alternate realities jane mcgonigal @ SXSW 2008

a game designer’s perspective on the future of happiness

The Quality of Life Index The Happy Planet Index “ Gross National Happiness” Subjective Life Satisfation The Canadian Index of Well-Being World’s Most Livable Cities The Vanderford Riley Well Being Schedule The Authentic Happiness Inventory

The Quality of Life Index

The Happy Planet Index

“ Gross National Happiness”

Subjective Life Satisfation

The Canadian Index of Well-Being

World’s Most Livable Cities

The Vanderford Riley Well Being Schedule

The Authentic Happiness Inventory

Are YOU are in the happiness business?

Are YOU are in the happiness business?

Are YOU are in the happiness business? Maybe not yet… but will you be.

Are YOU are in the happiness business?

Maybe not yet… but will you be.

A future forecast ( 2013 ):

Quality of life becomes the primary metric for evaluating interactive brands, services, environments, and experiences.

Quality of life becomes the primary metric for evaluating interactive brands, services, environments, and experiences.

Positive psychology is increasingly a principal, explicit influence on interactive design and development.

Positive psychology is increasingly a principal, explicit influence on interactive design and development.

Communities form around different visions of a real life worth living .

Communities form around different visions of a real life worth living .

Value is defined as a measurable increase in real happiness, or well-being – the new capital .

Value is defined as a measurable increase in real happiness, or well-being – the new capital .

HAPPINESS IS THE NEW CAPITAL.

HAPPINESS IS THE NEW CAPITAL.

HAPPINESS IS THE NEW CAPITAL. … but happiness doesn’t mean what it used to.

HAPPINESS IS THE NEW CAPITAL.

… but happiness doesn’t mean what it used to.

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

Multiplayer games are the ultimate happiness engine .

Multiplayer games are the ultimate happiness engine .

signals

signals

1) better instructions

1) better instructions

2) better feedback

2) better feedback

3) better community

3) better community

a global mass exodus to

a global mass exodus to

“ We are witnessing what amounts to no less than a global mass exodus to virtual worlds and other online gaming environments.” – economist Edward Castranova

“ We are witnessing what amounts to no less than a global mass exodus to virtual worlds and other online gaming environments.”

– economist Edward Castranova

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life , virtuality is beating reality.

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life , virtuality is beating reality.

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life , virtuality is beating reality.

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life , virtuality is beating reality.

Multiplayer gaming, c. 2008

Multiplayer gaming, c. 2008 It’s like we invented the written word… and we decided only to write books.

It’s like we invented the written word… and we decided only to write books.

signals … what do they mean?

signals

… what do they mean?

“ To imagine the future, always look back at least twice as far as you are looking forward."

“ To imagine the future, always look back at least twice as far as you are looking forward."

GAMES KILL BOREDOM Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Engagement Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of boredom, inertia, disinterest, and other serious afflictions of dealing with everyday life.

Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Engagement

Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of boredom, inertia, disinterest, and other serious afflictions of dealing with everyday life.

GAMES KILL ALIENATION Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Friends, Allies Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of social alienation, loneliness, lack of community, friendlessness, and other serious afflictions of co-existing with real people.

Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Friends, Allies

Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of social alienation, loneliness, lack of community, friendlessness, and other serious afflictions of co-existing with real people.

GAMES KILL ANXIETY Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Confidence Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of anxiety, fear, social awkwardness and other serious afflictions of being human and alive.

Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Confidence

Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of anxiety, fear, social awkwardness and other serious afflictions of being human and alive.

GAMES KILL DEPRESSION Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Purpose & Meaning Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of depression, existential angst, human suffering and other serious afflictions of real life.

Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Purpose & Meaning

Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of depression, existential angst, human suffering and other serious afflictions of real life.

Alternate reality designers are trying to embed these happiness engines in everyday life.

Alternate reality designers are trying to embed these happiness engines in everyday life.

The concept “alternate reality” comes from science fiction .

“ An alternate reality is another way of experiencing existence.” G. S. ELRICK, 1978

World Without Oil, 2007 * *

World Without Oil, 2007 * *

A collaborative multi-platform authoring envirorment ( the Web 2.0 ) invites players to create and to test an alternate reality

How alternate reality games amplify human happiness mobbability influency ping quotient multi-capitalism cooperation radar open authorship emergensight longbroading protovation signal/noise management

mobbability

cooperation radar

ping quotient

influency

multi-capitalism

protovation

open authorship

signal/noise management

longbroading

emergensight

Amplifying human happiness mobbability influency ping quotient multi-capitalism cooperation radar open authorship emergensight longbroading protovation signal/noise management

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

Where to next? Alternate realities, circa 2008 - 2013

Where to next?

www.thelostring.com

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

the important stuff 1. Soon enough, most of us will be in the happiness business

1. Soon enough, most of us will be in the happiness business

the important stuff 2. Games designers have a huge head start.

2. Games designers have a huge head start.

the important stuff 3) Alternate realities signal the desire , need & opportunity for all of us to redesign reality for real quality of life.

3) Alternate realities signal the desire , need & opportunity for all of us to redesign reality for real quality of life.

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