Buzz Words Approaching: “Game Layer”

By now, we’re used to letting Facebook and Twitter capture our social lives on the web – building a “social layer” on top of the real world. At TEDxBoston, Seth Priebatsch looks at the next layer in progress: the “game layer,” a pervasive net of behavior-steering game dynamics that will reshape education and commerce.

Ten thoughts, questions, comments and micro-rants about what Chief Ninja Priebatsch is presenting here…

1. What is he presenting here? Beyond a highly suspect fashion sense. Should a man that never finished school dress like a preppy? What is the name for that colour? Then there’s the sunglasses…yes, those sunglasses. Enough with squirming about a man’s sartorial choices let’s get into the content.
2. And the content would be? Yes, building the Game Layer on top of the world. Now, he’s not relocating his company to the Himalayas or the Arctic Circle so we must assume that he’s got some spatial metaphor at work here. Notice that he’s not saying that the Game Layer will be built “under the world”. This is either a relief or a simple over sight on Seth’s part because his presentation is so geared to looking at the users as something to be used and manipulated by “game dynamics” that this game layer might be seen very profitably as subterranean.
3. Game Dynamics; now there’s a potential buzz word. Remember, with just seven game dynamics you can get anyone to do what you want them to. Nice secondary marketing tie-in tool this one . Imagine the self-help paperbacks/seminars: Seven Game Dynamics Every Good Wingman Knows, Seven Game Dynamics for Successful Sales, The Seven Game Dynamics of Effective People, etc.
4. Game Dynamics Part Two. He gives us four G.D.’s in his presentation. He keeps an unrevealed three G.D’s close to his chest. It turns out that his minions at SCVNGR have identified 47 game dynamics and printed them up as playing cards. Sort of like Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies without the “Oblique”. If you’re interested in what the SCVNGR cards say check out this TechCrunch piece. Make your own deck, memorize them and set yourself up as a Game Layer Engineering Consultant. Get big bucks from marketing firms for at least the next ten year because… This decade is the where we build the Game Layer, right?
5. Is it Seth’s presentation style that brings this cynical turn to one’s thoughts. Is he telling us something or selling us something? Where did you first smell the sulfur, catch a whiff of snake oil or feel the ice water course through your veins? Was it when he started in with the “decades” bit, or the declaration that Facebook is the “Social Layer” or that Farmville has taken over the world, that “everything is a game” or was it just that shirt.
6. What is he selling? His company SCVNGR makes a game called “SCVNGR”. It is a smart phone app which has the players going to various client locations to win valuable prizes. Like Dungeons and Dragons? Do you get to off kobolds and trolls and steal their stuff? No, it’s a scavenger hunt. Yes, it’s that lame.
7. Why does SCVNG’s happy face/ logo/icon/mascott thingee look so much like one of Dr.Who’s creepier enemies, the souless hyper-imperialist Cybermen ?
8. At SCVNGR Seth is the Chief Ninja, his right hand man calls himself the Chief Rockstar, the company roster has cute Facebooky profile pictures of the various executives with funny titles. It looks like it would be fun to work at SCVNGR. It is fun. Don’t you want to have fun? If you come to work on Monday and you are sad, do they fire you?
9. Gamers, designers and players; beware. There are people who want to look like they know what the gaming thing is. Like hippies and punks and hackers and ravers…you’re next. The marketing clowns want your mojo. This is what I see so clearly in this presentation.
10. Here’s a video of a presentation by Jess Schell from 2010 DICE conference. Prof. Schell covers much the same material as Seth but his approach is very different. Stands to reason, he’s probably designed more games than Seth has ever played. You won’t feel used after this one and I think you’ll be better informed.