#VanLife is a choice-based entry by Victoria of Stimsims math games.
Stimsims describes its games as tech enhanced evolutions of the word problem, and its website calls this entry "Van Life Challenge." It might take you less than 15 minutes if you're a fast reader who makes terrible decisions, but you should prepare to spend more time if you’re serious about completing it.
The player makes a series of choices affecting their character’s mood, battery power, and bank balance. These attributes must be maintained at healthy levels, and there are spot quizzes that ask about things like loan repayments, energy usage, and solar panel trivia.
Mike Spivey, author of A Beauty Cold and Austere, has explained that teaching through games is more effective when the material is kept in context. Working with this entry — making decisions to conserve either my batteries or my mood — gave me context-appropriate choices that provided a clearer understanding of the relationship between volts, amps, and watts. It was more approachable than other energy discussions I've encountered.
However, I had some concerns about the story supporting this entry. The main character publishes daily inspirational quotes, experiences cravings for avocado toast, and makes money from freelance photojournalism and product reviews. Are we laughing at their expense, or is this something today’s hip youth can relate to?
You wanna know what's up with the youth of today? You go to millennial expert Morley Winograd pic.twitter.com/32J7XXHCqE
— kevinbiegel (@kbiegel) February 11, 2016
It felt like I was supposed to cosplay as the worst kind of millennial stereotype. And guiding this character to financial independence through smart energy consumption felt like I was perpetuating that myth that anyone can give up their daily cup of coffee to become a millionaire.
Some energy management games consider electrical tradeoffs at a city's scale, asking players to choose the greatest good for the largest number of people. #VanLife presents those choices at an individual level in a way that makes some tradeoffs clearer while making others too cute.
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