I guess it's an ok idea (a manual version of that brushing your teeth = points thing from several months ago) but I would think if you have enough self control not to cheat on this, then you don't really need it.
The problem I see is that the appeal of leveling up in RPGs is that your character becomes more powerful and capable. I don't think that applies with chores; if you grind ironing for five hours straight you're unlikely to enjoy any benefits apart from pressed shirts.
> I don't think that applies with chores; if you grind ironing for five hours straight you're unlikely to enjoy any benefits apart from pressed shirts.
Well, you will get better/faster at ironing, though that's not terribly exciting, either.
But that's just as well. The economy would go haywire if you could grab a knife or something and kill the inexhaustible supply of local wildlife for gold pieces.
Doing a simple task me meditative. Its doing complex but boring tasks - like writing crud code... now that... should count for ridiculous amounts of exp
Or with games that seem based on more mundane chores, the work bears fruit much faster than in real life. In Harvest Moon, I can milk all of my cows in less time than it takes me to wash a dinner plate in real life.
I've been thinking of a similar project for project management but wasn't sure if there was a market/interest for it.
In short, a project management app with an MMORPG-ish twist. Completing a task gives you XP (as set by another member of the team, or maybe random) and a chance at items, milestones being similar to quests, etc. You could party with your coworkers/collaborators (multiple people being assigned to one task, for example) or fight each other in an arena (has nothing to do with project management).
I've already started working on it for use at my current job to bring some fun and competition to the boring stuff (making craigslist templates). If anyone here has any interest in it let me know, would love to release it at one point.
as set by another member of the team, or maybe random
Try going for some sort of consensus among team members rather than random selection -- it gives everyone some ability to reward work on tasks that are important or that nobody wants to do.
This is a fantastic idea. Maybe not something I'd use personally, but the idea of trying to bring some element of game mechanics into something so menial as washing your dishes is pretty creative thinking. Also +1 for the video, it was pretty entertaining and explained how exactly it worked in a pretty concise fashion.
The difference is that with Chorewars, other people are holding you accountable for whether you completed a task or not.
I think this is an excellent idea, but, as many are thinking, what's to stop me from cheating? Tasks assigned to oneself privately are sometimes very abstract. If I assign myself a task, "be a good person today," I'm very likely to rationalize into thinking that I completed the task, whether I did or not.
The more of these sorts of things I see, the older I feel. I can recognize (I think) when they are done well, and I can appreciate their style, design, architecture or whatever. But they simply have no hook in me; I don't get it. I'm not knocking this project, I'm just saying out loud - because it's really struck me - that I'm probably on the wrong side of some birthdate line. (Cf. intelligent grandparents who never did learn to set VCR times.)
I also suspect that people my age (41) or older who like this sort of thing are faking, but maybe that's just envy talking.
It's interesting from a hacker pov as an attempt in helping people hack their own brains. Also, it seems like it's well executed (havent tried the actual game). I might give it a try for novelty's sake, but apart from that, it doesn't really appeal to me either and I'm 29. So maybe it's a personality thing rather then an age thing :)
Definitely a cool concept, but I can see myself cheating and just saying that I did something in order to level up and get stuff.
Now a version of this that could verify if you did something, either automatically or with some user involvement would be even cooler.
One idea: take a before and after picture as proof that you did it (maybe do some image processing if possible)
Another idea: use a GPS signal to verify you're actually at the laundromat when you say that you did the laundry.
I think you have it backwards. If someone is going to cheat, they are not going to be interested in this rpg. The rewards of leveling up are a new found productive habit, not just some silly swag or xp in a lame game.
On top of that, by instituting your "prove it" functionality, you are only incentivizing people to cheat. In this case, trust is the best way to prevent cheating.
I would buy an iPhone to use this, if the game was compelling enough. And as we all know, that is a really low bar if you get the core RPG mechanics right.
I was thinking and working on the same thing, except my RPG would be more self-improvement oriented rather than about sending that email, or buying that cake.
While it's good to know that my idea have some confirmation in the market, I wish I have gotten there first.
yea, i am currently working on a similar self-improvement concept but a lot more simplistic with game mechanics and for now, limited to the FB platform. Will release it on Hacker News once it's done.
[+] [-] Batsu|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] steveklabnik|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Qz|15 years ago|reply
Correction: MMO's are full of chores!
[+] [-] angrycoder|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hugh3|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] devin|15 years ago|reply
Not to mention people will just spend more time looking at, and building their todo list in order to play the game in the first place.
[+] [-] philk|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Natsu|15 years ago|reply
Well, you will get better/faster at ironing, though that's not terribly exciting, either.
But that's just as well. The economy would go haywire if you could grab a knife or something and kill the inexhaustible supply of local wildlife for gold pieces.
[+] [-] vishaldpatel|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Tichy|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kd0amg|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Qz|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] philwelch|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dannytatom|15 years ago|reply
In short, a project management app with an MMORPG-ish twist. Completing a task gives you XP (as set by another member of the team, or maybe random) and a chance at items, milestones being similar to quests, etc. You could party with your coworkers/collaborators (multiple people being assigned to one task, for example) or fight each other in an arena (has nothing to do with project management).
I've already started working on it for use at my current job to bring some fun and competition to the boring stuff (making craigslist templates). If anyone here has any interest in it let me know, would love to release it at one point.
[+] [-] kd0amg|15 years ago|reply
Try going for some sort of consensus among team members rather than random selection -- it gives everyone some ability to reward work on tasks that are important or that nobody wants to do.
[+] [-] ignu|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tsestrich|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cadr|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jcw|15 years ago|reply
I think this is an excellent idea, but, as many are thinking, what's to stop me from cheating? Tasks assigned to oneself privately are sometimes very abstract. If I assign myself a task, "be a good person today," I'm very likely to rationalize into thinking that I completed the task, whether I did or not.
[+] [-] orblivion|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] parsifal|15 years ago|reply
Does anyone have any idea when this will be coming out?
[+] [-] vyrotek|15 years ago|reply
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1483216
[+] [-] telemachos|15 years ago|reply
I also suspect that people my age (41) or older who like this sort of thing are faking, but maybe that's just envy talking.
[+] [-] div|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] seancron|15 years ago|reply
Now a version of this that could verify if you did something, either automatically or with some user involvement would be even cooler.
One idea: take a before and after picture as proof that you did it (maybe do some image processing if possible) Another idea: use a GPS signal to verify you're actually at the laundromat when you say that you did the laundry.
[+] [-] shasta|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] parallax7d|15 years ago|reply
On top of that, by instituting your "prove it" functionality, you are only incentivizing people to cheat. In this case, trust is the best way to prevent cheating.
[+] [-] ignu|15 years ago|reply
In http://kuwest.com you get 3XP for adding a task, 5XP for commenting on it and 7XP for uploading a picture.
I'm also thinking you wouldn't want to flood your social network with lies about what you're doing.
[+] [-] modeless|15 years ago|reply
http://g4tv.com/videos/44277/DICE-2010-Design-Outside-the-Bo...
Skip to 17:30 for the most relevant part (but the whole thing is interesting)
[+] [-] mrinterweb|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dreur|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dreur|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] radicaldreamer|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] patio11|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MisterWebz|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kiba|15 years ago|reply
While it's good to know that my idea have some confirmation in the market, I wish I have gotten there first.
[+] [-] djshah|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] seancron|15 years ago|reply
http://g4tv.com/videos/44277/DICE-2010-Design-Outside-the-Bo...
[+] [-] jamesshamenski|15 years ago|reply