Destiny in Choices-Should You Choose to Accept

Hello Guys!

Before giving you my game to play let me talk to you a bit.

It’s been decades since the last blog. Today, I want to share with you my journey to choosing my game. For me, it is a military confidential secret. But guess what? I’ll let you know.

To start with, as you noticed from the last posts, I am a historical enthusiast. I love history, Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and many more. But did you get that I was curious to know what would happen if some well-known figures decided to have different choices than what really happened? I saw in Nefertiti’s Tomb in Luxor the picture of her playing chess. You can see the picture attached below.

Taken by me

This exact picture made me think “What if?” What if those well-known figures sacrificed a pawn or a queen to make a checkmate instead of playing another chess move on the board? In this blog, We will discuss in depth the logic behind my game featuring the well-chosen figures. Also, as a former chess player, I was ranked 4th in the Egypt U14 tournament. I believe each move made in life; one should think 3,4 steps ahead to checkmate. Now, let me share the game with you ” In this game, I used Google Slides to manufacture scenarios. This is the link to the game “https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1szgP42xFVStPaBRjWAKfjhLtcQ5MQTsCY8Vh8GRVwqY/edit?usp=sharing“. I started the game by having a brief background about the game. How will this game work? This game has 3 eras to choose from. These eras are: BC, Old, and Modern. Each era features 3 well-known figures in this specific era. For the BC we have Cleopatra VII, Alexander the Great, and Socrates. In the Old Era, we have Joan of Arc, Galelieo, and Suleiman The Magnificent. In the Modern era, we have Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, and Anwar El Sadat. In each character, we have 10 scenarios. I was obsessed with this game. I put background music that increased the game’s suspense. I really found this useful as I did not find it in the games I played before such as spent “https://playspent.org/“. Also, I managed to have a light background and dark text to pass the color contrast checker. So again, the game starts by sharing background information about how a choice can change civilizations. Then, the player press continues and then goes to choose which ERA he/she wants to play at. Afterward, he/she chooses one of 3 figures at this ERA. At last, he goes through 10 crucial scenarios, and at the end of the game; the player is given the choice whether to continue for another round and go back to the slide of the ERAs or end the game. Also, to put my fingerprint more in the game, every decision is followed by a small piece of poetry. I found this part lovely as it made me go beyond my limits. I confess that I got obsessed by the game and creating 367 slides is a milestone I am proud of. If I had more time for the game, I would have added voice assistance where the choices and the questions could be heard by the differently abled people. Overall, I enhanced this final draft more after having feedback from my friends by enhancing the colors of the slides to make it more appealing. I can say that I really enjoyed this game and I am really forward to see other students play it in the future and give feedback as I did before. More to mention, the characters I chose linked to me the most, and you will see why as you go through the blog. Last but not least, I managed to use pictures that are common creative to avoid violating the copy rights.

BC ERA

Now let us discuss together why I chose each of them specifically. Let’s start with the BC Era. The first character I chose is Cleopatra VII. Cleopatra VII possessed a rare fusion of heart and strategy, and so did I. I understand that leadership is more than power. Its vision, timing, and daring moves others would never dream of. Like her, I believe that influence is not just being seen; it’s being remembered because I shaped moments when it mattered most. For example, this week, I led the Construction Engineering Association at AUC to a field trip for El Qalaa Al Hamraa which is the Ahly FC Stadium. This was an iconic visit and am certain all people enjoyed this iconic trip! For sure I want to thank Al AhlyFC for this opportunity. I will attach the picture below.

Taken by Mohamed Gamil

Now let us move to Alexander The Great, Alexander lives in my refusal to accept limits. Where others see barriers, I see frontiers begging to be crossed. Like him, I know that legacies aren’t built by staying where it’s safe, instead, they’re built by dreaming larger than anyone dares and stepping boldly into the unknown. I always believe that there is more to do and more to give. Limits are meant to be broken, and I’ll be the one who breaks them! This can be shown in my personal life where I got exposed to downfalls and managed to stand up again stronger.

Last but not least, in the BC era I could not leave without mentioning Socrates. He is the one who reflects the inside philosophy in me. I share Socrates’ sacred fire for truth. The bravery to question what others accept blindly. Like him, I know that real strength isn’t found in easy answers but in fearless inquiry. I am not afraid to be misunderstood because I believe life unexamined is a life unlived. His spirit of relentless questioning lives in me every time I seek what’s deeper instead of settling for what’s easy. This is clearly shown in my major in Construction Engineering. I always ask, seek help, dare to try new things, and always adapt to change. There is a quote, my uncle may he rest in peace, he left us a week ago. Please remember him in your prayers. He always told me that you are not only a construction engineer, you have to know a thing about everything. You have to elevate and be knowledgeable. This truly links to my character, Socrates, and me.

But after knowing why I chose each, did you ask yourself how I knew about them? How do I develop the 10 scenarios for each?  I will leave you here with the sources for each.

Sokrates. (2025, March 25). Lille Norske Leksikon. https://lille.snl.no/Sokrates

Now Let us go for the Old era.

OLD ERA

Now let me take you on a journey of the sources I got to develop the scenarios.

Joan the Arc

Ben_Kerckx – pixabay.com. (n.d.). Jeanne D’arc  France  Flag Free Photo. https://www.needpix.com/photo/1906190/jeanne-darc-france-flag-statue-church

Galileo Galilei (colour) – Openclipart. (n.d.). https://openclipart.org/detail/251221/galileo-galilei-colour

Suleiman the Magnificient

Portrait of a young Suleiman the Magnificent, c. 1520, Sotheby’s – PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search. (2025, March 17). PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine. https://jenikirbyhistory.getarchive.net/media/portrait-of-a-young-suleiman-the-magnificent-c-1520-sothebys-0ddc8e

Now, let me take you on a deep journey for the ones who influenced our present.

MODERN ERA

Since I am Egyptian & proud. I am going to start with Anwar Al Sadat. Sadat reflects the rarest courage in me: the willingness to be hated today to heal tomorrow.  I would rather be misunderstood in my lifetime if it means leaving behind a bridge for others to cross into peace. There were moments whether in leading teams, student organizations, or even proposing bold ideas that others feared. Where I knew that silence would be safer, staying “comfortable” would win faster approval. But like Sadat crossing into Jerusalem, I chose to break the expectations.

The Second figure is Donald Trump. There were times when people misunderstood my dreams, judged my projects, or doubted my steps but like him, I learned that influence is not the enemy. It’s the battlefield. I learned that public speaking is not just about conveying information. It’s about commanding energy, building trust, and leading hearts even under pressure. This was clearly shown in my public speaking course when I had to do an Impromptu Speech. I commanded energy, gained trust, and went on the stage firing a speech that took almost 10 minutes. I can say that it was one of the best speeches I have ever had.

The last figure is Adolf Hitler. Hitler’s story does not reflect who I am. It reflects what I must always guard myself against.
In my life, I have faced setbacks moments of rejection, frustration, or feeling overlooked. Like anyone ambitious, I’ve known the sting of being doubted or underestimated. But unlike the path Hitler chose, I learned early that pain is not a reason to poison the world. I realized that rejection can either break you or refine you. When I faced disappointment whether in academic projects, leadership competitions, public presentations, or major personal goals. I chose not to blame others, not to feed resentment.
Instead, I chose growth over grievance. I chose to sharpen myself, not hate the world.

Now let me show you the sources I used to develop the scenarios

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler at his Berghof mansion – PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search. (2025, April 9). PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine. https://picryl.com/media/adolf-hitler-at-his-berghof-mansion-36cfce

Donald Trump

File:Donald Trump portrait official 2025.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. (2025, January 17). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_portrait_official_2025.jpg

Anwar Al Sadat

Anwar Sadat cropped – PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search. (2025, February 23). PICRYL – Public Domain Media Search Engine. https://picryl.com/media/anwar-sadat-cropped-d6f9c4