The Game(ification) of Life

There is a topic which has been buzzing for a few months. The discussion is centered on the many facets of the concept of "gamification". Put simply gamification is the inclusion of elements of games in real world activities to spice up what might ordinarily be mundane or even boring. Except it isn't really. Isn't it? The confusion of the issue has kept me from forming a solid opinion on it. And my lack of an opinion has kept me from deciding whether to write about it. Until I got this email:

"Hi Calvin,
I was reading your blog today and wonder if I could get your opinion on a diet/fitness app I am working on ?
For me, I think the main problem with being healthy is motivation. It's an abstract, overwhelming goal. I think the best way to counter this is to turn it into winnable games and small victories.
So… my app makes living healthy, and fitness into a RPG game, where users earn points, and "level up' as they accomplish their health goals. Everytime they add something healthy like veggies to their diet, they earn points. Everytime they complete a workout, they earn points. As they achieve more and more, they'll level up and unlock badges, and discounts/coupons to rewards like spas, health foods, etc.
There'll be challenges, which will get harder as people level up. And it'll follow a certain structure. First will come changing your environment such as getting rid of all junk food. Then, reducing stress, as stress leads to eating comfort food.
The whole point is to turn it into a game so people will rely less on willpower, and more on fun, achievement, and changing our environment.
What's your opinion on this idea? Would you want to know when I'm done with it? If this sounds too silly, or absurd, just ignore what I just said, hehe =)
Best, C" (I have intentionally withheld the person's name)

I'm not going to claim that this wasn't a spam email since I find it nearly impossible to believe that a total stranger would bother to read my blog, however it did get me thinking. If the task of taking on a new diet and workout regime is gamified, who is reaping the benefits? If the app costs money and enough people download it to completely offset the development costs, then the designers and developers benefit. But at what cost? If the people who buy/download the app abuse its functionality and they cheat themselves out of actually using it for its purpose, then have the people behind the scenes really helped anyone?

Consider the Nintendo 3DS. With its movement sensors, Nintendo has built pedometer capabilities into the device and added to that rewards for jogging or walking. But some users are openly reporting that they will hold the 3DS and shake it without actually doing the work in order to earn a few more virtual puzzle pieces and coins. So who benefits the most from this technology? Nintendo, who have been having trouble moving units, certainly are not being rewarded. The people who play by the rules and honestly use the functionality as it was intended are only marginally being benefited with their virtual rewards, but are theoretically seeing a high return on investment manifested in their physical health. And they would be the real winners if their victory was not overshadowed by the people who, if you'll pardon the expression, game the system. The ones who cheat are the ones who come out with the most because they have the most coins and puzzle pieces. The virtual rewards are what really matter anyway. If the improved physical health were the greater reward, then people wouldn't need the incentive that the 3DS offers. They would just do it.

Or don't. Whatever.

Even though some of the purported rewards are tangible and usable in the real world (such as earning coupons for health foods and discounts on spas) I see that as the major pitfall with the app about which I was emailed. And it is one of the major failures of the concept of gamifcation which earns it my contempt.


However, to play devil's advocate for a moment, as the father of a 4-year-old child, I have seen first hand the intended effects and positive results of gamification. As anyone who is a parent can attest, getting children to do things that aren't immediately fun is a major hassle. However, utilizing the awesome power of my magnificent brain, I developed a creature which we refer to in our family as "The Chase Monster". The Chase Monster has one goal: to capture and tickle my daughter. Whenever I need to get her to walk to some place and she refuses to do so, I threaten "calling The Chase Monster". When he is called, he is manifested in my body and will chase my daughter, herding her to where I want her to go, and if she does not get to the destination before he catches her, he attacks and there ensues a flurry of tickling and laughter. Other parents may have come up with other ways to gamify their children's chores, such as seeing how fast they can pick up their toys or awarding points for tasks completed. These are all very effective motivation techniques because they get results and I believe they help sow the seeds for strong work ethics later in life, but they are only effective for so long. When I was a pre-adolescent, my motivation for completing my chores was strictly monetary. I was given a weekly allowance for helping to clean the house and mow the lawn, but I don't think I would have been any more motivated if my parents had assigned me points for completing tasks or advanced me to a Level 2 Landscaper, because I would have known that ultimately, those intangible, imaginary rewards wouldn't have mattered if I had gained or lost them. I guess my point is that the only place for gamification in the real world is with children before they learn that they can hold their skills ransom for money.

"Meredith, call Mom and Dad and let them know that when they're ready to talk about pushing bedtime back an hour, then I'll be ready to talk about taking out the garbage."

Gamification is not a new concept, but has become a buzzword in the last few years with the increased implementation of achievement points and badges and their ubiquity thanks to platforms like Facebook and mobile gaming. There are those parties with a vested interest in making things more gamified and I can't make a solid prediction on whether the virtual rewards will become stronger or fade away into the ether out of which they are made.

My advice to C, though, is this: ditch the RPG aspect and lose the points and badges. Keep the coupons and discounts but make the person actually work for it. If the app shows that they have walked 3000 steps, but the GPS shows that they haven't actually moved, then they don't get the prize. Rather than allowing the user to forego their reliance upon their willpower, make their willpower the main motivator. Empower them to change their diets and physical activities because their rewards will be weight loss, lowered cholesterol, less risk of diabetes/heart disease, the chance to play with their children longer, and more time to spend on this mortal coil, since this is the only chance we get and we should make it count. And if people are having trouble with their own willpower, then just implement GLaDOSiri.

I need to sign off before I get too preachy and too far off topic.

Until next time, happy gaming.

Do the clothes make the man?

The importance or unimportance of the nuances of character design

Earlier last week, Ubisoft resurrected the long dormant PR machine for their forthcoming I Am Alive. For those who might not be aware, the game has been in what seems like development hell for a few years now. I remember first reading about in the print version of Game Informer magazine in mid- to late-2008. Since then, I've been following the news and updates about it getting disappointed when it was reported to be delayed or shelved, and getting excited again when Ubi confirms, or at least hints, that it is still on its way.

In spite of the roller coaster of optimism and pessimism about the game's development, I have maintained a modest yet steady level of anticipation for its inevitable release. Not to go into too much detail about the gameplay and (somewhat ridiculous) premise, I was looking forward to what I could expect in the game. You play as an ordinary schmoe in a post-apocalyptic Chicago (gotta represent for the hometown) needing to use your wits to solve puzzles along the way and barter with various renegade elements for basic survival needs. Here is the original teaser trailer which was released about late-2009 or so:

Make a mental note of everything that stood out about that video. Keep it in mind while you watch this next video which was first revealed at Gamescom 2011 and has only been circulated to the public a few days ago:

What are the differences between those two videos? Set aside the obvious disparity between the quality of the animation rendering. Yes, the old one does not have any gameplay footage, but what else? The first thing that struck me when I saw the new trailer was that the designers had completely overhauled the look of the main character. And I didn't like it.

The old protagonist was a modern young man, not particularly handsome, making his way in the big city. He is probably slogging his way up the corporate ladder; he is obviously doing well enough to buy his daily cup of national chain coffee, and rubbing elbows with the older, bigger shots with more expensive suits. However, he carries himself with not the greatest posture or gait, and he looks like he's not very anxious to head upstairs to begin work. And when the earthquake hits, all he has to help him along the way are the clothes on his back and the briefcase slung across his shoulders. And let's face it, it's not easy to mobilize yourself for survival wearing a button-down shirt, nice slacks, and dress shoes.


The new protagonist is someone we've seen before. He has automatic free-running skills and his outfit lends itself very nicely to jumping, rolling, and climbing. He's got a nice pair of gloves to protect his hands, his clothing is loose-fitting, and his backpack is tough and rugged, designed to get a little beat up. The game lost a lot of appeal to me when I saw this new guy, because not only have I seen this before, everything that made the original character so interesting and his story so compelling is gone.

As a brief primer on the basics of character design for video games and animation, a rule of thumb is that a character should have a distinguished silhouette

Even if you can't identify all of these characters, you probably recognize them anyway. And there are no other characters in the world who look like them. The new protagonist of I Am Alive does not have a distinguished, or even an interesting silhouette. And as such, the game looks less interesting. Having said that, the old design didn't have much going for it by way of a compelling silhouette, but at least, it wasn't the kind of outfit you would expect someone in that sort of a video game situation to be wearing. It was the design of a character who was thrown into an extraordinary circumstance and had to make the best of it with his extremely limited resources. It is a huge struggle for him to make his way because not only is he ill-equipped to make it in this new world both in his dearth of equipment and his lack of skills and knowledge, he is horribly uncomfortable with every step he takes because of the clothes he happened to be wearing at the time. He is like a sailor who has been shipwrecked at sea, whereas the new protagonist is like Richard Branson trying to row across an ocean for fun.

Does that mean the the game is going to be a worse product or less interesting to play? It probably will be in some parts where the player is required to free run his/her way along some puzzling routes for the Nth time in a video game. Does it speak to the importance of character design? We'll see when the game finally hits and what the reviewing community and gamers have to say about it. But there is no way to know what would have happened if Ubisoft had stuck with the original character model. I have a feeling though, that the transition to the downloadable-only format is going to give gamers the impression that it is not a good enough game to have warranted a retail release. Which is a shame and a topic for another discussion, but it is indicative of the relationship between developers/publishers and gamers. Gamers are less inclined to buy a downloadable game from PSN or XBLA for any number of reasons (lower profile/less exposure, lower production qualities, or they might not consider them "real" games) and as a result the devs and pubs don't usually put their full force behind the product which feeds back into the cycle. There are, of course, various exceptions, but I've digressed far enough already.

Suffice it to say that I think games whose characters have unremarkable design features might not succeed once the final product is released, but that doesn't mean that a well designed character can save a bad or mediocre game. The best designed characters are less important to the quality of the game than they are to the success of the series.

Until next time, happy gaming.

Opening Post: Intro/Mission Statement

Dear readers,

Welcome to Game-oscopy. This is my first attempt at writing and maintaining my own blog, and my second attempt at writing for a blog at all. I should have my head examined for doing this as this is a ridiculous time in my life to take on the task of providing content for a potential audience which I might never even get in the first place. If you know me or have read my previous blog, then you know that not only do I have my own responsibilities that I, just like every other adult, have to attend to, I also have a young daughter sprouting up right before my eyes, who has just started attending school. You might think that would free up some time for some of my extra curricular activities, but furthermore to my duties at work and at home, I have also started attending school. I'm going only part time, yet it is still a significant portion of the 168 living hours I get every week.

However, I still have all of this stuff and all of these opinions inside my brain begging to be let out and put into words on the web. Hence the formation of this blog. I have been meaning to start this for quite a few months now and am finally getting to it after hyping it to some of my friends and being pressured into it by others. And with it I have a few objectives:

• I have been a gamer since about first grade to the disappointment of my parents. I was brought up in a household that not only dismissed video games as a childish waste of time, but resented them as evil brain melters with no value to them in any aspect. When I was a freshman in high school I decided to make a plea to my parents to finally allow a video game system in the house. I outlined a list of ten arguments for my case and after some deliberation I was granted permission to bring my own Nintendo 64 into the house. Yet it was never fully accepted as a viable form of entertainment in our home and to this day my father asserts that it was a mistake to transform our house into a gamer's house. So this blog is an attempt to legitimize the medium of video games as something more than just a hobby or a pastime. There is some value to the mindless catharsis that some video games offer when you've had a stressful day and you want to blow off some steam by crashing cars or shooting zombies, but I support the notion that video games warrant careful scrutiny from certain viewpoints similarly to fine cinema or literature.
• My second objective serves as the counterpart to my first objective. Hopefully by legitimizing my favorite entertainment medium to naysayers, I might inspire someone who has never-or almost never-picked up a controller and put serious time into playing a game to do so. I've heard it said on some of the outlets of video game news and opinion to which I subscribe that Angry Birds is now considered to be the "gateway game" for many people who never considered themselves gamers before. I disagree with the notion that Angry Birds or Cut the Rope (or any other enormously popular, easily accessible game) can turn a non-gamer into a gamer. No one who is not a gamer, in my opinion, is likely to move over to playing Half Life 2 after becoming engrossed in Fruit Ninja or Rock Band. The casual gamer* will more than likely be overwhelmed by some of the deeper, more rich experiences found in gaming's vast catalog. This is a discussion for another blog entry, but to put it simply, I would like to share my experiences in games with those who might otherwise be put off or even frightened of trying something with some depth to it.
• I have to admit a purely selfish motivation behind my third objective. I would like this blog to serve as a companion to a podcast I intend on releasing. I used to do a podcast with my dear friend Joe Locastro and I loved every second of it. I have always wanted to fantasize that I was a talk radio personality and podcasting was the perfect outlet for me. I miss it a lot and I know Joe does as well. And most of the deepest, most stimulating conversations I've had about games have been with Joe. I want to resuscitate the dynamic duo that we had and bring our particular brand of intellectualism back to the Internet airwaves. My other reasoning behind the podcast is to fill a void that I have observed in the video game podcasting community. Most of the gaming podcasts I have found talk about current and upcoming games from the perspective of players who are anxious and anticipatory of ones they are interested in playing. I have to give respect to Michael Abbott of Brainy Gamer for filling this void somewhat (in fact when I was brainstorming ideas for the name of this blog "Brainy Gamer" was one of my ideas. I found out that it was already taken.) for though he primarily focuses on current, recent, or upcoming games, he does an excellent job of analyzing them on deeper levels than "I really like it," or "I'm really looking forward to it." In planning this undertaking I was also planning on calling out Gary Whitta, Kris Graft, and Colin Campbell of the formerly former Game Theory podcast as a team that had also partially filled the intellectual game discussion void but Game Theory has returned.
• I am somewhat conflicted about my fourth objective which dovetails into my fifth objective. I want to steer this blog away from doing reviews for a few reasons. Primarily because it's pointless. Not only will I not be able to influence anyone's decision whether or not to buy a game, but I will not be able compete with the entrenched review outlets for readership. Why would anyone come to read my review of a game when there are already dozens of reviews out there by more famous game critics which might say the same thing as my review anyway? Another reason I don't want to be known as a review site is that I have personal objectives to the concept of video game reviewing in the first place. Most things that people write and call reviews for video games are actually just essays detailing their personal opinions about the individual games and the genres into which they are classified. Not to belabor this notion but the whole business of reviewing video games is fundamentally broken.
• Having said that, however, it would be nice if enough people noticed my writings and opinions here that I might be able to recoup some of the time I've spent putting this blog together monetarily or even to earn a position as a regular writer for a proper video game journalism site. It has always been an ambition of mine to write about video games since, as mentioned before, I have many opinions about the games and things that other bloggers/writers say about them and I almost always have something to say in response. So my fifth objective is to use this blog as a platform for a)getting my opinions out there, and b)building a portfolio of material that I can use as a sort of resume if I ever apply to a site looking for new writers. And in the interest of full disclosure, a new feature of blogger.com is to include a link to Amazon.com for any product being written about. I plan on utilizing this feature and would hope that my readers would use those links to buy the games about which I write if they find themselves intrigued by what I say.

So that's that. I hope you enjoy this blog. More than hoping for a large reader base, I hope that I am able to stimulate people's minds and inspire thoughtful conversation.

Stay tuned!

Sincerely,
Calvin