7 ms·

Definitely a cool concept, but I can see myself cheating and just saying that I did something in order to level up and get stuff. Now a version of this that co

Definitely a cool concept, but I can see myself cheating and just saying that I did something in order to level up and get stuff. Now a version of this that could verify if you did something, either automatically or with some user involvement would be even cooler. One idea: take a before and after picture as proof that you did it (maybe do some image processing if possible) Another idea: use a GPS signal to verify you're actually at the laundromat when you say that you did the laundry.

ignu 16y ago
That's my thought as well! In http://kuwest.com http://kuwest.com you get 3XP for adding a task, 5XP for commenting on it and 7XP for uploading a picture. I'm also thinking you wouldn't want to flood your social network with lies about what you're doing.
- philk 16y ago
  I don't think I'd want to flood my social network with the truth about what I'm actually doing either; someone who finds the fact that I've cleaned my toilets or vacuumed my lounge interesting is probably not the sort of person I'd want to be social with.
  - ignu 16y ago
    I wasn't going to flood them with updates for every task, but whenever you get an achievement or level up. In http://kuwest.com http://kuwest.com you have more quantifiable tasks, so you can complete a quest when you, say, run 100 miles or read 1000 pages.
    - philk 16y ago
      If they're big impressive things I can see people's desire to brag coming into play. As a disclaimer, I'm somewhat of a Luddite when it comes to this stuff so the fact that I'm not enthused should in no way count as a strike against it; I'm not a fan of foursquare et. al. but they seem to be going very well.
shasta 16y ago
It could automatically contact friends from your contact list and ask them if you stink.
parallax7d 16y ago
I think you have it backwards. If someone is going to cheat, they are not going to be interested in this rpg. The rewards of leveling up are a new found productive habit, not just some silly swag or xp in a lame game. On top of that, by instituting your "prove it" functionality, you are only incentivizing people to cheat. In this case, trust is the best way to prevent cheating.
- maushu 16y ago
  http://kuwest.com/users/neoblue http://kuwest.com/users/neoblue You were saying...? People will always be interested in winning. Doesn't matter if the software is for self-fulfillment.
  - ignu 16y ago
    That's why, if it's public, then people will know they're cheating. I toy with the idea of verifiable quests. For example, Take a picture a day (I can verify that they have from flickr). Blog once a week (I can verify this from their RSS feed)... although each one of those requires custom programming. Maybe give more XP for those things that can be verified.
- JoeAltmaier 16y ago
  But...if you have the self-control to not cheat, then you have the self-control to get the dang chores done. So who's the target demographic? People who don't need the app.
  - joshuacc 16y ago
    I don't think this is necessarily the case. It depends on how well the "Do not cheat" and "Do your chores" imperatives are internalized. There is also the fact that (at least for me) it is much harder to do something than to not do something.

ignu 16y ago

That's my thought as well! In http://kuwest.com http://kuwest.com you get 3XP for adding a task, 5XP for commenting on it and 7XP for uploading a picture. I'm also thinking you wouldn't want to flood your social network with lies about what you're doing.

philk 16y ago
I don't think I'd want to flood my social network with the truth about what I'm actually doing either; someone who finds the fact that I've cleaned my toilets or vacuumed my lounge interesting is probably not the sort of person I'd want to be social with.
- ignu 16y ago
  I wasn't going to flood them with updates for every task, but whenever you get an achievement or level up. In http://kuwest.com http://kuwest.com you have more quantifiable tasks, so you can complete a quest when you, say, run 100 miles or read 1000 pages.
  - philk 16y ago
    If they're big impressive things I can see people's desire to brag coming into play. As a disclaimer, I'm somewhat of a Luddite when it comes to this stuff so the fact that I'm not enthused should in no way count as a strike against it; I'm not a fan of foursquare et. al. but they seem to be going very well.

shasta 16y ago

It could automatically contact friends from your contact list and ask them if you stink.

parallax7d 16y ago

I think you have it backwards. If someone is going to cheat, they are not going to be interested in this rpg. The rewards of leveling up are a new found productive habit, not just some silly swag or xp in a lame game. On top of that, by instituting your "prove it" functionality, you are only incentivizing people to cheat. In this case, trust is the best way to prevent cheating.

maushu 16y ago
http://kuwest.com/users/neoblue http://kuwest.com/users/neoblue You were saying...? People will always be interested in winning. Doesn't matter if the software is for self-fulfillment.
- ignu 16y ago
  That's why, if it's public, then people will know they're cheating. I toy with the idea of verifiable quests. For example, Take a picture a day (I can verify that they have from flickr). Blog once a week (I can verify this from their RSS feed)... although each one of those requires custom programming. Maybe give more XP for those things that can be verified.
JoeAltmaier 16y ago
But...if you have the self-control to not cheat, then you have the self-control to get the dang chores done. So who's the target demographic? People who don't need the app.
- joshuacc 16y ago
  I don't think this is necessarily the case. It depends on how well the "Do not cheat" and "Do your chores" imperatives are internalized. There is also the fact that (at least for me) it is much harder to do something than to not do something.