Wii Fit has gotten a ton of attention recently; reviews, criticism, and complaints have all cropped up in the wake of its release. Over at Lost Garden, Wii Fit is a launching spot for a broader game design discussion: Wii Fit and its ilk aren't exception, they're "merely the tiny tip of an immense iceberg. Almost any human skill, be it physical, cultural, political or economic can be turned into a game that enlightens and enables." Assuming, of course, it can fit a couple of criteria:
It turns out that most learnable skills can be turned into a game. However, there are constraints. A skill must meet the following criteria before it can be turned into a game:
1. Decomposable into simpler skills
2. Skills can be nested
3. Skills can be arranged in a smooth learning curve
4. Skills are measurable
5. Performance can be rewarded
6. Skills are locally useful.
As with anything posted at Lost Garden, it's a thought provoking little essay; while this sort of stuff will have little impact on the hardcore among us, one wonders what designers will come up with next — and how.
What actitivies can be turned into games? [Lost Garden]