web Massively Multiplayer Personal Productivity

Posted March 12, 2005 • Comments Off on Massively Multiplayer Personal Productivity

From the blog of Steven of Panic.

Massively Multiplayer Personal Productivity:
It is important to recognize where hypocrisy and double-standards exist in your life. Let me give you an example.
As a video gamer, I outrank role players on the geek hierarchy. It is very easy for me to look down at avid role playing fanatics, and sigh — if only they knew how dorky it all looks from the outside. Then I’d turn right back to my Game Cube without even a moment’s self-reflection.
What makes me a hypocrite is that the world of role playing now solidly intersects the world of video gaming. And despite my best efforts, I love it.
The point I’m trying to make here is: I’m completely addicted to World of Warcraft.
I’m not entirely sure why, either. It’s not the most original game in the history of the world, and in some ways it’s downright repetitive. But still there’s that whole “just one more level” aspect. And playing with a group of friends just multiplies the fun factor. Not to mention that it is visually beautiful, despite humble system requirements, and has quite an extensive mythology lurking below the surface.
So it was in the midst of a marathon WoW session when I had my million-dollar epiphany. Are you ready? I’m throwing this one out for free — just give me a line of credit when the money starts pouring in.
If character development, and a bit of visual gloss can make repetitive and possibly mundane activities into an addiction, then I have the perfect application for it: the world of productivity porn, as spearheaded by such sites as 43 Folders and Lifehacker.
I’ve never had a problem creating to-do lists and I definitely have the organization fetish. My biggest problem is to stop procrastinating and actually do the to-dos. What I need is an incentive!
So, clearly, what I need is a specialized PIM app, where each task can be assigned a certain number of experience points. Maybe if I, say, replace the furnace air filter, I get a chance at a certain amount of gold or silver.
Next, this app checks in with a server and ranks me against other users. What? That guy I work with is level 20 already? I’ve gotta go mow the lawn, that’s worth 500 XP!
Told you it was a great idea. Not only am I getting crap done, but I’m WINNING.
Maybe there could be a collaborative aspect too. Painting the house? You could do it all yourself for 8,000 experience, or recruit three other players to help you and split it, 2,000 each.
So, there you have it. I’ve planted the seed. Who will create LIFEQUEST? Only time will tell…