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Jun 29, 2007

Comments

1.

There's been virtual world biking... It's even on the sidebar of terra nova. -.^

http://www.nonpolynomial.com/content/2005/09/lifecycle.php

2.

Louis Von Ahn at Carnegie would probably have 101 ideas about how to harness MMO play for research.

I think, given a compelling enough problem and gameworld, you are perfectly right. I think I'll pass on traffic lights, but containing global epidemics? Sounds awesome to me.

3.

I think a lot of the patterns are the same, and the only difference is context.

I am fairly sure one could come up with a game or mini-game for which the patterns are the same as for a traffic light controller, but the visuals and effects are far different.

I am reminded of the general backgrounds of the first people hired specifically as computer programmers. In testing, the firm doing the hiring found that individuals in particular occupations were more likely to have aptitude for the work (I can't remember the entire list, but musicians and teachers were cited prominently). Perhaps games could be used to assist in pattern recognition and cultivating the particular intelligences involved.

4.

Look back to 2005 for an example of a virtual virus spreading in World of Warcraft:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4946772

5.

I'm not sure if/how this contributes to the discussion, but instead of 'virtualize,' I think of this as a matter of interface. Which interfaces are effective/desirable for which activities? Descending into dangerous mine shafts for mining, or button-pressing for mining? (Or Expresso Biking for mining?) To put it crudely, if it's possible to connect disparate inputs and outputs, it's possible to be that much more imaginative with our interfaces. And in some circumstances, of course, we'll choose the 'real' one...

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