Of Gamification and analogies

I am afraid I'm not as much of a gamer as I used to be, but damn I don't regret the insame ammount of time I've spent playing video games. There would be a time where I would, as I always listen how games can't make a difference in your life, it's all but entertainment and etc, but I tried thinking of it entirely by myself and I realized that maybe my life wouldn't be the same without them. They were helpful and influential to me. Maybe as much as reading books. I'm sure to lose credibility after saying that, but whatever, this is fucking freedom for me. See, games motivated me to think by myself.

So there's this web show I've been watching lately called Extra Credits, where they talk about the game industry. I really like their informal yet really mature approach to the subjects (unnecessarily annoying voice, though). I feel like I'm influenced by their how they like naming things for the sake of easy-handling, just like I do. Anyway, one of their episodes was about Gamification. It means, simply put, using what make games interesting to make our daily tasks more engaging and rewarding. It's not a groundbreaking concept when you think about it, and even I had already thought about it before, but this episode helped me having it clearer in my head. Seriously, watch it, it's probably more worth the next minutes of your life than reading the rest of this post.

I'm sure most people, as kids, would think of spaceships and horseriding (ok, us boys) when helping with the house chores. That sure made the tasks more engaging, and I don't know why we had to take the fun factor out of it as we grew older. Sure a 30-year-old riding a broom like Harry Potter is totally facepalm, but that's not the point. I mean, some imagination can only do us good.
See, I wash the dishes (I'll be honest here, I don't do it much too often) by thinking of them like hordes of enemies. I fight the easiers ones first - silverware and glasses (these are like those colorful bubbles that are always the first enemies that show up). Then dishes, which vary in difficulty. Pans are definitely like bosses! There are some greasy ones that are really tough! Sometimes I take a deep breath first before facing them (try using soundtracks, it's amazing).
Ok, I don't actually think of it like real fights (not always). It's more like trying to get the same feeling I would have if I was defeating enemies with a controller. The same feeling of engagement and excitement, that's the point (I wouldn't like the feeling of fighting enemies in real life). And then, instead of being tired of doing some boring shit, I actually feel like doing more boring shit! Isn't that totally awesome?

I had already been feeling like using gaming-related ideas to help me visualize better my thoughts. It's mainly RPG elements like equipping armors and weapons, indexing spells, leveling up skills, or upgrading items. Maybe that's the reason Zelda, Metroid and Castlevania are my top favorite series.


Gamification is extremely useful for analogies, bringing a new system from where I can bring new ideas and use them in other systems. In these three series I've mentioned, you can always explore the whole world, and when you find a new item, you can go back to the previous areas and explore them better, finding new items and treasures. Not exactly accurate, but Backtrack will its temporary name. Can't you see how this can be used in other systems? If I learn a trick with pick strokes to make a different sound come out, I can try it in all songs I know. If I learn a new trick with the pencil strokes, I can backtrack and see how I can improve all things I used to draw. If I learn a new idea, it'll work on my mind like, hm, it's an example I've mentioned in a previous entry, it'll be like these workers from Civilization who'll improve the terrain if you got a new technology available, like highways. See where it's going?

And that's the thing about analogies, sometimes some things are clearer in a system than it's in others. Sometimes, by focusing entirely on one area only, some things will take a huge ammount of time for you to realize, while it would happen pretty quickly in another area. And by using analogies I can use what I've learned in one area in others, so I can pretty much learn several things when I've actually learned it only once. Take an example, Firm Grip, which I'll explore in a future entry, is something I've learned with drawing, but I have already applied it to music, driving, talking, decision-making, and I can try to apply it to any skill I am still starting to develop.

I also like how thinking with gamification on can spice up my thinking, making it much more interesting, much more fun and satisfying - even fucking easier! Maybe that's the reason I've being playing less games. Thinking actually became my favorite game. Treasure Hunting in my mind is not as frustrating as as doing them in Alundra or Diablo II or the Reverse Castle in Symphony of the Night. I truly hated fighting through a forest to find a single herb (which I'm unable to carry!), or always finding useless empty chests laying around, or finding lame items like Roast Beef in that altar room surrounded by dozens of Chtuhlu-like demons.
Oh god, it feels good to open my heart.