Gaming,Learning,Happiness

Elizabeth Lane LawleyRIT Lab for Social Computing

SUNY Conference on Information Technology May 2009

mamamusings.net

Jane McGonigal

http://www.nytimes.com/

Elements of Happiness

1. satisfying work to do

2. the experience of being good at something

3. time spent with people we like

4. the chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself

Are YOU are in the happiness business?

Maybe not yet… but you should be.

“For many people today, in terms of perceived quality

of life, virtuality is beating reality.”

Virtual World Playmates

Real-World Colleagues

“The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement.”

40% of adult women

18%

33%

26% over age 50

What is a game?a. A form of play with goals and structure.”

(Kevin Maroney)

b. A form of art in which participants, termed players, make decisions in order to manage resources through game tokens in the pursuit of a goal.” (Greg Costikyan)

c. An activity with some rules engaged in for an outcome.” (Eric Zimmerman)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game

AJ Kim on Game Mechanics

1) Collecting

2) Points

3) Feedback

4) Exchanges

5) Customization

http://pmog.com/missions

http://www.42entertainment.com/see.html