361) Game Frame Fork

Games and play have exploded. If you've been following The Plan, you'll know I've written about it multiple times in the past. It seems that everywhere I look, someone else is talking about gamification, or the game layer. Jane Macgonigal at TED, Seth Priesbatch at SXSW, and Aaron Dignan at the PSFK 2011 conference (see trailer for Dignan's book above).

One distinction Dignan made at the end of his talk at PSFK was that there are two paths we can take when it comes to applying game mechanics to the real world. The first path uses game mechanics to sell things, using incentives such as points, badges or coupons. These carrots, while beneficial to us in the short term, will be meaningless and unsustainable in the long term.

The second path uses games for learning skills, focusing on the mechanics behind things. By employing game dynamics we can be motivated and engaged enough to not only better ourselves, and to actually have fun doing it.

I like this notion that not just any type of game is the right one to employ. As games continue to race towards their tipping point and people jump to be part of it, this will be crucial measuring stick to keep in mind.

(Mini aside - I am mentally fried. Trying to put together something special for my last day. Four more.)