I’ve never been much of a gamer. The idea of more computer time at night, after spending an entire work day on a computer has little appeal for me.
Until I saw, or more accurately, heard, SpaceTeam. My little cousins were gathered in a circle, yelling out commands to each other, swiping their devices, and pushing toward the elusive goal of HYPERSPACE.
Set the Duotronic Capacitor to 2!
They’re all on a malfunctioning spaceship, attempting to escape from a black hole. The only way they will survive is to work together.
It’s called a collaborative shouting game for phones and tablets.
Commands whiz across each players’ device, but here’s the tricky part: their fellow players are the only ones who can carry out those commands. And, there’s a time crunch since the black hole is pulling at the ship the entire time!
Calibrate the Hypersonic Thrusters to 3!
Each player has to see their own commands, yell out those commands for their fellow players to execute, and also be listening to the other players’ commands that they can execute on their device.
Disengage the Warp Transponders!
As I watched them play, I thought the game looked like a fun way to practice reading, and learn about team work…and have some fun.
Then, they asked me to play.
My first thought was, “I’m not much of a gamer. I probably have something else I should be doing.” But, when do I get an opportunity to play a game with my cousins (who range in age from 5 to 11 years old)…especially where they’re teaching me how to play.
Remember to remove the slime!
Did I mention the slime? As the game progresses, minor problems start to impact your device. The game controls come unhinged and swing on the screen. Slime oozes across the controls. The slime can be cleared by swiping it away, but that distracts from reading your commands. It also distracts from hearing your teammates’ commands and executing them as quickly as possible.
This game is a lot harder than it looks! Like most things in life, spectating is much easier than playing.
Set the Flux Beam to 2!
Luckily, my team is strong and capable. While I’m distracted with slime and repairing my control screen, they’re executing commands flawlessly. I can hear the patience in their voices as they repeat their commands. A sense of calm hovers over us amidst the yelling of commands. We just might make it to HYPERSPACE!
Disengage the Tripolimer Conduits!
Do the commands have any rhyme or reason? Does it really matter? This is a crisis! We don’t have time! Our survival is at stake!
Sci-fi fans will recognize many of the words, but that won’t help you. Your ability to quiet your mind, focus on your screen, and listen to your teammates will determine your success. That and your teammates’ ability to do the same thing.
You win as a team and lose as a team. Sound familiar?
If one player is weaker than the others, it’s up to the team to deal with it by executing what they can as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Deploy the Solar Sail!
Do you work with and trust others to achieve your goals?
Do you find a sense of calm and confidence when relying on your teammates to perform?
Are you dealing with “slime” in your life as you work to achieve your goals?
Are you called upon to deliver results without enough time, even when things are a little chaotic and difficult?
Do you allow yourself to be lifted-up by your team when you fall short of their expectations?
SpaceTeam will give you practice on all of these questions…and it’s lots of fun!
HYPERSPACE!
How’d we do? I’m pretty sure I was the weak link. We made it to HYPERSPACE anyway. It pays to be on a strong team! We didn’t get to play a second round because the evil Schedule Monster emerged from the shadows to remind us about the event we were attending.
I look forward to playing again!
Grandpa Bob Encouraging Leadership 