As I finished reading Kevin Corti's opinion piece 'Serious Games - Are We Really A Community?', where Kevin thoroughly discusses the nature of the "Serious Games" movement and the deep divisions amongst the various sub-sections, I immediately empathized with its essence.
It reminded me I had experienced something quite similar a couple of years ago, when restructuring a global company and 'creating' new markets. At that point, my personal coach, one of the 'best and brightest' from the Chicago Stock Exchange, came up with the following:
The Chaos Theory fully applies to major step changes, where discontinuity prevails. In the beginning all you've got are fractals, without any bonding.
The Chaos Theory fully applies to major step changes, where discontinuity prevails. In the beginning all you've got are fractals, without any bonding.
Therefore, at the very early stages, inclusiveness can make your incipient community gain critical mass and visibility (e.g for the SG movement could imply welcoming Flash, Unreal, etc. as opposed to “but it is only developed in Flash”).
At this stage as well, communities can not yet be formed, since there is no bonding. What we do find are 'networks of conversation' (e.g. the SG summits).
The more radical the change and the greater the anticipated reach, the more chaotic is the process. The Chaos Theory welcomes this sort of 'mess' as an inherent aspect of the transition.
At this stage as well, communities can not yet be formed, since there is no bonding. What we do find are 'networks of conversation' (e.g. the SG summits).
The more radical the change and the greater the anticipated reach, the more chaotic is the process. The Chaos Theory welcomes this sort of 'mess' as an inherent aspect of the transition.
There are so many (and powerful) forces intervening in the SG market formation, that "struggling for survival" behaviors often show up, the same way they do when restructuring corporate governance (which reminds me Kevin Corti's comments on the Wiki.)
With regards to fun, I must confess that the 'engaging thing' makes me dream on.
With regards to fun, I must confess that the 'engaging thing' makes me dream on.
My gratitude to Kevin for opening up his heart and sharing his deepest feelings with the members of this 'baby' community.