Life Imagined As One Big RPG

Scoop Snookems writes "Will there be a day where we earn achievement points simply by brushing our teeth or high-fiving a friend? There could be, according to Carnegie Mellon professor Jesse Schell. In this video from the annual DICE summit, Schell comments on recent evolutions in gaming before fixating on a concept where our futures evolve into one big RPG. Fascinating stuff, and I hope writing this post nets me 10 points."

Comments

Life like a video game

[Ethanol-fueled]

Ho hum. A non-article. Video games are close enough to reality*. Police Quest vs. being a real policeman, for example, where 80% of both is banal tedium like "show your badge" and "knock on door" and "fill paperwork". Or like working life vs. WoW - spend 90% of life performing mindless, repetitive acts to hoard enough money to buy stuff and have a little fun every now and then. Or Nightshade, possibly the first game to feature a "popularity meter" (karma?):

Higher popularity meant greater recognition by everyday denizens of Metro City and allowed Nightshade access to more areas.

And, of course it should work both ways. Eventually people cease to receive points for wiping their ass or washing their balls and begin to lose points for not doing either.

* With the exception of extra lives and respawning, of course.

Re:Life like a video game

[jhoegl]

Less crying, more ball wiping.

Re:Life like a video game

[tnk1]

I think the big draw for people who want more and more realistic games and RPGs in particular is actually to get a few things that I think everyone has wanted at one point or another in their real lives:

* Knowing the rules by which you can succeed (quests, boss kills, catalogue of increasingly better equipment)
* Getting data on your level of success in relation to others and against your own personal goals. (stats, levels, reputation meters)
* A sense of having achieved something measurable, even if it is to simply get a new piece of gear that exists only on a hard drive.

The more realistic the game is, the more that they can pretend that there is some relevance to real life in that game. The secret hope being that some day, there will be a simulator that allows you to get a score for how you would do in real life or at least some skills that cross over.

You *could* get points for doing various things in real life, and I think in some ways it is not a laughable concept. People want data, they want to know that what they are doing is benefiting them in some way. They don't always know that, and that is a substantial barrier to happiness. Things would be so much easier if I had a reputation meter for various people, particularly of the opposite sex, and also knew what to grind to improve that reputation without the complexities of trying to balance earning cash while having a social life. You might say life might get a lot more boring if you always knew the rules, but it's quite clear that millions of people prefer a grind to the "excitement" of being surprised.

Re:Life like a video game

[tibman]

I do something similar to this but in periods of acquire and slim down. I don't hoard or have too many redundant items (like people who have eight different shotguns or whatever) but what i have is usually very nice. Camping pack is nice and probably done.. lots of titanium and everything is water-proofed (including zippers).. the best part is that it's so light. I still have a backup bag fully packed too, my old army ruck. Tritium Compass (radioactive self-illumination).

My latest projects have been in mobile tech that doesn't require any infrastructure. I've been working on a solar-rechargable commo-device called the "z-day coordinator" that builds a peer-to-peer network with no required central base. The idea being that during disaster or infrastructure break down, a hand-held communication network can still operate over long distances. You can also add auxilliary wireless devices like motion-sensors (or whatever you can dream up) that join the network under your control. Allowing a small group of people to quickly deploy an electronic sensor network to detect motion, fires, gases, whatever. These devices can be very small since no interface is needed, just sensor, battery, transmitter (with MCU to talk with network). I hope to get a kit together to sell someday... /me tilts his head to the side and daydreams for a while.

Re:Life like a video game

[Nadaka]

... Things would be so much easier if I had a reputation meter for various people, particularly of the opposite sex, and also knew what to grind to improve that reputation...

Its called a clitoris.

Re:Life like a video game

[RobDude]

I'm not sure I agree. I mean, maybe a little. Mostly, I think the rules are pretty clear. They only seem confusing because the things required aren't easily obtainable (if they are obtainable at all).

I think the real reason for the popularity of MMORPGs and why they consume some people's entire lives, really come down to two things.

1.) In a video game everyone is equal
In WoW, if you are a paladin, you are have the same abilities as other paladins If you want to be a priest - you can be a priest. Whatever image of yourself you want; you can be, and you can be it as good as anyone else.

In real life, that's not true. If you are 5'2" and want to play in the NBA - that's too bad. We aren't all equal. You can't decide to roll a character with the base stats that support what you want to do. You can't reroll to get more +INT to be a famous scientist. You are, you. And you can work to improve yourself, but you're very limited and what is worse - other people aren't.

Most of us are just 'average' at most things. We don't like to think that, but it's true. If you have an average aptitude and work really hard, you might be 'really good'...but you won't be great. Most of us won't be great at anything. Do you think the popular guy who banged the hottest girls in high school was more deserving than the unpopular, ugly nerd? Or did he just happen to be more with symmetrical features that made him popular with the ladies?

In life, you are stuck with your base levels and other people are blessed with higher base levels and can outperform you with minimal effort. In WoW, you roll whatever you want and know you are equal.

2.) Effort
In games there really isn't much effort at all. The trend has been to remove skill from the game play and replace it with 'time'. If you spend a lot of time playing, your character becomes better. The time spent isn't particularly hard. It's lazy. You click a mouse, hit a button. That's not tough.

You can just sit back, spend a lot of time not doing much, and be rewarded! Your character grows and improves and you get cool stuff and respect from other players and you rock.

In real life, things are *hard*. Like, really hard. A lot harder than people think they should be. In Wow, you hit '2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1' for a few hours and your Warrior levels up and now he's stronger and has more hit points. But to increase *your strength* you have to get up and go to the gym and train properly. And then, the rewards are an order of magnitude less.

The difference between what a world-class power lifter can lift is 2-3x what an average high school lifter can lift. Countless hours and imaginable effort to obtain, let's just say a 5x gain in strength doesn't compare at all to the difference between a level 1 warrior and a level 80 warrior. The level 80 is easily 1000x stronger in terms of what it can do.

Even nerdy stuff - like the rubiks cube. I had one in high school, learned the solution included and could solve it in under 120 seconds. The world's best solvers who train for hours and hours each week can consistently solve it in under 20 seconds. Years of work and dedication to get six times better than a loser high school kid.

In terms of effort, the fictional rewards of a video game far, far out weigh the rewards of real life. And even in my examples; the fastest rubiks solvers and the best power lifters - not only did they work, they also had a higher aptitude than most. Something they can't change or control.

We all joke that the hardcore WoW players are losers; but the more of a loser you are, the more appealing WoW becomes. The popular guy in high school - he's going to go to a party and mess around with a cheerleader....WoW seems lame. But to the below average looking kid with few friends - well, life isn't offering him much. He can work really, really hard for below average results in whatever he chooses - or he can go to WoW where he is on a level playing field with others and where he can see serious improvements, magnitudes better than real life offers.

It's and easy sell.

and 100 points for

[Gr8Apes]

So what's a relevant first post get me? 100 points?

Re:and 100 points for

[andrewd18]

Achievement Unlocked: Fail.

troll

[JWSmythe]

-5 Karma Trolling.

    Sorry dude, but those are life points. Go help a little old lady across the street, or save a stuck kitten in a tree. :)

Actually used as a therapy tool

[Gothmolly]

I've read articles where kids with behavioral disorders, social anxiety, general nerdiness, etc were encouraged to use this as a means of driving more appropriate/better behaviors. Like if a shy kid talked to a classmate, he gave himself 10 points, etc. Then they worked with the therapist to track the whole thing - basically making life your RPG.

Re:Actually used as a therapy tool

[LS]

A friend of mine was accused by his father of general nerdiness, and threw him on the street every day to hang out with the local thugs. He's still a nerd at heart, but he can handle himself in a fight and bench 300 lbs now, though he still obsesses over the latest linux distros. Probably worked out better than any RPG therapy could, but he's quite a riven guy.

Re:Actually used as a therapy tool

[girlintraining]

I've read articles where kids with behavioral disorders, social anxiety, general nerdiness, etc were encouraged to use this as a means of driving more appropriate/better behaviors. Like if a shy kid talked to a classmate, he gave himself 10 points, etc. Then they worked with the therapist to track the whole thing - basically making life your RPG.

Agree. They do that for people with autism-spectrum disorders too. There's entire classes of neurological and psychological disorders that regular computer interaction can treat. If playing video games improves a person's quality of life, there's no reason to degrade it. Everybody has their own coping strategies that are unique to them and if it works then that is what is important, not some moralistic concept of "better" behaviors like going outside or excercising. In medicine, you choose the treatment with the highest efficacy and lowest risk of side-effects (do no harm). People are going to bitch about video games being used as crutches or substitutes for more socially acceptable behavior. Those people should be ignored.

Re:Actually used as a therapy tool

[DigiShaman]

I can't wait till someone start shooting up people and numbers (HP) start floating above their head.

Re:Actually used as a therapy tool

[mhajicek]

My wife and I did this with my ADHD son for a while when he was about five. Positive points for doing good things, negative points for doing bad things, all according to a list. When he saved up enough points he had a list of things he could cash them in for, like eating out at a restaurant of his choice, seeing a movie, or getting some Lego. It did seem to help.

Re:Actually used as a therapy tool

[rwv]

When he saved up enough points he had a list of things he could cash them in for, like eating out at a restaurant of his choice, seeing a movie, or getting some Lego. It did seem to help.

No armor upgrades or attack bonuses? And you didn't offer to teach him new spells or more powerful versions of the spells he already knew?

Sure as heck doesn't sound like an RPG to me!

Though tangental to the post, I'm reminded of...

[Delusion_]

"Achievement Unlocked"

http://armorgames.com/play/2893/achievement-unlocked

I think it's an excellent statement about the prevalent use of achievement systems for their own sake.

Life Imagined As One Big RPG

[Cornwallis]

Why on earth would I *want* to imagine my life as a rocket-propelled grenade?

Life is like an RPG

[CorporateSuit]

I do not need to knock on my neighbor's door. In fact, going inside, opening his cabinets, and taking whatever I want is expected.
I get experience points for beating up stray dogs.
I find treasure chests, unlocked and unopened, hidden away in all sorts of bushes and alleyways around my city. Some even contain armor!
I don't work out, I level up!
I only carry up to 255 pieces of any item.
If I receive something that appears to be worthless (like a Rusty Sword) I must carry it with me wherever I go, in case I find someone who can restore it to its former glory.
When I buy a shirt at the store, I attempt to sell them the one on my back in order to cut costs.

Re:Life is like an RPG

[hansamurai]

My town burned down while I was out playing and everyone I know is dead.

Which RPG?

[Delusion_]

Second Life? I'd better get my penis helmet in order.

Ultima 4? I'd better start trying to be a better person.

Ultima Online? I'd better start trying to be a much, much worse person.

WoW? I'd better start practicing being a hot elf chick.

A Squaresoft RPG? Christ, I'd better start working on my hour long monologue skills.

Re:Which RPG?

[jgtg32a]

Not everyone in a Square game has a long monologue, but you are only required to wear 3 belts at a minimum.

Jesse

[Kamineko]

I've met Jesse Schell. The man is charismatic and completely insane.

We already have achievement points

[LoRdTAW]

....its called money. And you don't get any for brushing your teeth or high fiving a friend.

Been there, done that, claimed the XP

[SlowDancing]

Already been done.

Re:Been there, done that, claimed the XP

[HikingStick]

Actually, that's the second site. The original was http://www.chorewars.com/. The folks at ChoreWars created WorldOfChoreCraft so that people who had it set up at home could use it at work (and vice versa).

Obligatory, apparently.

[rugatero]

xkcd.com/189

Say what you want...

[SharpFang]

After donating 18 liters of blood, achieving the Ist Degree Honorable Blood Donor title, a document and a badge stating that, and a permanent free public communication ticket, I really felt like I just finished a major questline.

I'm Just an Avatar

[Abdul the Newt]

I'm pretty sure that I'm just an avatar in a simulation and the guy playing me is an adolescent, socially-maladjusted teen with A-D-D and some strange fetish tendencies... or maybe that's just me.

Re:So when will we start..

[Rei]

I just look forward to the day when I no longer keep having these strange dreams of prospecting, stealing, crusading, and combat. My friends kept asking me why I've engraved "Elbereth" all over my house. All I could usually manage is to shakingly point at the water fountain outside and say, "The ampersand... it came from there!"

I figure that this pine wand that I'm whittling should give me about a 60% chance of getting out of this padded cell, depending on what type it turns out to be.

Procreation

[zodar]

So instead of having kids, it's considered rolling an alt?

Life Achievements.com

[Pinktits]

There is a website that does just that actually (let you rack up points for your own life achievements). http://www.lifeachievements.org/

Re:So when will we start..

[icebraining]

So when will we start to walk around with signs over our heads that say our name

It has already been done. The backpack would be handy, though.