{"id":840,"date":"2010-09-18T11:18:26","date_gmt":"2010-09-18T10:18:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.feedingedge.co.uk\/blog\/?p=840"},"modified":"2010-09-18T11:18:26","modified_gmt":"2010-09-18T10:18:26","slug":"a-challenge-to-the-closed-minds-not-just-game-technology-but-game-mechanics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.feedingedge.co.uk\/blog\/2010\/09\/18\/a-challenge-to-the-closed-minds-not-just-game-technology-but-game-mechanics\/","title":{"rendered":"A challenge to the closed minds – Not just game technology but game mechanics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n

I recently joined the panel at the Train for Success event in Second Life<\/a> where we (Anders the hos<\/a>t, Dusan Writer<\/a>, Maria Korolov<\/a> and myself) were there to discuss the pulling back from pure enterprise firewalled virtual world solutions by Linden Lab and a focus on the consumer experience. In part of that we talked about the various game related technologies that come into play in delivering a virtual world. Lots of the focus, quite naturally, is on the front end though I did point out the challenge of any MMO is the server based synchronization. In many ways we can get a browser or client to do all sorts of wonderful immersive stuff but its much harder to share a lag free experience and distribute to those clients.
\n\"Postcard<\/a>
\nIt was interested to take the role of the “techy who knows a bit about game platforms”.
\nAll of us responded in pretty much the same way that yes enterprise SL was not packaged and sold right, nor given the time to evolve but that we all use Second Life still as we blend business and social in so many ways. It was where I started to get traction with my colleagues and customers in 2006.
\nAt the end we got onto what needs to extend to an even more interesting conversation as whilst the technology can continue to evolve and get better, faster etc it is the things we do with it and the creative endeavours that create interest and engage people.
\nWhilst there was an uphill battle to get the more mainstream business people to get over the apparent frivolous nature of avatar mediated communication this next wave is really go to scare them and challenge them.
\nMany of the IT departments and policy makers have decided “We don’t play games at work on our PC’s” that is the mantra used to block the use of anything remotely interesting. It is not without some reason, but the seed of reason grows into a giant forest of objection and darkness. Explaining, or showing that places like Second Life and Opensim etc are not games, just game technology used for another reason doesn’t always chop down the forest.
\nNow of course there is the gamification wave<\/a>. The implementation of game mechanics and ideas into every application and walk of life. Business is a game, saying the right things to get that promotion is a game, getting the promotion is a badge earned and worn, winning the sales competition and going on a jolly is like a rewarding cut scene after a tough mission.
\nMany of these game mechanics, remembering the IT department “we don’t play games at work” mantra will not even touch any of the IT systems in a way they will notice. An Alternate reality campaign inside a corporation may use the phone system, emails, noticeboards etc. All hiding the game elements as a payload inside everyday tools.
\nAt some point though, someone, somewhere, is going to say why cant we do this in a wonderful hi rez generated environment? Why cant we use gesture control like Kinect to navigate the sales figures.
\nIt is a conceptual revolution with a massive social impact, as much as social media and the web. Screwing together plates on a production line is very hard to alter as a physical process to make it less soul destroying. Motivations of speed and efficiency and money for the worker help but ultimately it gets automated. The digital chores we make for ourselves clearly can be altered, you have a family photo as a backdrop on your desktop as a start.
\nThere is a great article from the Harvard Business Review here<\/a> I know statistics don’t work for the closed of mind as they will discount things that do not meet their believes but this is an interesting quote.
\n“At SCVNGR, we’ve been able to examine the statistical effects of introducing game dynamics into situations that are decidedly not games. We’ve seen simple game dynamics increase traffic to locations 4X over a matter of days. We’ve seen others extend the average amount of engaged time consumers spend at a business by upwards of 40%.”
\nGame mechanics motivate and entertain people. People pay to play games that are chores. Surely its in all the more straight laced and ROI induced business people to look at what they and their people do and see if they can spruce it up a bit. Bored or scared people are going to just do the least they need. Motivated and excited people are going to do great things.
\nSo straight laced serious business people who use ‘this is the way we have always done it” whats the point of that…. people the ball is in your court (oh look another gaming\/sporting reference).<\/p>\n