's pretty. She was hidden initially in the frame, but they've now exposed her as she's asking Si-a for help. Who is she? Is this the person returned from abroad that Kyunghoon mentioned?

We're now in a dream sequence. 100%. "Do it with me too. The kiss."

Based on the game interface, this is Myungha's dream. Fun. Realization is coming. It's a bit of a kabedon moment with the tree. I'm enjoying it, because as confident as Myungha was when he kissed Joonho, he's not confident at all here. He's flustered.

Myungha wakes up.

Yeowoon has been sending him messages. Apparently he woke up early. If you get messages from me at 4 am, it means I haven't went to bed yet. Not unusual.

Myungha has a message from an unknown number. It's referencing children's day, mother's day, and teacher's day. Myungha isn't sure who it's from though. My immediate guess is his mom. But that doesn't make sense. He hasn't had contact with his mom since he was really little.

Is it the heavenly senior? We know information about the game comes to Myungha through his phone. "But no time for me to meet you." It's reminding me of the poem I wrote for my grandfather following his suicide. It wasn't about holidays/time, but about hiking trails. That was our thing. "But no trail that brings me to you." Crap. I'm crying again. This has been a week of tears in BL land. For the record, I cry very little in real life. But I bawl like a baby watching shows. It's cathartic in some ways. I can't analyze this properly. I'm going to read things into this that aren't there. I'm sure this will become a reoccurring event. I'll wait until the next message to figure it out.

Yeowoon came to pick Myungha up, and it looks like he paid for the bus fare for both of them. Cutie. Myungha may not realize it, but Yeowoon is definitely taking him on a date.

The mural next to the bus is of the sea. I could get a better angle this time. Phone keeps translating different based on angle, but it's better than last time. Something about sacred and beautiful love. Something about a lighthouse.

I love that Yeowoon quickly says "Look at the seagulls". There were birds on the mural too. Seagulls are a trip down memory lane for me. I got handed a bone during my oral qualification exams and asked what I could tell the professors about it. It was a seagull bone.

Seagulls have so many different symbolic meanings depending on culture. I know there are a few different takes in literature. There are also a lot of different meanings for them in Native American lore. Some positive, some negative. It depends on the tribe. A lot of it has to do with their ability to navigate in a storm and overcome obstacles if I remember correctly. There might have been something about the connection between physical and spiritual realms which would be interesting given the premise of this show. Like a bridge or messenger between the two. I don't know what they typically means in S. Korea though. I'll dive into that later.

Yeowoon says he should've brought shrimp chips. They're not my favorite, but my sous chef loves shrimp chips.

Oh. We're feeding them to the seagulls? I mean, they'll eat it. It's a fun experience for the human. It probably doesn't give them the nutrients they need.

Myungha asks if Yeowoon likes the sea. Yeowoon says he likes the mountains more. I love them both, but I live closer to the mountains. I've asked my kids this question before. One chose sea. One chose mountains. One chose "Wherever Uncle Zach is". Yeah, I'm not the only one who thinks my brother is awesome.

They're planning to climb mountains. Yeowoon wants to climb "Kongryung". Based on Myungha's reaction, that must be a hard climb. Based on Yeowoon's reaction, I'm guessing it's a long one. "I'm happy to be with you." Myungha doesn't seem sure how to process that.

Yeowoon asks if Myungha has been here before.

This feels like a lie. It's going to be interesting if lying becomes a thing for Myungha. Well-intentioned lies. But lies nonetheless. It might not be a lie though. That's just my gut talking.

They're planning on going to a clam kal-guksu place. I enjoy noodle soups, but I've never had clams in any capacity. They're not very common here. I have dissected one and done an experiment on heart rate for a class though. Not important.

Apparently, Yeowoon doesn't like seafood. And Myungha slips up. He's using information from the manuscript. Yeowoon is rightfully perplexed and then amused that Myungha knows this about him.

"Sometimes it feels like you're someone that knows me."

Yeah, that's probably going to hurt when he realizes Myungha has known about him all along.

All of Yeowoon's little smiles are killing me this episode.

Yeowoon says he now understands why Myungha likes the sea. Did Myungha say he liked the sea? I don't remember that. 🤔 It could be in an earlier episode, or I could have overlooked it. If he likes the sea though - is that why we have a water sound? Yes, I'm still stuck there. My brain is still obsessing over a sound that probably isn't even what I think it is. I curse my brain sometimes.

Yeowoon says "I've come to like it too". Cut away to them sitting on the stairs in their coordinating blue/green shirts.

There is so much I could say about that closing frame, but I know that I'm out of images. Anyways, we're halfway up the stairs. We're building the relationship. We're sitting side by side. We're equal...in this moment at least. There's no railings on this part. It'd be easy to fall off the sides.

The blue/green combo I find interesting, because it's a shift. These two characters have worn a lot of black & white. What does the shift mean? Is it part of their relationship developing or the changing levels of affection?

Is this show even color coded? I'll have to think about that. Because Sangwon also wears a white undershirt. He's definitely not a "heavenly human" type. Wait...is Myungha the ONLY one wearing a different color undershirt as part of their uniform? Is he the only one in black? I guess that makes senses. He's from a "different" world after all. But why black? Actually, Yeowoon's running outfit was in black too when he had the -100 value. So Myungha isn't the only one in black. Nevermind. I was overthinking again.

This was a fun episode. I'm loving that Yeowoon is so open and direct with his feelings. Myungha isn't there yet, but he's beginning to react. Now I just need to convince my brain that it's 4 am and it needs to just let the water sound go. IS IT WATER?!?

Don't tell me. Because if it is water, that means it's important. And if it's not water, I'll eventually realize it wasn't important.

For now, I'll just distract my brain with a more pressing question - what happened to Sangwon?

[honeyhillsandfrostedsun]

Israeli propaganda in video games

In Israeli schools, they indoctrinate their youth from a young age. In a video filmed inside of a classroom, a group of male students aged about 10-12 are questioned by their teacher and 3 men, presumably IDF soldiers. When asked questions like “What do you feel when you meet an arab kid?” they respond with hostility. “I feel I want to kill him.” In return of these outright violent answers, they’re rewarded with positive feedback from their teacher. She smiles and nods, affirming these beliefs. The Teacher keeps asking questions, and the answers get more and more violent. The 3 men, on their way out, praise the teacher and students for “getting their information right.”

In Various western video games, the enemies are shown wearing keffiyehs, having long beards and a darker complexion. If they don’t take this approach, they shamelessly call them arabs and make them speak violently in their mother tongue. What these games have in common is the goal; to kill the arabs.

But how does this correlate?

Can you guess where the U.S military has started recruiting their soldiers from? Comiccons. They watch out cosplayers of these games, and give them recruitment letters, advertising it as nothing more than a “free skin”.

The game “Six days in Felluja” follows american troops as they fight against Iraq. In this game, they have you loot every single house, every room, every crevice. What do you think this is preparing their players for?

All of this is pulled from This Youtube video: Gamification of Warfare, which i found too important not to share.

[zedweek]

Zedweek 2024 Prompts!!!!!!!

Day 1: Dec 2

ZSMA:  It’s the anniversary of the series that started it all! Spanning four years, Zedaph’s Super Minecraft Adventure showcases Zed’s growth as a creator and contains countless silly moments! Farms and western villages, breakups and singing and time travel! Whether you embrace a younger Zedaph, a best build, or a favorite moment, it’s a blast from the past!

Free space: We know that Zed’s earliest series is also one that many haven’t seen, so this day is also open to anything that anyone wants to make! Get crazy with it! The only limit is your own imagination!

Day 2: Dec 3

Hermitcraft 5-6: Caves of crystal and bases galore, we’re going back in time! Featuring lovely characters such as Worm Man and Zedeath, season 5 and 6 give a lot to work with! The rise of the gaming district and the iconic Is That Sheep Looking At Me? entertained the Hermits, and our hero still found time to try his hand at aerial livestock delivery! The following season saw a Jack (Er. Zed?) of all bases, with 5 in total, but no one official base to call his own. Truly, the season of embodying what it means to be a hermit!

Hels: From the mind of Hermitcraft’s own Welsknight, Hels has taken the fandom by storm with its intrigue and possibilities. Explore what Zed’s own Hels could be like, create an elaborate theory where he is a Hels, or where he doesn’t have one at all! If anyone would transcend the rules of the universe to relax and simply share a meal with Evil Xisuma in the most dismal part of the universe, it’s surely the birthday boy.

Day 3: Dec 4

Hermitcraft 7-8: Settling into the Hermitcraft server, seasons 7 and 8 pushed our existing knowledge of Minecraft! From the Cave of Contraptions to the Sciscraper, Zedaph made it his mission to discover the secrets of Hermit psychology as well as some of the most useless functions in the game! Hang out for a round of golf or come up with an even less efficient contraption! There’s plenty of time for a new completely ethical experiment; the moon isn’t getting any bigger…Right?

Oddity:  Zed’s brain and body don’t quite work like anyone else’s, but that’s all the more reason to love him! This is a day to embrace everything that makes Zed peculiar, or to enjoy the peculiarities that he loves right back!

Day 4: Dec 5

Hermitcraft 9-10: Up for a challenge? This pair of seasons has plenty! Try your hand at an advancement or gamification, or design one for our guy! From falling at world height to cheeky spying to getting his friends caught on fire by an angry furnace, these seasons bring plenty of fun! Maybe get a little meta yourself and add a sneaky game to whatever you create!

Death: It’s a well-known fact that Zedaph toys with the cycle of death and life! To me, this seems like a great day to celebrate the way Zedaph celebrates death, whether it be his hundredth demise, making a game of ushering souls, or testing the limits of respawn! 

Day 5: Dec 6

Create: It’s important to properly enrich your Zedaph by letting him play with wrenches and gears with his eccentric friend every so often. Bite into a honeyed apple and feel the rush of being catapulted! Or catapulting your friends! Catapult everything!

Alternate Universe: Put this boy in a situation!!! Get creative and share the role another Zedaph plays (heh) in your story, whatever it may be! Alternatively, try and stop Zed from falling into another universe all on his own. He’s got portal technology, you know!

Day 6: Dec 7

Kris & Jack:  As long as I, Ell Cillpiines, am running this event, there will be always be a KnJ day. This is a day to appreciate Zed’s second channel in all of its filmy frenzied goodness and cast of characters! (D.I.)Why? Because a world without Kris & Jack isn’t a world I would want to be in!

Kris & Jack but in Minecraft this time: oooh you wanna think about them so bad

Day 7: Dec 8

Birthday!!!!!:  It’s a Zelebration! Grab a noise-maker and join the party however you see fit! Happy birthday, Kristopher Zedaph Plays!