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Workaholism and Game-aholism
Mar. 31st, 2008 06:09 pmThe way my mind works, I do a better job when I find a way to do it in the form of a game. It is a distinct switch of mindset. In that frame of mind, I have been looking at my hypnotically repetitive day job and thinking, "There's the seed of a puzzle game here, but the task I have been set bears many game-design flaws." And yet, I know what it's like to do work that is as addictive as a game. I've realized that you don't have to be making any money to be a workaholic! Penguicon has been my EverQuest.
EverQuest was nicknamed "EverCrack" because it was so addictive. (Don't worry, I know better than to let myself be hooked by such games.) But make no mistake, level-grinding and gold farming are work, no less than my day job, and requiring just about the same level of attention. Workaholism is a "level-grinding" addiction that releases the same brain chemical rewards. It's only the traditional definition that includes "earning an income" as part of what it means to be a workaholic.
It seems to me therefore, that massively-multiplayer online games are missing out on their real form of money-making potential, one which may reshape a segment of the workforce of the 21st century.
Know what my holy grail is? I want to develop something like the Google Image Labeler Game. Someday I'll find something of financial value that no one wants to do, that cannot be automated, and around which I can design an addictive internet game. The game will produce a service of value as a side effect-- a service which the players don't even have to know they're providing. That's a sadly under-utilized form of monetization. If I harness workaholism and game-aholism together... that might be the day my ship comes in!
EverQuest was nicknamed "EverCrack" because it was so addictive. (Don't worry, I know better than to let myself be hooked by such games.) But make no mistake, level-grinding and gold farming are work, no less than my day job, and requiring just about the same level of attention. Workaholism is a "level-grinding" addiction that releases the same brain chemical rewards. It's only the traditional definition that includes "earning an income" as part of what it means to be a workaholic.
It seems to me therefore, that massively-multiplayer online games are missing out on their real form of money-making potential, one which may reshape a segment of the workforce of the 21st century.
Know what my holy grail is? I want to develop something like the Google Image Labeler Game. Someday I'll find something of financial value that no one wants to do, that cannot be automated, and around which I can design an addictive internet game. The game will produce a service of value as a side effect-- a service which the players don't even have to know they're providing. That's a sadly under-utilized form of monetization. If I harness workaholism and game-aholism together... that might be the day my ship comes in!
